RENO LAWYER JACK FOX IS WPC CHAMP AFTER 11-HOUR BATTLE
Reno attorney Jack Fox became the 2002 World Poker Challenge champion after a grueling 11-hour final table and a three-hour heads-up match with landscape contractor Dick Turner that saw the lead change repeatedly. The $5,000 event had been shortened from three to two days because of the limited field, but it became in fact a three-day tournament when the final table went to 1 a.m.
Fox achieved his $70,422 victory by beating an all-star field that counted 11 bracelets. Chris Bjorin, Randy Holland and "Miami" John Cernuto owned three each, and "Amarillo Slim" Preston had all the rest. Fox had been red-hot going into the final table, having flopped about seven sets on the first day, and a batch more when he came in second in the $300 limit hold'em event two days prior.
Jack is no stranger to the tournament trail. His biggest cash-out was for about $80,000 after a three-way chop in a WSOP limit hold'em event. Last year he also won $51,360 for taking first place in the $300 no-limit hold'em Legends of Poker event. This is the closest that Turner, who was taught no-limit strategy by Vince Burgio, has come to victory in a major event.
Host for the championship event was Bill Eichel, runner-up last year. Recalling that 17 of the 18 finalists that time were pros, the South Dakota farmer said he represented the unknown players who play well enough and get lucky enough to win.
At the final table, the players agreed to take $10,000 out of the prize pool to add $5,000 pay-outs for fourth and fifth place. The final table started with $25 antes and blinds of $150-$300, 30:51 remaining. As befitting a championship event, players were seated in handsome club chairs, Rick "Da Voice" Charles did worldwide Internet broadcast coverage sponsored by Cardplayer.com, and Linda Johnson provided her usual expert announcing for the spectators. Bjorin started with the chip lead of $37,500, followed by Fox with $30,975. Fox had gotten a lot of chips by knocking out Bill Wong in 11th place spectacularly. Wong moved in for about $14,000, Jack called with pocket jacks and flopped a set.
As play commenced, Bjorin gradually increased his lead by picking up chips with a drumbeat of moderate raises in the $1,000-$1,500 range. It wasn't until the 22nd hand that he even lost any chips in a bet hand, when he raised $1,000 and Matt Lessinger, whose style was to move in, made an all-in re-raise and Chris mucked it. Meanwhile, Jack drew gasps from spectators when he flopped yet another set, this time 3s, against Lessinger. Bill Fain, who owns the historic and reputedly haunted Gold Strike Hotel in Virginia City, was first to strike out. On hand 35, Fox opened for $1,200 and Fain moved in for about $4,000. He was a big favorite, J-J to A-J, but Jack hit an unexpected straight when the board came Q-10-7-Q-K.
Twenty hands later, Bjorin bet $1,500 on a flop of 8-3-2 and two clubs. "Miami" John, with a pair and a flush draw, moved in for $8,000, couldn't help and was knocked out by Chris' pocket 10s. At the first break, Bjorin and Fox were still co-leaders with about $48,000 each. After limits went to $200-$400, Fox pulled his hat trick again. Jack re-raised Bjorin $4,000 with pocket queens and Lessinger moved in for $9,000 with pocket aces. Jack flopped yet another set and took Matt to the mat. Eichel, one of three repeat finalists from last year, along with "Amarillo Slim" and Randy, had been playing with the patience and caution of a prairie farmer, which he is. Finally, low on chips, he moved in against Bjorin for about $4,000 with K-Q. Chris had A-9 and won going away by hitting two more aces.
A nasty beat left "Amarillo Slim" in fifth place. Holding Q-Q, He moved in for $6,700 on a board of 5-4-2. Randy had A-J and caught a 3 on the river for a wheel. With $50 antes and $3400-$800 blinds, Turner was low on chips when he suddenly doubled up twice, both times against Bjorin, once when his A-Q held up against Chris' A-J, once when his flopped set of kings outran Bjorin's aces. After dropping to about $2,500, Bjorin moved all in six times, five times in a row, picking up blinds and some bets. On his seventh try, now up to about $8,000, he moved in with A-K suited, losing to Randy's pocket 8s that became a set.
Returning from a 9 p.m. break, Randy now led with $65,800. Jack had $54,000 and Dick had shot up to $40,200. As the number of hands played passed the 200 mark, and with blinds at $500-$1,500, Dick, nicknamed the "Seattle Straddler," had gotten about even with Randy. Then Fox took the lead by making a straight against Holland. A few hands later, Jack finished him, A-A vs. A-J.
Heads-up on hand 250, Jack led, $105,000-$55,000. As action continued, Turner pulled even with a straight, and then pulled ahead with K-Q against K-J. Some 15 hands later, Jack pulled ahead again when his J-10 made two pair. The lead changed hands again when Dick had pocket aces. With $1,500-$3,000 limits and $400 antes (after players had agreed to shorten rounds from 90 minutes to one hour), Jack, starting with Q-10 of clubs against Dick's K-Q, flopped a flush to take back the lead and this time keep it.
Well past the 300th hand, it finally ended. Jack raised to $20,000 with pocket 7s and Dick moved in for about $50,000 with A-K suited. The board came Q-Q-6-2-10, and Jack finally could claim victory and the championship.
-Max Shapiro |
