Mike Hart
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Event #11: Texas Hold'em (Pot Limit) $1,000 4/5/01
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $113,490
ENTRIES IN THIS EVENT: 117
Report by Lynn Loomis
"Winning the title is great, but
winning the money is even
better," said Mike Hart, who caught lightning in a bottle to make an amazing comeback and ultimately conquer 116 opponents to capture first place in the $1,000 buy-in Pot-Limit Texas Hold'em competition. His victory in the 11th event of the 2001 Jack Binion World Poker Open brought Hart $45,396 in prize money, plus a traditional WPO gold and diamond bracelet.
A 49-year-old professional player from Las Vegas, Hart boasts titles from several other major tournaments, including four from the World Series of Poker, and has cashed countless times, most notably placing second to Berry Johnston in the 1986 WSOP championship event. He began playing poker in 1970 while serving in the military and set out on the tournament trail in 1982.
Arriving for the final showdown as a chip underdog, Hart survived an all-in battle early on to double through and continued to jockey for position over the next hour. In the meantime, Peter Doherty was playing on short money and was soon eliminated when he raised before the flop with pocket sixes and was reraised by T. J. Cloutier, who held A-Q. Doherty called all in, but when the board brought Q-J-4/9-2, he was gone in ninth place for $1,817.
While Hart slowly pumped up his stack, chip leader Sudie Cecil saw his quickly deflated when he lost a sizeable pot with pocket queens to Daniel Negreanu's pocket aces. Cecil couldn't recover and met his demise a few rounds later when he raised all in from the button with J-8 suited and was challenged by John Juanda, who held pocket kings in the big blind. On fourth street the board showed 10-6-3/8, and when Cecil got no help on the river, he was washed up in eighth place for $2,270.
More than three hours had now passed, and seven players were still in contention for the title. But Hart soon won two big pots in a row to seize the lead, then caught an incredible rush that enabled him to dispatch his remaining opponents in less than 45 minutes. He first took out Gordon Harris, who fired his last volley when he raised all in before the flop with Q-J. Hart called from the small blind with A-Q, and when the board brought 7-7-7/3-4, Harris bit the dust in seventh place for $2,837.
The next to go was defending champion T.J. Cloutier, who raised before the flop with pocket sixes only to be challenged by Hart, who held pocket treys. When the flop came 9-8-3 and Hart checked his set, Cloutier bet all in. But no salvation was forthcoming, and he expired in sixth place for $3,972. A formidable competitor, Cloutier is the leading all-time money winner at the World Series of Poker and boasts a remarkable 51 major tournament titles, four of them from the WSOP.
With Cloutier out of the way, Hart next trained his sights on Ken "Skyhawk" Flaton, who'd earlier had his wings clipped by Bobby Lund. Struggling to gain momentum, Flaton saw an opportunity in pocket nines but had the misfortune of running into Hart, who held pocket kings. The Skyhawk was all in before the flop, and when the board came Q-J-2/2-Q, the former U.S. Poker Champion was shot down in fifth place for $5,107.
On the very next deal, Hart raised before the flop with A-10, taking aim at Bobby Lund, who was in the big blind with A-J. Lund reraised all in, Hart called, and on fourth street the board was A-Q-10/2. Only a jack or a king could save Lund, but the river brought a six to leave him washed up in fourth place for $6,809.
It wasn't long before John Juanda made his last stand when he reraised from the big blind with Kc Qc only to see Hart kick it up again with Au Ku. Juanda called all in, and the flop came Ju 10u 5s. When the 7u fell on the turn, he was drawing dead and went down in third place for $11,349. A 29-year-old poker pro from Alhambra, California, Juanda has cashed numerous times in other major competitions and holds titles from the L.A. Poker Classic, the California State Poker Championship, and the Legends of Poker.
When heads-up play began, Hart held an almost insurmountable 5-to-1 lead over Daniel Negreanu, who proved tenacious as a bulldog and put up a furious fight. But despite his best efforts, he managed only a brief rally before finally succumbing when he raised before the flop with Ks Qs and Hart called with J-5. The flop came Js 4h 3s, Hart bet the pot, and Negreanu called all in. But the Jc fell on the turn, and when the river denied Negreanu a saving spade, Mike Hart won the pot and claimed the title with trip jacks.
Negreanu took home $22,698 for his runner-up finish. A 26-year-old professional player from Las Vegas and a Card Player columnist, he won the 1999 U.S. Poker Championship and holds titles from several other major tournaments, including the World Series of Poker and the L.A. Poker Classic. A gracious loser, Negreanu stated: "I'm proud of Mike. He was playing really good today."
The Final Table Chip Standings & Seat Positions:
| Seat Position/Player | Chip Count |
| Seat 1: T J Cloutier | $22,300 |
| Seat 2: Daniel Negreanu | $19,000 |
| Seat 3: Sudie Cecil | $26,800 |
| Seat ?: John Juanda | $5,800 |
| Seat ?: Bobby Lund | $2,800 |
| Seat 6: Gordon Harris | $12,100 |
| Seat 7: Ken "Skyhawk" Flaton | $15,000 |
| Seat 8: Peter Doherty | $3,700 |
| Seat 9: Mike Hart | $9,500 |
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