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Jack Keller
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EVENT #2: Texas Hold 'em (Limit) $500 3/28/01
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $248,805
ENTRIES IN THIS EVENT: 513
PRIZE MONEY TO DATE (3/26-3/28): $427,770
TOTAL ENTRIES TO DATE (3/26-3/28): 665
Report by Lynn Loomis
After an eight year absence from the tournament trail, 1984 World
Champion of Poker Jack Keller returned with a vengeance, vanquishing 512 opponents to claim top honors in the second event of the 2001 Jack Binion World Poker Open. For his victory in the $500 buy-in Limit Hold'em competition, Keller was awarded $92,058 in prize money, plus the traditional WPO gold and diamond bracelet.
A 58-year-old professional player, he also boasts four World Series of Poker bracelets, a Hall of Fame Poker Classic watch, four Super Bowl of Poker titles, and countless in-the-money finishes from other major tournaments. Keller was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1994.
The former world champ came to the final table as the chip leader, and though he had a setback early on, he quickly regained his position and continued to boost his stack. In the meantime, several of his opponents were eliminated in short order. The first to go was Billy Boutte, who lost two big pots in a row and found himself in sudden jeopardy. Seeing a good chance for survival in A-K, Boutte challenged Paul Williams, who had raised before the flop with Q-10 suited. But a board of J-10-8/7-9 brought Williams a queen-high straight, and Boutte was sent home with ninth place and $3,981.
Williams' gain was short-lived, however, as he was soon felled when he raised before the flop with K-7 and was called by Claudie Mikesell, who held pocket eights in the big blind. The flop came J-7-4, but Williams got no more help and was gone in eighth place for $4,976.
Short-stacked from the outset, Chris Luck lived up to his name, surviving numerous all-in battles before his luck finally ran out when he raised all in before the flop with A-S 3-S and was called by Jack Keller, who was in the big blind with A-K. A flop of Q-S 10-S 2u held promise for Luck, but when an offsuit 7-Q fell on board, he was outkicked and had to settle for seventh place and $6,220.
Keller was now on a roll and dispatched three more opponents in rapid succession. He first took out John Bolten, who called from the big blind with Q-10 against Keller's pocket aces. On fourth street, the board showed Q-J-3/10 and Bolten bet all in with his two pair. But when Keller rivered a king for a straight, Bolten was shot down in sixth place for $8,708. He also cashed in yesterday's Pot-Limit Omaha event, finishing 15th for $1,968.
After losing a huge pot to Keller's club flush, Claudie Mikesell was low on ammo and fired his last volley when he again challenged his nemesis, three-betting with pocket sevens before the flop. Keller called with 9-H 6-H and the flop came A-H A-D K-H. The turn brought the 5-H, and when Mikesell failed to fill on the river, he bit the dust in fifth place for $11,196.
After forfeiting a big pot to Keller for a bet on the flop, Jack Smith was left close to the green and made his final stand on the very next deal, raising before the flop with K-H 6-H. Keller called from the big blind with J-4 offsuit and bet out on a flop of K-H Q-C J-H. Smith called all in, but when the board denied him another heart, he was crushed in fourth place for $14,928.
At three-handed play, Keller held a substantial lead over both Lamar Hampton and Rick Shepherd, who were close to even in chips. Nonetheless, it was more than an hour before Shepherd finally succumbed. After flopping a straight only to see it snapped off when Keller rivered a flush, Shepherd was almost down to the felt. He managed a brief rally, winning several all-in confrontations, then lost it all when he took K-J up against Keller, who held Q-S 10-S. On fourth street, the board showed K-S 6-S 6-S/4-S and Shepherd bet all in. But the river failed to deliver a miracle, and he was washed up in third place for $23,636.
"Jack is as strong as he's ever been, and I knew I was in trouble unless I caught some hands," commented Shepherd, a 46-year-old professional competitor who has cashed in several other major tournaments.
When heads-up play began, Keller held a 3-to-2 advantage over Hampton, then soon seized an almost insurmountable lead when he turned a full house with Q-10 against Hampton's A-Q. It was all over a few hands later when Keller raised before the flop with A-3 and Hampton called with K-8. On fourth street, the board read A-10-6/A, and Hampton bet all in. But he was drawing dead, and Keller claimed the pot and the title with trip aces.
"I know how Jack plays, and my game plan was to hang in there until we got heads up, then play for the title," Hampton said. "Unfortunately, he caught all the cards." Keller agreed, commenting, "I got a real rush against Lamar."
For his runner-up finish, Hampton received $47,273. He also placed 17th for $1,790 in the March 26 Pot-Limit Omaha event. A 62-year-old "serious recreational player," he has competed in tournaments since the mid '80s and holds titles from several major events, including the World Series of Poker.
The Final Table Chip Standings & Seat Positions:
| Seat Position/Player | Chip Count |
| Seat 1: Rick Shepherd (Richmond, IN) | $25,000 |
| Seat 2: Paul Williams (Biloxi, MS) | $19,000 |
| Seat 3: Jack Keller (Robinsonville, MS) | $49,000 |
| Seat 4: Billy Boutte (Lafayette, LA) | $26,000 |
| Seat 5: Chris Luck (Oskaloosa, KS) | $14,000 |
| Seat 6: Jack Smith (Tallahoma, TN) | $18,500 |
| Seat 7: John Bolten (Overland Park, KS) | $26,000 |
| Seat 8: Claudie Mikesell (Kansas City, KS) | $40,500 |
| Seat 9: Lamar Hampton (Casselberry, FL) | $40,000 |
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