WSOPC Indiana

Monday, October 13, 2008

The Derby: Day 2 at WSOPC Indiana

By Martin Derbyshire | WSOPC

Showing the kind of speed not seen around these parts since Big Brown's run at Churchill Downs across the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky, it took less than five hours to play down from 27 horses to a final table of nine here at the WSOPC Horseshoe Southern Indiana main event today.

In fact, these rounders got out of the starting gate like thoroughbreds on a Lasix, phenylbutazone and cortiscosteroids cocktail, getting it down to 19 players before the first level and a half were through and we'd reached the first break.

While there were many, the biggest bust of the early part of the day involved Kenny Hicks, who came into Day 2 in the top 10 in chips, but shipped his stack over to Jamin Stokes when he failed to get away from big slick against Stokes' kings.

Hicks' inability to hit the three-outer not only sent him to the rail much too early, it vaulted Stokes into the lead, a position he would hold for most of the very short day until being passed in the latter stages by Samuel Oberlin.

For his part, Oberlin jumped into contention by ruining the Kopacz family's hopes of becoming the first wife-and-husband team to meet at a final table of a WSOPC main event.

Stacy Kopacz got Oberlin all-in much the same way Stokes took care of Hicks, but instead of doubling into the lead, her kings were cracked by Oberlin's A-K when he rivered an ace.

Here's to you, Mrs. Kopacz.

Oberlin never really looked back, playing solid poker the rest of the day, and will head into the final nine with $229,000 and the chip lead ahead of Stokes and his $189,500. Stacy busted a few hands later, but hubby David Kopacz never did, and will have a chance to avenge his wife's untimely bust. He'll head into the final table with $151,000 - good for fourth in chips.

Meanwhile, Louisville local Len Ashby, whose been working the Circuit prelims since 2005 to the tune of about $145k, will have a chance to double that with a win here, coming into the final table third in chips on $177,000.

Midway through the truncated day, Jerry Martin got into a massive all-in confrontation with jacks against Larry Romine's big slick and while Romine flopped an ace, Martin turned a jack to cripple him and double up.

Romine was out soon after, but Martin rode that stroke of luck and a huge river bluff that titled Jason DeWitt right out the door soon after on to a $139,500 stack that has him fifth in chips headed into the final.

We're Jamin!

Columbus, Ohio native Joey Couden played solid poker en route to a $128,000 stack by the time the final nine were in place and thanks to his ability to talk Dupo, Illinois' own Steve Lewis into calling off nearly all of his chips with eights against his kings, Newfoundlander Derek Whalen will head into the final table with $117,500.

Dean Schultz managed to turn a short stack into $114,000 by day's end and the final nine is rounded out by Ray Lynn, who will be looking to do the same tomorrow when he returns with just $17,500 in chips and the proverbial chair.

With an early day here, the Louisville night beckons and while PL.com will surely answer its call, we promise to jump back across the state line in time for the 2 p.m. final table tomorrow. As always, you are more than welcome to join us!