| He’s 78 and Still a Winner
Gene Resnick is 78, but you would never know it from his steady, assured play at the final table as he ran off with an easy win in event #25 of Legends 2003, $1,000 no-limit hold’em. He arrived with the second chip lead, took it over in early going and never faltered even as the tournament stretched on until 9 a.m.
The event drew 194 players, a quantum leap over last year’s 112. One player was missing, however. Somebody asked what happened to John Bonetti. “He’s afraid to play here,” replied Barry Greenstein, “because the cussing penalty puts him at a disadvantage.”
The final table started with $200 antes and blinds of $600-$1,200, 44 minutes remaining. Present was Jim McManus, the writer who finished fifth at the World Series championship last year, and author of the best-selling “Positively Fifth Street.” He was left with about 4k when he held A-Q, flopped a queen and ran into Tom Browncombe’s pocket kings. Three hands later he was all in with pocket eights. This time Kenny Nguyen had pocket kings, and McManus was first out. Tony Cousineau was next. He moved in for $3,600 with Q-10. Resnick, with A-3, broke him when the board came 8-7-5-3-7.
On hand 32, Resnick went in with Kh-Qh against against poker player William Tesene’s A-J. Resnick raised $6,500 and Tesene came over the top for 15k more. The flop was 10-8-2. Tesene moved in, Resnick called, and finished him when a queen turned. Questioned how he could call a re-raise and then an all-in bet with just king-high, Resnick said he had played against Tesene and knew his style. “I wouldn’t do it against someone else.”
On hand 36, Kenna James, with A-Q, bet 10k into an A-10-4 flop. Resnick moved in. Kenna hesitated and was down to the final seconds after a clock was brought in. He finally called for 50k. Resnick turned up A-K to break James and move into a big lead of about 180k.
Greg Hopkins left a few hands later. He moved in for 11k with K-3 and Resnick moved him out with A-5. Le was next left with $1,400 after he moved in for 30k with A-2 and Kenny Nguyen made a set of 10s. Le went broke a few hands later when he raised blind all in and his A-6 was outrun by a paired king.
With $500 antes and blinds of 2-4k, Resnick still led with about 185k. Nguyen, playing his first tournament, showed his vulnerability by raising, then folding when someone came over the top. He finally took a stand, moving in for about 25k with A-7. T.J. Cloutier called, second best with Ac-6c, but turned a six. A few hands later, Tom Brownscombe raised 12k with Kc-10c. T.J. moved him in with the better hand, A-9. Tom took the lead when a K-Q-7 flopped, T.J. got it back when an ace turned, and then Tom won when a 10 rivered. On the next hand, T.J., with A-Q, moved in on a flop of 9-7-4. “I’ve been cold-decked,” he yelped jokingly when Resnick broke him with pocket aces.
With limits at 3-6k and 1k antes a couple of hands later, Resnick led Brownscombe, 283k to 108k. The match lasted only three more hands. On a flop of Qs-10h-2s, Resnick, with 7s-6s, bet 12k and Brownscombe flat called with pocket aces. Resnick flushed when a Ks turned, he put Brownscombe in, and it was all over. –Max Shapiro
BIOGRAPHY
Gene Resnick, a resident of Hidden Hills, California, retired after owning an electronics business. He’s been playing poker a long time, casino poker since about 1990. He’s had two big prior wins, both hold’em events at Commerce casino, one for 160k. He specializes in hold’em, but will occasionally play a high-only Omaha event. He plays hold’em side games at the $40-$80 level, but tournaments are his big love.
Resnick says he mixes his style up, but always plays the player. He is not very fond of extended-play tournaments, and said grogginess had cost him in the past. But tonight he discovered a secret weapon which kept him sharp: Red Bull. He said in this event he got hit by a big hand in early going, then bled off a lot of chips, and then got a very good run of cards in the latter stages.
CHIP POSITION FINAL TABLE
Kenna James
$61,300
Jim McManus
$31,300
Tuan Le
$14,500
Tony Cousineau
$6,600
William Tesene
$44,600
T,J. Cloutier
$79,300
Gene Resnick
$69,800
Greg Hopkins
$56,800
Tom Browncombe
$10,500
Kenny Nguyen
$15,400
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