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| 2006 Harrah's Lake Tahoe World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit Event Tournament Report Event #6 $500 + $50 No Limit Hold'em |
| UC-Davis Graduate Wins No-Limit Hold’em Event at Harvey's Lake Tahoe: Edmund Liu Overcomes Big Chip Disadvantage to Claim First Major Tournament Victory |
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| UltimatePokerForum.com The Ultimate Poker Site |
Stateline, NV – The terrestrial waters of tournament poker are always
choppy. There is no such thing as “smooth sailing” on the open poker seas.
Like ship captains, poker players must navigate dangerous waters, forge
ahead into the dark, and avoid sinking into the abyss -- which is elimination
from the tournament.
When 23-year-old Edmund Liu looked across the final table as play resumed
on the second day of the $500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament at
Harveys Lake Tahoe, he must have felt like a rowboat in the port of
battleships. He was outchipped most of the tournament’s later rounds, yet
somehow managed to survive long enough to get into a heads-up
confrontation with the biggest stack, and then managed to outplay his
opponent during the final stage of the match. It was a classic example of
patience and skill ultimately being rewarded with victory.
After 147 players had been eliminated on the first day of play, the nine
finalists returned to the feature table on day two. Nick Loader enjoyed a
decisive chip lead when play resumed, with Clint Baskin (last year’s WSOP
Circuit at Lake Tahoe champion) in second place. Seating positions and chip
counts were as follows:
Final table play lasted for three hours, a rapid pace of play dictated by lots of
aggressive players and forced-action situations. Players were eliminated in
the following order:
9th Place – Karen Bochenek was the sixth female to make it to a final table
(in an open event) so far at this year’s tournament series. Unfortunately,
she was the first player to bust out. Lowest on chips from the start, Mrs.
Bochenek busted out on a three-way pot holding pocket threes. She decided
to call at a bad time, as Rafael Perez, who had raised, had pocket aces.
Darin Honorof held A-K. The big pot was scooped by Mr. Perez, when both of
the other hands failed to improve. Mr. Perez took his place up near the chip
lead, while Mrs. Bochenek was forced to hit the rail in ninth place. The deli
owner from Truckee, California sliced up $1,513 in prize money.
8th Place – Jeff Blasy became the lowest stack and, predictably, was the
next player to be eliminated. Mr. Blasy moved all-in with A-9 and was called
by Clint Baskin holding pocket eights. Mr. Blasy failed to make a pair, and he
was forced to leave the game. The truck driver from nearby South Lake
Tahoe, California (who also plays classical guitar in his spare time) was paid
to the tune of $2,270.
7th Place – Pancho List came to play in this event from one of the nation’s
best ski areas (aside from nearly Heavenly), which is Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Mr. List made his final stand of the night holding Q-J which lost to Nick Loader’
s pocket sevens. List was paid $3,026.
6th Place – Darin Honorof was not able to recover from the early beat, losing
with A-K to pocket aces. That left him in a most vulnerable situation. Mr.
Honorof was forced to try an all-in raise holding K-8, which was called by Nick
Loader, holding A-J. The superior hand held up, and Mr. Honorof went out in
sixth place, receiving $3,783.
5th Place – Next, college student Lawrence Dea tried to be creative with an
all-in raise with his last 7,100 in chips. Hoping to steal, Mr. Dea was
distressed to see Edmund Liu call the raise with A-9. An ace on the flop all
but expelled Dea from the final table. The poker player from Sacramento
collected $4,540.
4th Place – Clint Baskin is best remembered in these parts as the main event
champion from last season’s WSOP Circuit at Lake Tahoe. The Stockton,
California plumbing contractor won a quarter-million dollars in this same
casino four months ago, but he could do no better than fourth place on this
occasion. Mr. Baskin ran card dead during the last hour, and made his final
commitment with K-J against Edmund Liu’s pocket nines. Forced to play a “50-
50” situation, Baskin lost the proverbial coin flip when a face card failed to
surface. Baskin added another $6,053 to his impressive amount of
tournament winnings on the WSOP Circuit.
3rd Place – Nick Loader had been the dominant player of the tournament on
Day One, and continued to be a force as play continued on the second day.
He knocked out a few players and enjoyed the chip lead during much of the
final table. But ultimately, he was not able to sustain his advantage. After
losing the chip lead to Rafael Perez, on his final hand of the tournament Mr.
Loader was dealt pocket sevens and moved all-in. His nemesis Perez called
instantly holding pocket jacks. All Mr. Loader could do was shake his head in
disgust when the cards were tabled and Mr. Perez let out an enthusiastic
holler of joy. The overpair – jacks versus sevens – held up and Mr. Loader
was unloaded. Third place paid $7,566.
2nd Place – When heads-up play began, Rafael Perez held a 2 to 1 chip
advantage over Edmund Liu. Mr. Perez had been the more aggressive player
during most of the final table proceedings. But it was Mr. Liu’s patience which
ultimately paid off and made the difference. Mr. Liu seized the chip lead on a
series of relatively small pots which collectively added up to a very big one,
and Mr. Perez was left to ponder what poker hand he wanted to play in an
attempt to double up and draw back to even in the chip count. However, he
chose the wrong hand at the wrong time. Mr. Perez moved all-in holding A-9
after the flop came K-10-9. Mr. Liu almost beat his opponent into the pot
with his chips, holding A-K. Mr. Liu had top pair (kings) versus the bottom
pair (nines) belonging to Mr. Perez. Things got a bit more interesting when a
queen made a straight possible for both players. But a blank on the river
sealed Mr. Perez’ fate as the runner up. Rafael Perez, from Sacramento,
received $12,862.
1st Place – The winner was Edmund Liu, a recent graduate of the University
of California at Davis. Liu earned his college degree in mechanical
engineering. Mr. Liu is not new to cashing in major poker tournaments. He
finished in-the-money three times at the 2006 World Series of Poker in Las
Vegas. He also repeated as a finalist in this event for the second straight
season. At the previous Harveys Lake Tahoe $500 buy-in event held a few
months ago, Mr. Liu finished ninth. Given the choice however, Liu prefers this
outcome. “It’s always better to win,” he said. “I’m the only player in the
tournament who doesn’t have a bad beat story to tell.”
Nolan Dalla -- WSOP Media Director
World Series of Poker Commissioner – Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment – Jack Effel
Harrah’s Lake Tahoe Race and Sportsbook Manager – Steve Schorr
Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Poker Room Manager – Vince Contaxis
choppy. There is no such thing as “smooth sailing” on the open poker seas.
Like ship captains, poker players must navigate dangerous waters, forge
ahead into the dark, and avoid sinking into the abyss -- which is elimination
from the tournament.
When 23-year-old Edmund Liu looked across the final table as play resumed
on the second day of the $500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament at
Harveys Lake Tahoe, he must have felt like a rowboat in the port of
battleships. He was outchipped most of the tournament’s later rounds, yet
somehow managed to survive long enough to get into a heads-up
confrontation with the biggest stack, and then managed to outplay his
opponent during the final stage of the match. It was a classic example of
patience and skill ultimately being rewarded with victory.
After 147 players had been eliminated on the first day of play, the nine
finalists returned to the feature table on day two. Nick Loader enjoyed a
decisive chip lead when play resumed, with Clint Baskin (last year’s WSOP
Circuit at Lake Tahoe champion) in second place. Seating positions and chip
counts were as follows:
Final table play lasted for three hours, a rapid pace of play dictated by lots of
aggressive players and forced-action situations. Players were eliminated in
the following order:
9th Place – Karen Bochenek was the sixth female to make it to a final table
(in an open event) so far at this year’s tournament series. Unfortunately,
she was the first player to bust out. Lowest on chips from the start, Mrs.
Bochenek busted out on a three-way pot holding pocket threes. She decided
to call at a bad time, as Rafael Perez, who had raised, had pocket aces.
Darin Honorof held A-K. The big pot was scooped by Mr. Perez, when both of
the other hands failed to improve. Mr. Perez took his place up near the chip
lead, while Mrs. Bochenek was forced to hit the rail in ninth place. The deli
owner from Truckee, California sliced up $1,513 in prize money.
8th Place – Jeff Blasy became the lowest stack and, predictably, was the
next player to be eliminated. Mr. Blasy moved all-in with A-9 and was called
by Clint Baskin holding pocket eights. Mr. Blasy failed to make a pair, and he
was forced to leave the game. The truck driver from nearby South Lake
Tahoe, California (who also plays classical guitar in his spare time) was paid
to the tune of $2,270.
7th Place – Pancho List came to play in this event from one of the nation’s
best ski areas (aside from nearly Heavenly), which is Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Mr. List made his final stand of the night holding Q-J which lost to Nick Loader’
s pocket sevens. List was paid $3,026.
6th Place – Darin Honorof was not able to recover from the early beat, losing
with A-K to pocket aces. That left him in a most vulnerable situation. Mr.
Honorof was forced to try an all-in raise holding K-8, which was called by Nick
Loader, holding A-J. The superior hand held up, and Mr. Honorof went out in
sixth place, receiving $3,783.
5th Place – Next, college student Lawrence Dea tried to be creative with an
all-in raise with his last 7,100 in chips. Hoping to steal, Mr. Dea was
distressed to see Edmund Liu call the raise with A-9. An ace on the flop all
but expelled Dea from the final table. The poker player from Sacramento
collected $4,540.
4th Place – Clint Baskin is best remembered in these parts as the main event
champion from last season’s WSOP Circuit at Lake Tahoe. The Stockton,
California plumbing contractor won a quarter-million dollars in this same
casino four months ago, but he could do no better than fourth place on this
occasion. Mr. Baskin ran card dead during the last hour, and made his final
commitment with K-J against Edmund Liu’s pocket nines. Forced to play a “50-
50” situation, Baskin lost the proverbial coin flip when a face card failed to
surface. Baskin added another $6,053 to his impressive amount of
tournament winnings on the WSOP Circuit.
3rd Place – Nick Loader had been the dominant player of the tournament on
Day One, and continued to be a force as play continued on the second day.
He knocked out a few players and enjoyed the chip lead during much of the
final table. But ultimately, he was not able to sustain his advantage. After
losing the chip lead to Rafael Perez, on his final hand of the tournament Mr.
Loader was dealt pocket sevens and moved all-in. His nemesis Perez called
instantly holding pocket jacks. All Mr. Loader could do was shake his head in
disgust when the cards were tabled and Mr. Perez let out an enthusiastic
holler of joy. The overpair – jacks versus sevens – held up and Mr. Loader
was unloaded. Third place paid $7,566.
2nd Place – When heads-up play began, Rafael Perez held a 2 to 1 chip
advantage over Edmund Liu. Mr. Perez had been the more aggressive player
during most of the final table proceedings. But it was Mr. Liu’s patience which
ultimately paid off and made the difference. Mr. Liu seized the chip lead on a
series of relatively small pots which collectively added up to a very big one,
and Mr. Perez was left to ponder what poker hand he wanted to play in an
attempt to double up and draw back to even in the chip count. However, he
chose the wrong hand at the wrong time. Mr. Perez moved all-in holding A-9
after the flop came K-10-9. Mr. Liu almost beat his opponent into the pot
with his chips, holding A-K. Mr. Liu had top pair (kings) versus the bottom
pair (nines) belonging to Mr. Perez. Things got a bit more interesting when a
queen made a straight possible for both players. But a blank on the river
sealed Mr. Perez’ fate as the runner up. Rafael Perez, from Sacramento,
received $12,862.
1st Place – The winner was Edmund Liu, a recent graduate of the University
of California at Davis. Liu earned his college degree in mechanical
engineering. Mr. Liu is not new to cashing in major poker tournaments. He
finished in-the-money three times at the 2006 World Series of Poker in Las
Vegas. He also repeated as a finalist in this event for the second straight
season. At the previous Harveys Lake Tahoe $500 buy-in event held a few
months ago, Mr. Liu finished ninth. Given the choice however, Liu prefers this
outcome. “It’s always better to win,” he said. “I’m the only player in the
tournament who doesn’t have a bad beat story to tell.”
Nolan Dalla -- WSOP Media Director
World Series of Poker Commissioner – Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment – Jack Effel
Harrah’s Lake Tahoe Race and Sportsbook Manager – Steve Schorr
Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Poker Room Manager – Vince Contaxis
SEAT 1
SEAT 2
SEAT 3
SEAT 4
SEAT 5
SEAT 6
SEAT 7
SEAT 8
SEAT 9
SEAT 2
SEAT 3
SEAT 4
SEAT 5
SEAT 6
SEAT 7
SEAT 8
SEAT 9
Darin Honorof
Clint Baskin
Karen Bochenek
Lawrence Dea
Rafael Perez
“Pancho” List
Edmund Liu
Nick Loader
Jeff Blasy
Clint Baskin
Karen Bochenek
Lawrence Dea
Rafael Perez
“Pancho” List
Edmund Liu
Nick Loader
Jeff Blasy
40,000
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