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Chris Tsiprailidis |
The final table was very exciting with tough competition,” said Chris Tsiprailidis, who nonetheless prevailed and ultimately captured top honors in the sixth event of the 2001 Jack Binion World Poker Open. For vanquishing 393 opponents in the $500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em competition, “Syracuse Chris” was awarded first-place prize money of $70,703, plus a traditional WPO gold and diamond bracelet.
A 41-year-old professional player from Syracuse, New York, Tsiprailidis holds numerous titles from other major events, including the World Series of Poker, the Carnivale of Poker, the Four Queens Poker Classic, and the L.A. Poker Classic. Of the World Poker Open, he commented: “This tournament is getting better and better. I predict it will soon be as big as the World Series.”
Tsiprailidis arrived for the No-Limit Hold’em showdown in middle chip position and saw two of his short-stacked opponents eliminated within five minutes. The first to go was Mike Dobrowski, who moved all in before the flop with A¨ 10¨ and was challenged by Amir Vahedi, who called from the big blind with Q-4. The flop came Q-7-6, and when a second queen turned, Dobrowski was drawing dead and bit the dust in ninth place for $3,058.
Two hands later, Paul Kroh moved all in before the flop with A-5 and was called by Mark Wilds, who was in the big blind with A-10. The flop brought 10-8-5, and when Kroh got no help on board, he was gone in eighth place for $3,821.
It wasn’t long, however, before Wilds met his own demise when he took K-Q up against Donald Delancy, who held A-Q. The flop came J-9-2, and when Wilds moved all in, Delancy called and caught an ace on the turn. Only a 10 could save Wilds, but the river brought a trey to leave him washed up in seventh place for $4,777.
A few hands later, Delancy received a stunning blow when he lost a big pot to Amir Vahedi, who spiked a straight on the river. Though he lasted a few more rounds, Delancy was unable to fully recover and went down for the count when he moved all in before the flop with Qª Jª and was challenged by Tsiprailidis, who held A" 10". The flop came Q-J-9, giving Delancy top two, but a river eight knocked him out in sixth place for $6,688.
Short on ammo from the outset, Michael Wilkinson had survived several all-in battles before firing his last volley when he took A-9 up against Dan Alspach, who was in the big blind with 10-7. The flop came 10-7-5, and both players checked. When an ace fell on the turn, Alspach bet a small amount and Wilkinson came over the top, moving all in. But he failed to help on the river and had to settle for fifth place and $8,599.
Arriving at the final table with twice as many chips as his nearest challenger, Amir Vahedi had managed to maintain a solid position all along. But the tide swiftly turned when Tsiprailidis raised before the flop with pocket sevens, Vahedi reraised with Kª Qª, and Dan Alspach called all in with A-K. Chip Jett was the last to act and folded pocket 10s, and Tsiprailidis folded his sevens. When the final board showed A-10-7/10-Q, Alspach took down the $125,000 pot, Vahedi was left close to the green, and Chip Jett was sorry he’d mucked his hand. Vahedi was dispatched a few deals later when he moved all in before the flop with Qu Ju and again ran into Alspach, who was in the small blind with pocket kings. When the flop came 7-7-3, Vahedi was drawing dead and finished fourth for $11,465.
Although Alspach had two-thirds of the chips on the table when three-handed play began, he lost two pots in a row and the players were suddenly even again. The lead then switched hands several times, and it was more than an hour before Chip Jett was finally eliminated when he called from the small blind with A-J against Tsiprailidis, who was in the big blind with Q-3. Jett moved all in on the flop, Tsiprailidis called, and the final board showed 6-6-3/8-9, sending Jett home with third place and $18,153.
A 26-year-old poker pro from Mesa, Arizona, Jett has cashed on numerous occasions in other major tournaments and recently captured the Best All-Around Player award for his six final-table appearances at the 2001 L.A. Poker Classic.
Now holding a 2-to-1 advantage over Dan Alspach, Tsiprailidis kept the pressure on and steadily whittled down his opponent’s stack. It was finally all over when Alspach moved in before the flop with A-3 and Tsiprailidis called with A-J. On fourth street, the board showed 6-6-4/5, giving Alspach an open-ended straight draw. But a jack fell on the river, and Tsiprailidis won the pot and claimed the title with jacks up.
“This was a great competition, with lots of nice action,” commented Alspach, who pocketed $36,307 for his runner-up finish. The 60-year-old president of Orincon, an engineering services company, he has cashed “tons of times” in other major tournaments.
“I give Dan a lot of credit,” said Tsiprailidis. “They don’t call him ‘Action Dan’ for nothing. He likes to push players around.”"
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