Retired Navy Commander Playing 1st Major Tournament Wins $500 No-Limit
Ace On The River is Deciding Card Giving Steve Gill the Win
Atlantic City, NJ - "Ace on the River" is the title of Barry Greenstein's
acclaimed poker book, and an ace on the river brought victory tonight to Steve
Gill, who retired two months ago as a navy commander after 30 years service.
On the final hand he called with Ac-5c after race-car driver Dennis Altman moved
in for 685,000 with pocket 4s. The board came K-J-7-8-A, and Gill, playing his
first major tournament, was $49,445 richer.
The game was $500 no-limit hold'em, the fifth event in the current WSOP Circuit
tour here at Harrah's Atlantic City. Gill, who's been playing poker for about
three years, only plays tournaments (to limit his losses) and plays maybe once
a month. But he now plans to take a shot at the $5,000 championship event here.
He started the final table as chip leader, played aggressively, took some hits
and went up and down, but was never far behind. Gill is 48, lives in Greenville,
South Carolina and is married with two children. Golf is another hobby.
This was his first tournament at Harrah's, and he had high praise for the way
it was run.
The final nine started play after Jose Veliz was eliminated. He had K-Q to Adam
Lippert's K-J, but lost when two jacks hit the board. Action commenced with
blinds of 3,000-6,000 and 500 antes, 57:41 left on the clock, and Gill well
in front with 390,000 chips.
Here were the starting chip counts:
1. Domenico Barretta 93,500
2. Paul Nicholson 41,000
3. Steve Gill 390,000
4. Bob Newton 42,500
5. Dennis Altman 220,000
6. Vincent Housden 234,000
7. Adam Lippert 221,000
8. Patrick Roberts 194,500
9. Piotr Kowal 170,500
On the first hand, Patrick Roberts took a slight lead after he flopped a set
of jacks, doubling up when Lippert re-raised all in on a flush draw and missed.
Five hands later there was three-way action with two players all in. A short-stacked
Bob Newton doubled through when he flopped two pair to his A-3. Lippert, with
A-K, took the side pot, while Domenica Barretta, with pocket jacks, lost 42,000.
The first player departed on hand 15. Barretta went all in with K-10 and couldn't
beat Lippert's pocket 10s. He cashed out ninth for $3,190. Lippert, meanwhile,
down to about 30,000 after losing the first hand, had now climbed back to nearly
200,000.
Barretta, 53, is originally from Italy and owns a restaurant in Lincoln University,
Pennsylvania. He's married with three children, has been playing two years and
this is his third Circuit.
At the break, Roberts had increased his lead to 327,000. Blinds now were 4,000-8,000
with 1,000 antes.
On the first deal, Newton, who in 1979 was the New York State Rifle Champion,
got shot down. Low-chipped, he moved in from the small blind with 9-8. Gill
called from the button with Q-9 and knocked Newton out when the board came A-7-7-3-6.
Eighth place paid $4,785.
Newton, 45, is from High Point, North Carolina and his occupation is financial
adviser. He learned poker from his father 35 years ago. This is his 12th Circuit
and second final table.
Action tightened considerably in the next 29 hands, with small bets and raises
and just one all-in confrontation. On that hand, Altman doubled up when his
pocket 10s prevailed. Finally, on the last hand of the level, three players
limped and then Vincent Housden went all in with K-Q. Roberts called with A-J,
flopped a jack, rivered an ace, and Housden cashed seventh for $6,240.
Housden is a Circuit veteran, having played 25 or more. He is 63, from Stanley,
Virginia, and is self-employed.
Players returned from dinner break playing with 6,000-12,000 blinds and 2,000
antes. At this point, Gill, who had taken down some pots with all-in re-raises,
had regained the lead with close to 500,000, followed by Roberts with around
350,000.
Paul Nicholson went out just as the new level started. Altman moved in with
A-J and Nicholson quickly called for his last 80,000 with pocket queens. Altman
flopped two pair, and that did it. Sixth place paid $7,800.
Nicholson is 44, from Winchester, Pennsylvania, and is a self-employed asphalt
paver. He's married with two children, has been playing 20 years and this is
his third Circuit as well as his poker highlight. His other hobby is slots.
A few hands later, Piotr Kowal raised with his remaining chips holding A-7.
Altman saw him with Qh-Js and made an unexpected flush when the first four board
cards were hearts. Fifth paid $9,360.
Born in Poland, Kowal, 26, now lives in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where he owns
a bread distribution company. He never learned poker, he said. "I was born
with it." He's been playing 10 years, this is his second Circuit, and he
also enjoys basketball.
Hand 78 saw Roberts move in from the big blind for 122,000 holding K-8. Altman
called with Ac-5c, and that's all he needed when the board came 9-J-3-Q-6. Checking
out fourth, Roberts earned $10,920.
Roberts, 41, owns a pizza restaurant in Harrisonburg, Virginia. His nickname,
unsurprisingly, is "Dapizzaman." He's been playing for 3-1/2 years,
learning from books and TV and playing. His prior highlight was sixth in a Venetian
Deep Stack contest. This was his 12th Circuit.
After making a great comeback, Lippert went out on a very bad beat. He made
a small raise with pocket aces and was nearly an 86 percent favorite when Gill
moved in with K-J. The board came K-6-3-J-10. The aces were cracked by two pair,
and we were heads-up as Lippert went out with $12,480 for third.
Lippert, 28, is a former teacher turned poker pro. He's been playing three years,
having learned the game from fellow pro Andrew Kloc. He has a win at a $300
Circuit event at Caesars Indiana and a second in a $300 shootout at Foxwoods.
Lippert is married and his other hobby is fantasy sports.
Heads-up, Gill had roughly a million chips to around 600,000 for Altman. He
took a pot from Gill when he made trip queens, but was afraid to come over the
top after Gill bet with three clubs showing.
On the 100th deal, blinds went to 8,000-16,000 with 2,000 antes. Two hands later,
Altman moved in with his pocket 4s and lost when the ace came on the river.
Finishing second, he pocketed $48,360.
Race driver Altman is from Polk City, Florida. He's married with four children,
has been playing three years and this is his fifth Circuit try.
-Max Shapiro
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