Rod Foy Keeps Chip Lead
to the End and Wins
the Omaha Hi-Lo Event
The $225 Omaha High-Low event drew 71 players and created a $14,058 prize pool. The final table began nine handed with eight places paying money. There was $71,000 of chips in play and Rod Foy was in the lead with $24,900. There were two minutes left at the $600-$1,200 limit with $300-$600 blinds.
At 8:30 the limit increased to $1,000-$2,000 with blinds at $500-$1,000. The ninth player was eliminated shortly after the limit increased leaving the final eight players to battle for the prize pool.
Within minutes Steve Baptiste, who started the final table with only $800 was eliminated in 8th place and received $506.
Shortly after Steve departed Butch Harrison, who was the second shortest stack, exited in 7th place and took home $619.
At 8:50 Gary Tumlinson became the third casualty. Gary flopped a low draw with his A-4-5-9 against Rod who was holding A-A-8-2. The flop came 8-2-9, the turn card came another eight, pairing the board and giving Rod trip eights. Gary had outs but the cards were not coming his way, the river was a king and Gary was sent home in 6th place with $773.
On the very next hand Tommy Ta and Tom Koch went head-to-head. Tom was holding J-5-5-2 and Tommy had 8-8-A-3. The flop came 8-8-10 and Tommy had flop a set of eights. The turn card was a queen and the river was a jack. Tom departed in 5th place and took home $1,012.
Two hands later Nino Pigato raised, Jeff Sardella called from the small blind and Rod checked on the big blind. The flop came J-10-6, Jeff checked, Rod checked, Nino bet, Jeff called and Rod folded. The turn card was a deuce, Jeff checked, Rod bet, Nino called and Jeff folded. The river was an ace, Rod checked and Nino checked. Nino had flopped a pair of jacks and a straight draw but Rod turned a set of deuces. That hand crippled Nino but he wasn’t out of it yet.
On the next hand Rod had the small blind and Nino was on the big blind. Rod called from the small blind and Nino checked the big blind. The flop came A-9-9, Rod checked and Nino checked. The turn card was a three, Rod bet and Nino called all-in. Rod showed 8-4-Q-10 and Nino showed 2-4-3-6. Rod still had nothing but Nino turned a pair and a wheel draw. The river card was a 10 and Rod made a pair of 10’s. At 9:00 Nino was sent home in 4th place with $1,364.
After only 45 minutes of play at the final table there were only three players remaining. Rod was in the lead with $36,000, Tommy was close behind in second chip position with $30,000 and Jeff was in real trouble with only $5,000 left.
At 9:05 the blinds rose to $1,000-$2,000 at the $2,000-$4,000 limit.
On the fifth hand at the new limit Jeff doubled through but on the very next hand his luck ran out. Jeff was on the small blind and after posting was left with only $1,000. Tommy called, Jeff called all-in and Rod checked the big blind. The flop came Kc-Jd-5c, Rod checked and Tommy checked. The turn card was a four of clubs and again they both checked. The river was a nine of clubs, Rod bet and Tommy called. Jeff was beat in two spots, Rod showed a straight but Tommy had made a flush with 8-7 of clubs. Jeff took 3rd and added $1,926 to his bankroll.
At 9:30 there were two players remaining, neither had made a final table appearance prior to that tournament, there were no points involved towards the best all-around player award and Rod was still slightly in the lead. The players split the money and Rod was determined the winner of the Omaha Hi-Lo event.
The policy at the Peppermill in tournaments that involve the best all-around player award are to play out the tournament until a winner is determined. With only one tournament remaining and the best all-around player ahead by two 1st place finishes and a 2nd place finish there was no possibility of either of the players in the Omaha event to catch the leader or effect the outcome in any way. The only other consideration is the TOC qualification, and the player with the most chips must be declared the winner, and in this case that was Rod.
Rod was the winner of the Omaha Hi-Lo event and took home $4,920. Tommy was determined the 2nd place finisher and received $2,938.
With one tournament re-maining it looks as if Khiem Nguyen will win the best all-around award. Don Vines still has a chance to tie Khiem with a win today and if that happens it will then be determined by money won.
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