Linh Luong Wins 1 Tournament, 2 Trophies, and 2Seats--Luck Be a Lady
The first of two Ladies' tournaments scheduled for Winnin ‘O' the Green series was played on Sunday, March 4, 2007. 196 ladies converged in the Main Ballroom at The Bicycle Casino to play for $18,100 in prize money, a LIPS Tour Trophy + $500 seat, a WOG Trophy and a $1,080 seat into the Legends of Poker Ladies event to be held in August 2007.
Put your seatbelt on because I'm going to take you through the first 8 hands of the final table and you're going to see half only 5 players remaining to play in hand #9. The final table started 9-handed on Level 12 with blinds of 1,000/2,000 and an ante of 500.
On hand #5, Terri Breerl limps in and Debbie Talosi pushes her short stack in for 1,700. Randi Biestock raises to 10,000 and gets called by both Terri and Debbie. Terri had A-7, Debbie Ks-4s and the best starting hand goes to Randi with Q-Q. The board was 10-4-4-2-7. Debbie's trip 4's won the main pot and Randi's Queens took in the side pot. That left Terri Breer eliminated in 10th place earning $270.
On the very next hand (#6), we found 3-way action again where Denise Aaron raised from the cutoff position, Debbie Talsoi re-raised all-in from the button and Marilyn Harris called from the big blind. Denise had K-Q, Debbie had the lead with A-Q while Marilyn feeling pot committed with the big blind showed A-2. The board was Q-10-2-K-5 and Denise hit her King kicker and took down a huge pot with her pair of Queens. Both Debbie Talsoi and Marilyn Harris were eliminated in 8th & 9th place respectively.
Two hands later (#8), three-way action occurred again. Randi Bienstock raised to 10,000 preflop, Beth Hall went all-in with her last 2,100 chips and Lisa Perry put the pressure on Randi by re-raising an additional 8,500. Randi went into the tank and finally called with pocket 4's. Beth showed K-Q and Lisa held 10-10. The flop was A-J-4 and Randi hits her set. The turn and river would not change the leader in this hand (8-5). Randi won the biggest pot of the night and sent both Lisa Perry and Beth Hall home in 7th & 8th place respectively.
After 8 hands the final 5 players remain and play a bit cautiously until the next blind level is reached. On hand #16, Denise Aaron raised under the gun to 9,000 chips. The action was folded around to Cydney Redman, who was pot committed, who called and had exactly 9,000 chips left. Denise had a dominating A-Q to Cydney's A-8. The board was 7-6-6-K-2 and improved neither hand. Denise won the pot with her Queen kicker and Cydney who won a couple all-in hands at the final table was eliminated in 5th place and earned $815.
On hand #31, Randi Bienstock pushed all-in with her A-J. and got called by Denise Aaron with pocket deuces. The board was 10-10-4-7-5 and the ducks held up. Randi had previously lost a lot of her chips with A-K. She was the table chip leader prior to that hand the table had just lost one of its strongest players. Randi finished in 4th place and received $1,085.
To say that the table tightened up once they became 3-handed is an understatement. The action was so fast up until now, I felt like I was observing the final 3 in slow motion. Lots of walks, checking, and an occasional 'raise-fold-fold' scenario. Then on hand #55, Linh Luong went to work. After a raise and re-raise preflop action, the board showed 9d-6s-4s. Linh bet out 4,000 and Helen English re-raised all-in. Linh quickly called and showed her 9-4 for two pair. Helen had the overpair of Q-Q. The turn 9 filled up Linh who was already leading and left Helen needed another Queen. The river 6 improved Linh's boat, not that she needed to. Helen English was sent to the rail in 3rd place. It was disappointing for Helen but her partner, Denise Aaron, was now heads up with Linh Luong.
Heads up play lasted 2 hands when Denise, a significant chip underdog, raised all-in with Q-3 and was called by Linh with 3s-4s. The flop was 5-4-2. Linh paired up but both players had an open-ended straight draw with their common 3. The turn and river would not complete the straight for the chop and Denise finished in the runner-up position and earned $3,440. Linh Luong did a great come-from-behind job as she was the short stack when 3-handed play. Linh is the champion and earned $7,240 + $1,080 seat + $500 seat + WOG Trophy + LIPS Tour Trophy. That's lots of hardware and future tournament play for Linh.
-Jay 'Bugsy' Siegel
BIOGRAPHY
Linh Luong has been playing poker for 3 years and is self-taught. Linh enjoys playing both Limit and No Limit Hold'em. Linh is a former 2005 Winnin ‘O' the Green Limit Hold'em champion. Linh considers herself a luck beginner but her play today was that of a skilled veteran. She picked her spots well and got her chips in when she was ahead. Congrats to Linh and I believe we'll see her at a final table again soon. Good luck in your LIPS Tour Championship and Legends of Poker tournaments as you earned those seats in your great performance today.
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