TV Editor Scripts First Win!
By Max Shapiro
Debbi Landon
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Debbi Landon, a relative newcomer to poker, came to the final table with the most chips and then defeated some experienced, top-name players to win the $300 limit hold 'em shootout tournament, seventh in the Legends of Poker series. It was the first major tournament win for Landon, who edits TV commercials.
A long evening of play ended abruptly at 4:30 a.m. when the five finalists hammered out a deal and went home. Landon was particularly anxious to leave because she had a meeting in the morning.
Tonight's shoot-out started with 20 tables, with the winner of each coming to two semi-final tables. Last man out at the second table was a family practice doctor, "Doc Berry." Amir Vahedi successfully operated on the doctor to remove his last chips when the board came 7-8-9/10-J, giving Vahedi, who held Q-10 of diamonds, a queen-high straight.
Brent Carter came to the final table with a mere $350 in chips, the shortest stack. Repeating his performance of the night before, he proved once again that he is a master of survival tactics when he hung on and worked his way up to a near-tie for the chip lead before dropping back and finishing third by chip count, but shooting into the all-around points lead. He had no shortage of luck and got cards when he most needed them. On the fourth hand, he went all in with his last $50 after Makram Merhom raised and Mel Judah re-raised. "Ooh, it's a good hand for me," Carter exclaimed, turning up an A-K to Judah's K-J. "No jack!" he called out at the board was dealt. No jack came, but an ace did, and Carter survived. A hand later it was Judah who was all in, A-10 to Amir's A-9. They both made five high straights and split. The Australian-born Judah will be hosting his own tournaments, together with fellow Aussie Marsha Waggoner, in Moscow from October 11-18, and in Costa Rica from November 18-28.
First out at the final table was Abraham Zarate, a poker dealer at the Hustler Casino. He was all in with A-Q against Carter's pocket nines and flopped an ace. "Nine! Nine!" called out Carter, making another request of the poker gods. Once again his wishes were answered as a nine obediently fell on the river.
Carter's extraordinary good fortune held up a couple of hands later when he snatched a big pot from Makram Merhom, who held pocket kings. Cater had A-K and caught the ace he needed. Landon also had "big slick" when she eliminated Merhom, who held A-Q. The board came 9-A-J/4-8, and Merhom tossed and lost his last two blue $100 chips when she raised him on the turn.
Ping Chang, who operates a Japanese fast-food place, gave up his last $50 to Mel Judah, nines versus kings. Perhaps if he had called for a third nine as Carter had, his prayers might have been answered, but he didn't, and he finished seventh. Judah then cut down Landon's chips somewhat when he started with kings to her queens and made kings-full.
At this point, Van Pham counts his chips, sees he has exactly the same $800 all players started with, and exclaims, "I'm even!" But then he goes from even to even worse as Carter demonstrates more black magic. With limits raised to $200-$400, Pham goes all-in with A-3. Carter has a king and a seven of diamonds. The flop brings 9-Q-A and two diamonds. A five of diamonds then turns. "Diamond!" commands Carter, and a fourth diamond on the river gives him his flush.
With five players left, only a few more hands are played. The other finalist is Bill Fain, owner of the oldest hotel in Nevada, the Gold Hills Hotel in Virginia City, built in 1859 and reputedly haunted. Fain collects some chips from Vahedi in a re-raised pot when he bets out on a board of A-2-2/6 and Vahedi folds.
Then Carter goes for the chip lead by taking on Landon. He raises, and bets a flop of 4-9-10. But when an eight turns and she raises him, he lets her take his $1,000. At that point, negotiations begin. Landon has $5,000 in chips, Vahedi $4,500, Carter $2,900, Fain $2,100 and Judah $1,500. They collect by chip-count and call a cease-fire to the shoot-out.
Biography - Debbi Landon
Debbi Landon was introduced to post-production work by her cousin, a director of top TV sitcoms. She now is executive producer at a Santa Monica company that edits commercials. She became interested in poker three years ago, playing it on her computer. She tried live action at Hollywood Park, became "really hooked," and gradually worked her way up to $20-$40 cash games, specializing in all forms of hold 'em.
Though this is her first major tournament victory, she just won last week's freeroll at Crystal Park. She describes her play as solid-aggressive, though she will occasionally gamble, hoping to put a bad beat on someone. She had only a single pair at the first table and was down to $75 at one point. A key hand came at the second table when she went in with A-2. Her opponent had pocket jacks, but she put him on just big cards. Luckily, she rivered a third deuce to put him out and go on to victory.
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