Omaha/8 Specialist Alec Martin Comes to
Town Just for this Event and then Wins it
The Lucky Bucks Card Club Dealer
Feels Omaha is a Much "Safer" Game
Stateline, NV—Omaha eight or better was the first game that Alec Martin learned, it's still his number one choice, and he made a special trip here just to play in this one event. "Mission accomplished," he said after coming in first in the Omaha/8 tournament, the sixth in the WSOP Circuit tour at Harveys Lake Tahoe. His victory in the tournament, which drew 114 players who created a prize pool of $33,174, was an official $9,966. Martin arrived at the final table with less than average chips, and took the lead late in the action. After playing a number of hands with his final opponent, Woody Malin, he had better than a 2-1 lead and at that point the two made a deal.
Martin, 30, is a dealer at the Lucky Bucks Card Club in Livermore, California. He has a fourth in a 2005 World Poker Challenge tournament, -- Omaha hi-lo, of course. Martin said he prefers this game because it's a lot "safer" than other games where luck is more of a factor and it's easier to get outdrawn. He feels much more comfortable playing Omaha, and consistency and selection are his by-words. He also feels that back-up cards are essential in this game. For example, he won't play a naked A-2 (which some players drool over) without another back-up wheel card. In addition to poker, Martin also enjoys hiking and outdoor recreation.
Eighteen players were left in this event at the end of day one. When they played down to nine the next day, Malin emerged as chip leader with 175,000. Blinds were 2,500-5,000 with 5,000-10,000 limits, a full 40 minutes left.
Here were the final table chip counts:
Seat Name Chips
1.. Nai Sae Fong 56,000
2. Monte Young 48,000
3. Tracy Graham 49,000
4. James Palmer 62,500
5. Alec Martin 50,000
6. Glen Garrod 14,000
7. Woody Malin 175,000
8. Jason Newitt 81,500
9. Jason Stern 106,000
First to leave was Monte Young. He was all in with Q-Q-10-6. Tracy Graham had him covered holding K-J-9-9. The board came K-6-5-K-A and Graham's trip cowboys left him in ninth place, paying $697.Young, 48, is from Livermore, California and in the construction business. He's entered three Circuits, this is his best finish, and his hobby is coaching springboard diving.
Graham was the only woman so far to make a final table in an open event, and the best she could do was eighth. Low-chipped, she went all in with A-3-7-7 and was up against two players. The board came A-5-10-K-5 with three spades. There was no low, and Martin turned up a queen-high flush for a scoop. Graham, who listed her age as "One year wiser," is a licensed tax preparer from Talent, OR, playing her first live tournament.
She also makes custom glass card guards which she sells on eBay.
Next out was Jason "Senor Heineken" Newitt. He put his last chips in holding 1-2-8-9. He was up against Malin, who had A-3-6-10. The flop of 7-10-2 was disastrous for Newitt. It counterfeited his low draw and gave Malin a nut-low draw and a pair. Then a 5 turned to give Malin his low, and a river 10 gave him trips as he scopped Newitt out into seventh place. Newitt, 32, is a TV editor turned pro from Las Vegas. He has played many Circuits, and his poker highlights include an Omaha hi-lo championship at the Venetian, and a no-limit championship at Caesars Palace worth $30,000 and $70,000 respectively. His other poker highlight was knocking Gavin Smith out with a racquetball.
When Glen Garrod later went up against Malin, he had a high hand, A-K-K-8, while Malin had a low hand, A-3-6-8. Malin missed his low when the board came 8-3-9-Q-J, but it gave him two pair to outrun Garrod's kings and leave him in sixth place. It paid $1,926. Garrod, 62, was a resort manager until he turned poker pro 34 years ago. He started playing in high school, ran games in college (which paid for his education) and had a card room in Tahoe City. This is about his fifth Circuit. He's had numerous finishes at the Reno Pot of Gold, Peppermill, Superbowl of Poker, and a final table at the WSOP.
Next to go all in was Nai Sae Fong. He held A-K-Q-J and had all kinds of straight draws when fourth street showed 3-9-6-10, but he missed when another turn hit the river.
Martin had a 10 in his hand, and his trips left Fong in fifth place, which paid $2,107. Fong, 29, is originally from Laos and now lives in Sacramento, California where he is a table games dealer. His only hobby is poker. He's been playing since 1990, this is his first Circuit and his poker highlight.
Blinds were now 4,000-8,000 with 8,000-16,000 limits. At this level, James Palmer was all in with A-3-6-7. The board came 8-3-2-7-3 with three clubs. Martin held 4-4-5-J with three clubs. His flush took high, and his 7-5 low beat Palmer's 7-6. Finishing fourth, Palmer received $2,787. Palmer, 66, is a retired elementary school teacher now retired and living in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. He first started playing poker 35 years ago at the old Sahara casino next door, This is his fourth final table. He noted that he had a great experience working with kids and also coached high school football and wrestling early in his teaching career.
As play went on, Martin kept picking up chips and moved into the lead. It got heads up after Jason Stern went all in when he had a great low hand, A-2-3-K and a flop of 8-6-J gave 21 ways to make a nut low. He didn't make any of them when a K and a 10 came. Martin, meanwhile, holding 5-6-7-10, had flopped a straight draw. He missed, but his two pair was sufficient to leave Stern in third place.
Stern, 36, a pro from San Jose, California, is perhaps the best-known player at this tournament series so far. He has over $1 million in tournament cashes, including a second in a WPT World Poker Challenge main event and two Circuit championship rings. He was a poker dealer before turning pro.
Heads-up, Martin had a good lead over Malin. His opponent caught up by winning a big pot with a full house, but then dropped down again. Finally, with Martin holding a bit over a 2-1 lead, the two agreed on a deal, and Martin had accomplished his mission. Malin, who earned an official $5,839 for second place, is from Reno, retired, and learned poker at age 16. --Max Shapiro
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