LA Poker Classic - Event #14 - $1,000 buy in Limit Holdem
As the PPT played out in the background, the final table of Event #14 was starved for space. Much like Event # 13 the night before, this final table was wedged into a bunch of super satellite tables, with a few single table satellites thrown in.
The focus was nearly all on the PPT event though, so it allowed the Limit Holdem final table to sort of blend in to the background, and allowed the participants to focus on the task at hand, and go after the top prize of $77,880.
The story of this table was not “What can Brown do for you?” (a UPS advertising slogan), but “What can Brown do TO you?” Scotty Brown started his third final table of this LAPC with only 11,000 chips, and was the short stack at the table. Clearly of a mind to come out swinging, Brown was in almost every pot from the start. After ten hands, Brown’s 11,000 had become 30,000, and it was time to do another lap. By the time the second orbit of hands had completed, Scotty had 60,000 chips, and was the chip leader. It was as significant a rush to begin a tournament as I have ever seen. Brown was off to the races, and the race today would truly go to the swift.
The first player eliminated was Craig Hartigan, who was eliminated by Brown, naturally. Scotty called a raise from Hartigan to see a flop with A7. The flop came A6A, and Brown liked his hand. Hartigan was short stacked, and had no choice but to play his QQ to the river. Brown’s trips were the winner, and Craig Hartigan was our 10th place finisher. Craig picked up $2,526, and left.
Next to go was Derek Bukowski. Derek was also short, and chose to go all the way with his Q9. Untimely for him was that Jan Slavik had A10 in the big blind, and wanted to see a flop. The flop of A 7 3 pretty much doomed Bukowski, who got up moments later, and collected his 9th place prize money of $3,368.
Jean Roakoz felt really good about his A8, especially when the flop came 8 3 5. What he didn’t know was Scotty Brown had AA, and Roakoz had to put his chips in. No miracle 8 for Roakoz, and he could get up knowing he had just been run over by the Brown Express like the others at the table. Jean Roakoz 8th place, $4,210.
At this point, the table was a story of the haves, and the have-nots. Brown, local pro Yohanes Muruz, and Ching Meng had about 70% of the chips in play, and the other four players combined for the other 30%. The only player of the four who wasn’t completely desperate was Jan Slavik. The three critical short stacks all went out in the next ten minutes.
Mikey Nguyen had survived for about 20 hands with just enough to make two bets. But, Mikey knew he had to pick a hand, and when he saw a flop for free in the big blind, he liked what he saw. Mikey was holding QJ, and the flop came AQ8. Mikey felt that the time to throw his last bet in was now. Bad timing for Mikey, as Ching Meng had A8, two pair, and all of Mikey’s chips. Mikey Nguyen finished 7th place, and collected $5,262 in prize money.
Vinny Landrum felt good enough about his AJ to commit his remaining chips to the pot. The flop was 9KJ, which wasn’t great, but wasn’t awful either. Muruz, however, loved the flop as his 99 made a set. That set Landrum up for the inevitable walk of shame to the desk. This walk of shame was a lot less shameful, as Landrum picked up 6th place prize money of $7,367 at the end of his walk.
Muruz kept the hits coming, and decided to call Luis Sanchez’ desperation all in holding 9 3 because he was getting four to one to make the call. It turned out to be a good call as Luis had AJ, but both of Muruz’ cards were live, and one of them hit, as the flop came 387. No savior for Luis on the turn, or river and he was out with a 5th place finish, and had $9,472 to show for it.
Now the really small stacks were gone, and it was time to play for a while. Muruz crippled Jan Slavik the hand before by taking nearly all of Jan’s chips when Jan chose not to call Yohanes river bet. It was just a matter of time for Jan, who chose to put his remaining chips in with 29. Muruz only had 57 of spades, but again was getting the price. The river 7 sent Jan home, and he picked up $12,629 for his 4th place efforts.
Again, the hand that eliminated the next player followed the hand that crippled them. Ching had just lost a big pot to Scotty when Scotty came back over Ching’s raise with QQ. Ching was only holding J7, and got no help from the board. Ching played well, and earned the $19,997 he got for finishing 3rd place.
Down to heads up, the talk of deal consisted of “You wanna deal?” “Nah, let’s play”, and the two warriors and veteran players decided to play it all the way out. And play it out they did, as I think about 50% of the hands from this point on went to at least a turn card, with lots of money in the middle each time.
At the end of the day it was Scotty making a river straight on Yohanes with a TON of money in the middle, and that was kind of it. From that point, Scotty kept the pressure on, and eventually Yohanes had to go. Final results are below, plus a short interview with the winner. Check back tomorrow, for the final table of the $1,000 Stud event, the last non hold em event of the series.
Final Results
1st - Scotty Brown $77,880
2nd Yohanes Muruz $39,993
3rd Ching Meng $19,997
4th Jan Slavik $12,629
5th Luis Sanchez $9,472
6th Vinny Landrum $7,367
7th Mikey Nguyen $5,262
8th Jean Roakoz $4,210
9th Derek Bukowski $3,368
10th Craig Hartigan $2,526
PN: Do you travel the circuit?
Brown: I play mostly online, I play higher limit online, and then just pick out tournaments that I want to travel to.
PN: What is your preferred site to play at?
Brown: I play mostly at Party Poker.
PN: Do you play tournaments online?
Brown: No. I very rarely play tournaments online, its cash games strictly.
PN: Is this your biggest tournament win to date?
Brown: Yes. I won two tournaments in Reno last year, but yes, this is the biggest one to date.
PN: What is your next travel event?
Brown: I plan on playing more events this year. I’m not sure, I might go to Reno in March, and play in some of those events, or maybe Bay 101, but that is a really short schedule event. I’m really not comfortable buying into a $10,000 event yet. As mostly a limit player, there is a lot of variance in those. Still tough to throw down $10,000 for one tournament
PN: Where do you live?
Brown: I live in Shelby Township, MI. It’s a suburb of Detroit.
PN: Have you thought of moving to Vegas, or here to Los Angeles?
Brown: I have thought a few times about moving to California, maybe to the San Diego area because it would make the travel easier. But its tough because I still have family in Michigan, and that’s still home to me.
PN: What did you do for a living?
Brown: I worked for an IT company, and I would travel a lot. So, I would wind up working during the day on the road, then playing cards at a card club at night, then get up, and do it all over again.
PN: Where are you going to put the trophy?
Brown: I guess I will have to go get a trophy case to put it in.
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