National Deaf Poker Tour

2007 NDPT Midwest Regional tournament
Harrah’s – St. Louis
Saturday May 12, 2007
Total Players: 38
Total Places Paid: 5

By Joey Seifner IV

As the tourney started, the pace of the game was slower than the past
NDPT tournament in Atlantic City due to 20 minute blind interval
raises instead of 15 minutes.  But with an automatic card shuffler, it
speeded up the game by having participants play more hands than what
they would have with dealers shuffling the cards. What’s unique about
Harrah’s is that they offered a special deal for poker cash game
participants, anyone with four of a kind hand that is lower than a
higher four of a kind, straight flush, and/or royal flush would win
the 50% of cash rake pot amount. The winner who beats the four of a
kind player will get 25% of the cash rake pot amount and the remaining
25% will spread out evenly to the participants at the same table.  As
of May 12, the cash rake pot amount was about $112,500 dollars.  Eric
Gjerdingen had four of a kind twice in one day by
getting one during the tournament and during the cash game but no one
couldn’t beat his hand.  Four of a kind twice in one day is quite
rare.

Before the first break occurred after 3rd level of blind interval
raise, 3 participants got knocked out of the tournament.  Then all of
a sudden a few players started playing aggressive, with some being
conservative or bluffing.  As the second break occurred after 6th
level of blind interval raise, 10 players got knocked out of the
tournament, leaving 25 players left.  With the final four players
left, the biggest hand we’ve seen in the game came out.  Joey Seifner
IV had the small blind and David White was the big blind.  Michael
Caracker called the big blind, and Karl Ortiz folded immediately.
Joey had pocket cards of King and seven hearts suited, raising the big
blind in double to $20,000.  The flop came Queen hearts, nine clubs,
and six hearts.  Joey had four hearts already, just needing one more
card to make it a flush.  Thinking slowly by losing almost half of his
chip stack before the flop, Joey decided to go all-in.  David
immediately called him with his pocket cards of Queen and Ace.  The
turn card came as four of diamonds, and then the river card came as
two of hearts!  In the final hand of the game, Joey had pocket cards
of Jack and nine diamonds suited.  Karl called on his big blind and
the flop came a six spades, queen clubs, and eight spades.  Karl
thought of his own pocket cards slowly and decided to check.  Joey was
looking at the community cards assuming Karl may have something good,
maybe needing one more spades card to get a flush hand.  He checked.
The turn card came a ten of clubs, giving Joey a straight.  Karl
called all-in with about a little less chips than Joey had, and he had
to call immediately because a flush or higher hand would beat his
straight of nine to Queen.  Karl had pocket cards of six and eight,
giving him two pairs on the flop.  The turn card was a King of clubs,
and Joey won the tournament with a straight of ten to King.

Here’s the list of winners below.

1st – Joey Seifner IV (Silver Spring, MD); $1,895.00
2nd – Karl Ortiz (St. Louis, MO); $1,181.25
3rd – David White (Atlanta, GA); $708.75
4th – Michael Caracker (Indianapolis, IN); $519.75
5th – Jason Roberts (St Louis, MO); $425.25

My hat goes off to the top four winners below me since they have
participated in the NDPT tournament for the first time ever.  They all
played very well.  NDPT is looking forward to seeing them again as
well as past & new participants in Las Vegas this summer.