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Its tough to keep coming back. In poker, especially tournament poker, we find ourselves getting beaten down repeatedly as everyone but the winner loses their final hand. Some people get to taste the feeling of a final hand victory quickly; some have to wait a long time.
Theo Tran is one of the latter. A young professional living in Las Vegas, Tran carries himself like a champion. Despite his diminutive frame, there’s a swagger to his step that says “I belong”. It’s reflected in the company he keeps, with his close friends including Jeff Madsen, Brandon Cantu and Joe Sebok.
Tran made it to the final table in event #2 - $1,500 no-limit hold’em outlasting all but four players in the record-breaking field of 3,929. Rather than lick his wounds, he found his way right back to the table for event #7 - $2,000 no-limit hold’em. He proceeded to tear the field a new one.
Tran held the chip lead for pretty much all of day two, increasing it in the final hand of play on the day to advance to the final table as chip leader. He started the action on that final hand by raising from middle position to 40,000. The action folded around to Manny Minaya, ho made it an all-in for another 179,000. Theo called and turned over Ah-Ks; Minaya tabled Kh-Kd.
The flop came As-9s-8c, and suddenly Minaya’s favorite had one out in the deck. The turn came 4c and the river 10s, neither one being the last king. Theo took the pot, and now carries the big stick into the final table.
Gary Wise
gary@wisehandpoker.com
