Greek
Stages Dramatic
Come From Behind Victory
The
next to last event at each Jack Binion
World Poker Open is the $300 No-Limit
Texas Holdem event (with re-buys). This
has become a tradition at the tournament,
as players from virtually every economic
background and level of experience flow
in Tunica, MS for the last weekend before
the main event -- which starts tomorrow.
After nearly ten hours of play, the nine
finalists took their seats at the final
table that was sure to go late into the
night.
Richard
Moore was the first player to be eliminated.
The Florida retiree collected $3,073 for
ninth place.
Minh
Nguyen, who plays frequently on the tournament
circuit was the next player to exit. Nguyen,
from the Lake Elsinore, CA area received
$3,726 for eight place. Nguyen also has
a number of tournament victories, including
a win at the World Series of Poker. He
finished 11th in the main event last year,
as well.
Norm
Ketchum's name comes up often on payout
lists at the JBWPO. He has made the money
several times in the past and earned $4,657
in this event for his seventh-place finish.
Daniel
S. Deusecsery, a business owner from Farmington,
AR finished in sixth place and received
$6,520.
Ron
Faltinsky, from Montebello, CA finished
fifth. Faltinsky, who distributes vitamins,
was the winner of an event at the LA Poker
Classic, last year. He added $8,383 to
his poker bankroll.
Tom
Pack came in fourth. The Tulsa, OK poker
player collected $11,177.
Gary
Wahl, from Riverside, CA was the third-place
finisher. He received $17,697.
The
heads up finale was an all-Mediterranean
affair. Avner "Pappa" Levy, a former tennis
pro originally from Israel faced off against
Vassilios Maniotis, from North Carolina
by way of Greece. Levy began play with
a 4 to 1 chip lead, which evaporated quickly
over the next 20 minutes as Maniotis won
a number of key pots.
Incredibly,
Maniotis won just about every major pot
when play became two-handed and gradually
took the chip lead. Levy lost a number
of hands, calling with Ace-high and non-paired
hole cards, and was dismayed several times
to see Maniotis holding a pair. About
45 minutes into heads up play, the Greek
had a commanding 6 to 1 chip lead. The
key hand took place when Levy had pocket
10s and was rivered by Maniotis when he
caught a Jack on the river � good for
the higher pair. That was the turning
point of the tournament.
The
final hand of the tournament came at 1:25
am:
Maniotis
-- J-10
Levy -- 6-2
Down
6 to 1 and playing at limits of $10K-20K,
Levy (with about $50K left) raised on
the come after the flop came 7-5-4. Levy
needed to catch a 3 or an 8 for the straight.
Maniotis called and caught a Jack on the
turn, which left Levy down to a single
card. A blank Ace fell on the river, locking
up a victory for Maniotis.
Avner
"Pappa" Levy, who won the No-Limit event
at last year's JBWPO, was denied his chance
to win a second gold and diamond bracelet.
He received $35,394 as the runner up.
Vassilios
Maniotis is a restaurant owner originally
from Greece. He received $69,925 as the
winner of Event #19.
The
championship event begins tomorrow at
12 noon. First prize is guaranteed to
be $1 million.
-- by Nolan Dalla
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