WORLD SERIES OF POKER 2000
EVENT #19 SEVEN-CARD STUD
$5,000 BUY-IN
$5,000 in chips
TRAIN RUNS OVER FINAL TABLE. CHIU! CHIU!
By Mike Paulle
Either we are seeing one of the greatest poker players of all time, or we are
watching one of the hottest streaks of all time. In either case, there is just
no stopping David Chiu at the moment.
There were 101 entrants in the $5,000 Buy-In, Seven-Card Stud for a total prize
pool of $505,000. 2 tables were paid, a total of 16 players.
Mel Judah had just enough going for him in the last hand Wednesday night to get
to the river. He had one 9 like Barry Greenstein did. He had a pair of 5's with
a baby draw and most importantly; Mel had a few more chips. When Greenstein
went all-in on 6th street, Judah got a free card on 7th street. It was a 4 to
make two pair and crack Greenstein's Aces. The Final Table was set.
Coming back Thursday afternoon, Bob Feduniak corrected his earlier mistakes.
Making his third Final Table of WSOP 2000, this time Bob brought some chips
with him. Feduniak and Ken 'Skyhawk' Flaton were co-chip leaders over an
All-Star cast.
THE FINAL TABLE:
37 mins left of 80. The ante is $500, bring-in $1k, playing $3,000/$6,000
| Player/Hometown | Chip Count |
| Seat 1: Tony Cousineau (Daytona Beach, FL) | $59,500 |
| Seat 2: Mel Judah (London, UK) | $83,000 |
| Seat 3: Bob Feduniak (Las Vegas, NV) | $97,000 |
| Seat 4: David Chiu (Rowland Hts, CA) | $78,500 |
| Seat 5: Larry Flynt (Los Angeles, CA) | $33,500 |
| Seat 6: Ken Flaton (Henderson, NV) | $97,000 |
| Seat 7: Jack McClelland (Las Vegas, NV) | $18,500 |
| Seat 8: Scotty Nguyen (Henderson, NV) | $45,500 |
Ever the promoter, perhaps to get some free publicity for his new casino
opening in Los Angeles this year, Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt made
the Final Table in his first World Series appearance. Considering the quality
of the field Flynt had to beat to get here, it's safe to say Larry can really
play Seven-Card Stud. When Flynt caught his third open diamond on 5th street,
Larry bet out. David Chiu, with only a pair of Kings, had a decision to make.
If Larry had his flush already, maybe he doesn't bet so forcefully. David
decided to call Flynt down with his Kings and won when Larry mucked his hand.
All-in a few hands later, Flynt left in 8th when Chiu made Aces up.
Someone we already knew could play Seven-Card Stud is Jack McClelland. For 15
years Jack didn't get to play in the World Series because he was it's
Tournament Director. Now 'retired' -- occasionally -- Jack gets to play his road
game. "If I win this hand, I have $40,000 and I have a chance," McClelland said
afterward. Jack was leading to 7th street with Queen's up when David Chiu
paired his Deuces for Aces up. Jack and Larry Flynt were knocked out on the
same hand. Although neither of them needs it, Jack got more money than Larry
for having more chips at the start of the hand.
A disappointed Tony Cousineau couldn't pick up a hand in 6th. When he finally
makes 9's and 2's, it's the same hand Scotty Nguyen gets a Royal draw. The
fifth club for Scotty clubs Tony off the table.
Ok, that didn't work either. Bob Feduniak has tried it both ways now. Twice
he's come to this year's Final Table short stacked and both times he went out
early. This time he comes in as co-chip leader and still finishes 5th. What's a
guy to do to get a bracelet around here? No one is going to feel sorry for Bob,
except for his wife Maureen, maybe. He's one of only two players who've made
three Final Tables. Bob's had a wonderful World Series and it's far from over.
He just can't catch a break when the big money's at stake. All-in on his last
hand, Feduniak had only Ace high and didn't have enough chips left to blow Ken
Flaton off two baby pair, 4's and 2's.
"If this is a Queen, I give up playing poker," former World Champion Scotty
Nguyen said. Maybe Scotty should reconsider tempting the fates like that. Just
when you think you've seen it all, poker shows you something new. Nguyen had a
made two pair. The only card that could knock him out of the tournament was a
third Queen for David Chiu. "Let me sweat it," Scotty said as David tossed him
his last card face down. Scotty squeezed the unknown card until only he knew
what it was. Later Scotty amended his quote good-naturedly. "I'll give up
poker, today!" The last card was a third Queen for David Chiu turned over by
the guy he eliminated, Scotty Nguyen. Amazing!
"I kept getting the low card, I couldn't make a hand," Mel Judah said
afterward. The event was over; David Chiu had over $400,000 in chips. Mel Judah
had $60,000 and Ken Flaton had $30,000. Ken Flaton said of Mel, "With $60,000
he's still trying to win the tournament." Maybe that's what makes great
players, never giving up. Most of us would have tried to make some deal to
split 2nd and 3rd place money. Many of us would have sat back and hoped that
Ken Flaton would go out first. Mel Judah went for it and finished 3rd in the
process. That's 3rd as in $50,000 less than 2nd. Mel started with split 10's,
David Chiu with pocket 6's. When David paired his King door card, Ken Flaton
got a nice raise.
With a six high straight by David Chiu, an early night was over for Ken Flaton.
There is absolutely no question that David Chiu is a great poker player. But
there is equally no question that he is also one of the hottest players on the
planet. In one hour and 45 minutes, David Chiu demolished a table of superstar
Stud players. It was like a man playing with boys. It was like a train running
over a Final Table, Chiu! Chiu!
Official Money Winners
| 1. David Chiu | $202,000 |
| 2. Ken Flaton | $101,000 |
| 3. Mel Judah | $50,500 |
| 4. Scotty Nguyen | $30,300 |
| 5. Bob Feduniak | $25,250 |
| 6. Tony Cousineau | $20,200 |
| 7. Jack McClelland | $15,150 |
| 8. Larry Flynt | $10,100 |
9th-12th received $7,575
Barry Greenstein, Steve Zolotow, Wei Wei and Ronald Durante
13th-16th received $5,050
Frank Mariani, Artie Cobb, Allen Cunningham and Mickey Appleman
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