Former software developer Pat Poels wins WSOP $1500 Limit Omaha High-Low event
Former software developer turned professional poker player Pat Poels of Mesa, Arizona outlast a field of 699 players to win the World Series of Poker (WSOP) $1500 buy-in Limit Omaha High-Low Eight-or-Better Event at the Rio Pavilion Convention Center.
Poels earned $270,100, a record first prize for a land-based Omaha High-Low tournament, and the coveted gold bracelet.
Poels, who had played over 2000 hours of poker each year since 2001, quit his software development job in April to play poker full time.
"My wife is the one who pushed me into it," said the 37-year-old father of three to WSOP Media Director Nolan Dalla after the tournament, which ended at approximately 3:30am.
In a heads-up battle that lasted 29 hands, Poels eliminated John Lukas of Las Vegas on Hand 191. With limits at 15000-30000, Poels raised from the button and Lukas called. Both checked the flop of Kc 6s 6h. Lukas bet the turn card of Ts and Poels called. Lukas put his remaining 5000 chips all-in on the river when the 8d hit the board and Poels called instantly, turning over 9d 7c 8c 5h for a 10-high straight. Lukas could only produce two-pair when he turned over Tc 8s Js 9h.
Lukas receives $139,870 for his 2nd place finish.
Poels survived elimination several times during the first day of play during level 6 with limits at 300-600, coming back from being down to 300 chips at the start of level 6 to being 6th position out of 22 at the end of Day 1. He started the final table of 10 in 5th position and built his chip stack while other players faltered.
Jeff Duvall of London, England was one of the players who faltered down the stretch. Duvall lost 285000 chips during the first 6 hands of play at the 15000-30000 limits to finish in 3rd place.
Duvall was eliminated on Hand 162 by Lukas. In a 3-way unraised pot, Duvall bet the flop of 5c Tc Jh and both Poels and Lukas called. Duvall called his last 20000 chips all-in after Lucas bet the turn card of 2d. With the Td on the river, Duvall's two pair of Tens and Fives with a Queen was outkicked by Lukas, who made two pair of Tens and Fives with a King.
Duvall took home $77,170 for finishing 3rd.
Bahram Kianfar of Palm Desert, California lost most of his chips on Hand 148 against Poels. Poels raised under the gun and Kianfar called. On the flop of Ks js 3d, Kianfar bet, Poels raised, and Kianfar called. Kianfar check-called bets by Poels on the turn card of Kh and on the river card of 2h. Poels turned over Kc Jh 8h Ah to make Kings Full of Jacks while Kianfar mucked his hand claiming that he could only make three-of-a kind.
Kianfar was eliminated in 4th place on Hand 152 by Duvall when Kianfar went all-in for his remaining 25000 chips holding Kd 9c 4s 2c against Duvall's Ah Kc 7d Tc. The board of As Kh 9s Qc 7s made Aces and Kings or Duvall against Kings and Nines for Kianfar.
Poker pros "Minneapolis" Jim Meehan and Dan Heimuller were eliminated in consecutive hands at the 10000-20000 limits.
The colorful Meehan was eliminated in 6th place on Hand 122 by Duvall. Meehan raised to open before the flop and Duvall called from the big blind. On the flop of 4d 8c 3c, Duball bet, Meehan raised, and Duvall called. Meehan call his remaining 5000 chips on the turn card of 3h. Duvall turned over 8h 3s Tc 2h for Eights Full of Treys and a possible low draw while Meehan turned over Ah 7c Qh 4h. The Ac on the river gave Duvall a better 7-4-3-2-A low against Meehan's 8-7-4-3-A low to allow Duvall the scoop the pot. Meehan departed with a prize of $48,230.
Heimuller was eliminated on Hand 123. Kianfar raised to open before the flop and both Lukas and Heimuller called. On the flop of Kc 7s 5h, Heimuller checked, Kianfar bet, Lucas called, and Heimuller called. Heimuller called his remaining 5000 chips all-in on the turn card of 4c. Lucas bet and Kainfar called on the river card of Th. Kianfar made two-pair Kings and Tens with Kd Td Ad 4s, Lukas had nut low with Ah 2d 3c 4d, and Heimuller showed 2s 3h 8s Kh before mucking his hand. Heimuller earned $57,875 for his 5th place finish.
Darrell Dicken of Waterloo, Iowas, who started the final table with the chip lead, was bluffed out of a pot on Hand 62 by Duvall at the 6000-12000 limits. Duvall raised to open before the flop, Dicken called, and Kianfar called. On the flop of 2h Qh Td, Duvall bet and both Dicken and kianfar called. Duvall bet the turn card of 6h, Dicken raised, Kianfar folded, and Duvall called. When the scare card of Th hit the board on the river, Duvall bet and Dicken folded. Duvall turned over A-2-3-4 for a complete bluff.
Dicken then lost a big pot to Duvall at the 8000-16000 limits on Hand 79. Dicken raised to open before the flop and Duvall called from the big blind. Duvall check-called Dicken bet the flop of 8h 2h 3c and Duvall check-called Dicken's bet the turn with the Tc. Duvall bet the river card of 3d and Dicken called. Duvall made three-of-a-kind with As 3s 5s Kh and an 8-5-3-2-A low while Dicken could only produce A-A-Q-J for two pair with no low.
Dicken was eliminated by Meehan on hand 81 when Dicken went all-in from the small blind with his remaining 16000 chips and Meehan called from the big blind. Dicken's Ah 2s 7h 9d missed both the low draw and an open-ended straight draw on the flop of 8h 3c Tc when the Th hit the board on the turn and the Qs fell on the river. Meehan produced As 6s 9s 9c for two pair Tens and Nines.
Dicken exited with a prize of 38,585.
Boris Shats of Los Angeles lost most of his chips on Hand 37 with limits at 5000-10000. Kianfar and Dicken called before the flop, Shats raised from the big blind, and both Kianfar and Dicken called. On a flop of As 2c Tc, Dicken checked, Shats bet, Kianfar raised, Dicken re-raised, Shats called, and Kianfar called. When the turn card of Qc hit the board, Dicken bet, Shats called, Kianfar raised, Dicken called, and Shats folded. Dicken checked the river card of 4s, Kianfar bet, and Dicken folded to yield the pot of 130000 to Kianfar.
Shats was eliminated in 8th place on Hand 45 with limits at 6000-12000. Heimiller raised to open, Lukas called, Shats re-raised from the big blind, Heimiller and Lukas both called. On the flop of 4c 9s Qd, Shats bet, Heimiller raised, Lukas folded, and Shats called for a total of 7000. Heimiller turned over Ad Qh 9d 4s for two-pair while Shats turned over As Ah 6d Td. Sharts cold not improve on the turn with the 7h and the river with the Ts. Shats collected $28.940 for his 8th place finish.
The two short stacks at the 10-handed final table were eliminated in successive hands played at limits of 4000-8000.
French poker pro Pascal Perrault was eliminated in 10th place on Hand 5 by Dicken. Dicken put Perrault's remaining 13000 all-in after a series of raises and re-raises before the flop. Dicken's Jc Jd 5s 4h scooped the pot against Perrault's Qs 6s 3h 2h on a board of 2h 8h 9h As Kd. Perrault exited the tournament with $10,610.
Southern California-based poker pro Minh Nguyen was eliminated in 9th place on Hand 6 by Meehan. Nguyen raised before the flop and Meehan called from the big blind. On a flop of Js 9h 6c, Meehan put Nguyen's remaining 14000 all-in after a series of raises and re-raises. Meehan showed 9s 6s Tc 8h for two-pair while Nguyen showed Ac Qs Qh Jc for one pair of Queens. Nguyen got no help from the 5h on the turn and the 4d on the river. Nguyen earned $19,290.
WSOP Event 5 $1500 Limit Omaha High-Low Eight-or-Better Final Table Results
Place Player Hometown Prize
1 Pat Poels Mesa, Arizona $270,100
2 John Lukas Las Vegas, Nevada $139,870
3 Jeff Duvall London, England $77,170
4 Bahram Kianfar Palm Desert, California $67,525
5 Dan Heimiller Plymouth, Michigan $57,875
6 Jim Meehan Minneapolis, Minnesota $48,230
7 Darrell Dicken Waterloo, Iowa $38,585
8 Boris Shats Los Angeles, California $28,940
9 Minh Nguyen Lake Elsinore, California $19,290
10 Pascal Perrault Paris, France $10,610
