Poker Tournament Results

Jack Binion World Poker Open 4th Year - WPT Season 1

Robert Williamson III

Tournament Report

The first event of the 2003 World Poker Open began with 230 entrants. After day one, 9 players came to the final table, representing a broad spectrum of poker experience. At one extreme was the youthful Frank Kasella -- playing in his first-ever Omaha-high tournament. The opposite extreme was retired Lindy Chambers who stated, "I've been playing this game ever since I was born." Play started with blinds set at $1K-2K. David Grana, from upstate New York, was the first player to made an unwanted exit when he was dealt A-A-4-5 versus Dwain Fulcher's A-K-J-10. The flop came J-9-2 and Grana's remaining chips went into the pot. Fulcher held top-pair and top-kicker, with several outs to a straight. He caught a Q on the river to complete a king-high straight --knocking Grana, the owner of a C.P.A. firm, out in 9th place with $4,183. A short time later, Lowell Walker -- who came to the final table with the shortest stack -- was rudely eliminated. Walker (holding A-J-J-5) moved all-in when the flop came K-10-3. Frank Kasella called the large bet with A-K-Q-5. The pair of kings help up and Walker, who has been playing tournament poker about three years, exited in 8th place with $5,228. Kasella increased his chip position again a few hands later when he made a full-house and ripped $25K away from Lindy Chambers. Dwain Fulcher was not so fortunate. He was dealt a pretty hand -- A-K-K-10 and went out when he ran into Kasella's A-3-4-5. When the flop came 2-5-5 that mess gave Kasella trip 5s. However, a miracle king failed to materialize which meant Fulcher, a Las Vegas-based poker pro, was out in 7th place with $6,535 in prize money. Kasella seized the chip lead for the first time when a three-way pot developed. Then chip leader, Doug Paxton raised $6K pre-flop which was called quickly by Kasella and Jake Naumer. After the flop came A-Q-2, both players checked to Kasella who made a $32K bet. Both players folded which meant Kasella was in the lead. Blinds increased to $1500-3000. Tournament regular Peter Vilandos arrived at the final table in decent shape with $58K, but took a beat when he committed his chips with A-A-A-9 versus Chambers' K-J-10-3. Both players moved their chips into the pot after the flop came K-8-5 offsuit. When a king fell on the turn, that catch gave Chambers trip kings, topping Vilandos pair of aces. Vilandos was severely crippled with just $5K in chips and went out a short time later with 6-7-7-8 against Chamber's Q-J-10-4. Chambers ended up with a straight and Vilandos --who made three final tables at last year's World Poker Open -- exited in 6th place with $9,150. Chambers now had the chip lead with nearly $120K. He managed to avoid a trap a short time later when the final board showed K-8-3-6-6. Doug Paxton reached for his chips and Chambers folded, sensing danger. Paxton showed four 6s and took down the pot. Over the next 90 minutes, play slowed down considerably as the five players traded-off chips and exchanged chip leads on several occasions. Robert Williamson, the popular tournament regular from Dallas, sat patiently during most of the hands -- nursing his average stack and moving-in with highly-selective aggression. Blinds escalated again to $2K-4K. Finally after a long wait, Jake Naumer, a former stockbroker, was the next player to get busted. Naumer committed his remaining chips with K-K-9-2 versus Chambers' J-J-7-7. All the money went in when the flop came out A-J-10 and Chambers' three Jacks held up to take down a $120K pot. Naumer,who remarkably has entered just three poker tournaments -- and managed to make three final tables (now three for three!) -- went out in fifth place with $11,764. It was quite a return on investment for Naumer, who later stated he won his way into this tournament by playing in a $65 single-table satellite. Very impressive. By this time, Doug Paxton had become low on chips. He survived one all-in, but couldn't repeat the magic a second time. Paxton's final hand of the night was K-K-9-8. The flop looked innocent enough -- 7-3-2. However, tricky Lindy Chambers held A-2-4-5, which meant he had a tiny pair and numerous outs. Paxton's remaining chips rolled into the pot and Chambers was delighted when a 4 came on the turn -- giving him an Ace to Five straight. Paxton, who harvests wheat throughout the Midwest and enjoys playing poker recreationally, cashed out in fourth place with $15,685. And then there were three remaining. Chip counts stood as follows: Chambers -- $190K Kasella -- $130K Williamson -- $111K Robert Williamson immediately took a massive hit when he lost a big pot to Chambers. However, he wasn't the least bit fazed by the loss of chips, content to make his move at the right time with only about $40K left. The "right time" came a few hands later when Williamson got right back into contention when he flopped a full house -- jacks over eights versus Chambers who stared blankly at the board. Then, Williamson went on an absolute tear, building his stack up $20K to $30K at a time. His two opponents could only watch in horror. Despite demonstrating some extraordinary poker skills, Kasella and Chambers were helpless to cease the Williamson steamroller. Williamson's domination of the final hour continued when he flopped top two pair virus Kasella. The hand started innocently enough. Williamson was dealt 10-9-7-5 versus Kasella's A-J-J-8. The flop came 10-9-6. Williamson made a large bet, and Kasella raised all-in with a straight flush draw. Holding the J-8 of clubs and looking at the board that included the 9-10 of clubs gave Kasella a powerful draw. But things got ugly for Kasella quick. The next card was a 9, giving Williamson a full-house. The river failed to produce the two-outer for Kasella, when meant a $24,834 payday. Not bad for Kasella -- who was playing in his first Omaha-high tournament ever! Down the head-up play, Williamson enjoyed nearly a 2-1 chip advantage over Chambers. The gold and diamond World Poker Open bracelet was placed on the table as both players kept one eye on the cards and the other on the prize. Blinds increased to $5K-$10K. There was no stopping Williamson at this point. Quiet and unassuming during early rounds at the final table, Williamson became much more aggressive when it got down to four players. Later, he took a tough beat and was out chipped by almost 6-1. In a furious comeback, Williamson managed claw his way back to even, then take complete command of the tournament. Williamson later admitted he has great respect for Chambers -- who repeatedly flashed cards and baited his opponents with good-natured humor. In fact, Chambers was nearly impossible to put on a hand. But when Williamson won a $100K pot from Chambers in the final stages of the tournament, the end was on the horizon. The final hand of the night came when Williamson was dealt 8-8-4-3. Chambers was dealt A-J-7-7. The flop came J-8-2 and Chambers' last chips went into the pot. Williamson was thrilled to call with trip 8s -- which ended up as the winning hand. Over a hundred spectators stood and applauded as Chambers took second place and $49,669. Williamson was the champ. Robert Williamson finished second in the Ace-to-Five Draw event at the World Poker Open last year. Not surprisingly, he admits that finishing first 'is much sweeter.' With the impressive victory, Robert Williamson now currently holds two titles. He won an event at the 2002 World Series of Poker and now has won the first event of the 2003 World Poker Open. Odds are, we have not seen the last of Robert Williamson in the winners circle. -- by Nolan Dalla