7-STUD
SPECIALIST ANTONIO
TURRISI IS NO-LIMIT WINNER
Antonio
Turrisi's game of choice is 7-card stud,
and he has won several European titles
in Austria (at Bregennz and Velden) and
elsewhere playing stud. But tonight he
tried a different game and came out on
top in the fifth event of the 2003 St.
Maarten Open, $1,000 no-limit hold'em.
Turrisi is from Italy, owns a restaurant
in Germany, and spends a great deal of
time on the tournament circuit.
Actually,
his win tonight was something of a technicality,
because the three final players were all
close to even when they made a chip count
deal. Turrisi, with $105,500 in chips,
had just $2,000 more than runner-up Dave
Michelson, a caddy from Madison, Ohio.
Michelson, making his second final table
cash-out, is primarily a cash-game player,
but said he couldn't resist the deal at
St. Maartens. "I'm starting to like
tournaments," he said. "Where's
the next island?" Finishing third
with $93,000 was Albert Alshamn of Sweden,
who makes his living playing cash games
online, and has also won a few small tournaments.
This
was a two-day tournament. Earlier on the
first day, there was a second freeroll
for five more seats into this event. Winners
were John Burberry, Benjamin Hannuna,
Mika Puro, Christoph Wolters and Kassabian
Sarkis.
The
no-limit final table got underway at level
12, with $400 antes and blinds of $1,200
and $2,400, with 26:58 remaining in the
40-minute round. Alshamn started as chip
leader with $49,500, with Michelson close
behind with $48,100. On the third hand,
Alshamn raised to $7,000 with A-Q and
Fari Badimansour moved in from the button
for $19,700 holding A-10. The board didn't
help him and Badimnansour finished ninth.
Not
much had changed when blinds went to $1,500-$3,000
with $500 antes.
Turrisi, who started in average chip position,
raised all in for $28,000 on hand 14 and
doubled up when his pocket kings held
up. Alshamn had As-Qs and flopped a flush
draw, but couldn't connect. Two hands
later, Farina Valter was down to his last
$4,000 and put it in with Ac-9s. He too
had a flush draw when three spades flopped,
but he also missed and lost to Marcel
Luske's A-K when the board helped nobody.
As
play continued, the usual no-limit pattern
of all-in moves with no calls was being
played out. There was finally a showdown
on hand 21. Markus Golser of Austria had
pocket 10s and opened for $8,000. Turrisi
moved in with pocket kings, Golser called
for his last $27,000 and then finished
seventh when the board came A-K-Q-3-6.
With
blinds of $2,000-$4,000 and $500 antes,
Marcel Luske, who has his second European
player of the year title locked up, was
down to about $23,000 and asked for a
volunteer to double him up. A couple of
hands later, after he had lost some more
chips, Graeme "Kiwi" Putt obliged.
After Turrisi raised to $8,000, Luske
moved in for $12,500 with pocket 10s,
and then "Kiwi" called with
pocket sixes. The board showed A-3-2-Q-4,
Luske had doubled up, and he didn't even
thank his benefactor.
Alshamn
got lucky on hand 42. With all the players
folding to his small blind, he tried a
steal by moving in with just 9c-3c. Tony
Hakki of London called with A-5, and Alshamn
was saved when three clubs hit the board.
A
few hands later, Hakki got even luckier.
This time he was the one in the small
blind, and he tried a similar all-in steal
with 10-7. Luske called with A-2. A flop
of A-K-J seemed to leave Hakki's only
out being a queen for an inside straight.
Instead a 10-7 came to give him a miracle
two pair. But no miracle saved him a few
hands later when he moved in on the button
with Q-10. Marcel called with A-K, which
held up, and Hakki cashed out sixth.
One
hand later, on the 51st deal, Luske, who
is a host for this ISP tournament, followed
Hakki to the cashier.
Alshamn
made a modest trap raise of $8,500 holding
pocket aces and Luske moved in for a total
of about $25,000 with Ah-10h. With a board
of Q-9-9-9, only another nine could give
him a split. Close, but a river eight
didn't count, and Luske ended up fifth.
On
the next hand, Graeme moved in with the
board showing 7d-6-d-5h-6h-8d, meaning
he could have a straight, a flush or even
a full house. Turrisi stood up and pondered
at length. "You have a straight,"
he finally announced, folding and showing
he had a four for the ignorant end. In
return, Kiwi showed a trey and mucked
his other card, to everyone's amusement,
except possibly Turrisi's.
Blinds
now went to $3,000-$6,000, with $1,000
antes. A rough count showed Turrisi leading
with about $100,000, followed by Alshamn
with about $75,000, While Michelson had
around $70,000 and Putt trailed with about
$50,000.
The
players now began discussing chip-count
deals, but the shorter stacks wouldn't
go along and play continued. After another
13 hands of play, Putt, on the button,
moved in for around $26,000 holding Ah-3d,
and got a quick call from Michelson, who
was in the big blind with pocket aces.
Putt was in big trouble, an 11.5-1 underdog,
and he got no help at all from a board
of J-9-7-4-5.
With
the field down to three, the chip count
had tightened considerably. This time
there was no debate as the three finalists
readily agreed to a chip-count deal. Turrisi
was declared the winner, proving that
he could play something besides 7-card
stud.
-- by Max Shapiro
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