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Truesdell Takes Flight

Justin Truesdell, a 27-year-old pro from
Truesdell was an economics major in college, worked in sales for a couple of years after graduation, and then turned pro. His prior payouts include a third in a $300 no-limit Circuit event at Caesars Indiana, two cashes at the European Poker Tour in
Truesdell, who plays only tournaments, says he tends to get more aggressive as he gets bored. He likes to talk a lot at the table, and earlier had struck up a friendship with Chris "Doctor Love" Love, who ended up as his final opponent, when the two "got into it" in a hand. Truesdell also expressed his thanks for the support and encouragement of his mom and dad, who enjoy following his poker exploits.
Numbers continued strong at this series, with 321 entrants and a $311,370 prize pool for this event. The final nine began play with blinds of 10,000-20,000 and 3,000 antes, 8:39 remaining. With 849,000 chips, Philip "Spartacus"
Here were the starting chip counts:
Seat 2. Jim Pieczynski 184,000
First to go was Brian Fernbacher. He moved in with K-J, in bad shape when Truesdell called from the button with A-K. Truesdell finished him with a river ace and Fernbacher cashed ninth. Fernbacher, 31, is from
Blinds were now 15,000-30,000 with 4,000 antes. Biggs Powell cashed eighth. He put his last chips in with pocket 4s, was called by Love, holding pocket queens, and couldn't improve when the board came K-9-3-5-J. Powell is 37, lives in
Pocket queens again finished off the next player. Giovanni Marcacci was in the small blind with As-3s and pushed in. Truesdell called with the ladies, filling and winning when the board came 4-4-J-4-10. Marcacci, exiting seventh, is a pro originally from
Players returned from break to blinds of 20,000-40,000. Co-leaders now, with roughly 700,000 each, were
As play went on, Love bet 150,000 into a flop of Qc-9c-4c, another 100,000 when a 7d turned, then moved in when a fourth club hit the river, obviously representing a big flush. After long thought, Morford folded a medium club, and Love showed the Ac. Love now had the lead with over a million chips.
Midway through the level, Jim Pieczynski went all in with .pocket 10s and was called by Morford with A-J. Morford made a full house on
Soon after, Love was dealt pocket aces and decided to slow-play them. His strategy paid off because
We were now down to three as blinds went up again, to 30,000-60,000. In immediate action, Morford and Truesdell tangled. The flop came 2-J-4. Morford, holding As-3s, tried an all-in move. Truesdell, holding 6h-4h, had flopped middle pair and called. A deuce and jack came, and Truesdell's paired 4 was enough as Morford went out in third place. Morford, 67, is a retired engineer from
Heads-up, Truesdell now enjoyed a big lead, 2.3 million to 900,000 for Love. The match-up went just two hands. Truesdell moved in with Qs-Jd and Love called with the better hand, As-7d. It was no longer the better hand when a flop of Qd-7c-6h paired Truesdell's queen. An 8 and 4 brought no help to Love, and Truesdell had his first Circuit ring. Love, finishing second, is 43 and an independent contractor from
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