‘ASPIRING
PRO' ROBERT GRAY
WHEELS A WIN IN STUD HI-LO
Describing
himself as an "aspiring pro," Robert Gray
added some impressive credentials to his
portfolio by winning the fifth event of
Hustler Casino's Poker Challenge Cup,
7-card stud hi-lo, with a last-hand wheel.Gray,
from Silver Springs, Maryland, formerly
owned a small cellular phone business
and signed on as a prop at the Hustler
Casino just a few days ago. He has had
other wins at Tunica and Atlantic City,
but tonight's top prize of $8,190 is his
biggest cash-out yet. His best games,
he said, are 7-card stud high and hold'em.
His
final opponent was John Inashima, best
known for his extremely conservative play
and for not giving anything away. Gray
picked up on that and played super-aggressively
against him. "He would lay down a lot
of hands when he already had $4,000 or
$5,000 in the pot," Gray noted. Once I
even raised blind against him."
Finishing third was Chris "The Armenian
Express" Grigorian, a local journeyman
pro with numerous wins to his credit.
Gray said he was relieved when Chris departed
because he found him to be a much more
aggressive and tougher opponent.
The
final table was called to order after
Danfield Eudel busted out in ninth place.
After hanging on short-chipped for several
hands, he was low carded with 7-5/3, and
had to throw in his last $125. He made
nothing and lost to Gray's two pair.
Final table limits started at $800 and
$1,600 with $100 antes and a low-card
bring-in of $200. In early action, Henry
Fereguson was all in on fifth street.
He had 3-4-5-7 against Leandro Alvarez'
3-4-5-6. "Does that mean I'm winning?"
he cracked. No, but he eventually got
a split when he paired and Alvarez made
a 6-4 low.
Some 25 minutes into the next round, with
limits of $1,000-$2,000, two players got
eliminated on consecutive hands. Inashima
had just taken a slight lead when Glenn
Smith and Hustler casino floorman Bill
Moy got involved in a pot. Smith started
with split fours and made two pair, but
Moy, starting with pocket 10s, made a
flush on the river. Smith departed with
$420.
Next, Ferguson raised all in on fifth
street for $2,100 with pocket kings. Alvarez,
who had started with A-3/6, proceeded
to catch two more treys and then an ace
to fill up andsend Ferguson home with
$420.
Immediately
after limits were kicked up to $1,500
and $3,000 with $200 blinds and a $500
bring-in, two more players fell by the
wayside. First out was Alvarez, who was
crushed by Inashima's six-high straight.
He got $840 for finishing sixth. Next
out was Moy. Holding split aces, he went
all in on fifth street, but ran into rolled-up
kings held by Jay Helfert, who owns the
billiard parlor at Hollywood Park Casino.
Moy's cash-out was for $1,050.
A
few hands later, Inashima re-raised and
his two opponents folded. "Maybe I shouldn't
have raised," he said ruefully as he turned
up rolled-up 10s. A reasonable assumption,
since a re-raise by John Inashima would
cause the bravest of players to turn pale.
A very long and very boring time then
passed as pots were split and chips moved
back and forth, a typical scenario with
stud hi-lo. Finally, with blinds of $2,000
and $4,000, Helfert, down to $1,000, went
all in but survived in three-way action
with aces full. A hand later, though,
he went all in again holding 10-8/A-4-10
and couldn't make anything more.. Inashima
had 2-4/4-87 and ended up sinking the
pool room owner in the corner pocket with
4s and deuces. Four place was worth $1,385.
Two
hours had passed since the final table
started, and now the three finalists began
another marathon. By now Gray had taken
a good lead with about $39,000, while
his two opponents each had a little over
$20,000.
By
the time limits went to $3,000-$6,000
with $500 antes and a $1,000 bring-in,
Gray had increased his lead to about $46,000
and was never headed after that. At one
point, Inashima went all in with pocket
9s, but they held up. Next it was Chris'
turn to put in all his chips, but the
Armenian Express survived with pocket
jacks.
Chris
finally succumbed when, low-chipped, he
was forced to go all in with just a pair
of sevens and some low cards. He couldn't
improve and was crushed when gray started
with pocket aces and caught a third bullet.
Third place was worth $2,100 to the Armenian
Express. Heads-up, Gray had a 3-1 chip
edge and, supremely confident, declined
an offer to make a deal.
He
missed a chance to break Inashima by drawing
to 5-6-7-8, but failed to complete his
straight when he caught a king on the
river and the pot was split. But he kept
the pressure on, and Inashima was unable
to build his chips up. Finally, with limits
of $5,000 and $10,000, Inashima, down
to about $6,000, was on the ropes. On
the last hand, he started with 9-10/8
and ended up all in with just two 10s.
Gray, with 5-8/2-4-Q-A, squeezed his last
card. It was a trey, giving him a wheel
and victory.
Max Shapiro
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