WHEAT FARMER HARVESTS POT-LIMIT OMAHA CROP
A 45-year-old wheat farmer from Nekoma, North Dakota, is the $500 pot-limit Omaha champion of World Poker Challenge 2001. Wes Gronhovd bested a field of 31 players who made 25 rebuys and claimed first-place prize money of $13,173. This is his first major cash-out, though he has won a number of smaller events at Indian casinos in his area. His main game in live action, he said, was stud hi-lo split.
Tournament of Champions founder Chuck Humphrey was today’s host. He complimented the staff for handling so well the difficult situations when players react to tournament “heartbreak.” He also said that plans are afoot to revive the TOC, perhaps on a different scale, at the Reno Hilton in a year and a half.
Since this event had a limited field, it was changed into a one-day event. There were nine players at the final table, but only three official pay-outs. The event started at noon and got down to the three finalists at 8:30. When a chip count was taken after one player was eliminated, Kathy Liebert led the eight players with $11,050.
In early action, the man who calls himself “Prince of Docness” lost a huge pot to Kathy Liebert when she made a better straight than his, and then knocked him out soon after. After Chuck Humphrey and Morty Benowitz departed, the six finalists were playing with blinds of $150 and $300.
Randy Holland got knocked out after he made a straight and check-raised all in against Wes, only to see a second jack on the river give the wheat farmer jacks full of kings.
In later action, Liebert, who had lost 90 percent of her chips, finally went all in by raising with her last $925 holding two eights. She was called by Chip Jett who held two fives, then doubled up when the board helped neither player.
The field got down to four players when O’Neil Longson went up against Wes. O’Neil had Q-K-10-5 and Wes had Q-10-10-5. O’Neil made two pair, but Wes had a set, when the flop came 10-5-2. O’Neil bet $800, Wes raised $1,900 and Longson three-bet it for $4,700 more. O’Neil moved all in on the turn when a 3 came. He had no outs, and now the field was down to four.
Blinds were now $200 and $400. Shortly after, Liebert, holding A-8-4-3, opened for $1,400. When a flop came 9-6-2, she went all in again and managed to hit her inside straight when a 5 turned.
A half-hour later, Kathy went all in for the last time. She held K-Q-Q-8 against Dave Colelough’s 10-9-9-8. She raised to $1,400 and he called. On a flop of J-9-7, she bet all in for $3,200 and he called with his set of 9s. Two deuces came and Kathy was out. She was not an official money winner, but thanks to a save, she pocketed $1,500.
Wes, meanwhile, was down to $9,000 after losing a big pot to Chip Jett, He climbed back by taking some pots with raises but still trailed with $14,000 to Dave’s $24,000 and Chip’s 18,000.
After blinds rose to $300-$600, Chip took the lead after Dave had bet $4,500 on a flop of A-7-6 and folded when Chip raised. Shortly after, Chip raised $1,200 and Dave called.On a flop of A-8-3, Dave checked, Chip bet $2,500 and Dave moved in for his last $8,600. Dave, with J-4-5-2, had a heart flush draw. Chip had A-K-J-10. A jack and then a king was dealt, no hearts, and Chip’s two pair won. Dave cashed out in third place for $5,704.
Heads-up, Chip had nearly a 2-1 lead, $36,500 to Wes’ $19,500. Ten hands went by and then Wes, winning a sizeable pot with two pair, had jumped into the lead, $33,000 to Chip’s $23,000.
It was close to 10 p.m. when the final hand was dealt. Chip had Q-10-9-3, and Wes held 8-6-6-4. Chip raised $1,200 and Wes called. The flop came Q-6-10, giving Chip top two and Wes a set. Wes made a small trap bet of $1,200, Chip raised $1,200, Wes three-bet if to $8,400, and Chip moved in. A 3 on the turn and deuce on the river changed nothing, and the North Dakota farmer harvested his biggest poker crop ever.
-Max Shapiro
|
