Ladies Poker Association

Kelli Griggs, wins the Ladies Poker Party at the Bicycle Casino

By -Jay “Bugsy” Siegel, Bicycle Casino Writer

Friday, August 18, 2006

Ladies Night Out is a special women’s event that combines poker, charity, and 2 broadcast mediums. The Bicycle Casino and the World Poker Tour have teamed up to support The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. A portion of the buy-in was donated to the foundation and in a tournament first, Denny Williams, tournament director at The Bicycle Casino, pledged that any tournament penalty could be exchanged for cash that will be donated to the foundation as well. One unnamed women went up to the tournament desk, blurted out the F-bomb (twice) and exchanged her 20-minute penalty with a $20 bill. There were several other penalties issued throughout the tournament and I understand over $100 was donated.

Kelley O’Hara, Marketing Director at The Bicycle Casino, introduced Steve Lipscomb, founder and CEO of the World Poker Tour. Steve further thanked the players, the casino, and everyone involved in putting this event together so they could make a collective difference in the lives of so many people who are affected by breast cancer. A representative from The Susan G. Komen Foundation also spoke of the goal of the foundation: to eradicate breast cancer through research, education, screening, and treatment.

The final table of this event was webcast on “Live at the Bike” a streaming webcast including commentators and hole card cameras. Visit “Live at the Bike” at www.liveatthebike.com. The winner of this event will go on to participate in the WPT Ladies night out tournament on August 31, 2006, where they will match up against 5 top pro women players, which will be televised on The Travel Channel in October 2006.

The first elimination came on hand #6 when Wendy Strow, and insurance adjuster, pushed all-in preflop with her short stack. Wendy was called by Mi-Sook Choe, a pro player from Palm Springs. Wendy showed her K-8 and Mi-Sook revealed an A-7. Wendy has two live cards going to the flop. The board was Q-9-2-J-4 and neither player paired up and Mi-Sook took down the pot with Ace high. Wendy was eliminated in 9th place and earned $625.

The next elimination occurred on hand #11. Alberta Damas raised preflop and had one caller, Xia Byrne from Scottsdale, AZ. The flop was 6-6-4. Alberta pushed all-in and had Xia covered. Xia went into the tank and called with her 5d-8d. Alberta showed her Q-4 for two pair. Xia was looking for her gut shot or either of her overcards. The turn was a Queen and Xia’s only hope was the gut shot 7. There was an Ace on the river and Xia Byrne was eliminated in 8th place and cashed for $790.

On hand #18, Alberta raised from late position, got re-raised all-in from Timmi DeRosa, the short stack in the blind. Alberta called and showed her Qs-Js. Timmi, who lost most of her chips on hand #12, showed 8-9. The board was 2-4-7-K-6. No one paired the board and Alberta won the pot with an Ace high. Timmi DeRosa, fiancée to pro player Lee Watkinson, was eliminated in 7th place and won $955.

Three hands later, poker pro, Teresa Chang raised all-in and was called by Stella Ohanessian. Kelli Griggs then re-raised all-in forcing Stella out with an A-4. Teresa held K-7o and Kelli showed As-Qs. The flop was A-Q-T and Kelli took a commanding lead. Teresa needed a Jack to make her straight but the turn and river missed with a 9 and 10 respectively. Kelli eliminates another player and built her stack even more. Teresa Chang was eliminated in 6th place and earned $1,290.

On the very next hand, Phalline Hoang, the chipleader coming into the final table, raised from the cutoff position and was reraised all-in by Stella Ohanessian, a behavior therapist, on the button. Phalline immediately called and showed her QQ and Stella showed her KK. The flop was exactly what Phalline was looking for: Q-9-2. The turn was a 10 and that gave additional outs to Stella for the straight (Jack) but the river was a 4 and Stella got her Kings cracked by a set of Queens. Stella finishes in 5th place and earned $1,625.

On hand #33, Phalline Hoang, short stacked after losing a big pot two hands ago, raised Mi-Sook Choe preflop and got the call. Phalline showed 3-6o and Mi-Sook showed As-Qs. The board was K-2-9-J-9 and Mi-Sook won with Ace high and Phalline Hoang was eliminated in 4th place for $2,125.

The game was now 3-handed and the players agreed to chop the money evenly and play for the win, the ring, and the WPT final table appearance. Hand #41 had Kelli Griggs call the all-in raise from Mi-Sook Choe. Mi-Sook held pocket 10s and Kelli showed 8c-9c. The flop looked good for Mi-Sook, with a K-3-5. Kelli was going to need runner-runner to win this pot. The turn 9 was the first runner, and the river 8 was the second runner to make Kelli’s two pair (8s & 9s). Mi-Sook got a bad beat and finished in 3rd place. Kelli had a commanding chip lead.

The final hand of the match occurred in the 2nd hand of the heads-up play. Alberta Damas, a dance instructor for cruise ships, raised $85,000 preflop with K-Q and was called by Kelli Griggs with Kd-5d. The flop was 5-6-9. Kelli check raised after the flop to get all of Alberta’s chips in the pot. Kelli’s pair was in the lead and Alberta needed to pair her only live card, the Queen. The turn and river, 10 and 8, did not help Alberta and she became the runner-up. Kelli Griggs had won and unlike a typical open poker event (men and women), she shed a couple tears of joy. The ring is nice, the money is nice, but the WPT Ladies Night Out televised table is the big prize.

BIOGRAPHY

Kelli Griggs has been playing poker for as long as she could hold cards. She was taught by her father at a very young age but has been playing “serious” poker for two years. Kelli has cashed in several big tournaments including the 2006 WSOP Ladies Event (59th of 1,128 for $2,590) and the 2006 LIPS Tour in 20th place. Kelli outlasted at least 2 pro players at this final table. She said she felt that this was her time to win even before she started the tournament yesterday. After making the final table, her confidence peaked and she was determined to play all out for the win. Kelli would like to dedicate this win to her two daughters, Gabi, 7, and Sophia, 2. Sophia is her biggest fan who was watching Kelli take it down on the “Live at the Bike” webcast, shouting “All-in mommy!”

Good luck to Kelli on August 31, 2006 when she takes on five other Lady pros in a televised WPT Ladies Night Out one table event.

Read LPA’s interview with Kelli Griggs

CHIP COUNTS ENTERING FINAL TABLE

Seat 1. Xia Byrne $ 24,500

Seat 2. Timmi DeRosa $ 62,500

Seat 3 Phalline Hoang $142,500

Seat 4. Stella Ohanessian $ 51,000

Seat 5. Wendy V. Strow $ 16,500

Seat 6. Kelli Griggs $ 64,000

Seat 7. Teresa Chang $103,000

Seat 8. Mi-Sook Choe $ 74,500

Seat 9. Alberta M. Damas $ 91,500