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Tue "Tommy" "Phan, born in Vietnam and now living in Evansville, Indiana, put on a one-man show in capturing event #6 of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Southern Indiana, pot-limit Omaha. He arrived at the table with a commanding lead, owning 242,200 of the 651,000 chips in play and after the first player was eliminated, proceeded to personally dispose of the remaining seven. Heads-up with Chris McMillian, winner of event #3, $1,000 no-limit, he had 611,111 chips to his opponent's 40,000. McMillian managed to double through a couple of times, but Phan wore him down by betting the pot virtually every hand. In fact, he said "pot" so many times he gave a whole new meaning to the expression, "potty-mouth."   

His victory was worth $14,384, along with a main event seat and gold trophy ring. Phan, 37, came to this country 20 years ago and worked as a hairdresser before deciding to play poker for a living five years ago because he liked the game so much. He had been a high-stakes no-limit and pot-limit cash player, teaching himself by playing in casinos, until he started playing tournaments a year ago. This is his only his fifth tournament and first cash-out, He was giving the most action at the final table, because his plan was to call a lot, when he had position, since that way players had no idea what he had. Apart from that strategy, he said he has no particular style of play. "It all depends on the game," he shrugged. Phan is married with four children and now expects to play a lot more tournaments.

A total of 93 Omaha enthusiasts turned out for the only event here that wasn't no-limit hold'em. The prize pool was $46,500. Final-table play began with blinds of 800-1,200 and 12 minutes left on the clock.

 

Here were the final-table chip counts:  

Seat 1. Larry Romine - 30,700
Seat 2. Nick Guagenti - 53,000
Seat 3. Joey Couden - 75,800
Seat 4. Tue Phan - 233,000
Seat 5. Vito Casullo III - 47,700            
Seat 6. Edward Sullivan - 30,800
Seat 7. Chris McMillian - 36,600
Seat 8. Adam Foster - 76,700
Seat 9. Scott Gullett - 9,500

 

At the bottom end of the chip ladder was Scott Gullett with a mere 9,500. On the second hand those went all in when he held K-Q-J-8 and a flop of K-9-8 gave him two pair and a gut-shot straight draw. Facing him was Edward "Yank" Sullivan, who had an open-ender with A-J-10-8. He closed it when a 7 turned, and Gullett was first out.

Gullett, 43, is from Memphis where he is self-employed. He learned poker by playing in casinos 15 years ago, and this is his 20th Circuit. His poker highlights include a second in a $10,000 no-limit event, along with several pot-limit Omaha cashes. His other hobby is golf. He is married with three children.

Blinds went to 1,000-2,000 and another player went out. With the board showingAc-8d-5d-3c,  Sullivan, holding A-K-8-3, had made top two pair and bet the pot. Phan, with 8-8-7-5 and two clubs had a set and a flush draw and raised Sullivan all in. A club hit the river, and Sullivan, whose nickname is "Yank," was yanked out of the tournament in eighth place, which paid  him $1,598.  

Sullivan, 59, Bronx-born, now lives in Durham, North Carolina where he is a boilermaker. He's been playing poker many years, but this is only his second try at Omaha. He's played about five Circuits, had a cash in the WSOP Senior event last year, along with two final tables at Circuit events here and in Atlantic City. He has two children, and his other hobby is pool.

We were now playing with 1,500-3,000 blinds. As the level was nearing an end, Phan bet 15,000 into a board of 6-8-2-5. When a trey hit the river, Larry Romine bet all in and turned up J-5-4-3 for a straight. Twice earlier Phan had lost to straights. But this time, holding 9-7-4-2, he had made a higher one on the turn, and Romine checked out seventh, collecting $1,998.

Romine, whose nickname is "Lucky Larry," is retired and lives in Loiisville. He learned poker 40 years ago from his father, has played eight Circuits, and "still in action" is his poker highlight.

Blinds moved up to 2,000-4,000, and the Terminator continued his assault, making his third straight kill, again with a straight. The victim this time was Adam Foster, who was all in with K-J-10-5 after a flop of J-9-8 gave him top pair and an open-end straight draw. Phan was waiting for him, having already made his, holding K-Q-10-9. Sixth place for Foster was worth $2,397.

Foster is a 21-year-old college student from Muncie, Indiana. He began playing with friends in home games four years ago and his high point in poker was playing in the WSOP this year. He also likes golf.

On the very next hand, Nick Guagenti moved in with pocket kings (K-K-J-5) and Phan called with pocket aces (A-AQ-4), and the bullets were enough after the board showed 10-6-2-8-3. Guagenti, cashing fifth for $2,797, is a professional from Westerville, Ohio. He's 24 and did lawn care work before that. He began playing five years ago, has entered numerous Circuit events, and is still waiting for a poker highlight. His other hobby is golf.

With so many chips and the cards breaking so wondrously for him, Phan could afford to play just about anything. In fact, he had just a bunch of rags when he went up against Vito "Vitze" Casullo's much stronger A-K-Q-10. No problem. Phan had a 6, and two 6s flopped. Now three were left as Casullo cashed out fourth for $3,196.

Casullo, 30, is from Morning View, Kentucky and works as a Pyro-Technician. He's been playing more than 20 years, and entered this event by being "sponsored by Vito Casullo." He's married, learned poker from his father, and this is his second Circuit and first final table.

Relentlessly continuing his assault, Phan called with just Q-10-4-3 and two clubs after Joey Couden pushed in with A-A-J-4. The flop was 9c-6c-3s, An offsuit 8 turned, and then a river 5c came as expected to give Phan a winning flush. For coming in third, Couden collected $4,395. Couden, 21, is a student turned pro player. He's been playing five years, learning first at home games and then in casinos. He won his seat into this event, his third Circuity, via satellite.

Heads-up, Phan enjoyed a 15-1 chip advantage, and the outcome held little doubt. But McMillian wasn't giving up. He doubled through on the first hand, before dropping down to 20,000 chips. But  picking his spots and playing counter to Phan's aggressive style, lasted 17 hands and built up to about 70,000 at one point. Eventually Phan wore him down by forcing him to fold with raises. On the final hand, the board showed 7s-6h-2h-Qs. McMillian bet 8,000, Phan raised the pot, and McMillian moved in for an additional 24,000. McMillian turned up Qh-8s-8d-7d for queens-up, while Phan showed Ad-6d-6s-5s for a set of 6s. A river ace changed nothing, and Phan had completed his rout.

McMillian, 39, works in sales and is from Huntington, West Virginia. He's been playing 25 years, entered numerous Circuits, and in addition to his victory in event #3, won a Denny Crum Poker Open event, and a WSOP $340 nightly tournament this year. He enjoys basketball, fishing and hunting, is married with one child, with another on the way in two months.