Lindy Chambers
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Event #12: Omaha High-Low Split (Limit) $1,000 4/6/01
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $74,690
ENTRIES IN THIS EVENT: 77
Report by Lynn Loomis
"Before I left Baton Rouge, I said I
was going to win one of these
tournaments," commented Lindy Chambers, whose prophecy was fulfilled when he conquered 76 opponents to capture first place in the $1,000 buy-in Omaha High-Low Split competition. For taking top honors in the 12th event of the 2001 Jack Binion World Poker Open, Chambers was awarded $29,876 in prize money, plus a traditional WPO gold and diamond bracelet.
A 68-year-old retiree from the amusement business, Chambers also holds a title from the Queens Poker Classic and has cashed in several other major tournaments, including the World Series of Poker, where he finished second a few years ago in a Pot-Limit Omaha event. He has played poker since childhood.
Chambers arrived at the final table in only fair chip position, but he was in much better shape than Bruce Kipfer, who was eliminated just moments after the game got under way. Playing on short money, Kipfer placed his hopes for survival on kings up and called all in on the river. But no low was on board, and when Mike Epstein showed down aces up to claim the pot, Kipfer was gone in ninth place for $1,494.
A few deals later, Lindy Chambers won a monster three-way pot with 5-3-3-2 to seize the lead from Dan Heimiller and dispatch Kevin Lam in the process. Heimiller held A-A-9-6, Lam had 6-4-3-2, and a flop of A-6-4 set off firecrackers, with much raising and reraising. When a trey fell on the turn, Lam bet all in, Chambers raised all in, and Heimiller called, creating a side pot. But a river jack helped no one, and Chambers scooped both pots with a wheel and a six-high straight. In his second appearance at the final table during this year's WPO, Kevin Lam cashed eighth for $1,868.
Short-stacked from the outset, Rainbow Rosenbloom, aka "the Prince of Docness," split several pots to stay in the game before finally being shut out when he raised all in before the flop with A-Q-J-10. Mike Epstein called with 7-6-5-2, and when the board brought 8-5-3/4-10, Rosenbloom was forced to exit in seventh place for $2,615.
The door was also soon slammed on Jesse Jones. Low on chips from the get-go, he made his final stand when he called from the big blind with A-J-6-2 against Vince Oliver, who had raised before the flop with A-J-4-2. On fourth street the board showed J-10-8/9, and only one card could hurt Jones. But the river brought the fatal four, and he was sent home with sixth place and $3,362.
After losing a sizeable pot when he failed to make a low against Lindy Chambers, who scooped with queens up, Dan Heimiller found himself in peril. He sought an avenue of escape in A-K-7-6 and reraised before the flop against Mike Epstein, who made it four bets to go with A-7-5-2. Heimiller called all in, but when the final board showed A-8-5/3-3, he got scooped and expired in fifth place for $4,107.
Although Tom Jacoby had arrived for the final showdown in good position, he couldn't seem to make a hand and had nursed his dwindling stack for more than an hour. After splitting a few pots to stay alive, he finally met his demise when he took A-A-10-3 up against Vince Oliver, who held 7-5-4-4. Jacoby bet all in when the flop came 10-4-3, but he failed to fill and bit the dust in fourth place for $5,228.
At three-handed play, Oliver now held the lead, with Chambers in second place and Mike "Magic" Epstein in third. It wasn't long before Epstein forfeited a big pot to Chambers for a bet on the turn and saw his stack almost depleted. He made his last move on the very next hand when he took K-K-4-3 up against his nemesis, who held Qh Qc 9u 5u. When the flop came Ks Qu 2u, Epstein bet out, Chambers raised, and Epstein called all in. He still had the lead when an ace turned, but the 4u fell on the river and he was doomed to finish third for $8,962. A 40-something investor from Las Vegas, Epstein has previously cashed in several other major poker competitions.
When heads-up play began, Chambers held only a slight advantage over Oliver but soon won a key pot that left his opponent close to the green. The decisive hand came down when Oliver raised before the flop with 10-10-7-2 and Chambers called from the big blind with K-Q-4-2. On fourth street the board showed J-10-5/8, and Oliver was still ahead with his set. But when an ace fell on the river, Chambers scooped the pot with an ace-high straight and an 8-5 low. Oliver had only two chips left, and it was all over minutes later when his 10s up proved second-best, as Chambers showed down trip eights to claim the title.
"Lindy's a good player and a great champ," said Oliver, who received $17,178 for his runner-up finish. "I was doing OK until we got heads up. Then he got all the tickets, and I didn't have much to work with in the limited time."
A 41-year-old attorney and businessman from Manhattan Beach, California, Oliver holds a title from the Euro Finals in Paris and has cashed in several other poker competitions.
The Final Table Chip Standings & Seat Positions:
| Seat Position/Player | Chip Count |
| Seat 1: Dan Heimiller | $18,900 |
| Seat 2: Vince Oliver | $4,800 |
| Seat 3: Tom Jacoby | $13,600 |
| Seat 4: Kevin Lam | $9,300 |
| Seat 5: Lindy Chambers | $7,100 |
| Seat 6: Prince of Docness | $6,100 |
| Seat 7: Bruce Kipfer | $3,700 |
| Seat 8: Jesse Jones | $6,400 |
| Seat 9: Mike "Magic" Epstein | $7,500 |
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