1. Hoang Ta $33,815 2. Hasan Habib 3. John Myung 4. Charlie "Scotty Warbucks" Shoten 5. Hassan Kamoei 6. Stan Goldstein 7. Alan Bernstein 8. Manolito Navarro 9. Angie Cortese

HOANG TA WINS OMAHA/8 AFTER
INSIDE STRAIGHT KEY HAND WIN

Car salesman/poker player Hoang Ta must have a natural talent for Omaha hi-lo. He's only played the game three times in tournaments, and won twice. The first time was at the Hall of Fame in 2002, and now in tonight's $500 event, the fourth for LAPC XIII.

The key hand that vaulted him into a big lead over runner-up Hasan Habib was a head-scratcher. Habib, the leader to that point, held 10-10-J-7, and a flop of 1094 gave him top set. The flop was then five-bet. As Ta kept calling for a diamond, an A came, and then a 7. Ta didn't have diamonds, but the seven made a scoop straight for his K-10-8-6 rag hand, much to the consternation of Habib, who didn't see how Ta could put so many bets into an inside straight draw. Ta later explained that he had put Habib on a low draw (a questionable assessment with two big cards on the flop) and was trying to force him out.

Whatever the rationale, it gave him $140,000 of the $178,000 in play and he went on to a first-place finish that paid $33,815, along with the keepsake Remington trophy. Ta has a number of other titles at Commerce, including a prior LAPC win in 7-stud.

The final table started at level 11,with limits of $1,600-$3,200 and 41:20 left. That level consisted mostly of escape acts, with several players going all in and surviving. The star actor was Alan Bernstein, a poker player/investor/computer consultant whose specialty is $20-$40 stud. He sat down with only $4,400, then made a straight and next a flush to stay in contention.

Less fortunate was Angie Cortese, a casino coordinator at Hawaiian Gardens who taught tournament director Cheri Dokken how to be a dealer. She got caught in three-way action and in a capped pot went all in with K-J-3-4. The board missed her entirely as Hassan Kamoei, making his second straight final table, took low, while Manolito Navarro's pocket aces won high.

Soon after limits went to $2,000-$4,000, Navarro exited in eighth place after John Myung, starting with A-2-4-Q, made queens-up and a number two low on a board of 7-5-2-10-Q.

Myung, who got $1 million for winning the Showdown at the Sands this past November, took the chip lead with $81,500 after he won a big pot against Charlie "Scotty Warbucks" Shoten. Shoten tried a river bet into a board of J-2-2-9-4 with three spades, then folded when Myung raised. Shoten himself had a terrific year in 2003 with four wins and four seconds in 18 final tables. He also has the first of two articles on mental preparation in the current Poker Player newspaper. The advice, said Sirous Bagchehsarai, helped him win last night's big no-limit event.

After surviving five all-ins, Bernstein finished seventh. On hand 36 he flopped a set of aces, but Habib, holding A-3-4-K, hit a wheel on the turn. Pro player Stan Goldstein busted out one hand later. In the small blind with A-K-9-8, he managed to make two pair on a board of 876K6, not much use against Ta's flush along with Myong's nut low.

A hand later, Habib made a gift to Ta when he check-raised a board of K95. "Good call," he quipped when Ta called with the nut flush. "I almost fell out of my chair," Ta replied. A few hands later, Kamoei, with 2-3-8-Q, bet all in when the flop came 3-3-K-J. "You're drawing dead," Habib told him as he showed treys full of kings.

With four players left and $3,000-$6,000 limits, Habib scooped Ta with a nut low and trip sixes to take a $75,000 lead. Soon after, Myung moved into a virtual tie with a flush and nut low scoop of his own.

Shoten ran out of chips on hand 61. Holding A-4-7-8, he went all in on a board of A-6-Q-10. A river 4 gave him aces-up and an eight-low, but it also gave Habib a flush and Ta a better low.

Ta had earlier taken a lot of chips from Myung with jacks full. Then,on hand 62, Myung held A-A-8-10. The flop was J97. Ta bet and Myung raised all in with his straight. Ta already had a flush, and for good measure made a full house to leave Myung in third place.

Heads-up, Habib held a lead of 96,000 in chips to Ta's 82,000. After a chip-count deal, the two engaged in a lengthy, 39-hand battle for the title and trophy. By the time limits went to $4,000-$8,000, Habib had about 126,000 in chips and looked like he was on his way to victory. Ta eventually caught up, then fell back.

The 82nd deal brought that strange hand where Ta made the surprise river straight to outrun Habib's top set and take a big lead. A few hands later Habib flopped a set of aces, then filled to increase his lead. On the last hand, Ta held 863Q to Habib's 47JK. A flop of Q109 gave Habib a straight and Ta queens and a diamond draw. The pot was capped and Habib went all in, only to see a J give Ta a flush, the pot and the win.

-- by Max Shapiro

2004 L.A. Poker Classic