Teresa Sanchez Claims Ladies Title
The $500+50 buy-in Ladies No Limit Hold'em event attracted 91 players to The Bicycle Casino at 2:15pm. The $500 buy-in hosted also by the LPA (Ladies Poker Assoc.) provided each player $3,000 in tournament chips and 45 minute blinds. This structure allows for more play and typically favors the more skilled player. Although, this structure also lengthens the tournament and the final table of 9 players was set at 11:00pm. An option was given to the final table players to come back on Monday and play out the final table on the live webcast'Live at the Bike'. One of the players could not make it on Monday so the final table would be played into Monday morning.
On the sixth hand of the final table, Erlene Geller, a teacher from Westminster, CA, was all-in against Ruth Turobiner. Ms. Geller held 9-10 and Ruth held K-J. The board was 6-6-4-Q-5 and Ruth's King made the best hand. Erlene Geller finished in 9th place and earned $915. Erlene was out very late on a school night…for the record.
About 10 hands later, Amber Arafiles, holding 5-5 (aka presto) re-raised all-in preflop against Val Breiman, a screenwriter, who quickly called with pocket Queens. The board was K-J-10-4-A and the Ace on the river improved Val's hand to a nut straight although Val was leading during the entire hand. Amber Arafiles was eliminated in 8th place and earned $1,135.
On hand #77, Roni Taylor, a Bicycle Casino employee and liason to the Womens poker tournaments, called all-in with pocket 5's against Teresa Sanchez's pocket Aces. It's going to be a steep climb for Roni. The board did not improve for Roni (9-2-2-7-7) and each player had 2-pair but Teresa's Aces over 7's prevailed. Roni Taylor finished in 7th place earning $1,590. Congrats on the final table and your recent arrival of a newly born grandchild.
On hand #39, Chau Do, an attorney from Burbank, CA, was all-in with J-8 against Val Breiman with K-10. The board was 7-6-2-6-Q and the King kicker gave Val the best hand. Chau Do finished in 6th place and received $2,050 of the prize pool.
Just a few hands later, Ann Natarelli, sensing weakness, bet all-in post flop against Ruth Turobiner, who made the reluctant call. Ann showed a dominating A-10 to Ruth's 5h-6h with a flop of 9-7-4h. Ann had the lead but Ruth hand an open-ended straight draw and a back door flush draw. The turn King helped neither player and closed the back door draw for Ruth. The river 5 paired up Ruth for the win. Ann Natarelli finished in 5th place for $2,500.
It would be 58 more hands, playing 4-handed before our last elimination. On hand #103, Ruth Turobiner raised preflop all-in and was called by Teresa Sanchez. Ruth showed a Q-2 and Teresa showed pocket Queens. The board was A-A-10-5-K and Teresa's Aces-up wins. Ruth Turobiner finished in 4th place and earned $3,185.
The final 3 players played for several more hands and around 2am requested a chip count calculation. Each player was happy with the chip count and the decision to go home. Teresa had the chip lead 111,500 to Val's 108,500. Teresa was declared the winner with the runner up position going to Val. Linda arriving at the final table 6th in chips finished in 3rd place.
-Jay'Bugsy' Siegel
BIOGRAPHY
Teresa Sanchez, a mother of 4 from Bakersfield, had a one-man cheering section at the final table. Teresa was excited to have the win even though it would be followed by a 2-hour car ride home. Teresa played very aggressive at the final table, frequently raising and re-raising. She accumulated chips/lost chip/accumulated chips during the 100+ hands of the final table. She got her money in good almost all the time and won her share of uncontested pots.
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