Behind 5-1 Heads-Up, Eric Dam Storms Back, Wins $700 No-Limit

Former Nail Salon Owner Turned Pro Just Three Months Ago

Hammond, IN--Eric Dam, a former nail salon owner who decided to play poker for a living just three months ago, made a tremendous comeback to win the seventh event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Casino Hammond, $500 no-limit hold'em. Heads-up, he was more than a 5-1 underdog against Gary Allen. Then he doubled through on the first hand, gradually caught up and ended the evening by hitting a nut flush. First place for Dam, who is 38 and lives in Evansville, Indiana, was worth $31,744 along with the traditional trophy ring and a $5,150 main event buy-in.

Dam learned poker 10 years ago playing with friends. Until now he's been mainly a cash game player, though he has a couple of small tournament cashes at the Bicycle Casino's Legends of Poker and a ninth at a hold'em/Omaha event at Caesars Indiana. He said he found tonight's final table tough, with his final opponent, the hardest to beat. His biggest strength, he feels, is his ability to read players. He also offered thanks to his wife, Kalie Nguyen, not only for permitting, but encouraging him to play poker.

This event drew 184 players and the prize pool was $124,936. A dozen players returned on day two with Joseph "Joey D" Darnell in front with 296,000 chips. We got down to nine when Sashi Bobba's pocket 5s lost to an A-J after a jack turned. Chip leader at this point with 270,000 was Allen. And, for the first time in this Circuit tour, a woman, Shannon Fahey, made an open-event final table.

Here were the final table chip counts:

SEAT 1: Shannon Fahey – 117,000 Chips

SEAT 2: Frank Berrettoni – 71,000 Chips

SEAT 3: Michael Kalinsky – 87,000 Chips

SEAT 4: Steve Verrett – 108,000 Chips

SEAT 5: George Dietz III – 200,000 Chips

SEAT 6: Eric Eklund – 21,000 Chips

SEAT 7: Gary Allen – 270,000 Chips

SEAT 8: Joseph Darnell – 180,000 Chips

SEAT 9: Eric Dam – 214,000 Chips

After blinds went to 6,000-12,000, Darnell was left with about 22,000 after his aces were cracked by Frank Berrettoni, who called with pocket 10s and flopped a set. "Don't say 'sorry,'" Darnell said philosophically after Berrettoni expressed his regrets. "What is, is." A couple of hands later, with the blinds approaching, Darnell called all in without looking after Allen raised with pocket kings. All Darnell had was 10-3. He couldn't hit anything and cashed ninth for $3,294. Darnell, 36, is a professional poker player from Merrillville, Indiana. Before that, he was an operations manager. He's played poker all his life -- "my life hobby" -- and professionally two years. His prior highlight was a Heartland Poker Tour final table. His other hobby is riding his Harley.

The next big action saw Dam opening for 35,000 and Michael "Klink" Kalinsky moving in for 52,000 more. Dam called with A-Q and blew away Kalinsky's pocket 4s when a board of A-Q-5-A-K gave him a full house. Kalinsky, collecting $3,893 for eighth, is 47, from Chicago and self-employed. He learned poker from his dad 40 years ago and also enjoys flying. His poker notation: "They pick on me. I'm slow."

We lost another player when Erik Eklund re-raised all in with pocket 8s and ran into Steve Verrett's pocket kings. Seventh paid $4,791. Eklund is a computer systems engineer from Kenosha, Wisconsin. who learned poker 20 years ago playing with friends and family. He got into this event via satellite. His other hobbies are softball and skiing.

After blinds went to 8,000-16,000 with 2,000 antes, another player was all in. Berrettoni pushed in with K-Q for 161,000. Dam, with 191,000, had him covered and called with A-J. Berrettoni took the lead when the flop came K-9-6. But Dam took charge again when an ace turned, and a river trey didn't help, Berrettoni was out and collected $5,989 for sixth. Berrettoni, nicknamed "Candyman," is a liquor store owner from Chicago Heights, Illinois who's been played poker all his life after learning from his father. His prior tournament cashes include a third at the Heartland Poker Tour, a sixth at a $300 Circuit event at Horseshoe Southern Indiana, a fifth at a Circuit in Tunica, and a win at the Majestic Star Casino. He says he's played some 38 Circuits in all.

Not long after, the tournament became all-male. With a flop of Ah-3h-2-h, Fahey was all in holding Jh-3s chasing a flush. Allen, meanwhile, had flopped a straight. No more hearts came, and Fahey settled for $7,487 for fifth. Fahey, 36, is a mom/poker player from Arlington Heights, Illinois. She learned the game eight years ago playing with her twins. Other hobbies are sewing and reading.

Blinds now went to 10,000-20,000 and 2,000 antes. Midway through the round, George Dietz III raised all in from the button for 80,000 holding Qh-3h and got a call from Allen on the button. Allen held Kd-9d, and when the board missed both players, the king-high won the pot as Dietz departed in fourth place, worth $9,583. Dietz, 32, is from Oak Park Illinois, and works in a school. He's played 15 years, and he listed his poker highlights as "runner-runner perfect perfect suckouts."

Allen then did the honors on the next player. He called with A-7 after Steven Verrett moved in with pocket jacks. Verrett was still in good shape when the board showed 9-7-6-9, but then an ace on the river gave Allen aces-up. Verrett. 39, is from Madison, Wisconsin and in sales. He's played five years, this is his second Circuit, and his poker highlights include a 30th in Aruba and a sixth at the Binion's Open this year. For third, Verrett picked up $12,278.

Heads-up, Allen owned about 1.25 million of the 1.5 million chips in play and appeared to be a sure winner. But on the first hand of the match-up, Dam doubled through. He called with 10d-9d after Allen moved in with 8c-7c, and the 10 played when the board showed K-2-2-K-6. Catching cards, Dam eventually moved into the lead.

On the final hand, the board showed Kc-10s-2s-6s. Dam checked from the small blind, allowing Allen, holding Kh-4d, to move in. Dam called, turned up As-9s for the nut flush, and the river 9 was meaningless because Allen was drawing dead.

Allen, 37, is the CEO of a marketing company in Chicago. This is his second Circuit, he's layed for 10 years, and his hobbies include flying and ballroom dancing.

--Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner – Jeffrey Pollack

Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment – Jack Effel

Horseshoe Casino Hammond Poker Room Manager – Jason Newman

Horseshoe Casino Hammond Tournament Director -- Charlie Ciresi

To view a complete list of results for Event #7 of the 2008 World Series of Poker Circuit Event at Horseshoe Hammond, click on the link below:

2008 Horseshoe Hammond WSOP Circuit Event #7 Results