Event #40: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better

Ernest Bohn came into Event #40: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better, his fourth World Series of Poker tournament, with nary a recorded live cash to his name. He left it a WSOP champion with a gold bracelet and $173,228 in prize money after getting through a field of 595 players.

The long, grueling days of tournament poker can be a grind on anyone. But, a 68-year-old relative tournament novice playing a 13-hour slog on Day 3, when tournament decisions are most pressure-packed and taxing on the mind?

One could be forgive for expecting such a situation to take its toll, but Bohn said he felt right at home.

"I'm not a good sleeper anyways," he said. "If I get two hours of sleep, three hours of sleep that's enough. So, I was wide awake."

Indeed Bohn appeared to be the man with the advantage against Bill Kohler as the night wound deeper, with the two battling short-handed and then heads up for several hours. Sipping the occasional Scotch, Kohler kept things lively throughout much of the day with a relatively constant stream of chatter.

However, by the night's end, even when he had surges into the lead during heads-up play, Kohler's table talk died down as it took all of his energy just to get the proper betting amounts out. The man from Cincinnati had come second in this very event in 2009.

"He was starting to play a little loose," Bohn said. "I said, 'This is my tournament.' I picked up on it right away."

However, Bohn didn't deviate much at all from his initial game plan. He came into Day 3 looking to play a solid game, and it was a plan he executed to perfection. He didn't seem inclined to do much stealing and seemed to have it almost every time he bet strongly, with his weakest holdings at showdown being mostly strong one-pair hands and one-way low hands.

"I made up my mind," he said of his approach to Day 3. "I'm gonna play cautious, I'm not gonna chase, and I'm going to play the best hands possible. It worked."

Most of Bohn's poker experience, he said, comes from playing in a $0.50/1 home game that runs every other Friday, with much of the action coming in stud and split-pot games. He also used to put in some hours at the tables in Atlantic City, once a haven for stud players, in years past.

It turned out to be enough to conquer a final table that included multiple-bracelet winners Ted Forrest and Max Pescatori, as well as high stakes expert Justin Bonomo.

While they battled and took each other out one by one, Bohn sat quietly, grinding and listening to his "good old rock 'n roll and country" to keep himself occupied and in line.

He took the lead into heads-up play, but despite the stacks being short, Bohn and Kohler sparred for two hours until the 68-year-old took command with a series of pots in the final level before they'd have bagged to come back for an unscheduled Day 4. When it was all over, Bohn let out an excited shout after showing hardly an ounce of emotion over the course of 13 hours.

"We're both retired now, my wife and I," said the former harness racing trainer. "We've been together 46 years, and we like to travel. We're going to do a little sightseeing. I'm happy as all hell."

Event #40 Final Table Results

Ernest Bohn didn't strike the killing blow, but he has Bill Kohler in awful shape with less than two big bets. The key hand came up with Bohn sporting high cards and then pairing queens on board, betting fourth, fifth, and sixth.

Bohn:   /    
Kohler:   /    

Bohn did his signature dark check on the end.

"Unbelievable," Kohler said after sweating out his last card. "Open-ended and I get a frickin' nine."

He showed     for a whiffed straight and low draw, and Bohn turned over     for trips.

Ernest Bohn	4,085,000	785,000
William Kohler	380,000	-785,000

Ernest Bohn bet fourth, fifth and sixth streets against Bill Kohler, who called down to the river.

Kohler:   /    / 
Bohn:   /    / 

"Jacks," Kohler said after both checked.

Bohn rolled over     for kings.

Ernest Bohn	2,765,000	15,000
William Kohler	1,700,000	-15,000

With the tenth level in the bag, the tournament staff gave players option to call it a day or play an extra level. Kohler let his opponent choose and Bohn agreed to carry on for one more hour.

With one small and two big bet lying in front of each player, Bill Kohler and Ernest Bohn ended up on seventh street. Bohn, like many times before, checked in the dark.

"I doubt I will check, but let me check my cards to see if I check," Kohler said. His doubts proved right as he fired one more bet. Bohn called.

Bill Kohler:    /      /  
Ernest Bohn:    /      /  

The showdown was little confusing for both players. Kohler thought he had six-low and a pair of sixes, but figured out that his     was good for sixes up and no low.

Bohn had     and thought he had a low, but he didn't make it either. His pair of aces was trailing for the high, leaving Kohler scooping the full pot.

William Kohler	2,465,000	580,000
Ernest Bohn	2,000,000	-580,000

Bill Kohler had    out and came up with an idea to bet without looking at his hole cards. He fired on fifth, too. Then he paired his five on sixth street, and fired again, still without knowing what he held in the hole. Ernest Bohn kept calling.

Bill Kohler:    /      /  
Ernest Bohn:    /      /  

Seventh street was checked and Bohn rolled over     for a pair of sevens. Kohler started exploring his hole cards. He turned over the  , saying, "that ain't bad". But then he opened the  . "That is bad." Finally, he rolled out the  . "That's even worse!" he finished his speech, knowing that meant a scoop.

Bohn re-established his big chip lead from earlier.

Ernest Bohn	3,500,000	700,000
William Kohler	965,000	-680,000

What looked to be one of many small pots twisted into a showdown worth two big bets apiece.

Ernest Bohn bet out on sixth and seventh streets, and Bill Kohler called on both occasions.

Ernest Bohn:    /      /  
Bill Kohler:    /      /  

"Two pair," Kohler announced, revealing his     hole cards to scoop the pot. That win put Kohler slightly ahead of Bohn.

William Kohler	2,315,000	350,000
Ernest Bohn	2,150,000	-350,000

Bill Kohler completed for the bring-in with  , and Ernest Bohn called with  . Bohn came out betting on fourth but got raised, and he called bets on fifth and sixth.

Kohler:   /    / 
Bohn:   /    / 

Kohler bet on the river as well.

"You must have a hell of a hand," Bohn said, mucking.

"I'll show you, just because I like you."

Kohler revealed     for aces and a low.

Ernest Bohn	2,500,000	-300,000
William Kohler	1,965,000	300,000