| Another Film Man Wins
Houston, we have a coincidence. For the second night in a row, a TV producer won a Legends 2003 tournament. This time it was a 32-year-old with the catchy name of Houston Curtis, and the event was $500 no-limit hold’em. Even more amazing, it was the first tournament he had ever played. Adding further to the drama, even though he held a 2-1 chip lead over Scotty Nguyen, Curtis agreed to an even-money chop just so he could be certain of claiming his Legends ring and have the thrill of knowing he bested the 1998 WSOP champion. The prior night, filmmaker Marshall Ragir won 7-stud hi-lo. Who’s next – Aaron Spelling?
Curtis arrived at the final table with a big $54,600 lead and built it all night. There was plenty of action and theatrics and great play to come. Opening blinds were $400-$800 with $100 antes and 30 minutes remaining. Retired businessman Don Sjulstad retired after one hand. He was in the small blind with A-Q when Curtis put him with J-J and flopped a set. Meanwhile, 76-year-old Canadian Howard Tattrie was complimented for his ability to pull off a bluff. “He just forgot what he had,” another player responded. After Curtis had hit 75k, poker player Raymond Davis accused him of being a ringer. “The first tournament I played I was knocked out in the first round,” he said.
With blinds at $600-$1,200 and $200 antes, Chris “The Armenian Express” Grigorian went all in for his last $800 with pocket 10s. He was happy to see Alan Pyles, an office manager, call with just pocket sixes. But the sixes became a straight. Grigorian was at least consoled that all his Legends finishes this year have been progressively higher.
Playing against Pyles, Davis caught a “perfect” river card, a 5d which gave him a flush and Pyles a set. “The only way I can win,” Davis coffee-housed, betting 6k. He then got annoyed when Pyles just called. “I’d have raised me,” he complained.
Sirous Baghehehsaraie finished ninth when he moved in on the button for about 8k with Kc-2c. Pyles had A-Q and flopped an ace. Next, Nguyen had two bluffs picked off The first time, he bet his A-8 suited into a board of K-K-Q-7-5 and Davis called, convinced that Nguyen, who didn’t show, had J-10. Two hands later Scotty bet all in against a lower-chipped Tattrie with a complete bluff 10-8 and lost to pocket fives.
Day trader Michael Leanos was through for the day when he held A-10 and moved in on a 5-4-3 flop. Pyles wasn’t buying and won with pocket nines. A hand later, aeronautical engineer Andy Le bet his last 8k when he flopped a nine to his 9-5, but Curtis nailed him with a bigger kicker. Curtis now had about 90k to Pyle’s 72k. Davis had about 30k, while Nguyen and Tattrie were both in the 14k range. Two hands into the new blinds of 1-2k, Curtis took all of Pyle’s chips to jump up to about 170k. Q-Q for Pyles, A-K for Curtis. The flop was A-7-6. Curtis bet 15k, Pyles moved in and that was that. Then Tattrie finally went broke with K-6 against Curtis’ A-10.
On hand 50 the board showed K-Js-4s-As-J. This gave Davis, with Q-10, a straight, and he bet 14k all in. “See you later, man,” Nguyen said, turning up a Ks-Qs for a slow-played nut flush. Heads-up, Nguyen still had only about 35k of the 223k in play. But six hands later, thanks largely to a missed flush draw by Curtis, he had about 75k. Realizing that anything can happen in no-limit, Curtis agreed to the deal which generously gave Nguyen an even split. Curtis then asked to take a photo with the WSOP champ. “That’ll cost you $100,” Scotty laughed. –Max Shapiro
BIOGRAPHY
Houston Curtis’s background is in television development productions and he created a video series called “The Best of Backyard Wrestling,” which led to an upcoming video game. He’s been playing since he was “a kid,” seriously maybe four years ago He’d been strictly a cash game player until his friend, Bicycle Casino host “Al J.,” got him to try his first tournament.
He said he played really tight in tonight’s event because he was very intimidated sitting next to bracelet holders on his left and right. Then he had some “lucky moments” that improved his position. Playing with Scotty Nguyen, watching and learning from him, he said, was the thrill of a lifetime. Curtis is also in the process of developing an instructional poker video. He had someone in mind to be the expert narrator, but now wonders if he should go after Scotty.
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