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| 2006 Legends of Poker World Poker Tour (WPT) Season 5 Event #1 Tournament Report and Winner Biography |
| Claims Adjuster Robert Najera Claims First Hold’em Win |
Robert Najera, a claims adjuster from Pasadena, had just won his first
Hold’em tournament. Robert, a regular Stud cash game player, had been
encouraged by his friends to play a No Limit Hold’em tournament after making
it deep in several 2006 WSOP events (Razz, Stud Hi-Lo, Lowball) but never
cashing. As Robert grew up in California, he learned poker at the age of 12
from his father. He had not played much Hold’em as he favors the more
traditional games of 7-card stud, Razz, and Lowball. He finally realized that
his game selection had limited offerings in the tournament arena and he
could no longer ignore Hold’em if he wanted to increase his tournament play.
The 657 players who started at 4:15pm were reduced to the 10-person final
table by 12:30am with chip leader Do Kim of Granada Hills holding 193,500 of
the total 987,000 chips in play.
Play was cautious during the first orbit where only one showdown occurred.
The first elimination occurred on hand #10 between the button, Phillip Penn
Sr., and the big blind Gary Childress. Penn had gone all-in for his last 8,000
chips and Childress took his discount from the 12,000 big blind. Penn
showed a K8 and Childress held an A9. The flop is A-7-J giving Childress the
lead with top pair. The turn is a 9 improving Childress to two pair and the
river is a K. Penn is eliminated in 10th place and receives $1,445.
The next elimination occurred just 3 hands later on hand #13. Jack
Boghossian, a regular at The Bike’s final tables, limped in under-the-gun and
it folded around to Robert Najera, who checked his big blind. The flop was Th-
5d-Qs. Robert checked, Jack bet $16,000, and Najera raised to $60,000.
Jack went into the tank for several minutes until Robert called the clock on
Jack. About 20 seconds into the clock, Jack called and the turn was a Td.
Robert went all-in and Jack quickly called. Robert showed his 10-2 (The
Brunson) for trip tens and Jack showed his pocket Aces for two-pair. Jack
was looking for an Ace on the river but a Jack of Spades fell and Boghossian
was sent to the rail in 9th place earning $1,940. Jack reflected on his slow
play of AA and admitted he could have played it differently. We’ll see Jack, as
we always do, back at another Legends final table soon.
On hand #17, 3-way action resulted in the last elimination, make that a
double-elimination, as Level #17 had just begun and the antes were $3,000
with blinds of $8000/$16,000. Gary Childress, went all-in under-the-gun and
Sung Lee called in the small blind. The big blind, Vince Garrido of Las Vegas,
was all-in for his last $3,500 chips with a T5o. Childress had AJ and Lee had
QJ. The flop was 6-8-3. No one hit the flop and the Ace high kept Childress
in the lead. The turn was a 4 and the river a 3. Childress’s Ace won the pot
and eliminated both Garrido and Lee. Sung finished in 7th place and added
$3,285 to his bankroll. Garrido secured 6th place and was awarded $3,940.
With five players remaining, two more hands were dealt while there was a
little bit of discussion regarding a deal by chip count. By the end of the
second hand, all players agreed to look at a chip count. As the chip count
was being calculated, the players appeared eager to make a deal for the
remaining $90,000 in prize money. Raed Abukartomy discussed his ESPN
airtime as he went deep into the WSOP Circuit Event that was just televised
earlier this week. The chip count was given to the players and all players
agreed. Robert Najera was declared the winner of the Legends of Poker
Event #1 and received a white gold ring and $45,965. Robert proudly
showed off the ring to the rail and fellow final table opponents.
- Jay “Bugsy” Siegel
Hold’em tournament. Robert, a regular Stud cash game player, had been
encouraged by his friends to play a No Limit Hold’em tournament after making
it deep in several 2006 WSOP events (Razz, Stud Hi-Lo, Lowball) but never
cashing. As Robert grew up in California, he learned poker at the age of 12
from his father. He had not played much Hold’em as he favors the more
traditional games of 7-card stud, Razz, and Lowball. He finally realized that
his game selection had limited offerings in the tournament arena and he
could no longer ignore Hold’em if he wanted to increase his tournament play.
The 657 players who started at 4:15pm were reduced to the 10-person final
table by 12:30am with chip leader Do Kim of Granada Hills holding 193,500 of
the total 987,000 chips in play.
Play was cautious during the first orbit where only one showdown occurred.
The first elimination occurred on hand #10 between the button, Phillip Penn
Sr., and the big blind Gary Childress. Penn had gone all-in for his last 8,000
chips and Childress took his discount from the 12,000 big blind. Penn
showed a K8 and Childress held an A9. The flop is A-7-J giving Childress the
lead with top pair. The turn is a 9 improving Childress to two pair and the
river is a K. Penn is eliminated in 10th place and receives $1,445.
The next elimination occurred just 3 hands later on hand #13. Jack
Boghossian, a regular at The Bike’s final tables, limped in under-the-gun and
it folded around to Robert Najera, who checked his big blind. The flop was Th-
5d-Qs. Robert checked, Jack bet $16,000, and Najera raised to $60,000.
Jack went into the tank for several minutes until Robert called the clock on
Jack. About 20 seconds into the clock, Jack called and the turn was a Td.
Robert went all-in and Jack quickly called. Robert showed his 10-2 (The
Brunson) for trip tens and Jack showed his pocket Aces for two-pair. Jack
was looking for an Ace on the river but a Jack of Spades fell and Boghossian
was sent to the rail in 9th place earning $1,940. Jack reflected on his slow
play of AA and admitted he could have played it differently. We’ll see Jack, as
we always do, back at another Legends final table soon.
On hand #17, 3-way action resulted in the last elimination, make that a
double-elimination, as Level #17 had just begun and the antes were $3,000
with blinds of $8000/$16,000. Gary Childress, went all-in under-the-gun and
Sung Lee called in the small blind. The big blind, Vince Garrido of Las Vegas,
was all-in for his last $3,500 chips with a T5o. Childress had AJ and Lee had
QJ. The flop was 6-8-3. No one hit the flop and the Ace high kept Childress
in the lead. The turn was a 4 and the river a 3. Childress’s Ace won the pot
and eliminated both Garrido and Lee. Sung finished in 7th place and added
$3,285 to his bankroll. Garrido secured 6th place and was awarded $3,940.
With five players remaining, two more hands were dealt while there was a
little bit of discussion regarding a deal by chip count. By the end of the
second hand, all players agreed to look at a chip count. As the chip count
was being calculated, the players appeared eager to make a deal for the
remaining $90,000 in prize money. Raed Abukartomy discussed his ESPN
airtime as he went deep into the WSOP Circuit Event that was just televised
earlier this week. The chip count was given to the players and all players
agreed. Robert Najera was declared the winner of the Legends of Poker
Event #1 and received a white gold ring and $45,965. Robert proudly
showed off the ring to the rail and fellow final table opponents.
- Jay “Bugsy” Siegel
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