Knocking players out two at a time, Andre Maloof personally eliminated all but one of his final-table opponents as he bull- dozed his way to a no-limit hold'em
win in a scant 30 minutes He came to the final table as chip leader, and never once lost a hand. There were 194 entrants and 296 rebuys, so the victory in event number three of Winnin' o' the Green was worth $19,800 to the Lebanese-born accountant.
Meanwhile, the Bicycle Casino has been making good on its vow to make this and future tournaments a more pleasant experience for everyone by cracking down on foul and abusive language. Tournament director Denny Williams has repeatedly warned that uttering the "f" word (no, not "fold") in any of its colorful variations will bring a minimum 10minute penalty, and several players thus far have learned to their regret that this rule is going to be enforced.
Just missing the cut was Rusty Bagaygay, who lost when Beverley Kruskol's AJ held up. At the final table, it didn't take long for fireworks to erupt. On the second hand, poker player Amir Vahedi announced he was going all in for $24,200. "Me too," chorused George Marlowe, an ad agency consultant who had $24,400. "Me too," echoed Maloof, who had $57,000. Amir held A3 of diamonds, George had AK and Andre held two ladies. The accountant flopped a set and immediately closed the books on two players.
Two hands later, with blinds of $2,000 and $4,000, Scott Yeates was in the small blind and raised $10,000 with J10. "I don't like it," said construction worker Mike Fetter, who was in the big blind with J6, but he called with his last few chips. He liked it better when he made two pair to stay alive.
Soon after, Andre scored another double-header. Jim Fugatti, a retired liquor store owner who won a World Series lowball tournament back in 1980, called all in for $3,500 with KJ. Andre, holding AK, raised to $20,000. Beverley, who's in property management, put in her last $14,000 with pocket nines. Andre flopped aces and kings, and suddenly four players were gone in just eight hands.
On the next hand, Mike shoved in his last $12,700 with A3 of diamonds. Pat Enos called with AQ. The board came 88Q210 and now five were gone. Pat, a retired builder originally from Hawaii, has a best all-around from Foxwoods in 1998, and a win in 7card stud from Commerce. On the next hand, Men "The Master" Nguyen moved in for $12,700 with QJ of clubs. Pat had a king in his hand, but finally decided to fold. "If I doubled you up you could be dangerous," he commented. A hand later Men moved in again and Andre called. "I was hoping you'd call," remarks Men, who has A10 to Andre's K10. But nobody can stop Andre, not even the vaunted Master whose luck, for once, deserts him. The board comes K54J6. Andre wins with kings and shows Men who the real master is tonight.
Six players have now been knocked out in twelve hands, and it will take only five more to end it. On hand 15, Enos raises all in for about $20,000 with KJ of diamonds, and Maloof calls with pocket queens, the same hand he broke Marlowe and Vahedi with at the start of the final table. A 1010774 is dealt out and now only one player stands in Andre's path.
That player is Scott Yeates, who is out-chipped better than 51 by someone who is coming at him atop a steamroller. Perhaps realizing the hopelessness of his situation, the Orange County resident moves all in for $34,000 two hands later with 108.
Andre calls with Q10, but it could have been 72 for all the difference it would make, con-sidering how he was running. A board of 9496A is dealt and Andre's high-card queen is all it takes to wrap up a very short and sweet evening for him. - Max Shapiro
Biography
Andre Maloof, 55, came to this country 31 years ago and now lives in Burbank. He started playing tournaments in 1955 and won the first one he ever entered, a $50 Omaha hi-lo event. He then came back the next day to win a 7-stud tournament. He's racked up an impressive record since then, including back-to-back championship titles at Hollywood Park in 1998 and 1999. One year he was the third-best player in the all-around standings compiled by Nolan Dalla, and was ranked first in 7-Card Stud Hi-lo Tournaments.
Tonight he was the chip leader after the first break, though he couldn't win a hand for the next two rounds. Andre, known for his very aggressive and fearless play, said that this wasn't even his fastest final-table win. That came in a limit hold'em event at Crystal Park where he arrived with a massive chip lead.
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