| LATE RUSH EARNS HASAN HABIB
VICTORY IN EVENT #11, OMAHA/8
For a long stretch, Hasan Habib, Ron Faltinsky and Reza Payvar, the three finalists in the $1,000 Omaha hi-lo event, were fairly close in chips. In fact, they made an even split for the bulk of the prize pool. But then, with the starting time for the afternoon event nearing, Habib pushed in the throttle, went on a rush and, with exquisite timing, wrapped things up at exactly 3 p.m. He collected an official $48,255, along with a points lead tie, and promptly sat down in the $1,000 no-limit hold'em contest.
Habib, a local pro, has numerous tournament wins, but his biggest cash-out was for $326,000 for finishing fourth in a WSOP championship event. He plays all games, but likes Omaha hi-lo and no-limit hold'em because those have given him the best results.
Though this was supposed to be a one-day tournament, the nine finalists voted to return and finish their business the next day. Limits at the final table started at $1,000-$2,000 with 30:32 left and Payvar the chip leader with $49,200.
It is an established fact that Omaha hi-lo is a game that can drive anyone to drink. Example number one: On the third deal, Steve Kaufman raised all in for $1,800 with a top starting hand of A-A-2-3 and was called by Charlie Sayles with a much weaker 2-3-5-7. Kaufman got double-counterfeited with a board of 2-6-J-8-3 and was quartered when Sayles made a better low, while both ended up with the same deuces and treys for high.
Two hands later, Habib finished Kaufman off by starting with A-2-8-9 and flopping trip deuces. Kaufman, a professor, won an Omaha/8 bracelet at Tunica this year.
Example two in the perfidy of Omaha: On a flop of Q-9-5, Saundra Taylor, with K-J-10-8, committed her last chips needing either a king, jack, 10 or 8 for a straight. Faltinsky, starting with an A-2-4-7 low hand, made nothing and was about to toss his hand away when he realized that he had eliminated Taylor with just an A-high after a trey and five hit.
Sayles finished seventh. In three-way action, he called all in for $800 with A-Q-J-7 and then Vince Burgio raised his last $3,000 with A-2-J-J. Burgio got 3/4 when he split the nut low with "Super Mario" Esquerra, while his jacks held up for high. The super one's turn to exit came on hand 35. He started with K-K-10-10. Once again Faltinsky was looking for a low with A-3-9-J, but scooped Esquerra away by flopping aces and jacks.
Example number three in Omaha frustration: With a board of 8-7-5-10, Burgio bet all in for $2,500. He seemed to have low locked up with A-3-8-J while Habib had a straight made with 2-3-6-9. Then a river ace counterfeited Burgio, gave Habib the nut low, and Burgio unhappily settled for fifth spot.
When limits went to $2,000-$4,000, Payvar still held the lead with about 67k. Faltinsky, who was hitting a lot of hands, was closing in with around $59,000, while Habib had 42k and Vegas pro Bill Gazes trailed with 24k.
Example four: Gazes finished fourth in another typical Omaha twist. He started with a splendid A-2-4-6, and even though he was double-counterfeited on a board of A-K-3-2, he still had aces up and a 6-4 low, and bet his last $500 chip. Unfortunately for him, Payvar, starting with A-4-5-Q, had made a wheel on the turn.
When limits went to $3,000-$6,000 a few hands later, Habib now had a slight lead with 70k, while Payvar had 65k and Faltinsky, 55k. When it became almost a dead heat (65, 60, 65), the deal was made.
A number of hands went by with the lead changing hands a couple of times. First Faltinsky moved up to a 75k lead. Then Payvar took over with about 80k after flopping aces-full against Faltinsky (though he slow-played them all the way without Faltinsky biting). Finally, Habib began making his move.
On hand 114, Faltinsky took Payvar out. He had A-A-5-9 to A-2-4-4 for Payvar, and the bullets prevailed when the board showed K-
Q-2-K-10.
Heads-up, it wasn't much of a contest: 145k for Habib, 45k for Faltinsky. After limits went to $4,000-$8,000, Faltinksy, a nutritional supplement dealer, was on the ropes after making a flush that turned out to be lower than Habib's.
On the final hand, Habib held Q-10-10-4. He flopped a set when the board came 10-5-6. He raised, and Faltinsky, drawing to an open-end straight and a low with A-4-7-9, called for his last 17k. A king and jack finished him, and Habib had all the chips. --Max Shapiro
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