Drag Racing Record-Holder Bobby Lassie Races Off with Circuit Opener
Half-Million Dollar Pot is Turnaround In Opening Event of 20007-2008 Circuit
Tunica, MS--The fourth season of the World Series of Poker Circuit got off to an exciting start here with the opening event at Grand Casino Tunica. The $300 no-limit hold’em tournament was won by Bobby Lassie Sr., who is the current world record-holder of the “Outlaw Street Racing Association,” a drag-racing group.
The popular Circuit series, which gives players around the country the chance to experience the excitement of World Series high-stakes action, has been expanded, with stops scheduled at 12 Harrah’s casinos during the 2007-2008 season.
Lassie, 56, is a retired tire factory worker from Athens, Alabama. This was the first tournament he has ever played, and the victory earned him $35,009 and a striking gold and diamond trophy ring.
In early going, Wayne “Fat Boy” West, who started as second chip leader, appeared to be running off with an easy win when he began picking up pot after pot, finally amassing about 440,000 of the 1.2 million chips in play. The dramatic turnaround came on the 44th deal with six players left when West’s pocket kings ran into Lassie’s pocket aces. Lassie checked, West moved in, the pot was more than a half-million, and when the smoke cleared, West had less than 100,000 left, Lassie had a huge lead of about 550,000, and was never headed after that.
Lassie earned his drag-racing title in Atlanta when he burned up an eighth-mile in 5.49 seconds. He is married with five children and learned poker with friends just two years ago. His style of play? “I just play my cards,” he said I don’t worry what other players have. If I lose, I lose.” Lassie’s gambling used to center around dice, but now he plans to go the tournament route.
This first event drew 401 players, generating a prize pool of $116,991. Adding star power to the field was Barbara Enright, who this year became the first woman to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. But the cards did not show her the respect she deserved, and she made an uncharacteristic early exit when her flopped set was topped by a higher set.
This event paid 45 slots. Action went fast. Play started at noon, and by 8:30 everyone was in the money. When it got down to the final nine a couple of hours later, Michael “Tunica Tom” Ledbetter, a student from Monroe, Louisiana, held the lead with 128,000 chips. Day two play resumed at 4 p.m. with blinds of 4,000-8,000 and 1,000 antes.
Here were the starting chip counts:
Seat 1 Bobby Lassie Sr. 163,000
Seat 2 Terry Hawkins 76,000
Seat 3 Wayne West 198,000
Seat 4 Dan Mitnick 152,000
Seat 5 McDonald Ledbetles 218,000
Seat 6 Lynn Shields 67,000
Seat 7 Charles Dawson 64,000
Seat 8 Michael Moffitt 107,000
Seat 9 Randy Langston 158,000
The first all-in bet to be called came on hand 19 when Charles Dawson committed his last 17,000 with A-2. Terry Hawkins called, his pocket deuces did the job and Dawson finished ninth, which paid $2,334.
Dawson, 38, is a real estate investor from Owensboro, Kentucky, married with one child. He’s played seriously for four years and has entered more than 20 Circuit events. He finished second in a $1,000 World Poker Open and a $330 Circuit event, and won a Circuit second-chance tourney.
Three hands later, Lynn “L.J” Shields was one away from the big blind and decided to commit his last 17,000 with Q-3. He got two callers. The board came A-7-4-J-K, and West, holding 7d-4d, busted him with his paired 7.
Shields, 40, is an IT business consultant at International Paper Co., and is married with “three beautiful girls.” He’s been playing for a year,
learning by reading “tons of books” and watching TV. He got $3,501 for eighth. His prior best finish was second in a second chance event here last year. His other hobby is golf. “Fat boy” was now at his fattest for the day.
Soon after, Terry Hawkins finished seventh. Moving in for 28,000 with K-Q, he was dominated by Ledbetter’s A-K. Junk hit, and Hawkins settled for $5,835.
Hawkins, 50, who lives in Cordova, Tennessee, has been playing for 35 years, and this is his second Circuit try. He is a parts manager for a car company and is married with one child.
Blinds now were 6,000-12,000 with 2,000 antes. West was still well in front with around 400,000...but not for long. Eight hands later the hand of the night came down. While Lassie trapped West by checking his aces, it wouldn’t have made much difference had he bet, because with pocket cowboys, Fat Boy would almost certainly have moved or called all in no matter what. The board was a useless 5-3-3-6-10, and Lassie began stacking his mounds of chips.
A few hands later, West gave his last chips to Lassie when, one away from the big blind, he pushed in with pocket 8s. Lassie called from the big blind with K-5 and flopped a cowboy to rake in yet more chips and cut the field to five.
West, 60, lives in Mantackie, Mississippi and is in sales. He’s married with one child and learned poker from his father 50 years ago. He also plays golf. His poker highlight was winning three events in three days at the Silver Star Casino. Tonight he earned $5,835 for finishing sixth.
Action was speeding up, and there weren’t that many more hands go go. Five hands later, a short-chipped Randy Langston, who had been up and down earlier, finally went down for the count. He had As-10s, and moved in for 118,000. Ledbetter had a fairly easy call with pocket jacks. The board of 9-8-3-5-7 changed nothing and Langston ended up in fifth place, picking up $7,001.
Langston, 51, is a retired small business owner from Memphis who has been playing for 12 years. He is married with two children and likes to play local tournaments.
Two hands later, it was the turn of Michael Moffitt. Short-chipped in the small blind, he put in his remaining chips with 8s-4s against Lassie’s 9d-7d. With the board showing 6-4-2-A, Lassie’s 9-high still led, but he cinched it by pairing a 7 on the river.
Moffitt, from Ripley, Mississippi, is in construction and is married with one child. He’s been playing five years, and this is his first circuit event, which he got into via satellite. His payday for fourth was $8,168.
Dan Mitnick, an Atlanta attorney, finished third. He went all in for 16,000 with Jc-9c and got calls from Ledbetter and Lassie. The pot was checked down until the river, when a 6 gave Ledbetter a set. He bet 50,000, Lassie folded, and Mitnick took home $9,335 for third.
Mitnick, whose nickname is “Rizit,” learned poker 50 years ago with friends. He’s married with two kids, and his poker highlight was watching his son win a tournament. His hobbies are travel and tennis.
Heads-up, Lassie, with about 780,000 chips, had better that a 2-1 lead over Ledbetter. The match lasted eight hands.
On the final deal, Ledbetter, holding Ac-4s, moved in on the button and was in bad shape when Lassie called with As-9c. The board came 8-8-7-K-6, and the 22-year-old student earned a grade of $18,787 for second. Ledbetter has been playing poker for four years.
—Max Shapiro
For more information, please contact:
Max Shapiro -- WSOP Media Director
World Series of Poker Commissioner – Jeffrey Pollack
World Series of Poker Tournament Director -- Jack Effel
Grand Casino Tunica Poker Room Manager – Robert McGovern
Grand Casino Tunica Tournament Director -- Janis Sexton
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