Vanna Tea Takes Wins the 2009 Legends of Poker Event #9 – $335 Pot Limit Tournament
The 2009 Legends of Poker had its ninth overall event and the final table at the Bicycle Casino saw heavy action at the $335 buy-in Pot Limit Hold’em tournament. The 1-day event began with a total of 58 players and a prize pool of $23,571. In addition to first prize of $9,276 the winner also received a championship ring. Final table play began at level 9 with blinds at $1K-$2K and opening raises between $6,000 and $10,500. Roy Tran entered the final table as the chip leader holding $91,000 of the $411,000 chips in play.
We were five hands into the final table when he got our first elimination. Kevin Song raised under the gun with pocket 6’s and was called by Mike Puskarich with pocket 8’s in the big blind. The flop came 7-5-3 and Mike decided to check to Kevin who decided to push all-in, after a moment Mike made the call turning over his larger overpair. The situation for Kevin did not improve with the J on the turn, but Kevin did hit his two-outer with a 6 on the river. The six gave Kevin trip 6’s and pushed Mike out in 9th place earning him $590.
On the 16th hand Joe Tushnet pushed all-in from the cutoff with A-4 and was called by Roy Tran in the small blind with A-K suited. The board gave Joe no help as it came Q-7-7-5-9 and Roy was able to win the hand with his King kicker eliminating Joe in 8th place taking home $700.
The 23rd hand saw our next player knocked out. Robert Turner raised from the cutoff position and was re-raised by Gary Schultz who was short stacked and in the big blind. Both players turned up their cards and Robert had the dominate hand of pocket K’s versus Gary’s 9-5. The board was unable to help Gary as it came 8-A-A-5-9 and Robert’s pocket K’s were good enough to knock out Gary in 7th place worth $825.
With the levels going up the action picked up and on the 35th hand we had our next elimination. Robert called under the gun, and after Roy Tran raised from the small blind, Estrella Baltazar decided to make the call from the big blind as did Robert. The flop came 2-5-4 with one heart on the board and the action was checked around. The turn was the A of hearts and after action was checked around again the river came the 4 of hearts. Roy bet out in 1st position and after Estrella folded Robert decided to call. Roy turned up his 9-7 suited hearts making him a flush and Robert mucked his hand sending him out in 6th and earning him $1,060.
Five hands later Kevin Song raised the pot and was re-raised by Vanna Tea, after some deliberation Kevin decided to make the call. The flop came 2-5-3 and Vanna pushed all-in and was called by Kevin. Both players turned up their cards revealing pocket 7’s for Vanna and an A-Q for Kevin. The 10 and 9 on the turn and river were unable to improve Kevin’s hand, and he was eliminated in 5th place good for $1,295.
On the 43rd hand Roy Tran raised with Q-10 suited on the button and Andrew Malott pushed all-in from the big blind with pocket 6’s, Roy called the re-raise and the flop of 4-A-2 kept Andrew in the lead but needing to fade a spade. Andrew was safe after the 2 of hearts hit the turn but the Ace of spades on the river was his undoing, with Roy eliminating Andrew in 4th place earning him $1,650.
With the limits going up yet again it seemed our next elimination would be at anytime, and on the 50th hand Roy Tran raised the pot with pocket 7’s from the button and was called by Vanna Tea with K-Q suited diamonds in the big blind. The flop came J-5-4 with two diamonds and Vanna checked the action to Roy who pushed all-in, Vanna made the call with her flush draw and was rewarded with the 10 of diamonds on the turn giving her the King high flush and a lock on the hand. The river was a inconsequential 5 and Roy was eliminated in 3rd place making him$2,825.
The remaining 2 players discussed a chip count and after the staff ran the numbers the players were in agreement to a deal. Vanna Tea was declared the winner of the Legends of Poker ninth event earning her the first place prize of $9,276 and a championship ring.
-- Matt Snodgrass
BIOGRAPHY
Vanna Tea has been playing home games for the last three years, but it was not until the first part of this year that she began playing in casinos. She is off to a great start however coming in second to Paul Darden during the Winnin ‘O’ the Green tournament this year. Vanna wants to improve at all disciplines of poker and really has no favorite game. She prefers tournaments over cash games. Her strategy at the final table was to wait for the others to knock each other out. She has experience in single table satellite games and she used much of that experience at this final table. When asked what she liked most about the Legends of Poker she said she loved the new Event Center at the Bicycle Casino. | 
