| Can Kim Hua Masters Record-Breaking Omaha High-Low Field, Wins $69,798
Can Kim Hua, from Rosemead, CA won the third event at the 2004 Jack Binion World Poker Open. Kim Hua topped a record-breaking field (for Omaha) of 410 players and earned his first major tournament victory. Kim Hua came to the final table second in chips to Omaha expert, “Miami John” Cernuto, who is just about everyone’s list as one of the top Omaha players in the world. However, in the end it was Kim Hua, age 46, who earned his first WPO gold and diamond bracelet.
Day Two began with limits at $3K-6K. The first player to exit was savvy tournament veteran, Gene Fisher, from El Paso. Short-stacked with only $10,000, Fisher committed his final chips with A-8-8-4 against Ray Norcum's Q-J-8-4. The final board showed K-Q-5-4-5 giving Norcum a pair of Queens. A single pair isn't normally much of a hand in Omaha, but it was enough to hook Fisher off the final table in ninth place with $3,018.
A few hands later, Sam "Slade" Whitt went "all in" with A-Q-9-8. Unfortunately, Slade ran into Earl Key, who flopped Aces full of Jacks and took Slade's last chip. Slade, a professional gambler who plays regularly in Atlantic City and was the winner of two major tournaments in the last few years, took home $3,773 for eighth place.
Chip-leader "Miami John" Cernuto took a major blow when he lost a huge pot against Corey Bradford. Miami John made 2s full of 9s, which was edged out by Bradford's 3s full of 9s. The loss left Miami John short on chips (temporarily) and catapulted Bradford into a slight chip lead over the seven remaining players.
However, over the next hour, Miami John would prove the extent of his mastery in Omaha High-Low by slowly building back his stack, one decision and one hand at a time. Earl Key, who scooped a "key" pot early at the final table saw his stack dwindle slowly, until he was down to his last $10,000. He moved "all-in" with a raise before the flop with A-2-4-K, which was quickly called by Miami John, with A-J-J-10. Key liked the flop when it came A-K-Q, but when a 10 fell on the turn, that gave Miami John a straight. Key failed to catch a full house and the software developer from Indianapolis went out in seventh place with $4,716
Dale Witherspoon went out next when he was dealt A-2-2-9 against Miami John's A-A-J-10. The flop came 9-6-5, giving Witherspoon top pair with a low draw. Unfortunately, two high cards fell on the turn and river which enabled Miami John's pair of Aces to scoop the pot. Witherspoon, from Dallas, received $6,603 for sixth place.
A few hands later, Miami John took a $65K pot away from Corey Bradford, with a club flush. At that point, Miami John became the first player to break the $100K mark.
Ray Norcum was playing in his first major poker tournament. He exceeded all expectations by finishing in the top five, although in the end he must have walked away in disappointment. Norcum was dealt A-K-10-9, with suited spades and was "all in" after the flop came K-6-3 with two spades. Can Kim Hua was delighted to call Norcum's final bet with trip 6s and a low draw. Norcum failed to catch a spade and when the board paired on the final card, Kim Hua scooped the pot. Norcum collected $8,489 for fifth place. Not bad for a "first time" entry.
Just when it looked like Miami John might run away with the victory, things turned sour. The former air traffic controller turned poker pro went on a 45 minute run during which he crashed, burned, and failed to win a pot of any significance. His big stack steadily declined as the $9K in blinds per round ate away at Miami John's diminishing table bankroll.
Miami John's bad luck was Can Kim Hua good fortune. In an astounding reversal, Kim Hua ran his chip count up over $100K and completely dominated the late stages of the event as the three remaining short-stacked players jockeyed to move up the money ladder. That essentially gave Kim Hua a ticket to play many more hands and take risks, which more often than not, paid off.
Miami John finally went down in flames when he made his final stand with A-3-5-J. He picked up a low draw on the flop, but failed to get help from the deck when he needed it the most. Can Kim Hua took the pot, thus increasing his chip lead. Miami John, who was celebrating his 60th birthday today, received $11,319 as a "birthday present" for a less-than-satisfying fourth place finish.
Three-way action commenced with Kim Hua holding a massive chip lead. Chad Leavitt managed to win a few key pots, to the detriment of Corey Bradford. Then, down to just a few chips, Bradford was dealt 6-7-8-9. The flop came Q-8-7, giving Bradford two pair. But Can Kim Hua caught two running clubs which completed a club flush. Corey Bradford, a poker pro from Lubbock, TX who came into the final table second-lowest in chips, received $17,922 for third place.
Limits were $10K-20K when heads-up play began. Can Kim Hua had a seemingly insurmountable 14 to 1 chip lead over Chad Leavitt. It took only two hands for Kim Hua to deliver the final knockout punch. Leavitt held Q-J-6-3, and revealed his hand as his last chip was tossed into the pot. Kim Hua had 6-5-5-2 and watched joyously as the flop came A-5-J, good for trip 5s. Leavitt had outs with the low draw, but two face cards fell on the turn and river, making Kim Hua's victory complete.
Chad Leavitt, 27, a mortgage broker from Schaumburg, IL, collected $35,844 in prize money for his second-place showing. Meanwhile, the coveted gold and diamond bracelet was presented to Kim Hua, who utilized just the right mix of skill and well-timed luck to earn his first major tournament victory.
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