College Professor Captures First Major Tournament Title
"It's past my bedtime -- everything's a blur -- but I'm not complaining," commented Mike Petracca of Santa Barbara, California, shortly after vanquishing the last of 299 opponents to claim top honors in the inaugural event of the 2000 California State Poker Championship. For his victory in the $300 buy-in limit hold 'em competition, Petracca was awarded $68,820 and the traditional black marble CSPC "World" trophy.
A 53-year old psychologist and writing professor for both UC-Santa Barbara and the UCLA extension college, Petracca also teaches web design and is the psychology guide for about.com. He began playing poker 30 years ago and has previously cashed in several competitions, but this marks his first major tournament title.
Arriving at the final table as a chip underdog, Petracca managed to hold his own, then in a single stroke of good fortune went from the proverbial outhouse to the penthouse. The key hand came down when he reraised all in before the flop with pocket queens and was called by Bob Kirkeby, who held pocket jacks. When the final board showed 8-7-6/10-10, Petracca claimed the $126,000 pot and the lead. From them on, it was his game as he proceeded to wipe out his remaining four opponents.
He first dispatched Laura Chao, a homemaker from West Covina, California, who called all in from the big blind with 6s-3s. Holding pocket fours, Petracca made a set when the flop came J-4-2. A second deuce on the turn left Chao drawing dead, and she bit the dust in fifth place for $8,370.
Petracca next turned his attention to Bob Kirkeby of Orange, California, who raised before the flop with Q-10 offsuit. Petracca reraised with K-Q and Kirkeby called all in. On fourth street, the board showed J-7-5/A, and when a ten fell on the river, Kirkeby, the owner of a furniture factory, received $11,160 for his fourth-place finish.
After surviving several all-in battles, Carl Heller of Kingwood, Texas, saw his luck run out when he raised all in before the flop with K-9 and had the misfortune of being challenged by Petracca, who again held pocket queens. When the final board showed 7-4-2/A-A, Heller was sent home with third place and $17,670. A 47-year-old family physician, Heller has been a serious tournament competitor for the past decade and has previously cashed in several major tournaments, including the World Series of Poker and the United States Poker Championship.
When heads-up play began, Petracca held more than a 2-to-1 advantage over runner up Benjamin Tang of Northridge, California, and the end came quickly. With blinds of $10,000 and $20,000, it was only a few hands before Petracca raised with A-Q and Tang put his last few chips all in with 8-7. The flop came 10-9-9, giving him an open-end straight draw, but when the turn and river brought no help, Tang had to settle for second place and $35,340. "I'm happy, but I plan to take first place next time," said the 27-year-old machinist who was playing in only his second tournament ever.
"I had some luck today and it was nice to have hands stand up, especially the queens," Petracca said. "Those queens were smiling on me."
The first player eliminated from the final table was Barbara Samuelson, a real estate developer from Las Vegas, who lost two big pots in a row before making her final stand when she took pocket eights up against Bob Kirkeby, who held A-Q. The flop came A-5-4, and when she failed to help, Samuelson exited in ninth place for $2,976. A formidable competitor, Samuelson has won numerous major tournament titles, including Commerce Casino's 1997 L.A. Poker Classic championship.
Also meeting his demise at the hands of Kirkeby was tournament newcomer Arturo Diaz of Chula Vista, California, who called all in before the flop with A-Q against Kirkeby's A-J. The flop came J-8-7, and an ace fell on the turn. When no queen came to his rescue on the river, Diaz finished eighth for $3,720 in his first major poker competition.
Cashing seventh for $4,650 was Men Ngo of Lake Forest, California, who was forced all in for the big blind with 8-7 offsuit and was challenged by Carl Heller who held pocket eights. The flop brought K-7-2, but another seven failed to save Ngo, and Heller claimed the pot.
Sang Pham of Santa Ana, California, was knocked out in sixth place for $6,510 when he took Q-10 up against Bob Kirkeby, who held J-5. A flop of K-5-2 paired Kirkeby, and when a jack fell on the river, Pham went down for the count. A former employee of both the Bicycle Club and Crystal Park, Pham was recently hired as an Asian games supervisor for the new Hustler Casino.
THE FINAL TABLE:
| Seat/Player | Chip Count |
| Seat 1: Sang Pham (Santa Ana, CA) | $28,800 |
| Seat 2: Arturo Diaz (Chula Vista, CA) | $22,400 |
| Seat 3: Carl Heller (Kingwood, TX) | $23,300 |
| Seat 4: Mike Petracca (Santa Barbara, CA) | $23,200 |
| Seat 5: Laura Chao (W. Covina, CA) | $23,000 |
| Seat 6: Benjamin Tang (Northridge, CA) | $37,100 |
| Seat 7: Men Ngo (Lake Forest, CA) | $58,100 |
| Seat 8: Barbara Samuelson (Las Vegas, NV) | $42,200 |
| Seat 9: Bob Kirkeby (Orange, CA) | $51,900 |
Best All-Around Player
The player accumulating the most points in this year's California State Poker Championship Tournament will be awarded $20,000. Second through fifth places will receive, respectively, $10,000, $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000. Points will be awarded for the first 16 places in each event as follows:
| 1st | 50 |
| 2nd | 44 |
| 3rd | 40 |
| 4th | 36 |
| 5th | 32 |
| 6th | 28 |
| 7th | 24 |
| 8th | 20 |
| 9th | 16 |
| 10th | 14 |
| 11th | 12 |
| 12th | 10 |
| 13th | 8 |
| 14th | 6 |
| 15th | 4 |
| 16th | 2 |
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