Joe Simmons Wins Omaha Hi/Lo Event at World Poker Finals

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Joe Simmons of Philadelphia, PA, was
crowned the Omaha Hi/Lo
Champion for 2006

2006 World Poker Finals
World Poker Tour Season 5
Tournament Report
Event #5
$530 + $70
Omaha Hi/Lo

The prize pool for the $600 Omaha Hi-Lo (8 or Better) event was $147,945
and Joe took home the Championship trophy, a commemorative leather
jacket and First Place prize money of $51,041.

The final table began a little after 4 PM and it did not take long before there
was a 10th place finisher. After surviving three all-ins, John Hoang the final
table short stack from Fountain Valley, CA, was not able to pull it out against
Jason Eichner's two pair. John collected $2,958 for his efforts.

Andrew Kelley of Rehoboth, MA, was the first of three to leave in rapid
succession. Andrew also survived several all-ins until losing in three way
action with Joy Reslock and Stan Latimer.

Joy and Stan split the pot and Andrew would take home $3,329 for 9th place.
Michael Luciano Polera, who was at his second final table of this year's WPF
(he won the $600 7-Card Stud), had 10's up but lost to A's up. He would
return home to Poughquag, NY, with $3,699 for 8th place.

Joy Reslock, who hails from Atlantic City, NJ, was in 7th after Bennett
Greenstein turned over a set of Q's to top her set of J's. Joy left the table
with $4,438. Bob 'Buzz Saw' Mangino would finish in 6th position. Buzz Saw
had earlier lost a large pot to Keith Laflam and survived several all-ins. Finally
he was all-in in three way action with Stan and Bennett.

He had a set of 7's on the flop but Stan caught a flush on the river and the
low was chopped. Buzz Saw would return home to Plantation, FL, with
$5,178. Keith Laflam of Colchester, VT, went all-in after the flop with a set of
2's but would collect $6,658 for 5th after Jason hit a flush on the turn. Stan
Latimer pushed all-in at least half a dozen times before succumbing to the
'smell of the cards.' He had J's up but Joe relegated him to 4th with A's up.
Stan, a resident of Pound Ridge, NY, took home $8,877.

With three players remaining, the chip advantage was in Joe's favor. He had
slowly but surely built his position with judicious play. Jason Eichner of South
Windsor, CT, tried to stave off the inevitable by picking his spots but with the
limits at $20,000/$40,000 he was down to the felt.

In the end, his 9's were no match for Joe's Q's. Jason took 3rd place money
of $14,424. Heads up play began with Joe having a 6 to 1 chip advantage
over Bennett. Bennett was able to claw even but Joe defended his position
and with the limits at $30,000/$60,000 wide swings happened each hand.

The final hand was typical: Bennett held 2-4-8-8 and Joe had 3-3-J-7. The flop
came J-8-3 giving each a set and Bennett was all-in. The turn was a 10 and
the river a 9 giving Joe the straight. As Joe said, 'I needed ‘runner, runner,
gut shot' to win and that's what I got!' Bennett would return to Rehoboth,
MA, with a 2nd place finish and $25,891. And Joe Simmons was the 2006 WPF
Omaha Champion!

Reported by Jeffrey A Toth for Foxwoods Resort Casino

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