Pat Poels Claims WSOP Omaha High-Low Split Crown

In the wee hours of the morning Wednesday, Pat Poels of Phoenix, Arizona, won his first gold bracelet, winning the $1,500 Omaha High-Low Split event at the World Series of Poker (WSOP). The congenial husband and father of three used a flurry of aggressive play to overcome a $300,000 disadvantage and eventually defeat runner-up, John Lukas, taking home $270,100 in the largest Omaha High-Low tournament ever played.

As fixed limit Omaha High-Low can be a slow moving and difficult to watch game because of the lack of huge pots and the frequent split pot (the final table took 10 hours to complete), the real story of the championship was the atmosphere surrounding the table. And when the eventual champion was introduced as someone who plays a lot of Slapjack and another player was self-described as frequently found playing Omaha "high as a kite", one knew that it was going to be a slightly different type of night.

This event’s final table was not televised, so the lack of cameras, in addition to the absence of Tournament Director, Johnny Grooms, seemed to strip a little of the luster off this event. On top of that, there were technical problems throughout the night, as the overhead camera, which allows the crowd to see the community cards, only worked for a short time. The audio left something to be desired, as well. All of this made the play very difficult for the spectators to follow (as if Omaha High-Low isn’t hard enough to follow), even with the announcer doing his best to keep the audience alive.

As a result, the entire final table competition seemed very informal, almost like a friendly game. Spectators and members of the media frequently stepped close to, or even on, the stage to get a better look at the action, something that would never be allowed when the ESPN cameras are rolling. The players often left the table to talk to friends and family; Darrell Dicken even left the area for several hands.

The crowd was very transient, as well. Many tourists and conventioneers could be seen coming and going as they pleased, another thing that is discouraged when the event is being taped.

The game was so slow that this writer actually got the chance to chat with the wife of one player for a good thirty minutes, and poker was barely discussed in the conversation.

Players also seemed to act differently tonight. They were not nearly as demonstrative as many seem to be when the cameras are on. There was no chest thumping, no slamming of cards on the table, no animosity or showboating, nothing.

If an onlooker did not know that hundreds of thousands of dollars were at stake, he might have really thought this was just a poker game amongst buddies, especially if was watching one end of the table. Poels, “Minneapolis” Jim Meehan, Dan Heimiller, and Bahram Kianfar, chatted it up, joked around, and complemented each other like they played together every weekend. The other end of the table was fairly reserved, but just as respectful.

At one point, Poels demonstrated the personality that earned him a large cheering section (although Meehan, Heimiller, and Jeff Duvall all had vocal entourages, as well). Before one hand started, Poels’, who wore sunglasses most of the competition, turned to Kianfar on his immediate right and said, “It’s time for Operation Staredown.” He then did what Operation Staredown would imply – he locked his gaze square on Kianfar’s face. When Kianfar bet pre-flop on that same hand, Poels’ diverted his stare to his cards, looked back up and proclaimed, “This hand’s a raiser,” and flipped his chips into the pot with an upward flourish of his hand. It was joking exchanges like this that made an otherwise slow match fun to watch.

Second place competitor, John Lukas, while not as gregarious as Poels, was just as friendly. While obviously disappointed that he didn’t win, the look on his face afterward was one of fatigue more than sadness. In fact, he was quite proud to get as far as he did, considering he almost busted out long before the final table.

“I had 75 chips when the blinds were 50/100,” Lukas recalled. “I went all-in like five hands in a row and after that, I was unstoppable.”

Almost unstoppable. Lukas summed his feelings up well before heading to the cashier to pick up his winnings: “It was a good day.”

There was one somber moment during the final table competition. After a dinner break, a moment of silence was held to remember last year’s champion, Curtis Bibb, who passed away recently.

Complete Final Table Results

(Place/Player/Prize Money)

1. Pat Poels.............$270,100
2. John Lukas...........$139,870
3. Jeff Duvall...........$77,170
4. Bahram Kianfar....$67,525
5. Dan Heimiller.......$57,875
6. Jim Meehan.........$48,230
7. Darrell Dicken......$38,585
8. Boris Shats.........$28,940
9. Minh Nguyen........$19,290
10. Pascal Perrault....$10,160

Originally published June 8, 2005