Event Number 7
Pot-Limit Omaha
$300 + $30 Buy-in
Number of Entrants: 81
Number of Rebuys: 209
Total Prize Pool: $84,390
Peter Costa, one of three Brits at the final table playing their pot-limit
road game, topped a field of 81 to win the $300 pot-limit Omaha event of the
Four Queens Poker Classic. It was his fourth money finish here to date. When
he got heads-up with An Tran, who holds a World Series bracelet for this event,
he had a slight chip lead and accepted An Tran's request for a chop.
This event was played down to 10 players at the final table, though only
nine spots were paid. Ten were left after ex-Wall Street executive Bob
Feduniak moved in for $2,700 with 10-10-J-9 and was called by "Miami" John
Cernuto and Ken "Skyhawk" Flaton, who checked the hand down. Bob flopped a set
when the board came 10-9-8, but then a K-J gave Cernuto, with Q-8 in his hand,
a straight.
Blinds started at $800-$1,600, 21:41 remaining. Costa, whose countless
tournament victories include this year's Hall of Fame championship, held the
chip lead with $42,900. Robert Williamson III, a Dallas investor, was quickly
cut down to only $300 when Tony Khan, another Brit, made a straight.
Hand number 8 generated the most discussion and controversy. Williamson had
clawed back to $1,200, which he had to post in the big blind. David
"Devilfish" Ulliott (the third Brit), Scotty Nguyen and poker player John
McIntosh all called for $1,600. Then Ken "Skyhawk" Flaton, in the small blind,
raised $7,100 holding only A-9-8-4. Everyone folded except McIntosh, who had
Q-Q-A-7. When the flop came Q-8-3, Flaton bet all in for $7,800. McIntosh
quickly called with his set and busted Flaton and Williamson, who had nothing.
Devilfish, who had folded J-10-10-9 because he had to give Flaton credit for
aces or a bunch of pictures, would have won the pot with a straight after a 10
turned. He said he couldn't believe that Flaton could raise against three
callers with such a weak hand and give Williamson protection, then bet all in
on such an unfavorable flop. Costa agreed, calling it the "worst play I have
ever seen."
And Skyhawk didn't even get to keep all of the $1,680 ninth-place prize
money for having more chips than Williamson. The arrangement, in this one
instance, called for an even split.
Miami John was left with $500 on hand 13 when McIntosh made a bigger
straight than his. He put it in a couple of hands later with A-9-4-5 and lost
to Nguyen, who had A-K-Q-5 and flopped a king. On hand 32, McIntosh had a
difficult decision after he opened for $6,000, An Tran called and then Ulliott
came over the top for $20,000 more. Spectators began making comments. "No
discussion," warned tournament director David Lamb. "Can I sing?" asked the
colorful Devilfish, breaking into a chorus of "It's now or never."
MacIntosh finally called all in for $13,500 and made two pair to beat
Devilfish's pocket aces.
As blinds rose to $1,500-$3000, Costa still held the lead with $83,000.
McIntosh had $52,000, An Tran $34,500, Khan $18,000, Ron Stanley $16,500 and
Nguyen, $5,000. Scotty doubled up but later button-raised all in with Q-J-9-7,
ending up in seventh place when An Tran called with K-K-10-8 and flopped a set.
Two hands later, Khan also moved in for $10,000 from the button. He had
J-J-7-4 but got blown away when a board of K-A-10-Q-A gave McIntosh aces full.
Playing cautiously, An Tran, with about $25,000 left, abandoned a $46,000 pot
when Stanley bet all in for $7,500 on a flop of A-6-2. McIntosh later went out
fifth when An Tran made a river straight to outrun his two pair and a few hands
later took the lead with about $78,000. Everyone had a lot of chips, however,
and play continued for another 19 hands before the next player exited after
blinds went to $2,000-$4,000. Devilfish, tired of An Tran robbing his big
blind, finally re-raised $30,000, then flashed three junk cards after An Tran
folded. "You can't keep doing that," he warned. But Ulliott, missing draws,
finally was left with $4,000 by folding when An Tran raised his blind yet
again. Costa finally speared the dangerous Devilfish by flopping a set of
queens after Ulliott had called all in with A-J-9-2.
Costa now led with about $125,000. The event ended abruptly on hand 87
after Stanley raised to $14,000 with A-9-Q-7. An Tran called with 3-3-10-6
from the big blind. Ron bet all in for $24,000 on a flop of 9-6-2. An Tran
called and won by hitting a third 6 on the river. It was 2 a.m., they were
near-even and chopped. --Max Shapiro
Chip Position, Final Table
Seat Player Chip Count
1.) Scotty Nguyen $7,200
2.) John McIntosh $30,300
3.) Ken Flaton $18,600
4.) Robert Williamson $12,600
5.) An Tran $36,500
6.) David Ulliott $14,300
7.) John Cernuto $30,800
8.) Ron Stanley $26,200
9.) Tony Khan $12,600
10.) Peter Costa $42,900
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