She Plans to Donate Portion of Her Winnings to Environmental Groups

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Elizabeth, IN—Amanda “Mandy” Baker, a 27-year-old pro from Las Vegas, loved poker “right from the beginning.” It helped pay her expenses when she was in college, and after she earned her degree in business management and sociology, she decided to quit her internship with a non-profit company teaching businesses how to be more socially responsible in order to study the game intensely. Tonight all her preparation paid off as she played an expert game, winning $88,368 for first place in the 10th event of the WSOP Circuit at Caesars Indiana, $1,000 no-limit hold’em.

Along the way she managed to knock out six of her eight opponents.

Her strategy was to play very selectively when short on chips, then play many pots when had more of them “to put pressure on people.” Her game was indeed impressive, as she played carefully and selectively, yet instinctively made some good calls in difficult situations.

Baker has been playing poker for four years.  She finds cash games (generally $5-$10 no-limit) more profitable and tournaments “more fun.” Her biggest cash before tonight was $45,442 for finishing 253rd in this year’s main event at the WSOP.

She said her parents weren’t too happy when she decided to play full time, though she thought her dad was “secretly proud.” In any event, they’re both OK with it now, and should be even more OK after this big win.

Poker isn’t the only thing on her mind, though. Baker is an active environmentalist concerned about global warming and pledged to donate a portion of her winnings to environmental groups.

It was 4 a.m. when we got down to the final nine, with the remaining players  returning the next day at 4 p.m., making this the first two-day event in this series thus far. Play resumed with blinds of 4,000-8,000, 1,000 antes and 29:58 left on the clock. Jonathan Westra and Luis Rodriguez led the pack with 339,000 and 267,000 chips respectively.

Here were the starting chip counts:

SEAT 1 Wilbur Futhey    177,000
SEAT 2  Kevin Cook        114,000
SEAT 3 Amanda Baker    94,000    
SEAT 4 Ryan Gentry        95,000        
SEAT 5 Paris Heard        166,000
SEAT 6 Luis Rodriguez    267,000   
SEAT 7 Chad Hahn        84,000
SEAT 8 Shane Masters    114,000
SEAT 9 Jonathan Westra    339,000

In early action, Wilbur “Gene” Futhey flopped two kings to his K-J, moved in, beat Westra’s pocket pair and took the chip lead. But Futhey soon after lost 113,000 chips to Shane Masters, who beat his J-J with quad kings.

It took an hour to lose the first player.    With 2,000 antes and 6,000-12,000 blinds, Westra moved in from the small blind for 61,000 with pocket 9s, Masters button-called with K-10, and flopped a 10.

Westra, 22 is a student turned pro from Gainesville, Florida. He’s played four years and entered more than 20 Circuits. He won two Bellagio Cup events this summer, and chopped a Bellagio Five Diamond event last year for $223,000. Ninth paid $5,523.

Seven hands later, Baker moved in with A-Q. Ryan “Late Entry” Gentry called with pocket 8s and busted out when an ace turned. Gentry is a poker player from La Jolla, California. He’s played 10 years and has been in 30 Circuit events. Eighth place paid $8,284.   

Four hands later, Kevin Cook tried an all-in move for 60,000 on the button with Q-8. Baker picked him off with A-Q when her ace played. She had earlier made another good call when Luis Rodriguiz had bet 15,000 with the board showing four spades, and she called, winning with her paired queen.     

Cook, 32, is a web designer from Greenwood, Indiana. Mostly a cash-game player, he taught himself poker nine years ago. This is his first Circuit, which he entered with half cash/half satellite. He took home $11,046 for seventh. Blinds went up to 8,000-16,000. As play went on, Rodriguez took a big hit when Chad Hahn flopped a set of 8s to crush his A-K and move into second place.  Hand 65 brought a new chip leader. Masters moved in for 143,000 on the button holding Kd-7d. Baker called with pocket 5s. Two diamonds flopped and a king turned, but then Baker caught an offsuit 5 on the river and her set left Masters in sixth place. She now had about 630,000 of the 1.450,000 chips on the table.

Masters, 32, is a professional firefighter from Huntington, West Virginia. He’s married with two children, learned poker from his brother 21 years ago, and his other hobby is bow hunting.  This is his fourth Circuit. He placed sixth in a $1,500 event here last year. Tonight, sixth paid $13,807.

Later, Rodriguez survived with the same pocket 5s against Baker’s A-J. But then the magic 5 finished Rodriguez on hand 84. He moved in for 42,000 with A-9. Baker had only 8-5, but after long hesitation, counting the pot and calculating, she finally called. The board came K-5-6-Q-10, and now three were left.

Rodriguez owns a commercial printing company in Miami. He is 38, married with two children, and likes to fish. He learned poker at home five years ago and has placed in several $300 and $500 events. Fifth paid $16,569.

We now had blinds of 10,000-20,000 with 3,000 antes. Three hands later, Baker knocked out yet another player. This time Paris Heard pushed in for about 70,000 with Kd-9d. Baker had an easy call with pocket 10s. The board came 9-7-3-8-3, Heard was out, and Baker now had something like 870,000 chips.

Heard, 28, is from Prairie, Mississippi. He has three children and taught himself     poker three years ago. This final table is his poker highlight. Fourth place paid $19,330.

This tournament got heads-up on hand 97. Futhey moved in from the button with K-7 and Chad Hahn called for about 200,000 with pocket treys. The board came  A-10-7-10-5, and the paired 7 did the job.

Hahn, 33, is a land surveyor from Indianapolis. His grandfather taught him poker four years ago. He’s played in more than 10 Circuits. He has a cash in the Tunica main event and a second in the Denny Crum main event last year. He collected $24,853 for third.

Heads-up, Futhey had a bit over 500,000 chips while Baker had close to a million. The match lasted 32 hands as both players were very cautious, making only small bets and raises.

Chips went back and forth until the final hand when Futhey, with Kd-10d, moved all in. Baker called with Ac-Jd. The board came Q-4-3-5-2, and event 10 was in the books.

Futhey, 66, is a poker player from Crossville, Tennessee, and has been playing for 50 years. He was in toy sales before turning pro. This is his third Circuit. He earned $48,602 for second. His best prior payout was $42,408 for third place in this year’s Midwest Regional Poker Championships. —Max Shapiro

For more information, please contact:  
Max Shapiro -- WSOP Media Director at (323) 356-3303
Or visit our official website:  www.worldseriesofpoker.com

World Series of Poker Commissioner – Jeffrey Pollack
World Series of Poker Tournament Director -- Jack Effel
Caesars Indiana Poker Room Manager – Jimmy Allen
Caesars Indiana Tournament Director -- Shannon Ruck