| DECEMBER 21, 2009 - 3:04:57 PM PST |
THAT'S MY BOY! |
by: WSOP Staff
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Atlantic City, NJ (December 19, 2009) – Dan Angell, a 22-year old kitchen manager from Charlottesville, VA, defeated 268 players to win event #14 of the World Series of Poker Circuit Events at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City.Angell, who has worked at the same restaurant, Lord Harwicke’s since he was 15, started playing in home games a couple of years ago. After doing well in cash games in Atlantic City, his father, Wayne, saw Dan’s potential and decided to back his son’s first major tournament entry.
Angell’s potential was soon realized as he played his way through the two-day tournament all the way to the final nine:
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NAME
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HOMETOWN
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SEAT
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CHIP COUNT
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SEAN BAILEY
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ST. AUGUSTINE, FL
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1
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120,000
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JIM ALOUPIS
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WEST LAUREL, NJ
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2
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235,000
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STEVE SUAREZ
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VAN NUYS, CA
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3
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122,000
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MARK STEITZ
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MARLTON, NJ
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4
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235,000
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TONY FLANAGAN
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FT. ASHBY, WV
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5
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591,000
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DANIEL ANGELL
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA
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6
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563,000
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JIM FREY
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YARDLEY, PA
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7
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177,000
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STEVE DeSANTIS
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BRIGHTON, MI
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8
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352,000
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KARIM YOUSSEF
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WOODBRIDGE, VA
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9
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275,000
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The final table began at 3:30 pm with blinds and antes at 1,000/5,000/10,000. Weak tight play was the theme of the day as the final table often saw four or more players seeing flops, a lot of checking to the river and a lot of min-raising.
Jim Frey was the first elimination of the final table. All-in pre-flop with   against
Dan Angell’s tens, he was unable to catch the cards he needed on the board. Frey, a 69-year old retired school teacher earned $1,957 for ninth.
The eighth place finisher was Steve Desantis. Desantis busted after running his pocket jacks into the kings of Steve Suarez. The board was of no help and Desantis’ day was finish. The 35-year old sales rep and father of two took home $1,957.
The next player out was Sean Bailey. Bailey, a 34-year old actuary from St. Augustine, FL, was eliminated after his [AJ] was unable to catch up with Karim Youssef’s pocket eights all-in.
The sixth place finisher was Jim Aloupis of West Laurel, MD. Aloupis, a former sales rep turned pro, moved his short stack all-in with   and got a call from Steve Suarez. Suarez’s ace high held up after the board double-paired, 3’s and 10’s. Aloupis picked up $4,697 for his efforts.
Fifth place went to Mark Steitz. Steitz, a 28-year old law school student got his few remaining chips in with   and got a call from Karim Youssef. Youssef turned over   . The board missed both players and Steitz was busted by Youssef’s jack-high. Fifth paid $5,480.
Soon after dinner break, Youssef took a nasty beat all-in with pocket aces against Saurez’s pocket deuces. Saurez spiked a deuce on the flop and Youssef was crippled with about 48,000 left in chips. He was eliminated a few hands later. Fourth paid $6,262.
Tony Flanagan was the third place finisher. With the board showing 4c-kd-Ad-5d, Flanagan was all-in against Angell with two pair, K’s and 4’s, but Angell turned over  for the flush. A  on the river ended Flanagan’s run and the 36-year old train conductor headed back to the rail, literally. Third place paid $7,828.
After four hours and a dinner break, heads-up action began at 8:40 pm with blinds and antes at 3,000/12,000/24,000. It was a rock fight, as the final two players limped and checked the blinds, and often checked down to the river. After about an hour of play, the final hand saw Suarez raise pre-flop 100k.
Angell moved all-in and Suarez called. Dan showed  while Suarez turned over   . The flop came   . The turn was a  and the river a  to give Angell the win. First place earned Angell $18,004 and a Circuit Event ring while Suarez collected $10,255 for second.
“This is indescribable,” said Angell. “I played in home games and coming into this tournament, I wanted to just see how good I was and play against some outside competition.”
Dan’s proud father, Wayne, was a bit emotional as he talked about staking his son into the World Series of Poker Circuit Events.
“I’m not a card player,” said Angell’s father, Wayne.
“But as a parent, you need to help your children pursue their interests and their dreams. You can’t go wrong doing that.”
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