Dealer Turned Pro Jason Stern has
Easy Win in $500 7-Stud High-Low
Tunica, MS— Jason Stern, a former dealer/floorman who three years ago became a full-time player, had a fairly easy time of it in winning the 10th event of the Grand Casino Tunica Circuit tour, $500 7-card stud hi-lo. The win was worth $12,762 plus a gold trophy ring. He arrived at the final table in second chip position, soon took over the lead, and coasted from there on. Stern, 35, is from San Jose, California, and his last casino job was at Garden City in San Jose. Stern has won over $1 million in more than 50 tournament cashes. The biggest was $529,300 for a second at a World Poker Challenge/WPT championship event in Reno and $96,160 for a second at Shooting Stars in San Jose.
Tonight he made an amazing comeback after being down to one half-bet with 12 players left, but once he doubled through he climbed rapidly.
The 12 remaining players returned on day two and played down to eight. Chip leader at that point with 182,500 was Tom Chambers, making his second final table. Play began with 1,500 antes, a 2,000 low-card bring-in and limits of 6,000-12,000.
Here were the starting chip counts:
Seat 1. Tom Chambers 182,000.
Seat 2. Michael Woods 48,000
Seat 3.Gary Settlemoir 67,000
Seat 4. Charles Williams 110,500
Seat 5. Doug Saab 53,500
Seat 6. Jason Stern 136,000
Seat 7. Ron Ware 68,000
Seat 8. Mojgan Stringham 74,500
In early action, Michael "White Tiger" Woods, starting at the bottom with 48,000, was all in, escaping and earning a chop with an ace-high flush.
First out, after 25 minutes, was Gary Settlemoir. He was all in drawing to a 2-4-5-7 low, but paired his deuce on the river, losing to Jason Stern's trip 6s. Eighth paid $1,080, and Stern now had the chip lead.
Settlemoir, 58, is from Brookland, Arkansas. He's married with two children and retired from insurance sales. His grandfather taught him poker 40 years ago. This is his second Circuit and his poker high point. His other interests are the stock market, fishing and training mules. (He did not say what he trained the mules to do)
Next it was Doug "2 Tuff" Saab who, down to 10,000 after folding a triple-pair hand, wasleft with 10,000, but doubled through against Chambers with a 7-low and pair of 10s, then survived a second time with an 8-low.
Limits went to 8,000-16,00 with 2,000 antes and a 3,000 bring-in. Late in this level, Mojgan "Mo" Stringham, the second woman to make a final table at an open event thus far, went broke. She had kings and was chasing a flush draw. She missed, and Woods, with pocket aces and a 7-low, took all her chips. Seventh paid $1,440.
Stringham is a poker player from Houston, Texas. She's married with one child, has been playing for 12 years, and has made several other final tables. Her other interests are dancing, singing, and sports. .
Saab, meanwhile, was still alive and kicking -- kicking butt -- when he made a wheel to scoop Chambers. The level came to an end with Jason Stern, who arrived in second position, now in front with 317,000.
At this point, the Seniors event was one away from the final nine at another table. This writer will now put on his roller skates and try to cover both tables. Or maybe the seniors could take naps until the stud event ended.
Play resumed with blinds of 10,000-20,000, 2,000 antes and a 4,000 bring-in. At this point, Ron "Grumpy" Ware was down to 6,000. He folded two hands, got down to 2,000, but managed to outlast Saab and move up a notch. Saab missed his low draw and bowed out after Chambers made an eight-high straight and 7-low.
Saab is from Trussville, Alabama. He is an insurance adjuster turned pro. He's been playing for 30 years, has entered numerous Circuits, and won this event in 2006. His other major cashes include wins in the World Poker Open and in 7-card stud at the WSOP in 1997 (which paid $130,305). Saab has two children and likes to bass fish.
Ware's two chips went in on the next hand. On sixth street, he had (Q-2)9-10-9-10 against Stern's (A-7)6-J-2-6. Stern called for a low card to salvage a chop. Instead he got an ace for a higher two pair, and Ware, catching a king, departed in fifth place, which paid $2,520.
Ware is from Tracy, California and has been playing poker all his life, this is his 10th Circuit, he's had 10 WSOP cashes, and his other listed hobby was sleeping.
Limits rose to 15,000-30,000 with 3,000 antes and a 5,000 bring-in. (And the Seniors were still at 10.) A few minutes into the new round, Woods and Chambers both started with three low cards, with Woods ahead with an ace. He ended up making aces and no low, while Chambers made a straight. We were now down to three, with Stern still hanging onto his sizeable lead (and the Seniors are still at 10).
Woods, collecting $3,420 for fourth, is 56, from Hernando, Mississippi, and is another pro player (doesn't anybody here have a job?). Before playing full time, he was a Michigan General Contractor for many years.
Tom Chambers finished third. He went all in when he had (Q-Q)5-8 against Stern's (A-5)4-8. Chambers caught a pair of 6s, but Stern did even better, catching a third ace. Chambers collected $4,680 for third.
Chambers, 27, is a pro from Chicago making his second final table at this tour having finished fifth an earlier Omaha/8 event. He's been playing poker four years, two full time. His poker highlight was making two final tables at the Gold Strike last year. He's married, also enjoys basketball, and this is his fourth Circuit.
Heads-up, Stern enjoyed better than a 3-1 lead over Charles Williams. The match lasted only four hands. Chambers was very low-chipped after chasing and missing both a flush and a low. On the final hand, he was all in on third street street holding (6-6-)3. He made queens-up, but Stern, with a great starting hand of (4-5)2, hit a 6-high straight on sixth street.
And, believe it or not, the Seniors got down to nine moments after this event ended. Thanks for waiting, guys. I don't need the skates after all.
Williams picked up $7,699 for second. He is 41, from Reno, and was a card room manager before turning pro. This is his ninth Circuit. He taught himself poker 20 years ago, and made 10 final tables last year. --Max Shapiro
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