| Antonio Turrisi's game of choice is 7-card stud, and he has won several European titles in Austria (at Bregennz and Velden) and elsewhere playing stud. But tonight he tried a different game and came out on top in the fifth event of the 2003 St. Maarten Open, $1,000 no-limit hold'em. Turrisi is from Italy, owns a restaurant in Germany, and spends a great deal of time on the tournament circuit.
Actually, his win tonight was something of a technicality, because the three final players were all close to even when they made a chip count deal. Turrisi, with $105,500 in chips, had just $2,000 more than runner-up Dave Michelson, a caddy from Madison, Ohio. Michelson, making his second final table cash-out, is primarily a cash-game player, but said he couldn't resist the deal at St. Maartens. "I'm starting to like tournaments," he said. "Where's the next island?"
Finishing third with $93,000 was Albert Alshamn of Sweden, who makes his living playing cash games online, and has also won a few small tournaments.
This was a two-day tournament. Earlier on the first day, there was a second freeroll for five more seats into this event. Winners were John Burberry, Benjamin Hannuna, Mika Puro, Christoph Wolters and Kassabian Sarkis.
The no-limit final table got underway at level 12, with $400 antes and blinds of $1,200 and $2,400, with 26:58 remaining in the 40-minute round. Alshamn started as chip leader with $49,500, with Michelson close behind with $48,100. On the third hand, Alshamn raised to $7,000 with A-Q and Fari Badimansour moved in from the button for $19,700 holding A-10. The board didn't help him and Badimnansour finished ninth.
Not much had changed when blinds went to $1,500-$3,000 with $500 antes.
Turrisi, who started in average chip position, raised all in for $28,000 on hand 14 and doubled up when his pocket kings held up. Alshamn had As-Qs and flopped a flush draw, but couldn't connect. Two hands later, Farina Valter was down to his last $4,000 and put it in with Ac-9s. He too had a flush draw when three spades flopped, but he also missed and lost to Marcel Luske's A-K when the board helped nobody.
As play continued, the usual no-limit pattern of all-in moves with no calls was being played out. There was finally a showdown on hand 21. Markus Golser of Austria had pocket 10s and opened for $8,000. Turrisi moved in with pocket kings, Golser called for his last $27,000 and then finished seventh when the board came A-K-Q-3-6.
With blinds of $2,000-$4,000 and $500 antes, Marcel Luske, who has his second European player of the year title locked up, was down to about $23,000 and asked for a volunteer to double him up. A couple of hands later, after he
had lost some more chips, Graeme "Kiwi" Putt obliged. After Turrisi raised to $8,000, Luske moved in for $12,500 with pocket 10s, and then "Kiwi" called with pocket sixes. The board showed A-3-2-Q-4, Luske had doubled up, and he didn't even thank his benefactor.
Alshamn got lucky on hand 42. With all the players folding to his small blind, he tried a steal by moving in with just 9c-3c. Tony Hakki of London called with A-5, and Alshamn was saved when three clubs hit the board.
A few hands later, Hakki got even luckier. This time he was the one in the small blind, and he tried a similar all-in steal with 10-7. Luske called with A-2. A flop of A-K-J seemed to leave Hakki's only out being a queen for an inside straight. Instead a 10-7 came to give him a miracle two pair. But no miracle saved him a few hands later when he moved in on the button with Q-10. Marcel called with A-K, which held up, and Hakki cashed out sixth.
One hand later, on the 51st deal, Luske, who is a host for this ISP tournament, followed Hakki to the cashier.
Alshamn made a modest trap raise of $8,500 holding pocket aces and Luske moved in for a total of about $25,000 with Ah-10h. With a board of Q-9-9-9, only another nine could give him a split. Close, but a river eight didn't count, and Luske ended up fifth.
On the next hand, Graeme moved in with the board showing 7d-6-d-5h-6h-8d, meaning he could have a straight, a flush or even a full house. Turrisi stood up and pondered at length. "You have a straight," he finally announced, folding and showing he had a four for the ignorant end. In return, Kiwi showed a trey and mucked his other card, to everyone's amusement, except possibly Turrisi's.
Blinds now went to $3,000-$6,000, with $1,000 antes. A rough count showed Turrisi leading with about $100,000, followed by Alshamn with about $75,000, While Michelson had around $70,000 and Putt trailed with about $50,000.
The players now began discussing chip-count deals, but the shorter stacks wouldn't go along and play continued. After another 13 hands of play, Putt, on the button, moved in for around $26,000 holding Ah-3d, and got a quick call from Michelson, who was in the big blind with pocket aces. Putt was in big trouble, an 11.5-1 underdog, and he got no help at all from a board of J-9-7-4-5.
With the field down to three, the chip count had tightened considerably. This time there was no debate as the three finalists readily agreed to a chip-count deal. Turrisi was declared the winner, proving that he could play something besides 7-card stud.
Max Shapiro |
