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“The poker table is the true equalizer!” WFP Dealer,
Terry Wedin, so eloquently stated after looking over
the Final Table for the WFP Season-3 Finals, which
played out over the weekend on December 8 and 9th… The
ten finalists were as diverse as anyone could envision;
both male and female, they represented almost every
ethnic, religious, social, and economic backgrounds
imaginable.
The 100 survivors of the Day One Finals Shootout and
the Ten Top Overall Scorers, who had a bye on Day One,
filed into The Whiskey Café on Sunday Morning with
their best game-faces on. Shortly after, “Shuffle Up
and Deal” was declared, the words, “Player Down”
sounded, and the stunned expressions on the faces of
the 99 remaining said it all.
The first casualty of the day was none other than “7-0”
leader, Hasham Khawaja. Hash, as he is better known,
was knocked-out gracefully, and did everything right.
Unfortunately, his pocket-Kings weren’t as good as the
pocket-Aces in the hand of his opponent. Hash expressed
“no regrets” about his play, and although he was the
first to experience a bad beat that day, he wasn’t the
last.
Former WFP Season 2 Champion, and “7-0” comrade, John
Ishak, had his chip stack crippled by Dawn Shipwash who
limped in with wired 9’s to Ishak’s 10-9 off-suit. The
flop came 10-10-9, giving the champ trips, which fell
to Dawn’s nines full. Two hands later, John was looking
at the same hand, which had won him the title at the
Season 2 finals, pocket 4’s. Unfortunately, lightning
didn’t strike twice and as Ishak put it, “I guess it
wasn’t meant to be” and out he went.
I’m gonna win this thing!” That was Rafael “Riff-Raff”
Krupa’s attitude going into the NJ Free Poker Finals,
and it held true. After almost nine hours of grueling
play, Krupa overcame 100 other WFP hopefuls, to
capture the Texas Hold’em victory. It would not be easy however, as player after player
was knocked-out, and chip-stacks rose and fell
throughout the day, Krupa just bided his time. He was
never close to being the chip leader, until the final
table, and obviously, that is when it really counts.
The Final-Ten was an interesting collection of
old-school WFP veterans and hard-shelled youngsters,
and at the helm was Rose “the spanking dealer” Smith.
The first to get KO’d, was Ringside Bar veteran, Adam
Canvisser. As one of the low stacks at the table, he
was pushed to the brink by a Krupa raise. After
careful consideration, he decided to push all of his
chips in, with a pair of 6’s. Unfortunately, Canvisser
was dominated by Krupa’ pair of 9’s, which didn’t hit
and he finished in tenth place, and thus began the
“Riff Raff” explosion.
Next to be knocked out, was Helen Chen, founding member
of the “Asian Mafia”. One of the stalwarts throughout
Season 3, Chen was considered to be one of the
favorites to take down the final prize. Her reputation
was also bolstered by her victory in the “Tournament of
Champions” the day prior. As one of the lower stacks,
she made a raise with half her chips. Krupa
immediately re-raised enough to put Chen all-in, if she
chose. After an agonizing process, Chen decided to
make her play with K-10. Once again, Krupa was
dominant with A-K. Chen received no help from the
board, and her very impressive and successful weekend
ended with a ninth place finish.
Ending the day in eighth place, was Kenneth Asuquo. It
should be noted that he made the final table as one of
the smaller stacks, thanks in no small part to a
horrendous beat, to Paul Esperanzate, in what was,
without question, the “Hand of the Match”. With only
three players remaining until the final table, they had
a heads-up battle at WFP Dealer, George “Command
Center” Cheung’s table: Paul’s pocket Kings versus
Kenneth’s A-Q suited. Asuquo seemed to be in
outstanding shape when the flop paired his ace, and it
seemed even better, when a third ace came on the river.
Unfortunately, for him, the turn had netted Paul a
two-outer King, thereby giving him a full house, to
beat Asuquo’s trip aces, resulting in the subsequent
short-stack at the final table.
It would not be a true final table without a little
“7-0” representation. This time it was the
aforementioned Paul “Rose Freaker” Esperanzate, who
went heads-up with Krupa and once again, Krupa was
favored: A-J vs. Paul’s A-10. This time, however,
there was a little more drama, as Paul hit a 10 on the
flop. But sometimes you live by the turn, and
sometimes… With only two outs, Krupa found a friendly
Jack on Fourth Street, and Esperanzate’s time had
expired. Paul finished in a very respectful, Seventh
place.
Without question, the boldest player at the final table
was Ren “Double Down” Buonomo, who had to suck-out on
Day One to stay alive, at new WFP Dealer, Christina
Luo’s table. Ren was all-in with Q-K off-suit, against
Jay Munier's A-J. The flop came A-Q-x putting Buonomo
well behind. Apparently lucky with the ladies, a Queen
on the turn, saved him, and he later jokingly remarked
"that was better than sex!"
With Ren’s calm and playful demeanor, it is difficult
to tell whether he is at the final table of the WFP
finals, or simply another Tuesday night game at
Whiskey. He plays with the same confidence and
seemingly reckless abandon, and it sometimes helps him
(as evidenced by his raising with K-8 suited, and then
hitting trip 8’s on the flop, almost inducing a call).
Eventually however, Ren simply ran out of time, and
was knocked-out in Sixth place.
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