EVENT #2: SEVEN CARD STUD (Limit) $500
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $79,055
ENTRIES IN THIS EVENT: 163
PRIZE MONEY TO DATE (3/28-29): $276,935
TOTAL ENTRIES TO DATE (3/28-29): 571
Report by Don Larrimore
After a dramatic two-hour heads-up battle, 1998 poker World Champion Scotty Nguyen captured the $500 Seven Card Stud title before a cheering audience at the Jack Binion World Poker Open.
It was the second money finish in the WPO's first two events for Nguyen, a 38 year-old who escaped his native Vietnam in 1979 in a small boat and was lucky enough to be picked up by a Taiwanese fishing trawler and taken to freedom in that Chinese island nation.
"I won this tournament for my wife, Dawn, and our new baby, Tiffany," Nguyen said. "I love Dawn and so hope she gets well soon." Conceding that "you need more luck in stud than in hold'em, especially when you get down to two or three players," he said, "I did get lucky a few times. This win will bring my confidence up so I'm ready for the big ones ahead."
Nguyen's last opponent, Howard Coke, enlivened the final table considerably, causing spectators to gasp by betting and raising blind against Nguyen, something of a showman himself. On several occasions Coke had the champion on the verge of defeat. But the tide finally turned for good when Nguyen made a full house on sixth street and scooped a huge pot. In the conclusive hand, Nguyen caught a wheel in five cards, against which Coke raised blind, then called the next bet all-in when he looked and found a higher gut-shot straight draw. He missed and Nguyen had still another title.
"The best man won," said Coke, 46, "but this is the biggest thrill in my life and by far the biggest tournament win. It was a lot of fun to be able to play the way we do at home--nickels, dimes and quarters at the kitchen table." Coke, a country music singer and former boilermaker, reported that "about 1980 I was broke, down to my last $100. I sent $50 away to buy Doyle Brunson's poker book, which I studied carefully. Today, I'm vindicated."
Third place went to school teacher Tom Kangas, 47, who was all-in with a pair of aces which never improved against Coke's two pair. Strictly a "recreational player," Kangas said his wife had gone to Mexico on spring break while he came to the WPO. "This is my biggest win, not bad for $80," he said. "I won a satellite. This will pay for my wife's vacation. I'm real tickled."
Don Barton, a 50 year-old real estate broker and tournament player for the past 10 years, finished fourth when he went all-in for the first time in the tournament with K-K-Q which became trip kings on fourth street. But Nguyen caught a straight on the river to eliminate Barton, who summed up his experience this way: "I love the tournament, the good food, facilities and people."
Fifth place went to Randall Skaggs, 58, a former restaurant owner and poker professional for 27 years. "I never had any cards at the final table," he said. "I stole a couple of pots but that was it." He was eliminated with A-K high and an aborted flush draw by Nguyen's pair of queens.
Less than an hour into final table play, two players were knocked out within two minutes. Carmen Valenti, 69, a retired real estate manager whose "hobby" for 50 years has been poker, had managed to survive three all-in bets, twice with minor-miracle river cards. But Barton snapped the string with two pair against Valenti's all-in single pair. "I'm pleased with sixth place," Valenti said. "They're all good players. And I'm very impressed with the whole tournament operation. Anything Jack Binion does is done first class."
In an eye-popping hand, Canadian stock investor Donald Somers was knocked out in 7th place by Nguyen, who began with rolled-up fours. Somers was all in with K-8-8, then caught Q-2-9 and the miracle 8. But Nguyen, with a 4-4-4-J-6-7, squeezed out a river 6 for the winning full house. With great equanimity, Somers said, "I think it's fair, because he had the best hand all the way."
Joel Cook, a 54 year-old poker pro and former night-club owner, was eliminated in 8th place just 15 minutes after action began when h couldn't improve his nines against Coke's pocket kings. It was Cook's second money finish in two events.
The Final Table Chip Standings & Seat Positions:
| Seat Position/Player | Chip Count |
| Seat 1: Don Barton (Pahrump, NV) | $18,900 |
| Seat 2: Carmen Valenti (Syracuse, NY) | $1,700 |
| Seat 3: Scotty Nguyen (Henderson, NV) | $23,900 |
| Seat 4: Randall Skaggs (Upton, KY) | $4,200 |
| Seat 5: Donald Somers (Montreal, Canada) | $1,000 |
| Seat 6: Joel Cook (Griffin, GA) | $1,400 |
| Seat 7: Tom Kangas (Cadillac, MI) | $13,100 |
| Seat 8: Howard Coke (Tilden, IL) | $17,600 |
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