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Chris Wong : WSOPC Lake Tahoe Event #2 Champion

[Editor’s Note: Also read the results from this WSOP circuit event]

A great story and a spellbinding final table share common qualities ? such as a compelling cast of characters, mystery, excitement, and various subplots. Event #2 at the World Series of Poker Circuit at Lake Tahoe had all of these attributes, and more. The final table featured two remarkable comebacks and one of the most riveting heads-up matches in recent tournament memory. No one in the large crowd assembled at Harveys Casino and Resort on this cool Friday night could possibly have foreseen that a relatively uninspiring and routine finale would ultimately turn into a duel for the ages.

Indeed, poker tournaments are comprised of various stages. There is the preliminary stage, generally regarded as the most difficult, which is simply to make it to the final table. Then, the next stage is prevailing over a full table of skilled opponents while acquiring more chips. The final stage is the poker?s ultimate adrenal rush ? defeating the last challenger in heads-up play and winning the tournament. The sweet taste of victory is even more thrilling when a player rises out of the ashes of near-defeat to capture victory.

The limit hold?em tournament started with 156 entries. Day One resulted in the elimination of 147 players. Places 10 through 18 received prize money ranging from $755 up to $1,060. The nine finalists returned on Day Two, with Chris Wong from Sacramento holding a commanding 3 to 1 chip lead over his closest rival. The final table was played in front of the Hard Rock Caf? on the second floor at Harveys Lake Tahoe, which is where our story now begins.

Players were eliminated as follows:

9th Place ? Dan Rosner was one of six players grouped together in second-place, with over 20K in chips at the start. Unfortunately, absolutely nothing went right during his all-too-brief 22-minute stay in the finale. Rosner, a trial attorney from Philadelphia, had his motion to stay at the final table denied. He received a settlement of $1,515 for 9th place.

8th Place ? A few hands later, Robert Schorr suffered a similar fate. Schorr had been second-lowest in chips coming into Day Two and finished on par as the 8th-place finisher. Remarkably, this was Schorr?s second major poker tournament ? and he has made it to the final table both times. Schorr, a Canadian-born insurance adjuster collected a premium of $2,270.

7th Place ? Albert Sands, a professional online poker player from Atlanta, was disconnected from the final table and became the 7th-place finisher. Sands has cashed in many online tournaments and also finished second at a major poker tournament in Biloxi, MS a few years ago. Sands earned $3,025 in prize money.

6th Place ? Gary Smith, who was the shortest-stack from the start, moved up three places on the money ladder. He was eliminated next when he moved his last chip into the pot with both a straight and flush draw ? but missed both. Smith, a contractor from Windsor, CA who made it to the final table at a major tournament held in Reno earlier this year, collected $3,785 for 6th place.

5th Place ? When play became five-handed, Chris Wong still held the chip lead, although his 3 to 1 chip advantage had been diminished to roughly 3 to 2. Tony Le hoped to make things more interesting by doubling up against Wong, but missed his straight draw. Le?s A-7 failed to connect with the final board which showed K-Q-10-4-6 and he lost his remaining chips. Le, a Vietnamese-born casino supervisor from Reno, sevened out and took $4,540 for 5th place.

4th Place ? Dan Schmiech, a 44-year-old professional poker player from Houston, went out next. Schmiech was ?all in? pre-flop with A-8 against Chris Wong?s 4-4. Wong flopped a set of fours, but the board showed 4-5-6 giving Schmiech hope with a straight draw. Two successive blanks on the turn and river ended any chance of a comeback, and Schmiech hit the rail in 4th place. Schmiech, who plays poker regularly in Tunica, MS and has cashed at the Mid-America Poker Classic, took $6,055 as the 4th place finisher.

Wong had regained a decisive 4 to 1 chip advantage when play became three-handed, leading many observers to speculate it would be a short night and a relatively effortless wire-to-wire victory for Mr. Wong. Then, a remarkable thing happened. In a stunning reversal of fortune, Dinh Quang Le went from rags to riches, steamrolling the final table in a 30-minute poker display that left his two opponents and a standing-room only crowd shaking their heads in disbelief. Quang Le was down to just 12K in chips (down by over 10 to 1 to the chip leader) and caught fire at the perfect moment in a poker tournament. Quang Le made a number of pre-flop raises, which went uncalled. Then, he dragged two big pots and was suddenly on the verge of seizing the chip lead. He confiscated the chip lead away from Wong a few hands later, leaving Wong and James Jewett (who was third in chips) to wonder to themselves when the mad rush of cards might come to an end. The answer was for the time being ? it wouldn?t.

3rd Place ? Three handed play was a nightmare for Chris Wong. He played the final table perfectly, nurturing his stack size and never stepping out of line while his opponents, usually in desperation, were forced to commit precious chips with marginal hands. But nothing can stop a good poker player like Quang Le, when on a rush. Wong watched his chips slowly evaporate, while Quang Le was busy building a giant chip fortress. James Jewett looked as though he might be the only player left to stop the ?Quang Le express,? but he ultimately ran out of steam. After losing a few key hands, Jewett was down to his final 24K and made his last stand with Q-10. Quang Le had A-2 and was delighted to see the flop come K-2-2. The set of deuces held up and Jewett ? a real estate developer from Boise, ID ? was condemned to a 3rd-place finish. James Jewett collected $7,565.

The heads-up duel between Quang Le and Chris Wong began with Quang Le holding a 4 to 1 chip advantage. It was an ?all-Sacramento? finale, as both players live in California?s capital city. Whispers that once voiced anticipation Wong might run away with the tournament were now speaking Quang Le?s name, instead. Indeed, he had Wong down to the felt a few times, but on each occasion, Wong managed to pick up a lifesaving hand causing many to wonder if a momentum shift was in the cards.

When the winds of change come, they often blow cold ? especially in the Sierra Nevada. Quang Le found this out the hard way, as the same momentous winds that propelled him into a big chip lead suddenly shifted. He was about to be blown off the mountaintop with several strong gusts. Wong won two big pots and was back to even in chips. Then, Quang Le made a big hand and regained his chip advantage. That would be Quang Le?s last triumph. Wong went on a tear and completely dominated the final 20 minutes of the 75-minute heads-up duel.

With limits escalating to 8K-16K, three key hands was all it took to bust either player. Wong won two significant showdowns — once with two pair and the other by calling down Quang Le?s bluff with ace-high. Ultimately, on the final hand of the night, it was an ace-high that was a dagger to Quang Le?s heart. Quang Le was down to just 28K and raised pre-flop with K-10. Wong wasn?t about to fold his hand, holding A-8. After the flop Quang Le?s last chip went into the pot and the final board showed 9-4-3-J-3, no pair for either player. Wong?s ace played. A new poker champion was crowned.

Runner up, Dinh Quang Le demonstrated his impressive tournament skills, by coming back from near-elimination when playwas three-handed to gaining the chip lead late in the finale. He was, in essence, one hand away from winning on several occasions. Quang Le never altered his aggressive style of play and one could make a convincing case that he certainly deserved to win. But in the end, the tailor from Sacramento was trimmed away and ended up in second place. He sewed up $13,770 in prize money.

The winner, Chris Wong was born in Hong Kong. He arrived in the United States at the age of 14 (Note: Wong is Lake Tahoe?s second foreign-born winner in as many days. Yesterday?s champion was born in Italy). Wong worked successfully as a food and beverage consultant for several large hotels and retired recently to play poker full time. The 44-year-old poker pro has previously won tournaments in California, as well as online.

When asked about what he was thinking when Quang Le nearly stole the tournament away, Wong remained methodical and composed. ?When something like that happens, when the cards don?t go your way, there?s not really much you can do about it,? Wong said afterward. ?I just go on and play my game, try to make the right decisions, and I accept the results. Fortunately, I had some luck my way in the end, too. I guess in the end, it all evens out.?

Report by Nolan Dalla ? World Series of Poker Media Director

World Series of Poker Circuit Director ? Ken Lambert

World Series of Poker Tournament Director ? John Grooms

Harveys Poker Room Manager ? Vince Contaxis

Harrah?s Full Service Games Manager — Steve Schorr

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