IT'S
NO ACT: BEN AFFLECK WINS
10K CAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
A new chapter in poker history was written
tonight at Commerce Casino when, for the
first time, a major open tournament was
won by a film celebrity. Playing a very
strong game, relaxed and obviously enjoying
himself immensely, actor Ben Affleck took
down the championship event of 2004 California
State Poker Championship, $9,900+$100
no-limit hold'em, winning $356,400 and
a $25,000 seat in next April's Bellagio/WPT
championship event.
His
final opponent was journeyman pro Stan
Goldstein. Finishing third was another
show business figure, film/TV producer
Chuck Pacheco, who finished 41st in this
year's WSOP championship. Between them,
Affleck and Pacheco (and sweater Toby
Maguire) attracted probably the largest
entourage for any poker tournament.
In
a brief speech, Affleck said he got lucky
and complimented Goldstein as a great
player. Afterwards, he said he was also
pleased that he didn't win by just sucking
out and showed he wasn't a "complete donkey."
He indeed had the best hands when he knocked
out Pacheco (5-5 vs. Ac-Qc) and Goldstein
(J-J vs. Ad-10d).
Affleck
is an avid student of the game who paid
tribute to such players as Annie Duke,
Antonio Esfandiari, Allen Cunningham and
Gabe Kaplan for tutoring him. He said
he also learned something tonight from
Goldstein, who once outplayed him and
forced him to fold when they both held
the same hand: K-J. Affleck plays mainly
side games, preferring $25-$50 blind no-limit.
Tonight's championship final table provided
plenty of drama, with the lead changing
hands many times.
After
starting with 90 players on day one and
38 on day two, the championship event
got down to the final table of nine with
Stan Goldstein holding the chip lead with
$235,500 and Ty Nguyen close behind with
$218,800. Play continued with blinds of
$1,000-$2,000, antes of $300 and 42:21
left. On the first hand, shortest-stack
Raymond Davis went all in with A-K to
Goldstein's pocket 8s. A river 10c gave
Davis a miracle straight, the same lucky
river card that paired and saved him from
finishing 10th the night before.
Amir Vahedi dropped more than 50k two
hands later when his A-K lost to Pacheco's
J-J. Down to 20k, he busted out on the
next hand. He re-raised all in with As-10s
and Ty Nguyen, with K-K, flopped quads.
When
blinds went to $1,500-$3,000 with $500
antes, Nguyen, a young pro, had taken
the lead with about 255k. On hand 23,
John Esposito, a pro sports bettor who
has a 1999 World Series bracelet for $2,500
limit hold'em, moved in when a flop of
8-5-2 gave him a set of 5s. Pogos Simityan
called for 25k with 9-9 and finished eighth.
Davis moved in for the fifth and last
time, this time with the lucky 10c (Kc-10c)
in his hand. He wasn't so lucky when he
ran into Affleck's pocket aces and finished
seventh. On hand 67, a major pot gave
Affleck the lead for the first of several
times. A flop of Q-7-6 gave him a set
of 7s. He bet 20k, Nguyen, with A-Q, hit
it for 30k more. Affleck moved in for
64.5k and suddenly had about 230k after
Nguyen called and lost.
Affleck
was wearing a cap and shirt with "big
slick" logos. When asked, he said someone
gave it to him. "Rich movie stars get
everything free," Pacheco cracked.
When blinds went to $2,000-$4,000, the
approximate chip count was: Affleck, 245k;
Jimmy Tran, 215k; Pacheco, 150k; Esposito,
135k; Goldstein, 80k; Nguyen, 70k.
Nguyen, dropping steadily from his one-time
chip lead, was down to about 42k when
he called Esposito's re-raise and went
all in. He had K-J to Esposito's A-Q and
busted out. Goldstein, with pocket treys,
said he knew Esposito had a good read
on Nguyen and would have come over the
top to get heads-up, but didn't have enough
chips to do so.
By
the 7 p.m. dinner break, Tran had taken
the lead from Affleck, but all five players
had plenty of chips. Then Esposito made
a small trap raise of 15k. with pocket
aces. Pacheco re-raised with pocket 10s
and Esposito gladly called all in with
A-A. But a 10 flopped, Esposito finished
fifth and now Pacheco had the lead with
about 330k.
Suddenly
action heated up as players began catching
cards. On hand 130, with $1,000 antes
and $3,000-$6,000 blinds, Goldstein raised
to 34k with K-Q and Tran moved in with
Q-Q for about 80k. Goldstein got lucky
when a king flopped, and the field was
down to three. Pacheco had 355k to 325
for Goldstein and 220k for Affleck.
The
affable actor/writer/producer/director
then put a big hit on Pacheco when his
J-J held up against A-K. He led again
with about 325k, then won the next pot
and had close to 400k. Then Goldstein
re-took the lead with two pair against
Pacheco. Finally, Pacheco moved in with
Ac-Qc. "Gotta call you," said Affleck.
His 5-5 held up, Pacheco was out and Affleck
once again led, this time with 512k to
388k for Goldstein.
"I like it that you're showing respect,"
Affleck jested as heads-up play continued.
"I was afraid you thought you could just
take it from me." "You've got respect,"
Goldstein assured him.
Respect
turned to submission on the last hand
when Affleck bet 30k into a flop of 10-6-3,
Goldstein raised 30k with Ad-10d and Affleck
moved him in holding pocket jacks. An
8 and 4 came, and the young matinee idol
was the 2004 Cal State champion.
-- by Max Shapiro
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