Mark Awalt is Crowned Champion at Foxwoods World Poker Finals

UltimatePokerForum.com
The Ultimate Poker Site

Mark Awalt is Crowned Champion at
Foxwoods World Poker Finals

2006 World Poker Finals
World Poker Tour Season 5
Tournament Report
Event #9
$1,100 + $100
Limit Hold'em

The 2006 World Poker Finals $1200 Limit Hold'em Championship went to
West Enfield, ME, resident, Mark Awalt.

Mark was able to overcome the strong competition from the final table and
the field of 135 players to take the title. Mark has played three tournaments
and finished in the money twice; he placed #107 in the 2005 WPF Main
Event. He was not the seasoned veteran at the final table but his take from
today's prize pool of $146,955 for 1st Place was a tidy $58,782!

Louis Russo of Brooklyn, NY, fresh off a 7th place finish in the WPT Main Event
at the Borgata, was in 10th place today. Lou, the table short stack, pushed
all-in with pocket 7's; Casey Peters called with K-10 and with Q-J-4-A-A on
the board, Casey had a straight and Lou had $3,673.

Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi had pocket K's and Paul Paris had pocket 10's.
Four spades on the board and one in Paul's hand left Michael with $10K in
chips. He was all-in with pocket 7's but Paul had 9's and again hit a flush to
leave "The Grinder" in 9th position with $4,042 to take home to Hollywood,
FL.

Ethan Foulke was all-in for his last $5K with 7-8; Casey Peters of Brick, NJ,
had him covered by $5K and called with A-9. A Q-10-2-9-J gave Ethan the
straight. Casey lost the next hand to Andrew Weinstein's pair of A's and
finished in 8th position good for $4,408.

Ethan, a former resident of Westfield, MA, who now lives in Las Vegas, was
able to regain a few chips but was soon all-in with A-Q. His tournament was
over when Paul turned over pocket 6's and he couldn't hit a pair. Ethan took
7th and collected $5,144 for his efforts. Paul Paris of nearby Norwich, CT, had
earlier nicknamed Mark "the flopmaster" for taking a good portion of his stack
in several hands. Mark did not need a flop as his pocket 10's held against
Paul's A-4; Paul was in 6th position which was worth $6,613.

Now down to the last five players, the table chip leader by far was Mark
Awalt. The limits were $10K/$20K and large position changes were possible.
However, the only change was that Mark accumulated all the chips. David
Rubenstein demonstrated great perseverance to come back from the second
shortest stack. David of East Hampton, NY, bet all-in with his last $60K with
J-9; Mark called with K-4. The flop was J-9-8 and gave David two pair; but a 4
on the turn and another on the river gave Mark trips and left David in 5th
place with $8,082.

Horace York of Limington, ME, finished 6th in $600 7-card Stud and improved
to 4th in today's event. He went all-in with his last $20K and paired his A on
the turn but Mark caught a river flush and Horace had winnings of $10,654.

Sirous Jamshidi of Broomall, PA, and Andrew Weinstein of Falls Church, VA,
both had less than $100K in chips. Sirous survived several all-ins before
losing with 2's to Mark's 10's. Sirous collected $16,166 for 3rd. Andrew was
all-in with K-6 after a K appeared on the flop. However, Mark turned over
pocket A's and Andrew was in 2nd place. He had $29,391 to take back to
Virginia.

Mark Awalt was the 2006 $1200 Limit Hold'em Champion and the winner of
the Championship crystal trophy, commemorative leather jacket and $58,782!

Reported by Jeffrey A. Toth for Foxwoods Resort Casino