"Just a Truly Great Exhibition of NoLimit Holdem"
Play in the 1000 pound NL HE event resumed with two tables left on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm. Shah Khoumi had the chip lead holding 176,000, the irrepressible Surinder Sunar followed with 167,000 and close behind was Costa Rican Alex Brenes with 159,000: total chips in play being 1,380,000. The two Frenchmen Patrice Laplage and Marc Brouchard both had 118,000. The draw had placed the two chip leaders on the same table with Surinder in the 2 and Shah in the 9 seat on table "N".
Play begins at the "Vic" with "two rounds"; in this case with 1500 / 3000 antes. Several all-ins by low stacked players are successful; the most animated from the effusive Marcel Luske when a Queen falls on the turn to improve his Q 2 all-in play after a 2 hit on the flop – "Where's the Queen!!", the tall Dutchman exclaims. There is money from 13th onwards today so play is still fairly delicate. After the two rounds the antes go to 2K / 4K and there is a hand which probably set the texture of the final result. Surinder with K Q made no big bet when the flop came Q 5 x; this gave David Barnes a free draw to his pair of 4s; turn card a 4 river a 5, David doubled up through Surinder to take the chip lead with over 190,000.
R Kesten was the first to go his A J beaten by an A 10, 10 on the board. Ross Boatman (noted thespian and 25% of the Four Mousketeers (sic) TheHendonMob) was next to go A 8 vs Q Q. The young Garry Jones also short at the start of play had his day completed when his K Q vs A 8 (Surinder) was left with no outs when an Ace fell on the turn. Tony Bloom leading with A Q against Marcel's K J saw a 7 3 J 4 2 board and a two out of the money finish.
The "skunk hole": Simon "Aces" Trumper today, started with 47,500 and had mentioned to me was happy with the table and position – the hand: Simon A 5 of hearts and Mark Owens Q Q – the flop 10 6 7 – first two hearts. Simon 12 outs. Turn: off suit 4. Simon 18 outs. River: a Jack. Exit a great drawing hand and Simon in 14th place. First to collect his 1000 pounds consolation prize was G Bowles Q J vs A 10 (Mark O) no real help on board.
3K / 6K antes at 16:40 – the action is heating up. Alex was the next to go – a bit surprising I guess given his overnight chip position. I didn't see where his chips had gone but I'm sure they were welcome wherever it was. His penultimate hand: 6 6 vs Marcel's K 2 of hearts – three hearts on board – Marcel doubles up his 30,000 odd count and Alex is left with 17K – all-in next hand with A 8 suited vs A 4 (Patrice) a 4 on the flop and Alex has to be happy with the 1000 pounds for 12th. Enough of Marcel everyone says and it is Padraig who damages him Marcel A Q, Padraig 9 9 board Q 9 2 6 J and he exits soon after when Mark's 5 2 makes two pair vs Marcel's 10 9. Surinder 10 10 eliminates S Wilsden holding A K going all-in for 75K and we are now 1 table.
Seat
1 Patrice
2 Tony Kelly
3 Marc Brouchard
4 Shah Khoumi
5 Frank Callaghan
6 Surinder
7 Padraig
8 David Barnes
9 Mark Owens
I'm sorry they didn't stop to count chips and I didn't feel I had the presence to ask them to do so.
First to pick up a cheque (yes you lot in the USA that's the way you really spell it) was Shah. He held 10 10 made trips on the flop BUT David Barnes with K K also made trips on the flop and Shah departed in 9th place. Antes 4K / 8K now, Frank and Marc B the low chip stacks. Frank soon after, made trips on the river with 3s vs Padraig's Q Q. A 96K pot to Frank.
Surinder and David were clear chip leaders.
Padraig after the recent loss sends his chips to David's mounting stack when his Q J is always miles behind to David's Q Q the final winning hand a flush. 8th for the affable Irishman today. 7th spot is locked up by the other Irishman Frank Callaghan holding K 9 vs David (oh yes he has a few chips now) Q J; flop A J Q all diamonds; Frank going 62K all-in, fairly easy call for David; nothing else comes and we are down to six.
The two Frenchman now low stacked with 60K each. Next to leave us was Marc A 5 vs Surinder's K Q, board 8 K J 7 6. 6,030 pounds jumps into Marc's wallet as we begin to approach the BIG money. Last big hand before dinner Mark O calls David's 30K flop bet, both check the turn and when David checks the river Mark bets 80K David folds and Mark adds 72K to his stack.
At dinner break:
Patrice 93 K
Tony 203 K
Surinder 407 K
David 431 K
Mark 246 K
I'll describe dinner another time because there is a great side story there.
Back from dinner the antes are 6K / 12K. After a bit of play: THE HAND !!!!
Small blind Mark, Surinder one off button makes it 20K to go, Mark says up 50, SS call, flop : 7d 4s 2h ; MO 60 SS call, turn: 6c, check SS all-in 133 (Mark has about 85K in front of him) MO thinks, thinks , thinks, thinks; releases. Surinder rolls (only 3rd hand revealed where not forced to show) J 10 off suit. Mark told me later he had A 5 of spades so I hope he doesn't mind me revealing same. You had to be there because the play in very recent previous hands probably had a bearing on all decisions. Most amazing hand I have ever seen in a tournament of such size – but then I have mostly only played in Oz.
I would have needed an ambulance – Mark pressed on but soon after found SS again his tormentor when he finished him off MO Q J vs SS A J, Ace on board. Very next hand it became three when Patrice went all-in against David with A J, DB holding J 9 a checked flop of 3 Q 2 Patrice tried to shut David out with a 129 all-in bet when a 9 hit the turn - oops! fairly easy call and Patrice is on his way.
8 K / 16K now
The hand placing Surinder third was also very interesting.
Button Surinder SB David. SS raise 28K DB call Tony fold: flop 7d 2d 6c; ch ch, turn: 2h, DB ch SS 35K DB raise 270 SS call, river: 9h, DB 130 (to put SS all-in) SS call. David shows 6 6; Surinder as he gets up shows a 2. (I later heard him saying, out loud, he also had a 10; take the information as you will).
Very relaxed now, David has a 9 to 1 chip lead No miracle story here; the final hand Tony all-in before the flop for 170K and Q J and David K 6. As is often the case the 6 is the winning card when the board includes a 2 3 4 and 5.
Congrats to all the big money winners. Would just like to add that it was the most entertaining and educational final I have ever watched.
Quick update on 1000 pound PL OM: just before the final two tables get underway.
1,140,000 in chips:
Ron Seymour 171K
Patrice Leplage 145K
Marc Brouchard 115K
Lally Khajuria 114K
All the best
Chris "The Barracuda" Newton
barracuda_oz@hotmail.com
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