| Nut Flush Scoop Gets David Levi
The Win in Event 3, Omaha Hi-Lo
David Levi, the Israeli soccer pro turned pro poker player, took down the third event of Hustler Casino's Grand Slam of Poker, Omaha hi-lo. He and Rusty Mandap, the Hawaiian Gardens tournament director, had shared the chip lead for some time. Then, with four players left, Levi was dealt A-A-3-7 double-suited, made a nut flush, scooped and took a big chip lead.
The four finalists then played nine more hands. With Levi now holding more than 40 percent of the chips, they agreed to a tournament-ending deal.
Levi has had numerous prior tournament wins, the biggest coming when he he earned $159,000 at a Bellagio championship event.
Limits at the final table started off at $600-$1,200, with 14:21 left in the round. Chip leader, with $13,700, was "Super Mario" Esquerra. Hassan Kamoei had $2,000 and lasted three hands. He called Craig Mizufuka's raise holding A-3-7-10. Craig had A-3-4s-5s. The flop was Qs-J-9s. Craig bet and Hassan, drawing dead to Craig's flush, called for his last $200.
A big pot developed on hand 15. There was four-way action and both Jeffrey Han and Sam Sanusi were to go all in. Holding 4-4-5-7, Han flopped a set when the board came K-4-3. But Levi had pocket kings and Han was din big trouble. A turn card trey filled them both, and then a river deuce gave Sam Sanusi a wheel. Rusty Mandap, who had a nut low until the river, was counterfeited but got small piece of the side pot with a live six. Levi and Sanusi chopped the main pot while Han departed in ninth place.
After scooping the next pot, Levi took the lead with about 20k. With limits at to $1,500-$3,000, Super Mario got low-chipped when Van Pham quartered him with a king-high flush, while both had a live four for low.
Sanusi exited on hand 25. He had K-10-6-2 and the lead with two pair with a 9-6-2-10 board. But a river ace made a set for Van Pham, who held A-A-3-8.
The seven remaining players were now playing with $1,500-$3,000 limits. Flopping aces full, Mandap checked, allowing Pham to bet the turn so he could raise and go all in. "I checked to give you a free-roll," he explained as he turned up his hand and Pham mucked without bothering to see the river.
As play continued, the multi-talented Warren Karp took drink orders to relay to the porter: "Diet Coke, bottled water, coffee with three creams and a sugar, a hot tea...and a hand for Craig," he added helpfully, noticing that Mizufuka was low-chipped. No hand came, and Craig was down to $900. That went in on the next hand. Holding A-6-8-9, Craig made a straight when the board came K-10-8-J-Q. But three diamonds gave Pham a flush, and Craig cashed out in seventh place.
A hand later, Super Mario, who hadn't been able to recover since being quartered, went out on a terrible river card. He was in the small blind with J-8-5-5. With the board showing J-7-4-A, he had a made eight. Pham, with A-3c-7c-Q, was double counterfeited. Then, a three of clubs hit the river to give him a flush and a better low, and Esquerra cashed out sixth.
At this point, Levi and Mandap were pretty much in a tie for the chip lead, with each holding a bit over 30k. Eddie Ngo was lowest in chips, soon went all in with A-2-3-4, and recovered when a second deuce turned to give him winning trips. "Give them what they want," he said confidently as the magic deuce turned and he bet his last $200.
Pham, known for playing a lot of hands, raised all in pre-flop holding A-A-5-6. His two opponents checked it down as the board came J-9-2-10-J, and his aces held up for a scoop. In the next six hands, he played four, went all in three more times and escaped each time. The first time he made two pair and chopped with Levi. The next time his three aces lost to Rusty's sevens-full, but he took low with a live deuce. And then, on hand 48, he scooped in four-way action with a six-high straight.
It seemed that nothing short of a royal flush could put him away…and that's what it took. In the small blind with 3-5-7-8, he went all in for the last time. Dino Medina held A-Ac-Qc-3, and a K-J-10 of clubs on fourth street gave him the royal and Van the boot.
With limits now at $2,000-$4,000, three players had about 30k while Ngo was low man with half as much. A deal was discussed without agreement. After nine more hands, Levi had climbed to about 43k thanks to his club flush, while Ngo had moved into second spot with about 25k. This time there was agreement, and the ex-soccer player had kicked another goal.
Max Shapiro
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