Poker Tournament Results

California State Poker Championship

Place	Name	Prize
1	Don Kim (Gardena, CA)	$28,400
2	Barry Greenstein (Rancho Palo Verde, CA, USA)	$16,330
3	Nat Koe (Irvine, CA, USA)	$8,520
4	David Levi (Las Vegas, NV, USA)	$4,970
5	Luis Razo (Bakersfield, CA, USA)	$3,905
6	Benny Wan (Alhambra, CA, USA)	$3,195
7	Chris "Jesus" Ferguson (Pacific Palisades / Las Vegas, CA, USA)	$2,485
8	Brian Nadell (Las Vegas, NV, USA)	$1,775
9	Jim Ferrel (Phoenix, AZ, USA)	$1,420

Tournament Report

DON KIM WINS OMAHA, FOILING GREENSTEIN'S SECOND VICTORY Barry Greenstein, with a remarkable record of four final table finishes in six tournament tries (including a win in the $500 no-limit event), came to the final table with a chip lead of $39,500. He held onto it until he got heads-up with Don Kim, still enjoying a 67-40k chip advantage. But then, in a titanic, 77-hand match-up that saw the lead change hands several times, Kim gradually gained on Greenstein and finally broke him with a wheel to take down event number 14 of Cal State 2003, Omaha Hi-Lo. It was the first major victory for the young Kim, who sells equipment to South Korean broadcast stations. He said he struggled all through the tournament, coming to the final table second-lowest in chips. By the sixth hand he was down to $800 when he won a three-way pot, moving up to 8k and advanced steadily after that. "It's all about momentum," he said afterwards. I knew if I was patient and hung in there, my turn would come. Kim plays mostly side games and prefers hold'em, but finds Omaha/8 an "interesting and complicated game." Besides cashing in second, Greenstein also took the lead away from John Hoang in the all-around points race. When the nine finalists sat down, they were playing with 3-6k blinds, 6-12k limits with 22 minutes remaining at level eight. James Ferrell, a physician, started lowest-chipped with 2k and got cut down further on hand eight when he went all in for 1k, made a nut low and got quartered by Greenstein, who had the same low and a nut spade flush. Ten hands later Ferrell was in the big blind, all in again, and ran into the same nut low and flush hand, this time held by Kim. All the good doctor had was 3-5-6-7, and he finished ninth. Vegas pro Brian Nadell couldn't catch any cards, gradually dropped down and finished eighth. He had to post his last chips in the small blind with just 10-7-4-3. He made two pair when the board came J-10-9-7-2, but Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, in the big blind with K-J-4-2, hit a bigger two pair on the river. Kim continued to play catch-up when he won a three-way pot against Greenstein and Levi. He held A-2-5 and scooped with a nut low and straight when the board came 9-6-3-K-4. When limits went to 1,000/2,000, Ferguson, who has a couple of Omaha bracelets in addition to his championship title, was low on chips. Holding K-Q-J-2, he went all in on a board of 5-5-J-10 with a straight draw and a paired jack. A trey came on the river. Levi, with a 2-3-4-5 low hand, had made three fives on the flop, and filled on the river to open one more seat. Benny Wan went out in the big blind a few hands later. He had a decent starting hand of Ac-3c-7-8, but three kings on board didn't do him much good, and Kim broke him with a full house pair of jacks in his hand. On hand 70, Greenstein had a big draw-out to increase his lead and bust Luis Razo. Holding J-10-A-10, Razo raised, then made a Broadway straight on a flop of Kd-Qh-10d. Greenstein, with A-3-10-8 and two diamonds, chased Razo on the flop and turn, then caught a 4d on the river to bust him. A waiter, Razo didn't get a tip, but settled for $3,905 for fifth place. The approximate chip count now was: Greenstein, 40k; Kim, 22k; Levi, 17k and Nat Koe, 27k. As play continued, Kim added more chips when he scooped Levi with a nut low and two pair. Levi bowed out on hand 92. After Kim raised with K-J-10-9, he re-raised all in for 2,500 with A-3-7-7. The board came K-Q-4-10-4, giving Kim a king-high straight and giving Levi a $4,970 payday for fourth place. Greenstein still had the lead with about 46k, while Kim had 32k and Koe, 28k. Limits soon went to 1,500/3,000. Hand 115 finished Koe. He had K-Q-J-2 and flopped top two on a Q-J-9 board which contained two spades. He bet all in when an eight of spades turned. Kim had two spades, and his flush ended Koe's chances and got the match heads-up. The two started out with Greenstein ahead, 67-40k, but not for long. Kim cut deeply into his lead when he made a straight to outrun Greenstein's pocket queens. Then, after Greenstein folded on the river with the board showing Q-J-8-A-10, Kim moved into a slight lead. After a bluff by Greenstein failed, Kim had 62k of the 107k in play, then took a 2-1 lead when he paired an ace on the river to again outrun Greenstein's pocket queens. Showing remarkable discipline, Kim next made a very difficult laydown. He had A-K when the board came A-A-J. When a 10 and seven came, Kim bet, then folded when Greenstein raised, convinced that he was up against either a full house or straight. When limits went to 2,000/4,000, Kim still was in front, 68-39k. After making a flush, Greenstein pulled slightly ahead, then well ahead with a winning two pair, then fell back again, all the way down to 18k when he folded on the river when the board showed K-J-2-A-Q. Down to less than 10,000, Greenstein played his final hand holding 2-4-5-9. Kim had A-3-K-J, put Greenstein all in, then scooped with a wheel when the board showed Q-5-4-2-3. --Max Shapiro