Vagan Sudzhyan Gets First Win
The 2008 Legends of Poker continued with Event #18, a $545 buy-in No Limit Holdlem tournament with one rebuy. A field of 151 players made 67 rebuys creating a prize pool of $105,730. Final table play began at level 14 with 2,000 and 4,000 blinds with a 500 ante. Jeffrey Vanchiro arrived as the chip leader with 221,500 of the 981,000 chips in play.
The first elimination occurred on hand #8 when short-stacked Ben Fineman pushed all-in with Kc-6c and was called by Vagan Sudzhyan who held 5-5. The board of 4-10-J-A-A was no help to Fineman who finished in 10th place for $1,850.
Less than a round later on hand #16 Fred Mills raised to 10K. Jeffrey Vanchiro called and then Vagan Sudzhyan re-raised to 30K. Action came to Dong Xu who was in the big-blind and after some thought went all-in. Mills called all-in while Vanchiro and Sudzhyan folded. Mills had pocket eights up against Xuls pocket Queens. The flop came Q-5-7 gave Xu a set of Queens and now Mills needed running cards to make a straight. The turn King and river Ace gave Xu the pot and sent Mills out in 9th place for $2,115.
Just eight hands later John Stewart went all-in with Q-8. Vanchiro called with pocket Kings. After the board read 9-5-10-10-6 Stewart was our 8th place finisher good for $2,380.
After a pace of a player being knocked out per round it was some time before our next elimination. Isaac Crow went all-in with A-K. Kimya Williams called with pocket 5ls. After the board came 9-9-6-10-3 Crowls big slick did not improve and Williamsl pair of 5ls sent Crow out in 7th place earning $2,645.
Few hands later "Super" Mario Esquerra was all-in with Kc-9c against Jeffrey Vanchirols Kh-10h. The flop 3c-7-6 was no help for Esquerra. The turn 6c gave Esquerra a flush draw but when the river deuce fell "Super" Mario finished in 6th place for $3,700.
With play down to five, Matt Ott limped in with pocket Aces. Kimya Williams pushed all-in with Q-J with Ott calling immediately. The flop came Ks-Qs-Js giving Williams two-pair. However Ott held the As giving him a royal flush draw. After turn came a blank the 3s fell on the river giving Ott an Ace-high flush sending Williams out in 5th place for $4,760.
Dong Xu was all-in before the flop with A-9 against Vanchirols K-Q. The flop of Q-8-6 gave Vanchiro a pair of Queens and the lead. The turn 7 gave Xu an open-ended straight draw. The river came a harmless 3 elimination Xu, who made his 2nd final table of this yearls Legends of Poker, out in 4th place for $6,345.
Vanchiro was our next player out when he pushed all-in with K-10. Matt Ott called with A-K and with the board of A-4-4-10-3 Vanchiro finished in 3rd place earning $10,045.
Now Ott and Sudzhyan were heads up and very close in chips with Sudhyan holding the slight lead. Both players decided to split the remaining prize pool and Vagan Sudzhyan was declared winner of event #18.
-- O.J. Alcaraz
BIOGRAPHY
Vagan Suzdzhyan has been playing in local card rooms for the past 10 years. He is a regular in the $500 buy-in no limit holdlem cash games. This is his first official win. Vagan felt like he needed to do well in tonightls tournament saying, "if he didnlt do anything in this tournament that he would quit".
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