Viejas
Dealer Jeff Chui Wins First
Tournament Ever in His Sixth Try
Playing only about his sixth tournament,
Viejas poker dealer Jeff Chui scored his
first win ever in the eighth event of
Hustler Casino's Grand Slam of Poker,
no-limit hold'em. Chui, who's been dealing
for five years, got off to a tremendous
start, personally disposing of three of
the first four players. By the time he
knocked out Amir Vahedi in fifth place,
he had about 60 percent of the chips.
Makram Merhom managed to overtake him
at one point, but at the end, with Chui
in the lead again, they agreed to a chop
and played one hand for the trophy, which
Chui won.
With the event lasting as long as last
night's marathon, the three finalists
agreed to speedier 20-minute rounds.
The final table started with antes of
$200, playing with $600 and $1,200 blinds,
nine minutes remaining. On the first deal,
five players limped. The flop was 8c-6d-5d.
Holding Ad-7d, with draws to a nut flush
and an open-end straight, Nick Kurzon
moved in for $5,800. Richard Tatalovich
called. Then Chui, who had made eights
and sixes, check-raised all in. After
a hesitation long enough to bring on the
clock, Tatalovich gave it up. Two jacks
came, and Kurzon was first out.
On hand four, with $300 antes and 1-2k
blinds, James Szymanski raised to 10k
with queens and Chui made a speculative
call with 4-h-3h. It paid off when he
flopped a flush and Szymanski moved in
with his queens. Szymanski still had a
chance because one was a heart, but two
offsuit kings came and he finished ninth.
Four hands later, Tatalovich, who manufactures
nutritional supplements, moved in for
$13,700 with K-Q. Makram Merhom, an Egyptian-born
full-time player, saw the bet with 5-5.
A flop of 10-8-4-3-7 left one more seat
open.
Soon after, David Cai tried to pull a
steal by pushing in all his 15k with J-5.
His timing was not good because Chui was
waiting for him in the big blind with
pocket aces. Cai flopped a five, but that's
as far as he got, and he cashed out seventh.
After winning the next hand, Chui had
gone from $21,800 to about $85,000 in
17 deals.
Amir Vahedi, who made the final table
at this year's WSOP, made it 30k to go
from the big blind a few hands later.
Taylor Randall, who had limped with Kd-Qd,
called for his 17k. Rags came and Amir's
ace-high was enough to put Randall out
in sixth place.
With $1,500-$3,000 blinds and $500 antes,
Chui had moved up to about 95k.
He then proceeded to relieve Vahedi of
$70,800 in the pot of the night. Pre-flop,
Vahedi opened from the button for 8k with
J-J. As he did in the first hand, Chui
gambled and called from the big blind
with 6-5, making two pair when the flop
came 8-6-5. Vahedi bet 15k, Chai moved
in and Vahedi called. A six turned to
fill Chui, and Vahedi departed in fifth
place.
Merhom had a close call on hand 47. He
was in the small blind with Q-7. With
a board of Q-8-4-9, Merhom cautiously
just called Chui's 10k bet. A river seven
gave him two pair, but he just checked
and called Chui's $9,500 bet, putting
him on a possible straight. Instead, Chui
had flopped a set of eights. "I should
have gone busted," Merhom said, and it
indeed was a hand where most other players
would have done so.
Attorney Tod Dubow finished fourth. With
blinds of 2-4k and $500 antes, he opened
for 12k with A-10, called all in for about
14k more when Merhom came over the top
with 7-7 and didn't hit his hand.
Now there were some big chip swings. First
Martin Corpuz took $41,000 from Merhom
when his A-Q beat Q-J. Then Merhom got
a little more than that back from Chui
when he re-raised all in with A-6 and
outdrew Chui's A-Q by flopping a six.
At this point, Chui had about 120k while
Merhom and Corpuz had roughly 90k each.
They agreed to chop most of the prize
money and play for the rest. After a dozen
hands had dragged on, they decided to
cut the rounds to 20 minutes. With $1,000
antes and 3-6 blinds,there were numerous
all-in/no-call bets. Finally, when Merhom
opened for 15k with K-J, Corpuz came over
the top all in for $71,900. Meerhom proceeded
to make two pair. Corpuz started to leave,
but was called back when a chip count
showed he had $2,100 left. He won the
next hand ("You're going to torture me,"
he said), but went broke the hand after
that with 7-6 to Merhom's K-6.
Merhom now had a tiny lead over Chui.
They played three hands, with blinds at
4-8k, and Chui retook the lead. They then
agreed to an even chop with one hand for
the trophy. Chui was dealt A-2 and Merhom
5-2. Merhom flopped a five but Chui rivered
an ace, giving him his first tournament
trophy.
Max Shapiro
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