The
'Grey Ghost' Scares up a Win
In Event Number 8, Omaha Hi-Lo
Combining running patter with astute
play, a seasoned Vegas pro who prefers
the anonymity of "The Grey Ghost" as his
nom de guerre captured the eighth event
of Grand Slam of Poker, Omaha hi-lo.
After the two prior marathons, this event
ended at the civilized hour of 1:15 a.m.
when the four remaining players agreed
to a chip-count chop. At that point, the
Ghost had $34,500 to about $25,000 for
Johnny Loi, $23,000 for Rocky Enciso and
$18,000 for Terry Jenkins. The Ghost allowed
his three opponents to compete for the
trophy. They agreed to a showdown hand
of hold'em, which was won by Jenkins,
a shoe salesman.
Opening limits at the final table were
$600-$1,200 with 11:29 remaining. Tournament
coordinator Warren Karp reminded the players
that Robert "Chip-Burner" Turner, who
finished 10th was out, "so you can play
your normal game," he said.
As play continued, veteran player Bertrand
"Frenchy" Leroux made the hand of the
night, a straight flush wheel, but it
was good for only 3/4 of the pot against
Sam Samusi's wheel.
Hand 17 was a very important one for Chris
"The Armenian Express" Grigorian. First,
Arizona physician Jim Ferrel called with
his last $500 chip holding A-2-4-K. The
flop of Qc-6c-10d was checked down by
the Ghost and Grigorian. When a 10c turned,
the Ghost bet and Chris made a reluctant
call with his last $1,300. He and the
Ghost both had flushes, but Chris's was
higher. He scooped, stayed in action,
eventually moved up three more notches
and picked up enough points to move into
a tie with David Levi in the best all-around
race. Doc Ferrel, meanwhile, was flat-lined
in ninth place.
On hand 23, right after blinds moved up
to $1,500-$3,000, Frenchy took on the
Ghost. With the board showing 10-7-6-8,
the Ghost bet and Frenchy raised all in
for $2,700 more. Frenchy had A-4-Q-K and
the Ghost, with A-3-5-6 had him beat both
ways at that point with a better low and
a paired six. A river four gave the Ghost
a straight. He said "Boo!" and Frenchy
said "Adieu."
Going all in for a second time on hand
29, Grigorian had three-way action. The
board showed 5-5-4-5-2. Chris had A-3-6-Q,
and his wheel and six-high straight was
good for a scooper.
"I'm back in business," the Armenian Express"
exclaimed. Chris proceeded to go all in
two more times, once getting away with
a split, the next time scooping Sanusi
and Jenkins with a nut low and paired
queen.
On the next hand, Jenkins bet out into
a board of K-Q-4-7-10. Sanusi, who missed
his flush draw, still had kings and 10s
and hesitantly called with his last chips.
The shoe salesman showed Sam a Broadway
straight and gave him the boot into seventh
place.
After a valiant battle, the Armenian Express
finally got derailed on hand 46. Two off
the button, he raised with A-4-5-8 and
two spades.
With a board of K-9-6-Q and two spades,
Loi bet. With draws to a flush and a gut-shot
straight, Chris put in his last $800 and
went off the tracks when another six hit
the river.
With five left, the phantom led the pack
with about 35k. Loi, Enciso and Jenkins
all were in the 20k range, while survival
specialist John Inashima was hanging on
with 5k. Inashima, who does not have the
reputation of being the loosest player
in the world, made history of sorts in
an earlier Grand Slam tournament when
he laid down pocket kings in a jammed
pot and missed making quads. But caution
paid off in yesterday's tournament, he
hastened to say, when at one point he
mucked pocket queens and escaped running
into a straight flush.
In any event, even Inashima could do only
so much with a single chip, managing to
stay alive one time. He had A-2-J-K and
still made a six low after being counterfeited,
splitting with Loi's paired-queen high.
Inashima, as the saying goes, is harder
to kill than a cockroach. Three hands
later he was all in again with A-K-10-8
and made a straight. But Loi used some
pretty powerful roach spray on him: quad
fours!
The four finalists, after brief discussion,
agreed to the chip-count chop. Ghosts
don't need trophies, so the other three
played for it. Jenkins, dealt Q-J, paired
his jack and got the memento along with
his fourth place finish.
Max Shapiro
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