EVENT #9: TEXAS HOLD'EM (Limit) $1,000
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $105,730
ENTRIES IN THIS EVENT: 109
PRIZE MONEY TO DATE (3/28-4/6): $1,075,730
TOTAL ENTRIES TO DATE (3/28-4/6): 2,109
Report by Don Larrimore
In the first major tournament he had ever entered, Randall Witt survived a grueling two-hour heads-up struggle and won the $1,000 Limit Hold'em event at the Jack Binion World Poker Open. Cheers erupted from onlookers who, Witt said, consider him a "local" since he plays in the Tunica area.
"I feel great. It's very exciting," said Witt, a 44 year-old retired Social Security Administration claims representative who learned poker at Middle Tennessee State University but has played the game seriously for only four years. "I feel this is just a validation point in my decision to play regularly," he said.
About 45 minutes before the final table was decided, Witt was all-in. He survived and went on a spectacular rush to become chip leader among the nine finalists. He said that with the longer playing times at the higher limits, "I felt pretty calm, with my head on straight, so I thought I would have an edge."
When heads-up play began, Witt's opponent, Bill Wolfe, had a slight chip advantage. But as they duelled determinedly, there were also oddities: three times dealers flopped three of a kind, and the atmosphere was so serious, with no banter and generally not even any conversation, that nothing was said. After an hour and a half, Wolfe was all-in for the first time, with pocket kings against Witt's 9-4. The flop came 10-9-3 and then a 4 was turned, which seemed to doom Wolfe. There were roars of astonishment when a miracle king came on the river.
Wolfe survived a second all-in foray with A-9 against Witt's K-Q when an ace was flopped. Finally, Wolfe went all in with pocket jacks and Witt, with a huge chip lead, called with Q-2. The board came Q-9-5/Q-r. Witt had defeated his opponent whom he called "very resilient."
Wolfe, 23 and the second youngest WPO finalist thus far, has been a poker professional for a year while a student at Ohio University. This was the second final table and beat finish in the four major tournaments he has wentered. He said his winnings will go toward paying off his own and his brother's college loans. "I think I played too aggressively when I had a small chip lead," Wolfe said. "When I lost it, I had to tighten up, but hands just didn't hold up."
He said he had not had much exposure to the superstars of the poker world, noting, "I'm proud to have been at the same final table with Berry Johnston."
Third place went to Charlie Brahmi, 47, a seven-year poker pro and retail shop owner who has many tournament wins including a World Series bracelet. "I think I did well finishing third," he said. "For 20 minutes I was chip leader and I got very aggressive. That's my style. I've done it before. You can't win every time you get to the final table." Brahmi, the last of seven players eliminated in just 80 minutes, was badly wounded when Wolfe rivered a straight and immediately thereafter lost all-in with J-4 against Wolfe's A-10 when an ace flopped.
Melissa Hayden, winner of the $500 No Limit Hold'em event here, made her second final table and finished fourth, effectively blinded away with few playable cards. "I'm delighted, thrilled to make my second final table. This has been a marvelous tournament for me. I've also won two super satellites." In what she described as a "bizarre roller coaster" experience, Hayden said that with 10 players remaining, it took a full level to eliminate one player and set the final table, during which she went from an $18,000 stack down to all-in and back up to $13,000.
Berry Johnston, 64, the 1986 World Champion, holder of four gold bracelets and winner of almost $2 million in a record 35 times in the money at the World Series, took fifth place and said, "I felt I'd do better." He was all in with Q-10 against Brahmi's pocket aces. "I think Jack Binion has put on a very good tournament," he said.
Sixth place went to Mike Markos, 48, a Greek-born former restaurateur who has had four major tournament wins and dozens of final table finishes in his 25 years as a poker pro. He was effectively eliminated when his pocket aces lost to Brahmi's pocket tens which became trips on the turn. "It was a very nice, successful tournament," Markos said. "I just had a bad break."
David Holzderber, 53, owner of a day spa and hair salon who has twice finished in the money at the World Series including a 2nd place in high-low stud, finished seventh. "Any time you get to a final table you have to be pleased with your play," he said. "Unfortunately, I was short-stacked." His all-in Q-8 lost to Hayden's A-Q.
Taking 8th was John Varner, 57, a retired realtor playing in his first major tournament. A lifetime recreational poker player, he said, "I scrambled from the first round. I was all-in 12 times." The last time was when he took A-K against Markos's K-Q and was trounced with a board of Q-10-8/9-Q.
Doug Saab, 50, a retired insurance adjuster and a pro for 12 years, departed in 9th place when Hayden rivered a flush to beat his leading pair. Holder of one WSOP bracelet and winner of three other major tournaments, Saab finished 6th in last year's Tournament of Champions. "There's not much to say," he said. "I didn't have any chips. What are you going to do? Throw your chips in and pray."
The Final Table Chip Standings & Seat Positions:
| Seat Position/Player | Chip Count |
| Seat 1: Charlie Brahmi (Ventnor, NJ) | $8,700 |
| Seat 2: David Holzderber (Edgewood, KY) | $3,100 |
| Seat 3: Mike Markos (Las Vegas, NV) | $13,700 |
| Seat 4: Randall Witt (Nashville, TN) | $26,600 |
| Seat 5: John Varner (Fairborn, OH) | $3,300 |
| Seat 6: Bill Wolfe (Athens, OH) | $16,900 |
| Seat 7: Doug Saab (Trussville, AL) | $8,300 |
| Seat 8: Melissa Hayden (Las Vegas, NV) | $13,000 |
| Seat 9: Berry Johnston (Las Vegas, NV) | $23,200 |
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