Nut
Flush Scoop Gets David Levi
The Win in Event 3, Omaha Hi-Lo
David Levi, the Israeli soccer pro
turned pro poker player, took down the
third event of Hustler Casino's Grand
Slam of Poker, Omaha hi-lo. He and Rusty
Mandap, the Hawaiian Gardens tournament
director, had shared the chip lead for
some time. Then, with four players left,
Levi was dealt A-A-3-7 double-suited,
made a nut flush, scooped and took a big
chip lead.
The four finalists then played nine more
hands. With Levi now holding more than
40 percent of the chips, they agreed to
a tournament-ending deal.
Levi has had numerous prior tournament
wins, the biggest coming when he he earned
$159,000 at a Bellagio championship event.
Limits at the final table started off
at $600-$1,200, with 14:21 left in the
round. Chip leader, with $13,700, was
"Super Mario" Esquerra. Hassan Kamoei
had $2,000 and lasted three hands. He
called Craig Mizufuka's raise holding
A-3-7-10. Craig had A-3-4s-5s. The flop
was Qs-J-9s. Craig bet and Hassan, drawing
dead to Craig's flush, called for his
last $200.
A big pot developed on hand 15. There
was four-way action and both Jeffrey Han
and Sam Sanusi were to go all in. Holding
4-4-5-7, Han flopped a set when the board
came K-4-3. But Levi had pocket kings
and Han was din big trouble. A turn card
trey filled them both, and then a river
deuce gave Sam Sanusi a wheel. Rusty Mandap,
who had a nut low until the river, was
counterfeited but got small piece of the
side pot with a live six. Levi and Sanusi
chopped the main pot while Han departed
in ninth place.
After scooping the next pot, Levi took
the lead with about 20k. With limits at
to $1,500-$3,000, Super Mario got low-chipped
when Van Pham quartered him with a king-high
flush, while both had a live four for
low.
Sanusi exited on hand 25. He had K-10-6-2
and the lead with two pair with a 9-6-2-10
board. But a river ace made a set for
Van Pham, who held A-A-3-8.
The
seven remaining players were now playing
with $1,500-$3,000 limits. Flopping aces
full, Mandap checked, allowing Pham to
bet the turn so he could raise and go
all in. "I checked to give you a free-roll,"
he explained as he turned up his hand
and Pham mucked without bothering to see
the river.
As play continued, the multi-talented
Warren Karp took drink orders to relay
to the porter: "Diet Coke, bottled water,
coffee with three creams and a sugar,
a hot tea...and a hand for Craig," he
added helpfully, noticing that Mizufuka
was low-chipped. No hand came, and Craig
was down to $900. That went in on the
next hand. Holding A-6-8-9, Craig made
a straight when the board came K-10-8-J-Q.
But three diamonds gave Pham a flush,
and Craig cashed out in seventh place.
A hand later, Super Mario, who hadn't
been able to recover since being quartered,
went out on a terrible river card. He
was in the small blind with J-8-5-5. With
the board showing J-7-4-A, he had a made
eight. Pham, with A-3c-7c-Q, was double
counterfeited. Then, a three of clubs
hit the river to give him a flush and
a better low, and Esquerra cashed out
sixth.
At this point, Levi and Mandap were pretty
much in a tie for the chip lead, with
each holding a bit over 30k. Eddie Ngo
was lowest in chips, soon went all in
with A-2-3-4, and recovered when a second
deuce turned to give him winning trips.
"Give them what they want," he said confidently
as the magic deuce turned and he bet his
last $200.
Pham,
known for playing a lot of hands, raised
all in pre-flop holding A-A-5-6. His two
opponents checked it down as the board
came J-9-2-10-J, and his aces held up
for a scoop. In the next six hands, he
played four, went all in three more times
and escaped each time. The first time
he made two pair and chopped with Levi.
The next time his three aces lost to Rusty's
sevens-full, but he took low with a live
deuce. And then, on hand 48, he scooped
in four-way action with a six-high straight.
It seemed that nothing short of a royal
flush could put him away…and that's what
it took. In the small blind with 3-5-7-8,
he went all in for the last time. Dino
Medina held A-Ac-Qc-3, and a K-J-10 of
clubs on fourth street gave him the royal
and Van the boot.
With limits now at $2,000-$4,000, three
players had about 30k while Ngo was low
man with half as much. A deal was discussed
without agreement. After nine more hands,
Levi had climbed to about 43k thanks to
his club flush, while Ngo had moved into
second spot with about 25k. This time
there was agreement, and the ex-soccer
player had kicked another goal.
Max Shapiro
|
