Council Bluffs, IA—Here’s one for the books: a liver transplant that not only saved someone’s life, but his poker game as well.
Tim McReynolds is an attorney from Omaha who used to do corporate mergers and later had his own law firm. Four years ago his liver began failing, along with his mental acuity. He started playing poker two years ago, but was terrible at it because his mind wasn’t working very well.
Then, last August, he had a liver transplant. He rebounded in health, and his mind immediately regained its sharpness, along with his poker game. Tonight he tried playing H.O.R.S.E for the first time, and thanks to his new liver and rejuvenated brain, he won it.
McReynolds’ operation was in August. Afterwards, the doctors told him he had six months to live. That date arrived Feb. 15, McReynolds still feels great, so every new day is a freeroll for him. He also went back to doing corporate mergers.
Before poker, McReynolds used to be a blackjack card-counter until he got thrown out of three casinos. Until tonight he played only Hold’em, and came third in a tournament at Caesars Palace recently. In any event, despite his win tonight, he still considers himself a novice.
First place officially paid $5,028, but most of the money had been distributed in two deals.
This event had 36 players, a prize pool of $10,476, and only four players for the final table. Before that, the final nine made a deal allowing everyone to get back his buy-in.
Play got underway for the final four in a Stud Hi-Low round with 1,500 antes and 6,000-12,000 limits. McReynolds was in front with 99,500 chips.
Here were the starting chip counts:
|
Seat |
Name |
Chip Count |
|
1 |
Todd Kidd |
20,000 |
|
2 |
Ray Babb |
75,000 |
|
3 |
Tim McReynolds |
99,500 |
|
4 |
Loren "Matt" Rice |
20,500 |
4th place: Starting lowest-chipped with 20,000, Todd Kidd was quickly all in with three-way action. Going for low, and showing 7-Q-K-8, the best he could have was an 8-7. He did, but it wasn’t good enough because Todd Kidd made an 8-6, while McReynolds took high with trip deuces.
Fourth officially paid $890. Rice, 42, from West Union, Iowa, is a professor of economics.
McReynolds, meanwhile, took some hits, began to drift down and was quite low when he got quartered in an Omaha round with 8,000-16,000 limits. McReynolds held A-4-9-9 to Ray Babb’s A-3-3-4. A board of 3-10-6-5-9 gave Babb a set of treys and the same low as McReynolds. But McReynolds hung on, scooped the next pot, and began climbing up again.
3rd place: McReynolds then took the lead when he knocked out Todd Kidd in a Razz round, making a 9-low to Kidd’s 10-low. Kidd, 45, is a trucking manager from South Beloit, IL. Third officially paid $1,729.
Heads-up, McReynolds had 165,000 chips to 55,000 for Ray Babb. Soon after, Babb doubled through in a Stud round with 12,000-24,000 limits, making two pair against McReynolds’ pair of 8s.
2nd place: The match continued for about a dozen hands after that. The two made a deal: chop the remaining money evenly and deal one hand, with the winner getting the title. Babb started with (8-7) 6 and his next two cards were 7s, giving him trips. That’s how he ended after a queen and jack were dealt to him.
McReynolds began with (A-K) 10. He picked up a 10 on fourth street and another on the river, and his three 10s beat Babb’s three 7s. Babb, 68, is a rancher from Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin. Second officially paid $2,829. –Max Shapiro