Isaac Galazan Fitted for WSOP Bracelet

For the second night in a row, a relative newcomer to the world of big-time poker captured a World Series of Poker (WSOP) title. This time, it was Isaac Galazan, who came from behind to defeat the accomplished Harry Demetriou in the $2,500 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em event. Galazan’s efforts Wednesday earned him $315,125.

For six-handed play, it was a strange final table. Traditionally, this type of game, also referred to as “short-handed”, is fast paced and looser than a normal, ten-player game. But tonight, the match had a distinctly choppy flow.

Play started fast and furious, with two eliminations in the first four hands.

On the third hand of the final table, David Barnes raised to $16,000 pre-flop, Demetriou called, Galazan raised to $50,000, and Barnes countered by going all-in. Demetriou folded, but Galazan called, showing pocket Tens versus Barnes’ A-J of hearts. While the flop of 7-4-3 did not particularly help Barnes, there were two hearts on the board, so he did pick up nine more outs for the flush. Unfortunately, none of his outs decided to make an appearance, and Barnes pocketed $50,415 for his 6th place finish.

The very next hand had spectators on their feet again. Demetriou opened the action with a raise to $15,000 and Antonio Esfandiari went over the top, raising to $59,000. This prompted Demetriou to do him one better and go all-in. Esfandiari quickly called for the rest of his stack. His K-J did not improve against Demetriou’s 8-8 and all of a sudden, two players were gone on consecutive hands.

Then, the pace slowed to a crawl. Nothing much happened for two hours. Lots of checking, lots of folding to raises, and the occasional all-in by a short stack, but no calls. Finally, around 6:30pm, David Singer was eliminated in 4th place when he moved all-in on a A-J-7-5-6 board with pocket 9’s. Demetriou called his all-in with A-4 to take down the pot.

As quickly as the action heated up again, it stopped. No real action occurred for the next half-hour before a one-hour dinner break. But then, just like that, the whole thing was over about forty minutes once play resumed.

Tommy Grimes, who was fairly quiet throughout final table play, got knocked out by Galazan three hands after the break when the Q-J-7 flop gave Galazan a pair of Queens to Grimes’ Jacks.

The heads-up portion of the competition was the entire final table in microcosm – extended stretches of no action followed by quick bursts of excitement. For nine hands, nothing happened. On the tenth hand, both Galazan and Demetriou saw the flop for the price of the big blind. Galazan bet out $30,000 on the 6-5-2 flop, only to see Demetriou raise to $90,000. Galazan then pushed all-in and Demetriou called. Galazan showed pocket 9’s, while Demetriou held 6-4 for top pair and an inside-straight draw. Demetriou got no help from the turn or river and Galazan doubled up, taking over the chip lead after starting heads-up play $330,000 behind.

It was over two hands later. Demetriou pushed all-in preflop and Galazan called with no hesitation. Demetriou flipped over Q-9, while Galazan showed K-J. Demetriou did not improve and Galazan earned his first WSOP bracelet.

Side note: Fourth place finisher, David Singer, could not be found when the players were introduced. Tournament Director, Tommy Grooms, made several announcements for Singer to come to the table, but Singer still did not show after several minutes of waiting. The final table actually started without him, but fortunately, he did take his seat by the second hand.

Complete Final Table Results

(Place/Player/Prize Money)

1. Isaac Galazan - $315,125
2. Harry Demetriou - $163,850
3. Tommy Grimes - $85,705
4. David Singer - $75,625
5. Antonio Esfandiari - $63,020
6. David Barnes - $50,415

Originally published June 9, 2005