JEWELER DENNIS HORTON
STRIKES GOLD IN POT-LIMIT
An easy-going Kentuckian who splits his time between designing and selling jewelry and playing poker is the $300 pot-limit hold’em champion of World Poker Challenge 2002. Dennis Horton was down to $175 in the first round. He recovered and went on to outlast 170 opponents for a $18,590 pay-off. Horton, 54, first tried grinding out a poker living playing $3-$6 games at the Stardust back in 1979, residing in and then leaving Vegas four times. He holds a clutch of tournament wins including two Northwest hold’em championships.
Runner-up was Londoner Paul Westley who owns a gaming softwear company. He designed the tournament program that displays information such as time left, blinds, players remaining, etc., on TV screens. The WPC is one of the tournaments using this helpful software. Westley also lists seven Orleans and Peppermill wins on his resume.
Today’s host was Card Player publisher Barry Shulman, who praised the tournament, the staff … and the food. Sponsoring today’s event was Casinos Europa of Costa Rica. Nick Gullo, the director general, announced a prize of a trip to Costa Rica that included airfare, room and board to the player who finished on the bubble. That distinction was claimed by Chip Jett, who finished 18th, one out of the money.
Prize for the biggest laugh of the day was claimed by Tom McEvoy. He gazed in dismay at his starting table filled with tough pros like David Pham, Barbara Enright, Tex Morgan, Paul Kroh, and David “Rabbi.” When Enright knocked out the only unfamiliar face, Tom broke up the table by cracking, “You just busted the only player who probably has a real job.”
After blinds went to $400-$800 on the 12th hand, “Canadian Tom” Cawley was frozen out. A well- known pro who declined to be identified (call him “NA” for “not available”) raised to $2,400 with 8-8. Tom moved in for $3,600 with A-K suited and lost when the board came Q-Q-J-9-4. Cawley, originally from Vancouver, won four hold’em tournaments last year.
NA, meanwhile, was proving the most aggressive player at the table, almost never coming in without a raise. After he agreed to have his residence fictitiously listed as the “North Pole,” Robert Hanley objected. “North Pole? Santa Claus? That’s not appropriate. Put him in Siberia,” he suggested.
Hustler Casino shift manager and successful tournament player Jim Miller started with a slight chip lead of $30,400 to Horton’s $28,500 but couldn’t hold onto it. He had already lost the lead to Horton when he played his last hand, the 29th. He was in the big blind with 7- 5 of hearts. The flop was Q-8-6 with one heart. Horton had K-Q and bet $6,400. Miller called with his straight draw. When a Kh turned, he moved in for $19,200 and then hustled to the pay window when he missed his straight and flush draws.
A few hands later Charles Buffalo tangled with Hanley who-believe it or not-is a crocodile farmer. Naturally, the crocodile ate the buffalo. The auto business retiree raised $2,000 with 5-5. Hanley called with A-Q, then moved Buffalo in for $7,400 on a flop of A-J- 4. “Don’t make a mistake and walk in the water,” he warned, raking in the chips.
At the 5:30 break, Horton and NA were co-leaders with a bit over $40,000 each. Blinds were now $500-$1,000. Brian Sadler, another Londoner who is an information technology manager, moved all in for $10,000 with K-K. Hanley called with Ah, 10d. Four hearts hit to give the crocodile man a nut flush and another victim.
The next hand was the key pot of the night. NA, who had taken the chip lead with aggressive raising, had J-J and Horton had K-K. They got in a pre-flop raising war and NA put Horton all in. The kings held up, Dennis hauled in an $80,000 pot and NA was crippled. He hung on for six more hands. In the big blind with $1,500 left, he raised with J-5. Dennis called with A-4. No one helped and NA stood for “Not Around.”
About 30 hands later, the crocodile man got skinned. A flop of K-J-5 gave Hanley sixes and fives, but also gave Westley kings and fives. Paul bet $2,000, Robert bet the pot and Paul put him in for the remainder of his $20,000-plus chips. A jack came on the river and the table was now down to three. Dennis held a big chip lead of $83,500, Paul had $48,500 and Dan Crandall, a carpenter from Indiana, had $39,000.
Sixteen hands later, the carpenter got nailed. He raised to $4,500 with 9-6 suited and Horton popped it $5,000 more with pocket kings. The flop came J-6-5 and Dan bet his remaining chips, about $15,000, on his paired six. A deuce and five came, the kings won and now the game was heads-up.
Dennis had about $135,000 to Paul’s $35,000. Linda Johnson, doing commentary for the spectators, announced the disparity. “Don’t remind me,” Paul muttered. The two battled for 16 hands, with Paul gradually getting ground down. On the final hand, Paul raised to $4,500 with A-8 and Dennis re-raised $9,000 with A-K. On a flop of A-J-9, Paul bet his last $10,000 and lost to Dennis’ better kicker.
“This was the most gentlemanly final table I’ve ever seen,” the winner said in gracious tribute to his competitors - “even including Not Available,” he added. - Max Shapiro
| 
