By Debbie Burkhead
Glenn Abney Wins Card Player Cruise
The Desert Poker Classic started the day with one lucky person winning a crusie.
The Bubble tournament began at 10:00 a.m. with eight of the ten eligible players vying for a Card Player Cruise.
Those eight players began play with $400 in chips and played no-limit hold’em with 15 minute rounds.
Max Ralph was the first to be eliminated in 8th place. Next, was Bob Mauser in 7th place. Jerry Rieger finished in 6th place, John Hainline took 5th place and Dan Whitman finished in 4th place.
There were three players remaining, Glenn Abney was in the lead, Pete Gidlua was in second and Debbie Burkhead was the short stack.
On the next hand, Debbie raised, Pete reraised all-in and Debbie called. Debbie turned over pocket fours and Pete showed pocket fives for the best hand. Debbie got lucky when the flop produced a four and she locked up the win when the fourth four was the turn card. Now there were two, Glenn and Debbie.
That last hand got Debbie and Glenn dead even in chips and Glenn made Debbie an offer she couldn’t refuse. Glenn won the Card Player Cruise and Debbie took home some cash.
Enjoy the Cruise Glenn!
Hassan Kamoei Wins Championship Event at Fantasy Springs
The Desert Poker Classic ended with the $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Championship event. The event drew 17 players creating a prize pool of $16,490.
The final nine players began play at 3:45, four lucky players would make the money, and the winner would get the cash plus a beautiful Movado watch with “Desert Poker Classic 2001 Champion” printed on it’s face.
The blinds were $50-$100 with 40 minute rounds.
The final nine players were: Hassan Kamoei in seat 1 with $2,800, Richie Brown in seat 2 with $575, Doc Berry in seat 3, with $1,625, Russ Hamilton in seat 4 with $4,100, Jerry Rieger in seat 5 with $1,775, Glenn Abney in seat 6 with $1,100, Tom McEvoy in seat 7 with $1,300, Joseph Cordi in seat 8 with $1,650 and Mansour Matloubi in seat 9 with $2,125.
The blinds increased to $75-$150 at 3:50 and ten minutes later they lost the first player. Russ Hamilton eliminated Richie Brown after both players had flopped a pair of aces, but Russ had a 10 kicker to beat Richie’s seven kicker. Richie finished in 9th place.
At 4:30 the blinds increased to $100-$200 and seven players remained.
Fifteen minutes later Joe raised to $750, Hassan moved all-in and Joe couldn’t cover Hassan’s bet but he made the call and was all-in. Joe showed A-8 offsuit and Hassan turned over pocket queens. The board showed 10-5-2-9-4 and Joe was eliminated in 7th place.
At 5:15 the blinds increased to $150-$300 and six players were left.
Two hands into the new blind structure was the last hand for yet another player. Doc Berry raised $700, Russ reraised all-in and Doc put the rest of his chips in the pot. Doc showed A-Q and Russ turned over pocket nines. The flop was good to Doc, it was A-6-7 and Doc was leading with a pair of aces. The turn card was a five but disaster struck on the river. The river card was an eight and Russ had made a straight for the win. Doc finished in 6th place. There were five players remaining and four would take home cash.
On the very next hand, Hassan raised Jerry Rieger’s small blind to $600 and Jerry called all-in. Jerry played a K-10 against Hassan’s A-2.
The flop came J-6-3, the turn card was a nine but again the river card was the killer when it came a deuce and gave Hassan a pair of deuces for the win. Jerry took 5th place.
The remaining four players were now in the money.
At 5:25 after several all-in survivals, Glenn Abney was all-in again on his small blind. Russ called and Mansour Matloubi checked the big blind. Russ and Mansour checked the flop and the turn but on the river Russ bet and Mansour folded leaving only Glenn who had been all-in from the start. Glenn turned over 9-3 and Russ showed A-J. Russ had rivered a straight and Glenn was forced to take $1,650 for 4th place.
There were three players remaining with Russ in the lead with $8,100, Hassan was in a close 2nd with $7,000 and Mansour was trailing in 3rd with $2,000.
Ten minutes into three-handed play Mansour raised $1,000, Hassan reraised enough to put Mansour all-in and Mansour called. Mansour showed J-7 of clubs and Hassan had A-K. The board produced Q-10-3-4-9 and Hassan won with A-K. Mansour took 3rd place and $3,298.
Russ and Hassan were now heads-up and essentially even in chips. The two players agreed on a money deal and played for the title and the Movado watch.
On the 36th hand of head-up play Russ called on the small blind and Hassan checked the big blind. The flop brought Q-6-4, Russ bet $1,200, Hassan raised $2,000, Russ moved all-in and Hassan called. Russ had flopped a pair of queens with A-Q and Hassan had flopped two pair with 6-4. Neither the turn or the river card changed a thing and Russ was left with $200.
It looked pretty grim for Russ and it would take a miracle for him to win this one. On the next hand he doubled through but his luck ran out on the very next hand. He was all-in on the small blind with his remaining $200 holding 5-7 against Hassan’s 7-4. The board produced K-2-J-8-4, giving Hassan a pair of fours. Russ took 2nd place and $4,122. Hassan was declared the winner of the No-Limit Hold’em Championship event at 6:05. Hassan took 1st place, the Movado watch and $7,420.
Congratulations, Hassan!
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