| The 'Grey Ghost' Scares up a Win
In Event Number 8, Omaha Hi-Lo
Combining running patter with astute play, a seasoned Vegas pro who prefers the anonymity of "The Grey Ghost" as his nom de guerre captured the eighth event of Grand Slam of Poker, Omaha hi-lo.
After the two prior marathons, this event ended at the civilized hour of 1:15 a.m. when the four remaining players agreed to a chip-count chop. At that point, the Ghost had $34,500 to about $25,000 for Johnny Loi, $23,000 for Rocky Enciso and $18,000 for Terry Jenkins. The Ghost allowed his three opponents to compete for the trophy. They agreed to a showdown hand of hold'em, which was won by Jenkins, a shoe salesman.
Opening limits at the final table were $600-$1,200 with 11:29 remaining. Tournament coordinator Warren Karp reminded the players that Robert "Chip-Burner" Turner, who finished 10th was out, "so you can play your normal game," he said.
First to go, after limits had gone to 1-2K, was Michael Lemkin, an investment broker who won an Omaha event at last month's Cal State tournament at Commerce. Chris Grigorian showed him a flush and Lemkin mucked without turning up his hand.
As play continued, veteran player Bertrand "Frenchy" Leroux made the hand of the night, a straight flush wheel, but it was good for only 3/4 of the pot against Sam Samusi's wheel.
Hand 17 was a very important one for Chris "The Armenian Express" Grigorian. First, Arizona physician Jim Ferrel called with his last $500 chip holding A-2-4-K. The flop of Qc-6c-10d was checked down by the Ghost and Grigorian. When a 10c turned, the Ghost bet and Chris made a reluctant call with his last $1,300. He and the Ghost both had flushes, but Chris's was higher. He scooped, stayed in action, eventually moved up three more notches and picked up enough points to move into a tie with David Levi in the best all-around race. Doc Ferrel, meanwhile, was flat-lined in ninth place.
On hand 23, right after blinds moved up to $1,500-$3,000, Frenchy took on the Ghost. With the board showing 10-7-6-8, the Ghost bet and Frenchy raised all in for $2,700 more. Frenchy had A-4-Q-K and the Ghost, with A-3-5-6 had him beat both ways at that point with a better low and a paired six. A river four gave the Ghost a straight. He said "Boo!" and Frenchy said "Adieu."
Going all in for a second time on hand 29, Grigorian had three-way action. The board showed 5-5-4-5-2. Chris had A-3-6-Q, and his wheel and six-high straight was good for a scooper.
"I'm back in business," the Armenian Express" exclaimed. Chris proceeded to go all in two more times, once getting away with a split, the next time scooping Sanusi and Jenkins with a nut low and paired queen.
On the next hand, Jenkins bet out into a board of K-Q-4-7-10. Sanusi, who missed his flush draw, still had kings and 10s and hesitantly called with his last chips. The shoe salesman showed Sam a Broadway straight and gave him the boot into seventh place.
After a valiant battle, the Armenian Express finally got derailed on hand 46. Two off the button, he raised with A-4-5-8 and two spades.
With a board of K-9-6-Q and two spades, Loi bet. With draws to a flush and a gut-shot straight, Chris put in his last $800 and went off the tracks when another six hit the river.
With five left, the phantom led the pack with about 35k. Loi, Enciso and Jenkins all were in the 20k range, while survival specialist John Inashima was hanging on with 5k. Inashima, who does not have the reputation of being the loosest player in the world, made history of sorts in an earlier Grand Slam tournament when he laid down pocket kings in a jammed pot and missed making quads. But caution paid off in yesterday's tournament, he hastened to say, when at one point he mucked pocket queens and escaped running into a straight flush.
In any event, even Inashima could do only so much with a single chip, managing to stay alive one time. He had A-2-J-K and still made a six low after being counterfeited, splitting with Loi's paired-queen high.
Inashima, as the saying goes, is harder to kill than a cockroach. Three hands later he was all in again with A-K-10-8 and made a straight. But Loi used some pretty powerful roach spray on him: quad fours!
The four finalists, after brief discussion, agreed to the chip-count chop. Ghosts don't need trophies, so the other three played for it. Jenkins, dealt Q-J, paired his jack and got the memento along with his fourth place finish. -- Max Shapiro
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