WSOP & WPT Tournament Blog

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #10
Feb. 18-19, 2009
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 + $45
Number of Entries: 237
Total Prize Money: $68,967

Payouts:
1. Leroy Patitz Hastings, NE $22,065
2. William Searle Colorado Springs, CO $12,138
3. William Drumm III De Pere, WI $6,207
4. Aaron Loftin Omaha, NE $4,828
5. Jerry Kuhl Bennington, NE $4,138
6. Chad Wiedenhoeft Whitewater, WI $3,448
7. Michael Dreiger Omaha, NE $2,759
8. Arnold Rogel Bellevue, NE $2,069
9. Randy Belmont Omaha, NE $1,379
10.Steven Federspiel $828
11.Brett Booth $828
12.Timothy McReynolds $828
13..Brett Schwertley $690
14.Allen Youngblade $690
15.Kenneth Oldenborg $690
16.Timothy Ohnoutka $552
17.Mark Fink $552
18.Rndy Dusich $552
19.Wade Woelfel $414
20.Tyson Bodlak $414
21.Frank Dukich $414
22.Lou Salammone $414
23.Michael Kroll $414
24..Daniel Collier $414
25.Richard Thousand $414
26.Jeffrey Bryan $414
27.. Raymond Clark $207 (tie)
28.Zachary. Fronterhouse $207 (tie)

‘Far From a Pro,’ But Leroy Patitz, 72, Still Wins Circuit #10, $300 No-Limit

Council Bluffs, IA–”If I’d known it would be this much fun I’d have gotten old a long time ago,” Leroy “Lee” Patitz cracked after winning the 10th event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $300 no-limit hold’em. After a back-and forth battle with his final opponent, William “Big Willy” Searle, the 72-year-old power plant operator from Hastings, Nebraska, took home $22,065 along with his keepsake trophy ring.

Patitz says he’s as far away from being a pro as you could ever hope to find. Until this series, he never had any Circuit cashes, but he already has three here, including a sixth in the $1,000 event ring He’s been playing poker 30 years, but casino tournaments only three. His experience comes mainly from fun no-cash bar games, and later from “getting beat up by \pros” in tournaments. His strength, he says, comes from playing “so dumb that nobody can figure me out. I just play off the top of my head.” In this event he said he had a couple of scrapes, but mostly was in good shape throughout.

This event drew 237 players and the prize pool was $68,967. Day two play began at level 13 with blinds of 3,000-6,000 with 500 antes, 18:16 minutes remaining. Leading with 271,000 chips was Searle.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. Michael Dreiger 115,000
Seat 2. William Searle 271,500
Seat 3. Chad Wiedenhoeft 86,500
Seat 4. Leroy Patitz 225,000
Seat 5. William Drumm III 270,000
Seat 6. Aaron Loftin 60,000
Seat 7. Jerry Kuhl 201,000
Seat 8. Randy Belmont 49,000
Seat 9. Arnold Rogel 167,000

The only all-in confrontation at this level resulted in a split pot when both players turned up A-2. Blinds were now 4,000-8,000 with 1,000 antes. Randy Belmont went out early in this level when he moved in with A-2d and found himself up against Aaron Loftin’s A-Q. The board came 4-5-J-A-8, and he cashed for $1,379. Belmont, 48, is a bar manager from Omaha who’s been playing 10 years and until this final table had “nothing worth mentioning.”

The third all-in and call produced a second instance of duplicate hands, this time A-10. Amazingly, a couple of hands later brought the fourth all-in-call and another similar holding, this time Q-10. What a bunch of copycats!

At last, two different hands. Michael “Doc” Dreiger raised with pocket kings and Arnold Rogel moved in with A-10. A board of 9-5-6-2-7 didn’t help Rogel much, and he cashed eighth for $2,069. Rogel, 23, is in sales and lives in Bellevue, Nebraska, This is his fifth year of poker and only his first tournament.

Loftin got short-chipped when an all-in Chad Wiedenhoeft hit a 10 to his A-10 to outrun Loftin’s A-Q, but as play went on Loftin managed to go all in and double up twice.

After a break, play continued with blinds of 6,000-12,000 and 2,000 antes. Dreiger was all in in a three-way pot, but survived. A hand later, however, he was all in again, holding A-8. He was up against Patitz, with pocket 4s. The pair held up when the board came 9-7-5-3-2, and Dreiger, finishing seventh, took out $2,759. Dreiger is 56 and a programmer from Omaha who’s had a few small live cashes. He is married with two children.

Wiedenhoeft finished sixth after he went all in with A-5 on a flop of 9-9-7. He was pretty much dead because William Drumm III, holding 10-9, had trips. Wiedenhoeft couldn’t play catch-up after a 6 and jack came and ended up sixth, which paid $3,448. Wiedenhoeft, 27, is a heat treater from Whitewater, Wisconsin making his second final table in this series. He earlier finished sixth in a $400 no-limit event.

Action continued at a fast pace as Jerry Kuhl quickly followed Wiedenhoeft out. In a monster pot, he was all in with K-Q against Searle’s A-Q. All small cards hit the board, and Kuhl took out $4,138 for fifth. Kuhl, 33 is from Bennington, Nebraska and is a construction project manager. This is his first Circuit try. He has a five-year-old daughter with another child on the way.

Not long after, Loftin moved in with A-7 and got a call from Patitz with Ah-2h.. When the board showed 5-9-9-3, Patitz called for the board to pair, hoping for a split. He wasn’t aiming high enough. Instead, a 4 hit the turn, giving him a wheel and he knocked Loftin out in fourth place, which paid $4,328. Loftin, 30, is a 30-year-old safety manage from Omaha who’s been playing four years. His poker highlight was winning a satellite to play in the Doyle Bronson Five Diamond Classic last year. He went on to tie for last!

Drumm ended up third He was all in with pocket jacks. Patitz had K-6 and flopped two kings. Drumm is 26 and is a truck driver from De Pere, Wisconsin. He’s been playing five yeas and has a win in a $500 no-limit Circuit event here in 2007 along with a fourth in the 2007 Spring Heartland Tour.

Heads-up, after a number of hands, Patitz had built a big lead, but then Searle took the lead in a turnaround hand when he was all in with A-J and turned an ace to outrun Patitz’s pocket jacks. Then Patitz moved in front again when he had pocket aces and made a flush when four clubs came. On the final hand he had A-9 to Searle’s A-7, and the win was his when Searle couldn’t catch.

For second, Searle took home $12,138. Searle 25, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is an Army veteran with two long tours of duty in Iraq who currently works as an office manager for Loomis, a security guard company.. He’s been playing seven years and this is his second WSOP Circuit try and first cash.

–Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #9
Feb. 17-18, 2009
H.O.R.S.E
Buy-In: $300 + $45
Number of Entries: 87
Total Prize Money: $25,317

Payouts:

1. Bill Short Abilene, KS $9,243
2. C.J. Mavroudis Winnipeg, Canada $4,987
3. Matt Harder Lincoln, NE $3,392
4. Mike Lisanti Winnipeg, Canada $2,405
5. Charles Casavant Avilla, IN $1,848
6. Shawn Marley Council Bluffs, IA $1,468
7. Robert Cox Omaha, NE $1,139
8. Brent Carter Oak Park, IL $835

Dr. Bill Short Performs Chipectomy and Has Easy Win in in 9th Circuit, H.O.R.S.E.

Council Bluffs, IA–The ninth event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $300 H.O.R.S.E., proved to be a simple operation for Bill “Doc” Short, a family physician from Abilene, Kansas. He had the chip lead all the way until the final table, then held onto it until the end, coasting to an easy victory. When he got heads-up with C.J. Mavroudis, his final opponent had come close to catching him in chips, and the two agreed to a deal without playing any hands. For his victory, Dr. Short won an official $9,243 and a handsome trophy.

Short has been playing poker for six years, but only has time to play a couple of tournaments a year. He likes all games, especially Omaha hi-lo, which he favors because of the action, and which is why H.O.R.S.E. suited him so well. He has a third-place finish in a Circuit event here last year, along with a WPT cash on a cruise. His style of play is selective-aggressive, and he found the players at the final table pretty solid.

Short came up here with some buddies from Kansas, and they haven’t been doing badly either. One cashed second in the Omaha event yesterday, another took a third in the $1,500 event.

H.O.R.S.E., consisting of rounds of hold’em, Omaha hi-lo, razz, stud and stud eight-or-better, is generally considered to be the ultimate test of all-around poker skill and is becoming an increasingly popular tournament game. Eight players made it to the money in this event, and those finalists returned on day two, starting play in a hold’em round, with blinds of 1,000-2,000 and 2,000-4,000 limits, 24:30 left on the clock. Short led with 80,500 chips.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. Shawn Marley 42,800
Seat 2. Brent Carter 23,100
Seat 3. Bill Short 80,500
Seat 4. Matt Harder 37,500
Seat 5. C.J. Mavroudis 27,100
Seat 6. Mike Lisanti 43,000
Seat 7. Charles Casavant III 71,900
Seat 8. Robert Cox 23,199

Sitting next to each other were C.T. Mavroudis and Mike Lisanti, friends who both live in Winnipeg, Canada and who came up here together.

Brent Carter was by far the best-known player at the final table. But he started lowest in chips and busted out first in an Omaha round after Mavroudis flopped a wheel. Eighth paid $835. Carter, 60, formerly a harness race driver, is from Oak Park, Illinois and has been playing professionally for 25 years. He has won over $3 million in tournaments, and his scores of cashes include 48 at the WSOP (with bracelets in Omaha and no-limit hold’em), along with 11 Omaha final tables. However, he is perhaps best known for putting a terrible beat on Barbara Enright — many feel it’s the worst in WSOP history — in 1995 when she became the only woman to make the final table in the main event. With five players left, she moved in with pocket 8s. Carter called with 6-3 suited, flopped two pair and knocked her out. He finished third in that event, cashing for $302,750, his biggest payday ever.

At age 82, Robert Cox became the most senior player to make a final table here thus far. He went out seventh in a round of stud when he went all in on fourth street with a pair of 4s. He couldn’t improve, and Shawn Marley, starting with (9-6)8-9, beat him after making two pair. Cox, from Omaha, is retired, started playing 10 years ago, and this first final table is his poker highlight. He is the proud father of four children, five grandchildren and three great-grandkids. Today he earned $1,139 for seventh.

A very big pot developed in the next hold’em hand. Marley had pocket kings and made kings-full when the board came A-8-8-K, but he was way behind Matt Harder, who had pocket aces and flopped aces full.

After a break, players returned to blinds of 1,500-3,000 and 3,000-6,000 limits. In an Omaha round, Marley went out sixth. He was all in with A-2-7-8 against A-4-J-Q held by Mavroudis. A board of K-Q-2-64 counterfeited Marley’s low and paired his deuce, while giving Mavroudis a nut low and a pair of queens. Marley, 29, is from Council Bluffs He has a second in pot-limit Omaha in the Horseshoe Classic last year, along with a 15th in Omaha hi-lo yesterday.

The next player out departed in a stud eight-or-better round. Down to the cloth, Charles Casavant went all in holding (J-4)J. Mavroudis had (5-2)5, caught a third 5 on fourth street, and made his third knockout as Casavant went out with $1,848 for fifth. Casavant is 42, from Avilla, IN, and owns a True Value hardware store. He has multiple final tables and cashes and yesterday made the final table, finishing ninth in the $1,000 no-limit event.

Limits went to 4,000-8,000 and then to 6,000-12,000. Short still had the lead with about half of the 350,000 chips in play, while the two Canadian comrades were short-chipped. One of them went out in a round of stud. Lisanti had pocket 10s and a flush draw. He missed, lost to Short’s queens and deuces, and he was gone, earning $2.405 for fourth place. Lisanti, 48, works in marketing. He’s been playing about five years His highlight was making a TV table at the WSOP $2,000 no-limit event where he finished ninth, winning $50,705.

In the next round of stud hi-lo, the other Canadian survived. Mavroudis was against Short’s kings and nines, and then outdrew him by pairing a 6 on the turn for aces-up. As play went on, Mavroudis took a couple of pots from Harder in hold’em and Omaha, leaving him short-chipped, then finally knocked him out in a razz round by edging him with an 8-6 to Harder’s 8-7. Third paid $3,392. Harder, 23, is a business student at the University of Nebraska who started playing four years ago.

By now, Mavroudis had pulled fairly close to Short with roughly 165,000 chips to about 185,000 for Short, and play stopped while they talked deal at great length before finally coming to terms and ending this event.

Mavroudis picked up an official $4,987 for second. He is 36 and is employed as a tour operator. He’s been playing 15 years and has a couple of cashes in Canadian events and another in the Jack Binion World Poker Open.

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #8
Feb. 17-18, 2009
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $1,500 + $80
Number of Entries: 38
Total Prize Money: $55,290

Payouts:

1. Matt Culberson Biloxi, MS $24,879
2. David Kruger Slater, MO $13,823
3. Troy Ethridge Salina, Kansas $8,294
4. Becky Makar Las Vegas, NV $5,529
5. Kyle Schroeder Auora, IL $2,765
.

Self-Confidence Helps Matt Culberson Overcome Chip Deficit as He Wins Event 8

Council Bluffs, IA–Severely out-chipped in a heads-up finale, Matt “Cub” Culberson never quit or lost hope. “I’m not gonna give up; it’s not over,” he told his final opponent, David Kruger. He made good on his promise, quickly doubling up, gradually working his way into the lead, and eventually building it up to about 370,000 chips to 200,000 to Kruger. At that point the two made a deal and Culberson was declared the winner. First place in the eighth event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $1,500 no-limit, paid an official $24,879, along with the coveted trophy ring.

“I’m not cocky, I just believe in myself,” he explained later. Culberson is a 26-year-old pro with dual residences in Biloxi and New Orleans. He’s been playing poker for five years, right after junior college, at first grinding out a living in small no-limit cash games. He now plays mainly tournaments, only hold’em. He had a very good year in 2008, making 14 final tables and winning events in various locales throughout the south and Midwest. His biggest cash was $72,500 for winning a World Poker Open event in Tunica.

Culberson said his playing style varies a lot because he’s very adaptable to table conditions. Tonight it was pretty much a come-from-behind victory all the way, because for the first five hours he was down to under 15 big blinds. He finally went on a rush, building his stacks from 19,000 to 100,000 in 15 minutes.

Because of a small field, this tournament was changed to a one-day event. There were five pay-outs, and we worked down to that number at 12:30 a.m. after Becky Makar, with Q-J, flopped a jack to outrun the pocket 6s held by the sixth-place finisher. The final five began play with blinds of 1,500-3,000 with 400 blinds and 33 minutes left at that level. Chip leader with 190,000 was Makar.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. Becky Makar 190,000
Seat 2. David Kroger 44,000
Seat 3. Matt Culberson 87,000
Seat 4. Kyle Schroeder 89,000
Seat 5. Troy Ethridge 103,000

It was an interesting line-up. Out of the five players, one had won the Horseshoe Poker Classic a few months ago, Culberson had 14 final tables last year, and another player in his early 20s won $1.3 million from his living room by finishing first in the PokerStars WCOOP championship.

Just as the level ended we had our first all-in and call. Kyle Schroeder moved in with pocket treys and doubled through Kruger, who pushed in with A-K but couldn’t improve when the board came 5-10-2-2-10.

Players took a break, returning to blinds of 2,000-4,000 with 500 antes. Makar still had a slight lead. On the first hand, Schroeder, finding himself short-chipped and one away from the big blind, decided to push in without looking. Kruger called with A-10 in the small blind, and Schroeder discovered he was way behind with just 10-7. He didn’t come close to helping and finished fifth, which paid $2,765. Schroeder, from Omaha, is 25 and in pharmaceutical sales. He’s been playing seven years and he was the one who won the WCOOP championship in 2007.

Not longer after, Makar, holding A-10, bet 27,000 into a flop of 10-4-9 and called when Kruger moved in. He turned up pocket 10s for a set, filled when two queens came, doubled through, and suddenly Makar was seriously short-chipped. Two hands later she pushed in for 22,500 with A-9 and was called by Kruger and Troy Ethridge. When the flop came 4-K-4, Kruger moved in and Ethridge folded. Kruger turned up Ac-4c for trips and Makar, dead to a near-impossible two running 9s, or two running aces for a chop, went out in fourth place, which paid $5,529.

Makar, 66, is a professional from Las Vegas who won the Horseshoe Poker Classic championship here last September that paid $45,000. In that series, she made four final tables in a row, winning another one of the events. Last week she won the Oklahoma State 6-handed championship. Her husband, whom she described as “the greatest in the world,” is also a poker player.

Kruger, who started lowest chipped with a mere 44,000, was now the chip leader. The match got two-handed after Ethridge went out on a very bad beat. On a flop of 9-J-6, Kruger, with K-10, bet 40,000 and Ethridge, who had J-9 and flopped two pair, moved in. Kruger called and caught a queen on the river for an inside straight.

Ethridge cashed third for $8,294. He is 45, from Salina, Kansas, has been playing 25 years and works as an AT&T technician.

Heads-up with Culberson, Kruger held about a 5-1 chip advantage. But Culberson began eating away, doubling up quickly when his pocket 9s held up against Kruger’s K-2.

He dropped back, but later gained more ground, doubling up again when he held 7-6 and flopped a straight.

Blinds were now 3,000-6,000 with 500 antes. As play went on the two battled back and forth, with Culberson slowly closing the gap and eventually, with the time past 3 a.m., moving into the lead. He then increased it to 470,000 to 350,000 for Kruger after taking down a big pot. He had K-7, flopped a king, and picked off Kruger’s bluff.

The two now made their deal and this event was in the books. For second, Kruger was paid an official $13,823. Kruger, 47, is from Slater, Missouri and is self-employed. He’s been playing three years and this is his third final table.

–Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #7
Feb. 16-17, 2009
Omaha Hi-Lo
Buy-In: $300 + $45
Number of Entries: 107
Total Prize Money: $31,137

Final Results:
1. Jeff Wiemers Battle Creek, NE $10,088
2. Robert Sprouse Omaha, NE $5,293
3. Mike Meng Independence, MO $3,114
4. Lonnie Price Ainsworth, NE $2,491
5. Steve Moy Omaha, NE $1,868
6. Pattty Merksick Council Blufs, IA $1,557
7. John Sozio York, NE $1,245
8. Ed Conradt Lincoln, NE $940
9. Brett Michalsky Sioux City, IA $623
10.Scott Thompson $498
11.David Kerrigan $498
12.Mary Ann Matthews $498
13.Charles Bell $436
14.Jamie Doray $436
15.Shawn Marley $436
16.Brad Newman $374
17.Robert Daughtery $374
18.Anthony Fischer $374

Airport Operations Man Jeff Wiemers Flies Off with Circuit Win in Omaha/8

Council Bluffs, IA–Jeffrey Wiemers, who works for the Norfolk, Nebraska Airport Authority, managing the private and charter plane sector, had a high-altitude flight in the seventh event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $300 no-limit Omaha high-low. He arrived as chip leader, knocked out the first three players and ended up with a fairly easy $10,088 win. Wiemers, 44, is from Battle Creek, Nebraska. He’s been “dabbling” in poker for 20 years, more seriously the last six, and prefers tournaments because once a player goes broke “he’s gone gone.”. He’s won a few small tournaments, but this is by far his biggest win.

Wiemers plays all games, but prefers Omaha. He likes it so much that he signed up for the H.O.R.S.E. tournament going on simultaneously with the Omaha/8 final table here and rushed to play as soon as he was photographed and interviewed. Ironically, he was knocked out during the Omaha round in that event.

With a lot of chips tonight, he found it easy to push out the small stacks, and said that was a key to his win. He plans to play more tournaments now, providing his wife doesn’t object, and after this win he said he doesn’t think that she will..

Second-day final-table play started with blinds of 800-1,600 and limits of 1,600-3,200, 14 minutes remaining.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. Robert Sprouse 13,100
Seat 2. Ed Conradt 36,600
Seat 3. Lonnie Price 36,600
Seat 4. John Sozio 5,800
Seat 5. Patty Merksick 19,400
Seat 6. Steve Moy 38,500
Seat 7. Jeff Wiemers 59,800
Seat 8. Brett Michalsky 2,600
Seat 9. Mike Meng 22,900

Brett “Butters” Michalsky started very low-chipped with only 2,600 and quickly went out, losing to Wiemers with a busted low in three-way action. Ninth paid $623. Michalsky, 24, is a recent college graduate who lives in Sioux City, Iowa. He’s been playing three years and this is his first final table.

Limits were now 2,000-4,000. Ed Conradt went out at this level when he paired his jack but lost to Wiemer’s two pair. Eighth paid $9,340. Conradt, 56, lives in Lincoln, Nebraska and is a government state auditor. He’s played five years and has a second in a Vegas tournament

John Sazio finished seventh, which paid $1,245. He went all in with all big cards in a multi-way pot, only to see all small cards hit the board. Sozio, born in Italy, now lives in York, Nebraska. He’s been playing poker “too long,.” and Omaha/8 is his favorite game.

Patty Merksick, the only woman at this final table went out sixth. She flopped a set and filled on the turn, only to lose to a bigger filly. Sixth paid $1,557. Merksick 41, lives in Council Bluffs where she is a human resources assistant and is married with three children. She’s been playing five years, learning Omaha from “the best Omaha player in the Midwest” — her husband. This is her first final table.

Steve Moy was down to his last chip when he went all in from the big blind with A-3-5-8. He missed his low when the board Q-10-J-3-6, losing to Robert Sprouse who had Q-J-10-3-6 and paired his 10. Moy 31, lives in Omaha and owns a concrete company. This is a first final table. He wrote that his fiancé, Crystal Boyer, is here to bring him good luck and informed him he would win. Well, fifth is better than nothing. It paid $6,383.

Lonnie Price went out fourth when he ran into Sprouse’s quads. Price, 58, is a farmer from Ainsworth, Nebraska who’s been playing about 40 years. Fourth paid $2,491.

This tournament got down to two after Mike “Ðinger” Meng ran into Sprouse’s set of aces and collected $3,114 for third. Meng is a 39-year-old craps dealer from Independence, Missouri. His poker highlights were being in Costa Rica and watching his best friend Scott make a final table and win $72,000, as well as playing against Kathy Liebert and Erik Seidel in a WSOP event. He just had a baby boy six weeks ago.

Blinds had now reached 5,000-10,000 with 10,000-20,000 limits. Wiemers had a good lead but lost a lot of chips when Sprouse, holding Q-8-4-2, made a straight. But that’s as far as Sprouse got. On the final hand, Wiemers raised with a high hand, K-Q-10-8 double-suited and Sprouse called all in with 9-9-K-3. The board came Q-7-4-2-6, and Wiemer’s paired queen was enough to end the contest.

Sprouse, paid $5,293 for second, is 38, comes from Germany and now lives in Abilene Kansas where he is a restaurant owner. He’s been playing five years and this is his first final table.

–Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #6
Feb.16-17, 2009
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $1,000 + $70
Number of Entries: 94
Total Prize Money: $91,180

Final Results

1. Drazen Ilich Lincoln, NE $32,825
2. Brandon Mifsud Gilbert, AZ $18,236
3. Jeff Reimer Spring Gove, IL $10,030
4. Brian Falcone Omaha, NE $7,294
5. Jovan Sudar Omaha, NE $6,383
6. Leroy Patitz Hastings, NE $5,471
7. Mark Samich Topeka, KS $4,559
8. Ben Smith Viola, WI $3,647
9. Charles Casavant Avilla, IN $2,735

Win in #1,000 Event Gives Drazen Ilich A 1st, 2nd and 3rd in Horseshoe Events

Council Bluffs, IA–Pro player Drazen Ilich had been sticking pretty much to cash-games until last year when he started playing tournaments because of the bigger pay-outs. He’s done pretty well in that short time, having already placed third at the Horseshoe Poker Classic last year, and taking second in the first event of the WSOP Circuit tour here at Horseshoe Council Bluffs. And now he topped those two by winning the sixth eventin this series, $1,000 no-limit hold’em. His victory was worth $32,825, accompanied by the prized trophy ring. Even so, he still prefers cash games, $2-$5 and $5-$10 no-limit, because he finds tournaments too much of a grind.

Ilich, 29, was born in Bosnia and now lives in Lincoln, Nebraska. He’s been playing poker 15 years, eight seriously and was mainly a five-card draw player until Chris Moneymaker made hold’em the national anthem of poker. In this event he said he was in good shape throughout. He describes his style as selective/aggressive. He found the final table fairly easy to read because players were largely sitting back waiting for big hands, which allowed him to play more aggressively.

Final-table action in this event began with blinds of 2,000-4,000 and 500 antes, 28 minutes left. In front with 175,500 chips was Brian Falcone.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1 Leroy Patitz 66,000
Seat 2 Brian Falcone 175,500
Seat 3 Mark Samich 89,000
Seat 4 Jovan Sudar 79,000
Seat 5 Brandon Mifsud 139,000
Seat 6 Jeff Reimer 91,500
Seat 7 Drazen Ilich 119,500
Seat 8 Charles Casavant 87,000
Seat 9 Ben Smith 96,000

Charles Casavant was first out. He called with pocket jacks after Brandon Mifsud moved in with pocket kings and couldn’t catch up when the board came 10-10-9-Q-3. Ninth paid $2,738. Casavant, 42, is from Avilla, Indiana and owns a True Value hardware store. He’s played 10 years and has multi final-table cashes at different Circuits. His largest was $15,223 for a fourth in a $500 event at Caesars Indiana in 2007.

Next to leave was Ben Smith, who is a gunsmith from Viola, Wisconsin and a member of the Wisconsin Trapshooting Hall of Fame. He warned on his bio sheet that he’d be taking aim at the final table. However, his aim wasn’t that good today because he got gunned down in eighth place. After Falcone raised to 10,000, Ilich moved in with pocket 9s, and Smith called all in with pocket 8s. Ilich hit the bulls-eye by flopping a set, and Smith departed with a $3,647 pay-out. Smith has been playing four years and this is his first tournament.

Blinds inched up to 3,000-6,000. Immediately, Mark :”Sammy” Samich went out on a double draw-out. He had A-J to Falcone’s A-K. He took the lead with two pair on a flop of A-J-7, only to see Falcone spike a king on the river for a bigger two pair. Seventh paid $4,559. Samich is 50, from Topeka and is a registered nurse who started playing knee-high with his dad. He is married with two kids.

Leroy Patitz went out next after he moved in with pocket treys and was called by Jovan Sudar with A-J. Sudar won easily by flopping an ace and hitting a jack on the river and Patitz cashed sixth for $5,471. Patitz, 72, is a control room operator at a power plant from Hastings, Nebraska who’s a 60-year poker veteran. He says he loves to play here, and this is his third year of WSOP Circuit play at this casino. He has a 15th at a second-chance event here two years ago. Patitz’s family includes four kids and 12 grandchildren.

Sudar was next out. He was all in with A-10 against Jeff Reimer;s As-Qs. Reimer made a flush on the river, and Sudar took home $6,383 for fifth. Sudar, 26, is a leasing agent/poker player originally from Yugoslavia now living in Omaha. He’s played eight years and has a cash in a $2,000 event at the 2008 WSOP along with a sixth in a $1,500 Circuit event here, also last year. He likes to play high-stakes, $25-$50 and $50-$100 no-limit cash games at the Bellagio.

Finishing fourth was Falcone. He had Kc-Jc against Brandon Mifsud’s pocket treys. The flop gave Falcone a flush draw, but he couldn’t hit and settled for $7,294. Falcone is 37, from Omaha and owns a luxury home building company. He’s been playing eight years and this is his first final table. He is married with two sons

This match got heads-up after Reimer went out, taking $10.030 for third.. He was in the lead with A-J against Mifsud’s K-9 until a king flopped to put him away. Reimer, 34, is from Spring Grove, Illinois where he owns a technology distribution company. He’s been playing 13 years and this is his first Circuit final table.

The final match-up lasted only a few hands. On the final deal, Mifsud was all in with pocket treys against Ilich’s pocket 6s. The bigger pair prevailed when the board came J-J-8-5-5, and Ilich was the winner of event number six.

Mifsud, who took home $18,236 for second, is a 23-year-old pro from Gilbert, Arizona, formerly a student, who’s been playing about four years. He’s mostly a cash-game player, and this is his first live tournament final table.

–Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #5
Feb.15-16, 2009
Ladies
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $200 + $35
Number of Entries: 73
Total Prize Money: $14,162

Payouts:

1. Toni Haggard Emporia, KS $5,099
2. Kim Strong Glencoe, MN $2,832
3. Karen Kyle Omaha, NE $1,558
4. Sue Warner Papillion, IA $1,133
5. Michelle Hiers Council Bluffs, IA $991
6. Melyssa Gerhardt Omaha, NE $850
7. Kim Johnson Crescent, IA $708
8. Elizabeth Hunter Omaha, NE $566
9, Penny Wedige Waverly, NE $425

Toni Haggard Uses Daniel Negreanu’s Strategy to Win Ladies Circuit Event

Council Bluffs, IA–Daniel Negreanu is Toni Haggard’s “hero,” and, like him, she believes any two cards can win in hold’em, and like him, is willing to gamble with hands like 8-3 and 10-6. This is especially true, she said, when there are a lot of players in a pot and she is in late position because she knows that a lot of big cards are out and her small ones have much better chances of hitting. This strategy paid off on day one of the $200 ladies no-limit event when five people were in a hand. She called with a 5-2 and took down a huge pot.

She then arrived at the final table as chip leader and after a very long heads-up match with Kim Strong, ended up winning the event, earning $5,044 and an attractive trophy. She also had high praise for her final opponent, who became a bridesmaid the second year in a row after finishing second in this event here last year. Earlier, the two had played side-by-side for about six hours. “She’s tough,” Haggard said. “She plays like me.”

Haggard, 50, from Emporia, Kansas, had worked for seven years as a writer for the Daily Racing Form until she remarried and settled down as a housewife. Her poker time is largely spent in “chicken coop” home games, along with some tournaments and occasional cash games in casinos. Asked the difference between ladies and open events, she felt that women tend to play more conservatively, allowing her to be more aggressive.

When second-day play began, Haggard was well in front with 46,400 chips.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. Elizabeth Hunter 21,600
Seat 2. Penny Wedige 12,800
Seat 3. Michelle Hiers 8,200
Seat 4. Karen Kyle 28,800
Seat 5. Toni Haggard 46,400
Seat 6. Sue Warner 12,400
Seat 7. Kim Johnson 28,700
Seat 8. Melyssa Gerhardt 18,700
Seat 9. Kim Strong 4,300

Soon after blinds went to 600-1,200, Penny Wedige went out ninth, which paid $425. Wedige, 41, is a field inspector for foreclosed HUD homes who’s been playing three years. This and winning a tournament at Binion’s are her poker highlights. She noted that she and her husband have been self-employed for nine years. The have two children, the oldest preparing to attend helicopter pilot school in the Nebraska National Guard.

As the level ended, Elizabeth “Lizzy” Hunter went out eighth, for $566. She had pocket 8s and lost when Karen Kyle, holding A-7, made a Broadway straight. Hunter, 32, is from Omaha where she is a decision support specialist at a major transportation company. She’s been playing four years, has made about a dozen tournament final tables, and last year was the “bubble girl” at the High Heels ladies tour. She was engaged on her birthday last year and the wedding has been set for May 8, 2010. Everyone is invited.

Kim Johnson went out seventh when she ran into pocket aces. It paid $708. Johnson is 45 and a small business owner from Crescent, Iowa. Who has been playing five years and has a number of cashes in local tournaments.

Melyssa “Missy” Gerhardt finished sixth and took home $850. Gerhardt, 30, is from Omaha where she has an interesting double job as a dry wall finisher and chef. She’s been playing 10 years and says she “knows when to hold’em and when to fold’em.”

Michelle Hiers went out fifth, worth $991.Hiers, 33, is a real estate agent from Council Bluffs who’s been playing for 10 years and placed third in a women’s poker classic event last year.

Sue Warner departed in fourth place when her Q-J was blown away by A-3 after an ace flopped. Warner, 42, is from Papillion, Nebraska where she is a marketing representative for Blue Shield Blue Cross of Nebraska. She’s been playing two years and has one son.

This tournament then got heads-up after a three-way pot where everyone pushed in. Haggard had As-10h, Kyle had Ah-10c, and Strong had Ac-Kd. When the board came 3h-8s-3s-6s-9c, Kyle, missing her nut flush draw, bowed out third, while Strong stayed alive by taking down the main pot with her king kicker. Kyle, 50, is from Colon, Nebraska and is a senior service technician for the gas company. She’s played about four years and this is her first final table.

Heads-up, Haggard had about 145,000 chips to 75,000 for Strong. Blinds now at 1,500-3,000 with 400 antes, The match would last well over an hour. In early action, Strong doubled through with a set of 7s, then later dropped down to 18,000 when she held Q-3, flopped two pair but lost when Haggard, with pocket kings, hit a set on the turn. But she held on as chips moved back and forth for the next hour.

After a break, the two finalists returned to action. Play went on for a while until the final hand. when Strong moved in with pocket 6s and Haggard quickly called with pocket 8s. The board came 8-Q-3-J-2, and Haggard’s set of 8s brought her the ladies championship.

Strong, collecting $2,832 for her second runner-up finish, is from Glencoe, Minnesota where she works in sales. She’s been playing three years and last year placed second in the ladies event here. She has a “great husband, Wayne,” with five “great kids,” six grandchildren, and one on the way. She started playing hold’em 3-1/2 years ago when she went to Vegas on a business trip. Three months after returning, she almost quit because she couldn’t win. But then she began to win two or three tournaments a month, and that hooked her.

–Max Shapiro

Haggard is a 50-year-old housewife from Emporia, Kansas She’s been playing four years and her poker highlight was holding quad 9s in a cash game with action.

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton