Post by jdaddy on Jan 12, 2008 15:39:00 GMT -4
2007-2008 WSOP Circuit, Tunica, Event 5 ($500 Omaha hi/lo) Results
JANUARY 10,2008 - 10:30:45 AM PST
by: WSOP Circuit Staff (Bluff Media)
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Split-Game Specialist Chris Reslock Wins O/8; Key Hand, Quads Over Full
Redlock, a Retired Taxi Business Owner and Semi-Pro, Has had Several Prior Six-Figure Tournament Cashes
Tunica, MS--The final match-up of event 5 of the Grand Casino WSOP Circuit event, limit Omaha hi-lo, pitted Martin "Dr. Martello" Berchenko against Chris Reslock. On the 89th hand, Berchenko was dealt A-Q-Q-10. The flop came 7-7-5, and then a queen turned to give Berchenko queens full. It may have seemed a perfect card for him, but it was a perfect disaster, because Reslock had already flopped quad 7s. Berchenko ended up losing half his chips, and couldn't recover as Reslock went on to victory, which brought him $30,860 and the striking gold trophy ring.
It was a friendly rivalry, because the two became pals after playing against each other at Atlantic City and Foxwoods. And, when 22-year-olds seem to routinely win these tournaments, it was rare to have two seniors finish 1-2. Reslock, retired as a taxi business owner, is now a semi-pro with numerous cashes, including $335,235 for winning the $10,000 no-limit Circuit championship in Atlantic City in 2005 and $258,453 for victory in the $5,000 championship stud event at the WSOP last year. He also thinks he was the first to win a pot-limit Omaha hi-lo tournament, which was in 2006 at the Trump Classic. His total lifetime tournament earnings are now close to $1.5 million.
Reslock, 60, is from Atlantic City, married with three children, and learned poker from his grandmother 55 years ago. He's lost count of how many Circuits he has played. He prefers split games like stud and Omaha because he finds them more complex, demanding more sensory input, and simply more interesting. Along with his cash prize, he also won enough last-longer bets tonight to pay for his entry fee. Berchenko was one of his last-longer victims. He wanted Berchenko to stay in action, because it provided an extra challenge, he said. He also enjoys scrabble, backgammon and other competitive games.
This event featured plenty of ups and downs. Most striking was the extraordinary ride of Gregory Giannokostas. He came to the final table with just 38,000 of the 2,070,000 chips in play, fought his way into a sizeable lead, then hit a wall and finished third. Berchenko also had a remarkable run. He was down to one big-blind at one time before roaring back, at one time holding the lead.
The final 10 arrived on day 2 playing with blinds of 8,000-16,000 and 16,000-32,000 limits, 40 minutes on the clock. Arriving as chip leader with 455,000 was Doug Lorgesee, closely followed by Tom Chambers with 446,000.
Here were the starting chip counts
Seat 1. Gregory Giannokostas 37,000
Seat 2. Peter Dawson 264,000
Seat 3. Colin Barton 36,000
Seat 4. Tom Chambers 446,000
Seat 5. Chris Reslock 221,000
Seat 6. Douglas Lorgesee 435,000
Seat 7. Roland Israelashvili 135,000
Seat 8. Brooke Stephens 149,000
Seat 9. Martin Berchenko 150,00
Seat 10.Randall Witt 176,000
Almost down to the felt in early action, Giannokostas played aggressively, and was soon all in and survived three times, once with a chop, then by winning with pocket aces and later with a straight. First out, meanwhile, was Colin "Canuck" Burton of British Columbia, Canada. On the sixth hand he was all in with A-K-10-3. His low was counterfeited but he had two pair when the flop came A-8-3. Starting with a better low of A-2-6-8, Giannokostas instead flopped a higher aces-up, and that was enough to leave Burton in 10th place, paying $1,192.
Burton, 44, is married with one child, learned poker from a friend 20 years ago, and this is his first Circuit. His prior cashes include a win in no-limit at an Alberta championship, and a second in pot-limit Omaha hi-lo at the British Columbia Poker Championships.
Four hands later, Roland "Speedy" Israelashvili was all in with A-K-J-J. He was up against Lorgesee with A-2-8-9. The board came 9d-4d-2h-9c-5d., and once again an A-2 starting low hand made the high, because Lorgesee's 8 and 2 were diamonds, giving him a winning flush. Ninth paid $1,987.
Israelashvili, 49, is a former auto racer turned poker player. Originally from the Republic of Georgia, he now lives in New York City. He taught himself poker 10 years ago, has played numerous Circuits, and his poker highlight is a 37th-place finish in the 2005 WSOP main event.
Limits were now 20,000-40,000. Peter Dawson got low chipped when he folded on a board of 10-7-3-J-7 after Lorgessee bet out. "I went in with the best hand," he shrugged. On the 22nd deal he was all in from the big blind with 2-3-6-7 against Reslock's K-K-10-9. "Three low cards," he requested of the dealer. He got two on a flop of A-K-7-10-J, but that wasn't enough, and he walked off with $2,981 for eighth.
Dawson is 40, from Rolla, Missouri, and married with one child, but that's all the info he cared to provide. .
Players returned from break to blinds of 15,000-30,000, limits of 30,000-60,000. Brooke Stephens, holding 4-4-5-8, flopped an open-ender when the cards came 6-6-3. He had just had a few chips left when a king gave Berchenko, holding K-K-6-2, a full house. Stephens' nickname is "Lucky River," but this river was not very lucky for him. It was a 10, he missed his low draw and finished seventh, worth $3,974.
Stephens, 67, is a retiree from Frisco, Texas and said he has been playing poker a long time..."too long," in fact.
Randall "The Weasel" Witt was making his second final table here, having finished 10th earlier. Tonight he climbed to sixth, paying $4,968. All in on hand 36 with A-5-6-8 and a suited ace, he missed both his low and flush draws, losing to Reslock's pocket queens.
Witt, 52, from Franklin, Tennessee, said he learned poker by "osmosis from Sam Grizzle to Eskimo Clark." He listed his poker highlight as a cash in the 2006 WSOP main event.
On hand 39, Tom Chambers was all in with A-A-5-4 against Berchenko, with K-10-8-3, and Giannokostas, with Q-J-9-5. Berchenko was in the lead with two pair when the board showed K-J-8-6, but Giannokostas did the honors, leaving Chambers in fifth place, when a river 10 gave him a straight. Fifth was worth $5,800. By now, Giannokostas had made an amazing comeback as he eased into the lead.
Chambers, 27, is a poker player from Chicago. He's married, enjoys basketball, and has been playing poker four or five years. His poker highlight was making two final tables at the Gold Strike last year, as well as a couple of WSOP cashes. He plays mostly mid-stakes cash games.
Limits now went to 40,000-80,000. The next player left when Lorgesee, holding A-Q-10-4, made a straight the river when the board came Kh-Js-2c-10c-Jc, only to have Reslock, with As-3h-7c-Qc, beat him with a flush. Fourth paid $6,763.
Lorgesee, 26, is a poker player from Hernando, Mississippi who previously was a bar manager. He's married, taught himself poker eight years ago, and his prior highlight was a win in a "Battle of the Ages" event at the Horseshoe Casino in Tunica last year.
Down to three, Giannokostas now led with about 1.2 million to around 450,000 for Berchenko and 400,000 for Reslock. Berchenko was later down to 40,000 before making a comeback, scooping when he was all in three times, and chopping once. By the time limits went to 50,000-100,000, Giannokostas had dropped way down, and after Berchenko scooped him with a wheel, he was left with 215,000. Four hands later, on the 71st deal, He had A-3-7-8 against Reslock's Q-J-10-3. A board of K-Q-8-10-2 gave Reslock two pair, and Giannokostas' run had ended. Third paid $8,690.
Giannokostas, 31, whose nickname is "TakeMoney," is from Atlanta where he plays in home games. He learned poker from friends 10 years ago. This is his second cash in two Circuit tries.
Heads-up, Reslock had about 1.3 million to 800,000 for Berchenko, but after a dozen hands, the count was reversed. Then came the quads versus full house hand. Berchenko slow-played it when he turned his full house, but the hand was three-bet on the river.
Limits now went to 60,000-120,000. Chips went back and forth, with Reslock slowly eating up Berchenko's supply. When limits became 80,000-160,000, Berchenko folded the first hand on the flop when two big cards came, and was down to 115,000. He put it all in on the next deal with a raise holding A-Q-J-7 to Reslock's 4h-5d-10d-Qd. The board came Kd-9d-2d-8c-Jh, and Reslock's flopped flush got him an Omaha/8 victory--and another last-longer bet win.
Berchenko, 59, is from Woodland Hills, California, has two children, and is an SAG actor and writer, having written two novels and a screenplay. He's been playing 51 years after learning from his cousin Buzzy. He has a 70th in a $1,500 no-limit WSOP event as well a win in a $500 U.S. Poker Championship event. He also holds five basketball foul-shooting championships. His extra-curricular activities were cut back when he had a severe skiing accident three years ago that damaged his legs, and only recently was able to leave his wheelchair.--Max Shapiro
JANUARY 10,2008 - 10:30:45 AM PST
by: WSOP Circuit Staff (Bluff Media)
advertisement
Split-Game Specialist Chris Reslock Wins O/8; Key Hand, Quads Over Full
Redlock, a Retired Taxi Business Owner and Semi-Pro, Has had Several Prior Six-Figure Tournament Cashes
Tunica, MS--The final match-up of event 5 of the Grand Casino WSOP Circuit event, limit Omaha hi-lo, pitted Martin "Dr. Martello" Berchenko against Chris Reslock. On the 89th hand, Berchenko was dealt A-Q-Q-10. The flop came 7-7-5, and then a queen turned to give Berchenko queens full. It may have seemed a perfect card for him, but it was a perfect disaster, because Reslock had already flopped quad 7s. Berchenko ended up losing half his chips, and couldn't recover as Reslock went on to victory, which brought him $30,860 and the striking gold trophy ring.
It was a friendly rivalry, because the two became pals after playing against each other at Atlantic City and Foxwoods. And, when 22-year-olds seem to routinely win these tournaments, it was rare to have two seniors finish 1-2. Reslock, retired as a taxi business owner, is now a semi-pro with numerous cashes, including $335,235 for winning the $10,000 no-limit Circuit championship in Atlantic City in 2005 and $258,453 for victory in the $5,000 championship stud event at the WSOP last year. He also thinks he was the first to win a pot-limit Omaha hi-lo tournament, which was in 2006 at the Trump Classic. His total lifetime tournament earnings are now close to $1.5 million.
Reslock, 60, is from Atlantic City, married with three children, and learned poker from his grandmother 55 years ago. He's lost count of how many Circuits he has played. He prefers split games like stud and Omaha because he finds them more complex, demanding more sensory input, and simply more interesting. Along with his cash prize, he also won enough last-longer bets tonight to pay for his entry fee. Berchenko was one of his last-longer victims. He wanted Berchenko to stay in action, because it provided an extra challenge, he said. He also enjoys scrabble, backgammon and other competitive games.
This event featured plenty of ups and downs. Most striking was the extraordinary ride of Gregory Giannokostas. He came to the final table with just 38,000 of the 2,070,000 chips in play, fought his way into a sizeable lead, then hit a wall and finished third. Berchenko also had a remarkable run. He was down to one big-blind at one time before roaring back, at one time holding the lead.
The final 10 arrived on day 2 playing with blinds of 8,000-16,000 and 16,000-32,000 limits, 40 minutes on the clock. Arriving as chip leader with 455,000 was Doug Lorgesee, closely followed by Tom Chambers with 446,000.
Here were the starting chip counts
Seat 1. Gregory Giannokostas 37,000
Seat 2. Peter Dawson 264,000
Seat 3. Colin Barton 36,000
Seat 4. Tom Chambers 446,000
Seat 5. Chris Reslock 221,000
Seat 6. Douglas Lorgesee 435,000
Seat 7. Roland Israelashvili 135,000
Seat 8. Brooke Stephens 149,000
Seat 9. Martin Berchenko 150,00
Seat 10.Randall Witt 176,000
Almost down to the felt in early action, Giannokostas played aggressively, and was soon all in and survived three times, once with a chop, then by winning with pocket aces and later with a straight. First out, meanwhile, was Colin "Canuck" Burton of British Columbia, Canada. On the sixth hand he was all in with A-K-10-3. His low was counterfeited but he had two pair when the flop came A-8-3. Starting with a better low of A-2-6-8, Giannokostas instead flopped a higher aces-up, and that was enough to leave Burton in 10th place, paying $1,192.
Burton, 44, is married with one child, learned poker from a friend 20 years ago, and this is his first Circuit. His prior cashes include a win in no-limit at an Alberta championship, and a second in pot-limit Omaha hi-lo at the British Columbia Poker Championships.
Four hands later, Roland "Speedy" Israelashvili was all in with A-K-J-J. He was up against Lorgesee with A-2-8-9. The board came 9d-4d-2h-9c-5d., and once again an A-2 starting low hand made the high, because Lorgesee's 8 and 2 were diamonds, giving him a winning flush. Ninth paid $1,987.
Israelashvili, 49, is a former auto racer turned poker player. Originally from the Republic of Georgia, he now lives in New York City. He taught himself poker 10 years ago, has played numerous Circuits, and his poker highlight is a 37th-place finish in the 2005 WSOP main event.
Limits were now 20,000-40,000. Peter Dawson got low chipped when he folded on a board of 10-7-3-J-7 after Lorgessee bet out. "I went in with the best hand," he shrugged. On the 22nd deal he was all in from the big blind with 2-3-6-7 against Reslock's K-K-10-9. "Three low cards," he requested of the dealer. He got two on a flop of A-K-7-10-J, but that wasn't enough, and he walked off with $2,981 for eighth.
Dawson is 40, from Rolla, Missouri, and married with one child, but that's all the info he cared to provide. .
Players returned from break to blinds of 15,000-30,000, limits of 30,000-60,000. Brooke Stephens, holding 4-4-5-8, flopped an open-ender when the cards came 6-6-3. He had just had a few chips left when a king gave Berchenko, holding K-K-6-2, a full house. Stephens' nickname is "Lucky River," but this river was not very lucky for him. It was a 10, he missed his low draw and finished seventh, worth $3,974.
Stephens, 67, is a retiree from Frisco, Texas and said he has been playing poker a long time..."too long," in fact.
Randall "The Weasel" Witt was making his second final table here, having finished 10th earlier. Tonight he climbed to sixth, paying $4,968. All in on hand 36 with A-5-6-8 and a suited ace, he missed both his low and flush draws, losing to Reslock's pocket queens.
Witt, 52, from Franklin, Tennessee, said he learned poker by "osmosis from Sam Grizzle to Eskimo Clark." He listed his poker highlight as a cash in the 2006 WSOP main event.
On hand 39, Tom Chambers was all in with A-A-5-4 against Berchenko, with K-10-8-3, and Giannokostas, with Q-J-9-5. Berchenko was in the lead with two pair when the board showed K-J-8-6, but Giannokostas did the honors, leaving Chambers in fifth place, when a river 10 gave him a straight. Fifth was worth $5,800. By now, Giannokostas had made an amazing comeback as he eased into the lead.
Chambers, 27, is a poker player from Chicago. He's married, enjoys basketball, and has been playing poker four or five years. His poker highlight was making two final tables at the Gold Strike last year, as well as a couple of WSOP cashes. He plays mostly mid-stakes cash games.
Limits now went to 40,000-80,000. The next player left when Lorgesee, holding A-Q-10-4, made a straight the river when the board came Kh-Js-2c-10c-Jc, only to have Reslock, with As-3h-7c-Qc, beat him with a flush. Fourth paid $6,763.
Lorgesee, 26, is a poker player from Hernando, Mississippi who previously was a bar manager. He's married, taught himself poker eight years ago, and his prior highlight was a win in a "Battle of the Ages" event at the Horseshoe Casino in Tunica last year.
Down to three, Giannokostas now led with about 1.2 million to around 450,000 for Berchenko and 400,000 for Reslock. Berchenko was later down to 40,000 before making a comeback, scooping when he was all in three times, and chopping once. By the time limits went to 50,000-100,000, Giannokostas had dropped way down, and after Berchenko scooped him with a wheel, he was left with 215,000. Four hands later, on the 71st deal, He had A-3-7-8 against Reslock's Q-J-10-3. A board of K-Q-8-10-2 gave Reslock two pair, and Giannokostas' run had ended. Third paid $8,690.
Giannokostas, 31, whose nickname is "TakeMoney," is from Atlanta where he plays in home games. He learned poker from friends 10 years ago. This is his second cash in two Circuit tries.
Heads-up, Reslock had about 1.3 million to 800,000 for Berchenko, but after a dozen hands, the count was reversed. Then came the quads versus full house hand. Berchenko slow-played it when he turned his full house, but the hand was three-bet on the river.
Limits now went to 60,000-120,000. Chips went back and forth, with Reslock slowly eating up Berchenko's supply. When limits became 80,000-160,000, Berchenko folded the first hand on the flop when two big cards came, and was down to 115,000. He put it all in on the next deal with a raise holding A-Q-J-7 to Reslock's 4h-5d-10d-Qd. The board came Kd-9d-2d-8c-Jh, and Reslock's flopped flush got him an Omaha/8 victory--and another last-longer bet win.
Berchenko, 59, is from Woodland Hills, California, has two children, and is an SAG actor and writer, having written two novels and a screenplay. He's been playing 51 years after learning from his cousin Buzzy. He has a 70th in a $1,500 no-limit WSOP event as well a win in a $500 U.S. Poker Championship event. He also holds five basketball foul-shooting championships. His extra-curricular activities were cut back when he had a severe skiing accident three years ago that damaged his legs, and only recently was able to leave his wheelchair.--Max Shapiro