| INDONESIA
It was only 3:30 a.m. Monday, the morning of the 'Big Dance.' If the members of John Juanda's Fan Club were as dedicated as they said they were, where were they?
There were 88 entrants in the inaugural $1,500 Buy-In, Triple Draw for a total prize pool of $124,080. Twelve players were paid.
As the blinds spun around the two remaining tables, Richard Klamian and Jim Ward had almost the same amount of chips with their blinds coming up. The two friends made a save with each other so neither would be hurt too badly by finishing 13th. It was Richard who left when Lee Wosk took one on the third draw and hit a 7 for 7 6. Klamian had a pat 8 6.
To setup the Final Table Sunday night, sitcom writer Jay Moriarty held on to his one chip as long as possible. The advantage of being all-in is that you get to draw so many cards. Jay drew 4, then 2, then 2. That got him to a 9 6, which was still not close to Brian Nadell's 7 4, but fun anyway.
THE FINAL TABLE: 46 mins left of 75. $500/$1,000 blinds
Seat # - Player------ Hometown------- Chip Count
Seat 1) Paul Phillips Las Vegas NV $25,500
Seat 2) Jac Arama London, UK $23,500
Seat 3) Warren Karp Lake Forest CA $18,500
Seat 4) Lee Wosk Golden CO $ 7,000
Seat 5) John Juanda Alhambra CA $34,500
Seat 6) Brian Nadell Las Vegas NV $22,000
In the most unusual outcome of this event, Englishman Jac Arama finished 6th by miscounting the draws. Jac thought the game was 'Quadruple Draw' and he was forced to turn over a pair of 6's all-in. Warren Karp must have been relieved that Jac couldn't draw, again, to his 6 as Warren (Peace) Karp took the pot with an 8 7.
Lee Wosk was whisked out in 5th by Brian Nadell when Lee made an all-in 9 in the big blind. Wosk went 2, 2, pat. Nadell took 2, 1, pat for a powerful 6 5.
Making his fourth high/low or low draw Final Table this year, Brian Nadell has enhanced his considerable reputation as a bottom feeder. Nadell was on one of his rushes when Warren Karp went into masonry. Karp took two and got a pair and a King. He took two more and got K Q and finally with two more, Warren could have said, 'Peace, I give up.' He paired again for 4th place to Nadell's 8.
In the key hand of the event for both Brian Nadell and Paul Phillips, Paul rapped pat after the second draw. Brian took one and bet out enough chips to put Phillips all-in. After several minutes of histrionic 'strum and drang' Paul called with a 7 6. Then he went into a ten minute monologue about what a great play his call was. That's Phillips, the guy has enough energy to light a small city. For his part, Brian was gracious enough to say, "Good call," as his chances of winning were destroyed. Nadell mucked his bluff and was soon all-in with a pat 9. The invincible John Juanda had a one card 7.
The two friends apportioned the remaining money. John Juanda had about a 3-1 chip lead on Paul Phillips. They played for the bracelet that both desperately wanted.
I'd mistakenly reported earlier, when the guy from Afghanistan won, that John Juanda was the first bracelet winner from Indonesia. Now, that information is correct. There were no members of John's Fan Club present at 3:30 in this Monday morning when he won his first bracelet. He'll never hear any cheers for accomplishing a first for his birth country, but it was sweet nonetheless.
No one catches cards like Juanda in triple draw. Paul Phillips will wake up screaming from this heads up nightmare starring John Juanda. Phillips made a pat 7 and lost, then he made a 6 5 and LOST with his last $2k.
I was correct about John Juanda and Indonesia, just a couple weeks premature.
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