YOUNG STAR ALLEN CUNNINGHAM WINS FIRST BRACELET FOR 7 STUD
by Max Shapiro
Allen Cunningham, at age 24 one of the brightest and politest young stars in poker, claimed his first World Series barcelet by winning the $5,000 seven card stud event. Half-way through the final table, he begavn running over everyone and scored an easy victory. After it was over, John Juanda asked him if he was hungry. "Not any more," he replied. "I have my bracelet."
This is Cunningham's third final table this year. His biggest prior cash-out came when he finished second in an Omaha hi-lo event here last year. He also has numerous smaller tournament victories and a best all-around at the Legends of Poker in 1999.
He had been studying civil engineering at UCLA but, deciding it wasn't for him, began playing poker at Indian casinos when he was 18, and then at California casino, which he thought had the same age limit. He feels he plays all games equally well, and like pot-limit and no-limit in side action.
Michael Danino finished second. He gave his nickname as "Sardine" and his occupation as "godfather," but declined to be more specific.
Limits at the final table started at $1,500 and $3,000 with $500 antes and a $1,000 bring-in. First out was Von Halle, a CEO from Hamburg, Germany with a Hamburg City Championship to his credit. He started with split sevens. Allen Cunningham had split kings. The pot was raised and re-raised and Halle went all in. Halle couldn't improve and Cunningham caught the case king on the river for good measure.
Seven card stud bracelet holder Jerri Thomas did not last much longer. She went all in with split tens. Shahram "Sheik" Sheikhan started with queens. On the river Jerri said she couldn't beat his queens and folded, and the Sheik showed a superfluous third lady.
Adam Roberts, winner of the earlier seven stud event, started in a near three-way tie for the chip lead with Danino and the Sheik. He dipped down to about $35,000 after losing two pots in a row. The first time he raised showing a 7-6 and Don Barton re-raised with an A-8. The pot was bet to the river and Barton's split aces held up. On the next hand, Adam bet blind on the river with aces-up. Allen, playing conservatively, just called and turned up a nine-high straight. But the boy from Brooklyn later got well by making a club flush on the river against the Sheik.
Just before the break, Phongthep Thiptinnakon went broke. He raised all in on third stree. On the river, he needed a four for a gut-shot straight or any pair at all to beat the Sheik's unimproved pair of deuces. He missed everything and settled for sixth place.
The approximate chip count when the players returned was $155,000 for Allen, $153,000 for Mike, $89,000 for Sheik, $64,000 for Don and $58,000 for Adam. For 45 minutes very little happened until Don and Allen got involved in a $79,000 pot. On sixth street, Don bet out showing two pair, and Allen gave it up. Later, Allen got his chips back with interest. There were three full bets with three way action on third street. Adam dropped out and Don and Allen fought, raising and re-raising to the river. The pot contained $131,000. Allen, showing 10-6-3 and three clubs, bet and Don, showing 7-9-3-9, folded.
Just before the next break, Don had a loose call. All in with pocket tens, he was in big trouble against Sheik, who had jacks and a draw to four hearts on sixth stree. But Don caught a third ten, and all five players went on break. At the return, a rough count gave Allan $185,000, Mike $148,800, Adam $111,400, Sheik $49,000 and Don $21,200.
With limits at $6,000-$12,000, with $4,000 blinds and a bring-in of $2,000, allen began going on a tear. On the second hand he knocked out Barton. The real estate broker went all in on third stree with split sevens. Allen had split fours. On fourth street, both players made sets, and then allen filled up on fifth by pairing a ten. "It's not over," Allen said as a frustrated Barton stood up. Yes, it was. Four left.
Allen now had a big lead with about $270,000. Then Adam got very short chipped after losing a couple of pots. Against Danino, he went all in on fourth street with an open-end straight. Sardine had two nines. Roberts couldn't hit, and Sardine tripped on the river.
A hand later, just before 8 p.m., the Sheik went all in for his last $14,500 with K-2/2 against Allen, who started with A-8/10. On fourth street Allen paired his ace. On fifth street Sheik made kings and deuces. But on sixth street Allen made Aces and tens, and that was it. The Sheik folded his tent and the battle was now heads-up.
Starting with a huge lead of $330,000, Cunningham later left Danino with only about $90,000 after he re-raised on the river and won with three fives. Danino won a couple of pots, inching up to about $150,000. But then Allen made a sensational call on the river with two fives to beat Mike's threes and drive him back down. "I read him for threes," Allen said later. "If you think you have the best hand going in, you should call."
After winning one pot with queens-up, and then another with two jacks, Allen had left his opponent with only about $40,000. He got that when Danino bet all in on the river with aces-up. Showing 10-9-8, Allen turned up a 10-high straight to put Sardine in the can and his first bracelet on his wrist.
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