FOUR QUEENS POKER CLASSIC
EVENT #20
Limit Holdem
Buy-in: $100 + 20
Entries: 71
Prize Pool: $6,887
1. Bill Mullins………...…$2,755
Columbia, MO
2. Paul Westley….....…$1,585
London, England
3. Joel Norris………....…$825
Powell, Ohio
4. Danny "D"....……….....$480
Las Vegas, NV
5. Don Binfurd……...…...$380
Las Vegas, NV
6. Meg Patrick..………...$312
Las Vegas, NV
7. "Hank" …………….......$240
(not available)
8. Walt Morrill…….....…..$170
Tomball, TX
9. George DiCambio...…$140
Tucson, AZ
Bill Mullins' Pair of Queens Wins Four Queens Limit Holdem Event
Bill Mullins, a semi-professional poker player from Columbia, Missouri
defeated a strong field of 71 players and won the 20th event at the Four
Queens Poker Classic. Mullins arrived at the final table down about 2 to 1
to the chip leader at the time -- Danny "D" from Las Vegas. In fact, it
appeared Danny D. might win the tournament in a cake walk, but then he got
tripped up mid-way through the final table and could manage no better than a
4th place finish. The remaining three players -- who all displayed great
talent and perseverance throughout the day -- then battled it out of the top
three spots, with Mullins coming out on top in first place.
Play began at $300-600 limit. Within just a few hands, George DiCambio took
a brutal beat holding pocket kings against Paul Westley's pocket aces. K-K
versus A-A is a terrible spot to be in, and DiCambio dusted through most of
his chips betting on the hidden cowboys -- which were bucked by the aces.
That hand essentially put DiCambio out of the tournament in 9th place with a
disappointing $140 payoff.
Texan Walt Morrill was next to take a beat, holding A-K. Low on chips, he
made a raise which was called by dangerous Danny D. with Q-J. The final
board came J-7-2-10-6 -- which gave Morrill several outs on the turn -- but
he could not close the deal with a pair and went out in 8th place, good for
$170.
Limits were increased to $400-800 and dangerous Danny D. put his spell on Meg
Patrick next, when he won a big pot with a pair of aces and a better kicker.
Danny D's domination continued as he called "Hank" down with A-2 when the
flop came J-7-2 (pair of deuces). Hank held A-K, which meant he was down to
just three outs (drawing to the king). The miracle didn't come, which
knocked Hank out in 7th place with $240.
Meg Patrick who came in second in chips had been hurt by the earlier loss.
She was about to take an even worse beat when she moved her remaining chips
into the pot with A-K and was called by Don Binford with 9-8 suited. The
flop came with an eight, and Binford's middle-pair held-up to eliminate Meg
Patrick in 6th place with $312.
Danny D. still appeared to be the big favorite to win the tournament at that
point, but then he took his first serious beat of the night when he was dealt
K-K. Bill Mullins held and ace in his hand and spiked an ace on board to win
the big pot. Losing that pot seemed to spin Danny D. into a frenzy as he
continued to play most of his hands and try to use his large stack to try and
intimidate opponents. But when the cards turned, the results were
disastrous. Low on chips, Paul Westley made a stand and caught an ace on the
river to take another $3,500 from Danny D. In a span of only about 15
minutes, Danny D. had lost his chip lead and at least three other players
were now within striking distance of the lead. One of those players was not
Don Binford, who couldn't generate much success at the final table. With
blinds and limits escalating, Binford (in the big blind) was forced to make
his last stand with J-4 when the flop came A-J-Q. However, Joel Norris held
an ace for top pair and called Binford's bet. Binford failed to catch either
a jack or a 4 and went out in 5th place with $380.
Incredibly, the next player to get wiped-out would be Danny D. Slowly but
surely, his chips began to disappear when he played hand after hand and
appeared to miss most of the flops and was forced to fold when his opponent
bet out. The main beneficiary of Danny D's chip loss was Bill Mullins -- who
played his hands wisely and made the most of his opportunities with selective
aggression. Unfortunately for Danny D. his fate was sealed by the time he
had just barely enough chips to last another round. He played his final hand
of the night when he got incolved in a big pot with Paul Westley (K-K). The
flop came K-2-2 and Westley managed to make the most of the opportunity,
getting all of Danny D's chips in the pot before revealing the powerhouse
full-house. Danny D. didn't bother to show his hand and went out in 4th
place with $480.
The most exciting part of the final table took place when the action got down
to the final three players. Mullins had a slight chip lead (21K) over
Westley (16K) and Norris (8K). At this point Joel Norris became a changed
man. He had been quiet most of the time, only getting involved in hands when
he (presumably) had the best of it. However, with just three players
remaining, Norris turned into a barracuda, biting and sawing away at the
larger stacks with a slew of raises and re-raises. To Mullins and Westley,
it was like a horror show -- watching the transformation of Dr. Jeckyl into
Mr. Hyde. Was this the same player who sat unassumingly for the first two
hours of the final table? Perhaps it was a rush of cards or perhaps it was
just a major adjustment in strategy (we'll never know, many of his hands were
never seen). Whatever it was, the tactic worked as Norris drew about even in
chips with Westley and Mullins.
However, the rush of good fortune would not last. Westley made a straight
against Norris when his 8 played to a board of 9-10-3-J-Q, which ripped
nearly half the chips out of Norris' stack. He then took another beat when
Mullins (Q-K) got involved in a hand and the flop came with a queen. Norris
tried to run a couple of bluffs with A-J, but lost the pot at the end when
Mullins showed top pair. Just as quickly as he accummulated chips, they
found a new home back in the other two stacks and Norris was down to just
$4,000. He was dealt another strong hand (A-K) and made a raise which was
called by Westley (A-Q). When the final board showed Q-9-6-7-9, that meant
the honeymoon was over. Joel Norris from Ohio -- who was playing in his
first poker tournament ever -- took third place and $825 in prize money.
Quite a performance.
Head-up play started with Westley and Mullins about equal in chips. But,
Mullins would prevail. The key hand of the night occurred when Westley
called a pre-flop raise by Mullins and then flopped two pair. It looked like
it might be a big hand for Westley, but Mullins held A-A. When the board
paired -- giving Mullins a higher two-pair -- that defeat took the wind out
of Westley's sails. The final hand of the night was dealt -- Mullins with
Q-J versus Westley with A-8. Westley's last chips went into the pot after
the flop and Mullins was glad to take his chances with the straigth draw and
two overcards. A blank deuce came on the turn. It appeared Westley would
win the pot and get back in action, but then a queen fell on the river which
cracked Westley's hand. Fittingly, it was a pair of Queens at the Four
Queens which was the deciding hand of the night. Paul "Great Brit" Westley,
who is a native of London, England and always adds a bit of dignity and good
humor to any event he enters -- took second place and $1,585. Bill Mullins
won first place and $2,755.
-- by Nolan Dalla
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