PLAYING TWO EVENTS, DAVE COLELOUGH WINS THE OMAHA
Dave Colelough, low chipped and not thinking much of his chances in the $1,000 Omaha hi-lo event, decided to hedge his bets, signed up for that day's $225 afternoon event and commuted back and forth. The British night club owner didn't get very far in the afternoon game, but managed to win the Omaha tourney after a long, heads-up battle with the colorfully named "Prince of Docness." With only 10 entrants, it took a bare two hours to get to the final table, but longer than that for the finale.
Winner of the third added $225 event, limit hold'em, was Dave Reed. He earned $7,582 for taking first place in yesterday's field of 102.
The prince of Docness, with several pot-limit Omaha titles to his credit, including last year's WPC, was today's host. Speaking while playing at the final table, he thanked Frank Henderson for being the first one knocked out. Interviewed and asked his greatest poker accomplishment, he said it was being named today's host. Close behind, he added, was starting with 2-3-10-J in an Omaha game the day before and making nut-nut when the board came K-5-4-Q-A. "I can't remember much more," he said. "Short-term memory is an important tool for Omaholics."
With just 10 entrants, the final nine assembled after Henderson's departure. Limits were $25-$50 and soon went to $50-$100. In early action, Bruce Corman went all in and got a chop with a straight against Andy Gamboa's nut low. Down to $100 a few hands later, Bruce raised all in with K-K-7-5. The showdown was with the Prince, who had K-K-A-5. The flop was J-10-9. Doc called for a queen, obediently got it on the turn, and his ace-high straight eliminated the British clothing store owner, who had rung up a couple of second-place finishes in this year's WPC.
The hand before the break was the last for Chris Bjorin. He called all in on a board of 6-7-5-3-K. Dave Colelough turned up A-2-6-8 for a nut low and pair of sixes. Bjorin mucked his hand without showing it, presumably with a lesser low.
Limits were now $150 and $300. Twenty minutes later, there was a four-way pot. With a board of A-K-7-6, Maureen Feduniak went all in for $225 with A-J-5-8, and then missed her straight draw when a king came on the end. Brian Haveson and Andy Gamboa split the the low end with nut hands, and Doc, with A-Q-Q-6, out-kicked Maureen's A-J.
A hand later, Gamboa, whose specialty to this point had been splitting pots with a low, finally missed. He started with a splendid A-2-3-9. On a flop of A-10-7, Chip Jett, who flopped a set of aces, raised and Andy re-raised all in for another $125 on his nut low draw and paired ace. He was counterfeited when a three fell on the turn, and a river nine finished him.
A chip count for the five finalists had Bob Slezak leading with $3,325, while the others had between $1,100 and $2,000. Lowest-chipped Colelough later went all in, surviving with a nut flush chop against Bob's wheel, then built his stacks up somewhat with a full-house scoop.
At 4:45, limits went to $100-$200. Slezak had been having no luck at all and was now down to $175. He went all in four times before getting knocked out, but managed to outlast Haveson. The weight-loss employee lost it all in three-way action when he re-raised all in for $350 with 2-3-7-8. Chip popped it again with A-A-2-8 and Dave called with A-Q-J-8. A flop of 9-3-3 gave Brian a set, but a 10 and king gave Dave a straight scoop. Bob lasted a half-dozen more hands. He raised with A-2-7-8. A flop of 9-9-6 gave him draws to a straight and a back-door low. A six and nine came, and Jett, with Q-Q, scooped Bob away.
At the 5 o'clock break, Dave had moved into the lead with $5,375 while Chip had $3,525 and Doc was down to $1,100. Left with only $500 after running into Doc's full house, Chip hung on tenaciously, going all in four times. On his final hand, he was in the big blind with K-10-5-2. Dave, with A-4-6-6, raised and then bet the flop of 9-9-5. A jack on the turn gave Chip an inside straight draw, and he called Dave's bet for his last $225. A river four ended his hopes and Chip was chip-less, losing to Dave's 6-6.
Two-handed, Doc had $7,300 to Dave's $2,700, but there were more than 100 hands to go, with the lead changing several times. The biggest pot developed after limits went to $200 and $400, and the betting was capped on the turn. Dave made tens-full and a wheel, but Doc got the high end with aces-full.
Doc pulled ahead with kings full, but Dave then took the lead with a straight scoop. As hand 100 approached, Doc finally was beaten down and went all in a couple of times. Finally, with $300-$600 limits, Doc raised with A-Q-10-5 and Dave called with Qd-2d-9-5. The flop came A-J-7 with two diamonds. Doc bet. He bet all in for $425 on the turn when a queen gave him queens and aces. But a six of diamonds on the end gave Dave a flush. Darkness descended on the Prince of Docness, and chalk one up for the Brits. -Max Shapiro |
