By Jim Evans from the March 2010 Edition
PATA held their Second Annual Poker Tournament on Wednesday February 10, 2010 at the Oasis Restaurant in Club 
Santiago. Originally scheduled for the third of February the tourney was delayed due to some minor flooding caused by yet another winter bout with our un-seasonal friend “ El Nino”.. Tournament Director, and member of PATA Manzanillo, Chantel Oleksin started off the festivities around 7 pm with
a reading of the rules of play followed by the customary “ shuffle up and deal” to kick off the tourney. Thirty Three players of all ages and skill levels contributed NM$ 450 pesos each to be used by PATA in their various endeavors including: “ Free” Spay and Neuter Clinics, the annual 5 day clinic, and monthly mini clinics. Many members of PATA Manzanillo, including Renee Huang, Stan Burnett, and Chris Newbold were also on hand to lend their support before, during and after the tournament.
The dealers: Doug Reed, Susan Corey, Sam Short, Kris Hatherell, Patty Talasay and Kenny Talasay… all accomplished poker players, donated their time for the event.
Included in the field were last years 1st and 2nd place winners, Benny and Grace McCormick appropriately attired in bulls-eye t-shirts.. Benny, last years winner, was knocked out within the first couple of hours and by midnight the final table was set… it included Grace McCormick with the “ small stack”. Grace along with Glen Brown, Bob Brown, Art Woodruff and Gerardo Valdes battled for several more hours and finally it was down to heads up play between Grace and Glen .
They jockeyed back and forth for several hands and finally Glen pushed all his chips in with J-9, Grace, then the chip leader, called showing a J10.. According to Dealer Doug Reed, the flop, turn and River Cards were “not memorable” and Grace took down the final pot winning the first prize: a two night stay at Boca de Iguanas Hotel and Eco Resort in La Manzanilla for 2.
The four remaining winners in order of their finish were: Glen Brown $1,000 peso gift certificate for La Pergola Restaurant, Bob Brown Massage therapy gift certificate valued at $800 pesos, Art Woodruff Brunch for 2 at Pepe’s Hideaway in La Punta, Gerardo Valdes Dinner for 2 at El Fogon.
Grace survived at least four “all-in” hands and at one time her stack was less than $1600 pesos.. (One “ Big Blind”)… when interviewed later she admitted that it was tough going all evening … she lauded the dealers for the great job they did, and sheepishly admitted to getting some “breaks” along the way.. But this writer thinks, while finishing at or near the top once might be considered “a lucky break” .. winning it all the very next year is indicative of a great deal of skill and certainly earns her the title of Grace “the poker shark” McCormick conferred on her by Chantel Oleksin …
Great job Grace !!!!!
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