WSOP Updates – Event #41, $1,000 Seniors NLHE — Terry Fuiescher Tops Pack; Preston 7th

June 26, 2007

Laurene DeBord-Foulk

WSOP Updates – Event #41, $1,000 Seniors NLHE — Terry Fuiescher Tops Pack; Preston 7th 0001

Terry Fueischer is the chip leader after one day of action in Event #41, $1000 Seniors No Limit Hold 'Em. He leads a field of notable players including former Main Event Champions 'Amarillo Slim' Preston (1972), Tom McEvoy (1983) and Brad Daugherty (1991).

Mike Rutherford quipped, "Tonight, instead of Las Vegas being a den of iniquity, it's a den of senility," but senility was scarce as the qualifying age for the "seniors" event was a youthful 50. The event drew an impressive original field of 1,882 with 121 players returning for Tuesday's play. As the money bubble burst at 153, all players returning on Tuesday are guaranteed to cash while working toward the first place prize of $348,423.

It was a roller coaster ride for Preston, who ended the day in seventh. Early on he won a big hand against Alan Smurfit when the board delivered two queens to quad-up his pocket pair. Later, though, Preston held A-K against an opponent with pocket nines; the flop came K♥7♠6♠, giving Preston the top pair. The turn {8♠} was ominous, with the 10♦ river completing his opponent's straight. Preston dropped to 18,000 on the hand. A few hands later, however, Preston was all in when the board gave him a jack-high straight that began his surge to Day Two.

McEvoy and Daugherty also survived the first day's play but will be trying to improve their mid-pack position on Tuesday. Daugherty doubled up early in the day with pocket kings, but caught some tough cards later that brought his stack down to 29,400. McEvoy also enjoyed some early action. His pocket tens found two more on the board, for quads, to triple him up in an early hand. He will start Tuesday with a stack of 37,800.

Six-time bracelet winner Men 'The Master' Nguyen also had an erratic day, but without the happy ending. Early on he took a hit when his pocket aces went down to trip tens and soon found himself looking at a short stack of 500. He made progress when he doubled up with an A-K that caught a king on the flop, and built back to 4,000. However, he fell topocket aces in a later hand when a straight draw failed to fill.

Nguyen wasn't the only big name to exit early. Bob Stupak went out in the first few hours of play, as did 'Gentleman' John Gale, John Esposito, and Dan Alspach. Miami John Cernuto was pulling double-duty in this event and the $1,500 Mixed Hold 'Em. He gqined ground early, but returned to the other event after being knocked out in Round Six. Several of the ladies had a short day — Shirley Williams, Susie Isaacs, Barbara Enright, and Debbie Burkhead were eliminated in early in the event. Later, Linda Johnson was eliminated when she couldn't improve her A-Q against pocket jacks.

Paul McKinney, now 83, was the oldest person to win this event when he took the bracelet in 2005. His hopes to repeat the record-setting win were dashed when he was eliminated on Monday. McKinney was quoted as saying, "There are four things I really enjoy in life: Poker, moonshine, horse racing, and well-endowed women, not necessarily in that order." An early elimination from this event should give him ample time to pursue his other three passions.

Former bracelet winners Hans 'Tuna' Lund, Ray Rumler, and Randy Holland also failed in their quest for another win. Holland took a nice hand early on when he caught a flop of Q♣Q♦3♣ and went all in with 4♥4♦. Opponent Gary Gibbs held A♣6♣ for the flush draw, but the turn and river of 9♦7♥ missed Gibbs' draw, with Holland's two pair increasing his stack to 10,000. However, later hits sent Holland out before reaching the money.