Financee Taught Her Well How to Play Short-Handed

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Elizabeth, IN—Nesli Ohare played in the Womens Professional Billiard Association for 10 years, and was ranked in the top 10 when she gave it up seven years ago because there was “no money in it.” Tonight she won a lot more in one sitting than she ever did shooting pool when she took first place and won an official $12,817 in the Ladies Only tournament, the fourth event in the Caesars Indiana WSOP Circuit tour. A striking trophy pendant went with the cash.

The ending was strange. When she got heads-up with Denise Vanburkleo, she enjoyed close to a 3-1 chip lead. The two took a break to make a deal, and agreed that on the next and final hand the two would both go all in, muck their hands, and Ohare would be declared the winner. As it turned out, the board came Q-10-9-J-5 and Ohare, with K-2, made a straight and won legitimately, despite the deal’s terms, while Vanburkleo never bothered to look at her own cards.

Ohare, from Indianapolis, is now a business development manager for a company providing accounting services for small businesses. She also loves golf, has been playing poker for four years, and this is her first big tournament.

Ohare describes her play as “tight/aggressive.” She learned poker four years ago from her fiancée, who drilled her in short-handed play, advice that came in handy tonight. In particular, she said, she knew that the shorter the field, the more a given hand went up in value. Tonight, she was down to 75 chips with blinds of 400-800 before climbing back up. At the final table, she was also dangerously short at one time, with 12,000 chips when the blinds were 4,000-8,000.

The ladies played fast tonight. It was only 6:45 p.m. when the final nine assembled. Blinds at that point were 2,000-4,000 with 500 antes, 20 minutes left on the clock. Holding the lead with 72,500 chips was Gwendolyn Davis, one of two financial analysts at the table (along with an accountant, a bookkeeper and a business development manager). All in all, a pretty money-wise table.

Here were the starting chip counts:

SEAT 1 Debra Jorgensen    34,000
SEAT 2  Rebecca Kellehnke    55,000
SEAT 3  Denise Vanburkleo    34,400
SEAT 4  Janet Mitakis    20,000
SEAT 5  Patricia Clark    11,000        
SEAT 6  Gwendolyn Davis    72,500
SEAT 7  Alma Egnew        32,600
SEAT 8  Nesli Ohare        51,000
SEAT 9  Donna Behnke    39,500

In early action, Donna “Bink” Behnke, all in with K-2, was in bad shape against Gwendolyn Davis’ K-J, but survived by flopping two pair.

Janet Milakis was first out, on hand 10. She pushed in for 9,500 with big slick. Rebecca “Becky” Kelley, calling with pocket 7s, won the toss-up when the board missed her. Milakis is from Indianapolis, but provided no other details about herself. Ninth paid $801.

The next hand was spectacular. First, Vanburkleo moved in with pocket aces, then Behnke re-raised all in with pocket queens, and Becky Kelley called all-in with pocket kings! A board of J-6-5-10-8 was useless. Vanburkleo tripled up, Kelley survived by taking the side pot, and Behnke was down to about 25,000.

Soon after blinds went to 3,000-6,000 with 500 antes we had more three-way action. Patricia Clark, all in for 8,500 with A-2, survived when a board of A-7-2-10-A gave her a full house. Debra “Kino” Jorgensen, with A-6, took the side pot.

Alma “A.J” Egnew was next out on a very bad beat. She called with her last couple of chips holding pocket kings against Gwendolyn Davis’ 7-4, losing when the board came J-10-9-8, giving Davis a straight. Egnew, retired, is from Maysville, Kentucky and is married with one son and a grandchild. She learned poker from TV and her family five years ago. Her poker achievements include a sixth in the ladies event here last April, a 52nd at a Seniors event in Vegas, and winning a $10,000 seat to the WSOP three years ago. She is also a “lady farmer” and animal rescuer. Eighth place paid $1,202. By the time blinds went to 4,000-8,000 with 1,000 antes, Jorgensen, with 83,000 had the lead. Three players now went quickly.

First, Behnke moved in with A-K, losing to Kelley’s mere 8-5 when an 8 flopped. Behnke, collecting $1,602 for seventh, is a retired bar manager and poker dealer from Mahomet, Illinois. She is married with two children, has played five years, and this is her fourth Circuit try. Her poker highlight is placing 18th in a Tunica Circuit event.

Next, a short-chipped Patricia Clark went broke when her 7-6 couldn’t catch Jorgensen’s pocket 9s. A financial analyst from Jeffersonville, Indiana, Clark is married with two children, has been playing for 30 years, and also likes to sing and play guitar. This event, her first Circuit, paid her $2,003 for sixth.    

Then Davis, the other financial analyst, finished fifth, worth $2,403. She moved in for 34,000 with A-K, losing to Kelley’s pocket 8s. Davis, nicknamed “Wendy” and playing just two years, was in her second Circuit event. She is married, and from Massillon, Ohio.

A short-chipped Ohare now began her move, escaping all-ins twice, first when her pocket queens held up, then when she flopped a 4 to her 10-4 to outrun Kelley’s A-9, and then challenged Jorgensen for the lead with uncalled all-in bets. The turning point came when she moved in for 106,000 with pocket 6s. Jorgensen, calling with K-J, couldn’t hit, and Ohare now had a massive lead.

Jorgensen lost her last chips after blinds went to 6,000-12,000 with 1,000 antes. She called and lost with J-8 after Ohare moved in with pocket jacks. Jorgensen is an accountant from St. Petersburg, Florida who learned poker from her parents six years ago. This is her third Circuit. She got in via satellite and earned $2,804 for fourth.

Next, Vanburkleo had a close call, surviving with pocket 10s against Ohare’s pocket queens when a 10 rivered. The match got heads-up after Kelley moved in for 38,000 with A-4. Ohare called with Q-J and won when a queen flopped. Kelley, from New Phila, Ohio, is married with two children. She’s played poker five years, and this is her first Circuit event. Her other hobby is painting. Third place paid $3,605.

Vanburkleo, with 90,000 to Ohare’s 260,000, took second and $7,049 after making the deal. Vanburkleo, from Franklin, Tennessee, married with three children, learned poker from her family nine years ago. This is her fifth Circuit event. Her prior highlight was  fifth here in October.  —Max Shapiro


For more information, please contact:  
Max Shapiro -- WSOP Media Director at (323) 356-3303
Or visit our official website:  www.worldseriesofpoker.com

World Series of Poker Commissioner – Jeffrey Pollack
World Series of Poker Tournament Director -- Jack Effel
Caesars Indiana Poker Room Manager – Jimmie Allen
Caesars Indiana Tournament Directors -- Chris Reason and Sue Stetar