What
a Deal! Derei, Huang and Zhu
agree to Split Prize Money
“Derei,
Huang and Zhu” has a nice ring to
it. Sounds like an international legal
firm or perhaps the senior partners in
an import-export business. On this day,
the three poker elites decided to make
a deal at the final table and cut up what
was left of an initial $50,000 prize pool.
Because Derei had the most chips when
it became three-handed, he was declared
the ersatz “winner,” which meant
Event #3 at the “Showdown at the
Sands” came to quick if uneventful
conclusion. And so, play was suspended
slightly more than 12 hours after play
started with 88 entries.
Antes
at the final table started at $300. Limits
were $2,000-$4,000.
The
first bust-out occurred exactly one hour
into play. Kimberly H. Bye, from Arizona,
made a flush (no low), which was topped
by Asher Derei's full house. Bye waved
"bye" to the crowd and received
$1,250 for eighth-place.
Following
a short break, the limits increased to
$3,000-$6,000. Two short-stacked players
quickly hit the rail. Living poker legend,
Men "The Master" Nguyen survived
four all-ins before his good fortune finally
ran out. Men the Master was forced to
put his final chip into the pot and missed
his draw, busting out in seventh place.
Men The Master, who may very well be the
most successful tournament player in the
world over the past 15 years, added $1,750
to his tournament winnings.
Farzad
N. Rouhani had a very disappointing experience
at the final table. Rouhani repeatedly
started off with strong cards, often showing
A-3, 2-4, and other assorted low cards,
which define "playable" hands
in stud high-low. Then after a series
of bets, Rouhani frequently caught bricks
on subsequent rounds, effectively destroying
each of his strong starting hands. Rouhani's
stack was hammered down to only a few
thousand, when he was finally eliminated
85 minutes into the final table. Rouhani,
who has won major events at the World
Poker Open previously, collected $2,250
for sixth place.
"Jo
Jo" Cutri arrived low on chips, but
was able to move a few spots up the prize
money ladder. His remaining chips went
into the pot on two pair, which fell to
Asher Derei's flush. Cutri, a salesman
from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, received
$2,750 for fifth place.
By
this time, Derei had rocketed up into
the chip lead. He increased his advantage
when he knocked out Carlo DiCristofaro
a short time later. DiCristofaro made
two pairs (tens up), which was cracked
by Derei's higher two-pair (jacks-up).
DiCristofaro, a basketball coach, collected
$3,500 and was bounced out in fourth place.
Down to the final three players, Derei
held the chip lead with $99.5K versus
David Zhu's $55K and Weigang Huang's $65K.
At this point, the three remaining players
decided to cut a deal. The $33,500 that
remained in the prize pool was divided
according to chip counts. Derei took "first
place," and Huang and Zhu finished
second and third respectively.
David
Zhu, the third-place finisher, is from
Toronto. Weigang Huang, local a professional
poker player who lives in Atlantic City,
took second. Exact terms of the financial
agreement were no disclosed – although
there was $33,500 at stake.
While dealmaking remains a controversial
practice -- and is certainly contrary
to the competitive spirit -- as long as
players continue to pay their own buy-ins
exclusively, dealmaking will remain a
frequent occurrence in tournament poker.
The Sands Casino did not endorse nor sanction
the deal, but merely allowed the players
to discontinue playing once all players
were satisfied with the financial arrangement.
The
winner, Asher Derei is no stranger to
the winner’s circle. Derei won a
gold and diamond bracelet at the World
Poker Open earlier this year and has won
many other major tournaments in his impressive
poker career. The Israeli native, who
now lives in Southern California congratulated
the “runners-up,” and departed
the room with a smile.
-- by Nolan Dalla
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