| Florida Pro Wins Last Big Pot, Takes Lead and Gets Trophy in 4-Way Deal
Frank Sinopoli of Hollywood, Florida has been playing poker professionally
for four years after leaving the restaurant business. He had six cash-ins and
one final table at the World Series last year, and also has a final table at
the WPT/Costa Rica Classic. He had a fairly easy time of it tonight, arriving
at the final table with the second chip lead and remaining in contention throughout.
On the next-to-the-last hand, he knocked out Nick Mao and hauled in a $106,000
pot to take the lead. One hand later the four finalists made a deal, and he
had his first major win.
At the end, he had 202,000 in chips, followed by Chris Fargis with 184k; Shant
Shahkarami with 142k; and Dennis Waterman with 81k. Afterward, Sinopolis said
he might have liked to play it out, but was happy to lock up more than second
place paid. First place officially was worth $145,711, and second, $74,826.
Waterman, incidentally, was one of the six players to make the final table of
the $500,000 Professional Poker Tour, which will be played and filmed at Commerce
on February 25. Waterman also says he has made more final tables "than
anyone believes," if the Internet and super satellites are included.
Probably the key hand of the tournament involved Fargis, a young poker player
from Brooklyn, and noted pro Mark Seif. Seif started with the chip lead of 122k
and soon hammered his way to 150k. He dipped down some after losing a couple
of hands, and then lost a $215,000 pot to Fargis. Seif, who looked to be the
favorite in early going, now had about 15k left and finished sixth, while Fargis
took the lead and kept it until Sinopoli overtook him at the finish line.
Final table play started with $300 antes and $1,0000-$2,000 blinds, 24:28 left.
There were several all-ins, including a re-raise bluff with 9-5 offsuit by Seif,
but no fatalities until the next level.
Blinds were now $1,500-$3,000. Four hands later brought one of those made-for-TV
hands. Waterman opened for 10k and Paul Pirrone moved in for 24k. Pirrone, with
A-A, was a 87.5 percent favorite over Waterman's K-J.. The board came K-J-8-6,
and now Waterman was an 82 percent favorite. Then, a river ace gave Pirrone
a set and saved him
First out, on a bad beat, was Bob Fulop. On hand 22 he raised all in for $5,500
more on the button with A-Q. Sinoli called with A-6 and flopped a 6. Three hands
later, Andy "Coach" Lambo, a loan broker who used to be a high school
baseball and football coach, was also done in by a 6. Mao raised to 9k with
7h-6h, and Lambo re-raised all in for 13k more with A-5. The coach was still
alive until a river 6 sent him to the sidelines.
And 10 hands later, Steven Simmons, down to about 6k, was one away from the
big blind when he decided to go with his A-9. Sinopoli called with pocket 7s
which did the job when the board came K-Q-8-2-3.
Shahkarami escaped elimination when he moved in for 10.5k with Kd-10d. Seif
called with A-8 and had him until a king hit the river. "Nine lives,"
Sinopoli exclaimed, referring to Shahkarami's survival show the day before.
At the next break, Sinopoli and Seif remained the big leaders with 175 and 155k
respectively, while Waterman and Paul Pirrone were at the bottom. Pirrone, one
of the seven pros at the table, moved in from the button two hands later for
32k with K-9, and Fargis called from the small blind with A-J. Pirrone was pretty
much finished when the flop came A-10-8, and ended up in seventh place.
Seif gave up chips on hand 55 when he raised 12k in the cut-off seat. Mao, a
real estate broker, moved in for 22k more. Seif had A-2 to Mao's pocket queens
and couldn't hit anything.
The next hand spelled disaster for Seif, whose wins include the World Poker
Open, Fiesta al Lago, Borgota, Legends, etc. and many more. He opened for 11.5k
and Fargis made it 34k to go. Seif then moved in, and Fargis called for about
91k. Fargis had A-K to Seif's A-Q. When the board came K-9-8-10, Seif was dead
to a jack for a straight. It didn't come, and Seif was suddenly close to the
cloth, while Fargis jumped into the lead with about 215k.
Seif survived a couple of all ins, but couldn't recover. Seven hands later he
moved in for 22k from the small blind with 7s-6s, ran into Waterman's pocket
kings and finished a disappointing sixth.
When limits went to $3,000-$6,000 with $1,000 antes, Fargis was still in front
with 223k. Next was Sinopoli with 173k; Shahkarami, 125k; Mao, 51k; and Waterman,
37k.
Mao missed a chance to double through when he moved in for 31k after Fargis
had opened for 31k. Mao had A-4 to Fargis' A-2, but had to settle for a chop
when the board came A-K-Q-3-10.
Waterman did double through, also against Fargis, when he moved in for 41k and
flopped an ace to his A-2 to outrun Fargis' pocket 6s. A hand later, Mao pushed
in his last 46k with K-10. Sinopoli called with A-2 and won with ace-high.
A hand later, the four made their deal, and Sinopoli's only worry was how
to get that big Remington trophy back to Florida.
Max Shapiro |
