Poker Tournament Results

Legends of Poker / WPT Event Season 8

Michael Lemkin

Tournament Report

Michael Lemkin Wins the 2009 Legends of Poker Event #21 – the $1070 H.O.R.S.E. Tournament The 2009 Legends of Poker had its twenty-first overall event at the Bicycle Casino’s newly remodeled Events Center. The $1070 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. tournament was a one day event which began with a total of 83 players and a prize pool of $80,510. In addition to a first prize of $32,200 the winner also received a championship ring. Final table play began at level 16 with antes at $2K, bring-in/complete at $3K/$12K, blinds at $6K/$12K, and limits at $12K/$24K. The format was a mix game including; Limit Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Seven Card Stud, and Seven Card Stud Eight or Better with game changes occurring every eight hands. Christopher Amaral entered the final table as the chip leader holding $385,000 of the $1,908,000 chips in play. An additional note is that due to family health issues Scott Packer was unable to play at the final table arriving there with $262,000 in chips he was blinded off finishing in 4th place, the players and the tournament staff wish to send their thoughts to Scott and his family. We had to wait until the 23rd hand playing Omaha Hi-Lo before we had our first elimination. Michael Lemkin opened the action raising from middle position and Chris Amaral called in the big blind. The flop came 2-8-9 with two hearts as Michael checked the action to Chris who bet with Michael calling. The 6 of spades fell on the turn and again Michael checked the action to Chris who again bet with Michael quickly calling. When the 10 of hearts hit the turn Michael bet out and Chris called all-in turning over 9-A-4-5 with Michael turning over A-K-5-3 with two hearts. Michael scooped the pot with a A-3 for a Lo and a Flush for the Hi eliminating Chris in 8th place earning him $2,415. On the 31st hand playing Razz, Alan Myerson had the bring-in, Robert Como, Jr. completed the bet and Bob Lauria and Hank Castillo both called while Alan folded. Bob would bet with 7-3 showing and after Hank folded Robert would call with a 3-J. Bob would bet out again as a 6 was added to his up cards showing 7-3-6 while Robert called with 3-J-4. Bob would then bet all-in with 7-3-6-8 showing while Robert called the all-in with 3-J-4-J up. The last two cards were dealt completing the hand and leaving Robert with a J-7 while Bob would finish his day with a pair of 3’s and being eliminated in 7th place good for $3,220. On the very next hand Alan Myerson completed the action and Robert Como, Jr. called, Alan would check as a 7 was added to his 4 while Robert bet with a 3 added to his 2, Alan would call all-in with both players turning up their cards. Robert would end up with 2-3-8-6-5-2 good for a 8-6 while Alan ended with 4-7-7-Q-A-10-4 and finishing in 6th place worth $4,025. On the 45th hand with Stud as the game Joe Brandenburg found himself all-in against Michael Lemkin. The hand was uneventful with Michael beginning the hand in the lead with a pair of Queens and that lead would hold as Michael finished with 3-Q-Q-J-9-2-7 while Joe had to settle for an Ace high with 6-9-7-10-J-A as he ended his day in 5th place taking home $4,830. On the 63rd hand with Omaha Hi-Lo as the game Scott Packer was blinded off in 4th place earning him $5,635. Six hands later with Omaha still the game Robert Como, Jr. found himself pushing all-in holding 8-3-10-9 on the river of a 10-A-4-7-Q board. Hank Castillo would make the call turning over 2-6-K-K giving Hank a 7-6 for the Lo and a pair of Kings for the Hi, and eliminating Robert in 3rd place and taking home $9,665. We would need to wait seventy-seven hands and two level increases before we arrived at our final elimination. On the 146th hand with Omaha Hi-Lo as the game Hank Castillo called all-in on the river holding 10-7-6-5 while Michael Lemkin held 10-8-4-4. Michael’s 8 would be the difference as the board came Q-A-10-A-10 giving both players a set of 10’s but giving Michael the win with an 8 kicker. Hank would be eliminated in 2nd place earning him $18,520. Michael Lemkin was declared winner of the Legends of Poker H.O.R.S.E. tournament Event #21, taking home $32,200 and the championship ring. --Matt Snodgrass BIOGRAPHY Michael Lemkin is an investment advisor and has been playing poker for 46 years. He jokingly commented that his favorite game was “any game you win” before saying that any mixed game would be a good choice. He finds both cash games and tournament play to be fun with cash good for making money while tournament play offers many mental decisions. This was not Michael’s first tournament win, having won the Legends of Poker Omaha event in 2004 as well as several others, but this particular tournament win meant a little more to Michael because it fell on what would have been his father’s 96th birthday having passed away two years ago. Michael felt that there was not a key moment at the final table but instead a series of small moments that led to his win, however early in the tournament Michael found himself all-in during a Razz hand that he would eventually scoop against two others players, tripling him up and paving the road to his future victory.