Golden State Pro Outruns Field To Lasso H.O.R.S.E. Title
"This is the first time I've won a tournament other than straight hold 'em," said John Juanda, who proved his expertise in five different poker games to capture first place in the $300 buy-in (with rebuys) H.O.R.S.E. competition. His victory over 113 opponents in the third event of the 8th annual California State Poker Championship brought Juanda $33,240 in prize money and a custom-designed CSPC "World" trophy.
Although this is his first CSPC title, Juanda of Alhambra, California, also holds titles from the L.A. Poker Classic and the Legends of Poker, and has cashed in several other major tournaments. A former MBA graduate student, the 28-year-old professional competitor decided four years ago to pursue poker as a full-time career.
Juanda arrived for the final showdown as a chip leader, chose his spots carefully, and continued to steadily build his stack. Meanwhile, runner-up Steve Hohn was also racking up chips, and when heads-up play began, the two men were almost dead even. Over the next 45 minutes and three different games, the lead switched back and forth several times. Then Hohn seized the advantage while playing stud eight-or-better -- "my game," he said -- when he made a gutshot wheel on the river to snap off Juanda's kings up and scoop the pot. But Hohn couldn't sustain his momentum when it came time for hold 'em, Juanda's best game, and he saw his stack diminish quickly. It was all over when Hohn raised before the flop with Kc-9c, and Juanda reraised with A-3. Hohn called all-in, and when the final board showed Q-8-5/J-5, Juanda claimed the pot and the title.
For his runner-up finish, Hohn of Leawood, Kansas, was awarded $16,620. A 51-year-old retired stockbroker who now follows the tournament trail full time, Hohn holds a stud eight-or-better title from the 1993 L.A. Poker Classic and has cashed in several other major competitions. "I loved this tournament -- it was great," he commented. "It's a good test of overall skill, and the seventy-five-minute limits give so much play for the money."
Juanda agreed. "I liked the long rounds and the mix of games," he said. "If you don't do well in one game, you can do better in another."
Placing third in the H.O.R.S.E. event and pocketing $8,310 was Brent Carter of Oak Park, Illinois. A retired businessman and poker pro, Carter has two World Series of Poker titles to his credit, as well as numerous titles from other major tournaments, including the L.A. Poker Classic. He was eliminated during an Omaha/8 segment of today's competition when he raised before the flop with 6-5-4-2 and was challenged by Juanda, who reraised with As-Ac-8s-5s. The flop came 10-7-6 with two spades, and an eight fell on the turn to give Carter a straight and, for the moment, the best low. But the river brought the 2s, shutting Carter out as Juanda scooped the pot with a spade flush and a seven low.
Julio Anicete, an Asian games floorman at the new Hustler Casino, took his last shot during stud/8 when he called on third street with 7-2/5 against Brent Carter, who started with 6-4/4. On sixth street, Carter had sixes up and Anicete called all in with a diamond draw. Neither player had a low draw, and when Anicete failed to catch on the river, he was left high and dry in fourth place for $4,986.
After losing a monster stud pot when his aces up got cracked on the river by Juanda's trip kings, Mike Petracca of Santa Barbara was left short-stacked and bet it all on Q-7/5 against Hohn's 3-2/A. Petracca caught a second queen on fifth street, but he was sent home with fifth place and $4,155 when Hohn made a flush on sixth street to claim the pot. With his victory in the inaugural limit hold 'em event, Petracca has now racked up 82 points to take an early lead in the race for the Best All-Around Player award.
Dispatched in sixth place for $3,324 was J.J. Volpe of Redlands, California, who suffered his defeat in stud when he raised on third street 9-5/9 and was called by Hohn, who held K-10/J. Volpe called all in on fifth street, then made 10s up on the river only to be crushed when Hohn caught a king to take the pot with kings up.
Razz was the downfall of Vince Burgio, who raised on third street with 6-3/2 and was challenged by Hohn, who started with 5-4/A. Burgio paired his deuce on fourth street, then caught an ace on fifth street and called all in. Hohn made a seven low on sixth, but Burgio ended up with three pair and was forced to exit in seventh place for $2,493.
Short-stacked from the get-go, Chad Brown of Margate, Florida, made his final stand when he took Q-9 suited up against Burgio, who held pocket 10s. When a board of J-9-7/8-Q gave Burgio a queen-high straight, Brown had to settle for eighth place and $1,664.
THE FINAL TABLE:
| Seat/Player | Chip Count |
| Seat 1: Mike Petracca (Santa Barbara, CA) | $9,900 |
| Seat 2: Chad Brown (Margate, FL) | $3,600 |
| Seat 3: John Juanda (Alhambra, CA) | $24,800 |
| Seat 4: Vince Burgio (West Hills, CA) | $13,500 |
| Seat 5: Brent Carter (Oak Park, IL) | $27,400 |
| Seat 6: Steve Hohn (Leawood, KS) | $24,500 |
| Seat 7: Julio Anicete (Torrance, CA) | $18,500 |
| Seat 8: J.J. Volpe (Redlands, CA) | $16,300 |
Best All-Around Players:
Top 10 Points Leaders
| 1. Mike Petracca | 82 |
| 2. Julio Anicete | 64 |
| 3. Carl Heller | 54 |
| 4. Spring Cheong | 50 |
| 5. John Juanda | 50 |
| 6. Benjamin Tang | 44 |
| 7. Betty Applegate | 44 |
| 8. Steve Hohn | 44 |
| 9. Timothy Shamroy | 40 |
| 10. Brent Carter | 40 |
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