Hua Wins in Sudden Death!
By Max Shapiro
With 4 a.m. approaching, the two finalists in Winnin' O' the Green's sixth event, $200 Limit Hold'em, agreed to and things fast with all-in "sudden death" bets. Poker player Can Hua, with about $110,000, was out-chipped by stock market trader Reza Payvar's $180,000. But Hua then won both of two all-in pots to take the title.
There was high drama at the second table. Marc Fein, with A-J, was all-in against pocket tens. But a full house then came on the board to save him with a chop. Shortly after, Fein eliminated tenth-place finisher Chris Roulier with pocket queens against A-Q.
Scott Gragson, vice president of sales for a legal firm, came to the final table with by far the most chips, gave the most action in the early going, and also provided the most commentary. At one point he raised and then helped talk the blinds out of calling by pointing out, "Look at the value, it's not there." But it was Payvar who proved the most deadly, knocking out six of the next seven players.
His first victim was Rick Muniz. Muniz raised with A-10 of spades, Payvar re-raised with A-9 offsuit and Muniz added his last $700 to the pot. With a board of 3-2-5-K, Muniz looked to escape, but a three-outer nine on the river relegated Muniz to ninth place. Hua took care of the next player, Sophin Chea. With limits raised to $3,000 and $6,000, Payvar bet, Hua raised with A-K and Chea called for $1,300 with pocket jacks. A flopped king settled the matter. A couple of hands later, Payvar did the honors again. In the small blind, Marvin Kim had to post his last chips with just 6-2. Payvar had A-J and the board changed nothing but Kim's chances of finishing higher than seventh.
Toto Leonidas then survived in three-way action after putting in his last three $500 chips with pocket kings. But a bit later, Payvar had the cowboys while Leonidas, in the small blind with J-3, needed a miracle to stay alive and didn't get one. On a rush, Payvar now made short work of two more players. Holding K-Q, he raised to put Daniel Quach all-in. Quach was the favorite with A-9, but a queen on the turn put him out. His fifth place finish, however, vaulted him into the lead in the points race. Next to depart was Fein. On a board of 5-2-10, he raised and Payvar re-raised. Fein then went all-in when a four came on fourth street. "I'm sure you've got me," Marc said, turning over a K-J. Reza did, with Q-Q, and no king rescued Fein on the river.
With three left, Hua cut Gragson's chip count way down by beating him in three straight pots. First, Gragson had the button with K-K. He raised and then bet the 4-8-10 flop. But he got a surprise when a six turned and Hua, with 4-6 and two pair, suddenly bet out. Gragson paid him off, and then bled off more chips on the next two hands by folding on the river and the turn. Payvar the terminator then stepped in to finish him. Gragson had 8-5 and flopped a five, but it wasn't nearly enough to save him because Hua won easily with pocket queens to take the last of the legal salesman's chips.
Now the finalists agreed to go all-in. Hua grabbed most of Payvar's chips on the first hand by flopping two pair with 10-5 against Payvar's Q-9. On the second hand, with 5-4, he flopped a five and claimed victory.
Biography - Can Hua
Can Hua, 42, is a native of Vietnam and has been playing poker full time for seven or eight years. He plays mostly side action, sitting in on $20-$40 side games every day, and he plays everything -- Hold'em, Stud, Stud High-Low, Omaha -- whatever is there. Hua has one other major tournament victory, in a Seven-Card Stud event at Commerce Casino's California State Poker Championship, and he also has a number of second and third place finishes to his credit at Commerce.
Hua has been out of town recently, and this Limit Hold'em tournament was the first Winnin' O' the Green event he has played. Now that he has points, he plans to continue entering more events. Commenting on this tournament, he had trouble singling out any one player as his toughest opponent. "They all knew how to play," he said. "You need luck to make the difference, and tonight I was lucky."
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