Big No Limit Win for Phil Hayano
The 2008 Winnin' o' the Green series No Limit Hold'em event #18 got underway at 4:15pm with a 287 player field. This no-rebuy event resulted in a prize pool of $83,517. With 27 spots in the money, first prize was $30,892. The final table was set at 1:05am with only one short stack. The blind levels just entered Level 13 with an ante of 500 and 1,500/3,000 blinds. Was this going to be a marathon final table?
On hand #4 James Hsiung took a stand with his short stack in the small blind. James pushed all-in and was called by George Gartley. James showed As-10s and George had the slight edge on the coinflip with pocket 5s. The board was kind to James as an Ace flopped (A-6-3) but the turn deuce and river 4 made runner-runner straight for Gartley. Presto! Pocket fives becomes a 6-high straight. James Hsiung finished in 10th place and earned $1,045.
Brendan McTaggart ran his K-9 into pocket Aces and shipped all but 20,000 chips to David Young. On hand #34 Brendan got it all-in with pocket 9s against Henry Lau's A-3. The board came J-J-5-8-A and the 'Ace on the River' made Henry the winner. Brendan McTaggart finished in 9th place for $1,255.
Five hands later Mari Lou Morelli tangled with the chip leader for all her chips. Mari Lou held A-J and was dominated by L.B. Jacobs' A-Q. The board did not change anything with 7-7-3-8-7 and L.B. won the pot with her Queen kicker. Mari Lou Morelli finished in 8th place earning $1,670.
On the very next hand with a frozen button, the blinds did battle. Small blind David Young was all-in with a K-8 and was called by the big blind, Henry Lau holding pocket 4s. The flop was K-10-4 and Henry took a huge lead with a set of 4s. The turn 9 and river 4 made quad 4s for Henry and David Young was eliminated in 7th place and took home $2,090.
A fun hand (for anyone who isn't Taxi Sandoval) played out just as the blinds were increased. Taxi's pocket Aces were all-in against Phil Hayano's pocket 7s. The board came 10-8-6-9-7 producing a straight on the board. Phil even picked up a set of 7s on the river but the chopped pot was the result this time around.
On the next hand Scott Buono, from Brewster, NY, got it all-in with Ac-8 and ran into George Gartley's pocket Queens. The board was 7-6c-3c-9c-K. Scott turned a straight draw and a flush draw but the river was an offsuit King and he missed both draws. Scott Buono finished in 6th place for $2,925.
Just three hands later Taxi Sandoval, feeling the heat from his short stack, got it all-in with A-10 and was called by Phil Hayano's pocket 5s. The board was J-7-3-2-Q and Phil's pair was best. Taxi Sandoval finished in 5th place and earned $3,760.
This next hand played out without either player showing their cards but after a discussion once the tournament concluded with both players, I determined it was gong to make the highlight reel. We pick up the action after a raised and called preflop heads-up and a flop of 9h-8h-6. A big bet by Phil, who was first to act, was called by Henry. The turn was the Ah. James pushed all-in for 107,000 more into a pot of about 100,000. Henry went into the tank and finally mucked his cards when he determined he was going to commit all his chips. In actuality, Henry had Phil covered by over 25,000 chips but Henry didn't count them correctly and thought he had less than Phil. Phil dragged the pot and mucked his cards face down. After the tournament, Phil told me he had Qh-10h and put Henry to the test with the scare card on the turn. Henry told me he had a small flush draw (and maybe a pair). Phil made a good read of the situation and made a strong semi-bluff to win a huge pot without a showdown.
The final hand of the match occurred on hand #32 with four players remaining. L.B. Jacobs raised all-in from the cutoff with A-J and was called by the big blind Phil Hayano with a dominated As-4s. The flop was Q-7-4 and Phil reversed the domination by hitting his kicker. The turn 9 and river 5 gave Phil's pair of 4s the best hand. L.B. Jacobs played a fantastic big stack game and was chip leader through the last several tables.
Three-way action lasted for about three hands before a chip count was evaluated. All three players were relatively close in chips and a deal was reached without much discussion. Phil Hayano had the chip lead and was declared the winner.
-- Jay 'Bugsy' Siegel
BIOGRAPHY
Phil Hayano, a resident of Reno, NV, came to the final table 9th in chips and made some great plays along the way in this 3 ½ hour final table. Phil owns a Medical Equipment company and likens his self-employment affinity to 'risk vs. reward' just like he plays poker. 'There's nothing like working for yourself.' claimed Hayano. Phil plays both cash games and tournaments but sticks to No Limit Hold'em these days. His Limit Hold'em days are over but that is where he originally learned his game. Phil got the poker bug after watching the 2003 Moneymaker WSOP broadcasts (a common element of many of the winners this year at the WOG). This is Phil's biggest tournament win to date. The self-proclaimed workaholic is determined to make more time for poker and I'm sure we'll see him at another final table.
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