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Off to the World Series of Poker |
Morgan Hill
School District bus mechanic Ausencio Quezada came out the winner of the Garlic
City Club’s annual poker championship, claiming a seat at the World Series of
Poker in Las Vegas.
The World Series of Poker, now in its 35th year, is considered the game’s
pinnacle. Quezada is entered in the seven-day championship round May 22-28. The
top prize is expected to be more than $3 million, according to Garlic City Club
Manager Raul Rivas.
“I will be going to play with the big boys,” said Quezada, a Gilroy resident.
He’s not bragging, though.
“It happened to be me,” Quezada said.
It was “pure luck, basically, and a little bit of skill” that caused the game to
turn in his favor, he said.
“Know when to hold ’em, when to fold ’em is what it’s all about,” Quezada said.
“Timing is everything in those games.”
Quezada won out of a select field of 10 on March 27. After beating early
front-runners Dawn Rossai and Jeff Dame, he finished off Rivas to take the
prize.
“He behaves real good, like a professional,” Rivas said of Quezada. “I’m glad
that he won. I can only say I lost to a really good player. ... I think he has a
very good chance (in Las Vegas).
Quezada has gambled in Vegas before, but it wasn’t pretty, he recalled with a
laugh.
“I lost $20,000 the last time I was there,” Quezada said. “It’s easier to lose
than it is to win. ... That’s why I haven’t been back for the last 15 years.”
ESPN broadcast last year’s World Series of Poker and advertised the $2.5 million
purse as “a winner’s share bigger than the Kentucky Derby, Wimbledon,
Indianapolis 500 or any other competition on Earth.”
The Garlic City Club’s Jose Gomez, of Hollister, was one of the World Series
qualifiers last year. Even though he outlasted 500 others, he still bowed out
the first day.
In the end, the prize went to the aptly named Chris Moneymaker, a 28-year-old
Tennessee accountant and an unknown going into the tournament.
“You need a good memory, the ability to read people, and you have to be
comfortable sitting there lying to somebody,” Moneymaker told Harrah’s
Entertainment, which is taking over as tournament director from longtime host
Binion’s.
Moneymaker plans to defend his title, according to Harrah’s.
Quezada works as a heavy-duty diesel mechanic for the Morgan Hill School
District, a job he’s held for 14 years. He is married and has four children.
Quezada plays poker once or twice a week, sometimes as far away as Fresno. He
has been a regular player at the Garlic City Club for about five years, since
the club opened; he figures he has won more than he has lost there.
That Sunday, he said, “I was the underdog. (Rossai) was way ahead of us.”
“(Rossai) ... had the most chips in the game,” Rivas said. “She eliminated some
of the players. ... As the game progressed, she went head-to-head with Mr.
Quezada, ... and he eliminated her. ... From then on it was very hard to beat
him because everyone else had a very small amount of chips. That included me.
“This is the second (year in a row) I’ve come in second,” Rivas added. “Maybe
next time.”
To get to the final table, each of the 10 players had to either win one of 10
qualifying tournaments throughout the year or buy a seat from a winner.
Although Quezada won $10,000 in chips , it wasn’t a cash prize; rather, it was a
chance to compete with the best players in the world. The World Series entry fee
cost $10,000, which the Garlic City Club paid using its players’ $125
tournament-entry fees.
Rivas said the game of choice at such poker tournaments is Texas Hold ’Em. Each
player gets two initial cards face-down, and all players share the remaining
five cards, dealt face-up.
“Texas Hold ’Em is the hottest game going anywhere in the world right now,”
Rivas said.
The Garlic City Club hosts regular poker games every Wednesday and Thursday at 7
p.m. and every Saturday at 5. Anyone is invited, good or not.
Nevertheless, Rivas said, “There’s a lot of good players here.”tournament
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