Laak wins opening Premier League Poker IV heat - 13/02/2010

Phil Laak saw off defending champion JC Tran heads-up to win the opening heat of the PartyPoker.com Premier League Poker IV.

Laak took down the PartyPoker.com World Open and showed he has a taste for success in television tournaments, seeing off the opening heat with Daniel Negreanu, Ian Frazer, Roland De Wolfe, Luke Schwartz, Vanessa Rousso and Yevgeniy Timoshenko before toppling Tran.

Laak held a strong chip lead against Tran – 1,880k to JC’s 520k – and it was over quickly as Tran raised with A5 and Phil reraised all-in with K7 and Tran called. Laak spiked a seven on the flop and avoided an ace on the turn and river to clinch the first heat.

“That was so surreal – I felt like I was floating out there, it’s an awesome start to the tournament,” said Laak, who picks up 16 points for the win. “JC is a genius at the poker table and was one of the players I was most wary of, along with Daniel Negreanu, who will love this points system with his math brain.”

Laak admitted he had a bit of help from the deck, hitting cards at the right time and often it was the tempestuous Luke “Full Flush” Schwartz on the receiving end, the online sensation making his debut in the event and catching Phil’s eye.

“Luke is a real tricky player to tackle, but I love the guy because he plays with his heart and he’s emotional,” said Laak.

Tran takes 11 points for second place and said he was pleased with his game: “I can’t complain with second. There’s pressure as the defending champion but I’m not going to underestimate anyone out there.”

Daniel Negreanu’s debut in the Premier League Poker ended early on a trouble flop of 1065 holding 65 against Phil Laak’s pocket sixes. Negreanu bet 25k, Laak raised to 69k and Negreanu moved all-in for 260k. Laak snapped him off and his set saw Kid Poker facing an uphill battle, picking up no points in the opener.

Ian Frazer was on a high after getting through the Team Party qualifier to make his third Premier League Poker appearance but he was bought back to earth with a nasty bump when chip leader Laak made him his second victim. Laak raised with pocket eights and Frazer picked up kings and reraised to 51k – Laak dumped all-in and Frazer put the remaining 295k into the middle only for Phil to flop an eight and send Ian out in seventh spot.

Frazer’s compatriot Roland De Wolfe was the next player to go as the blinds moved to 5/10k. Short-stack Yevgeniy Timoshenko had just doubled up through Vanessa Rousso, spiking a nine holding K9 against Rousso’s AQ and “Jovial Gent” then picked up aces and raised to 24k – Roland three-bet to 64k with A10 which saw Timoshenko move all-in and De Wolfe calling. The board ran 865Q6 to leave De Wolfe with three points from his sixth place finish.

Laak continued to befriend the deck and one hand in particular lit the blue touchpaper under Luke Schwartz’s Premier League Poker debut. Phil held K7 against Luke’s pocket queens and the flop fell KK7. Schwartz bet 40k and Laak called, then both men checked the eight on the turn before the two of hearts came on the river. Luke bet 130k which saw Laak move all-in – causing Full Flush to spring from his chair in disgust before folding his queens. Schwartz returned to his seat after letting off some steam and doubled up through Laak when his KQ hit a queen on the flop against Laak’s KJ, but Schwartz’s bow finished shortly after. Luke shoved all-in for 320k with K10 only for JC Tran to wake-up with pocket queens. Schwartz punched the air when a King came on the flop but his joy was short lived as a King hit on the turn to knock Full Flush out in fifth, taking home four points.

Rousso was the next victim to fall foul of Laak’s blessed day at the felt. With the blinds up to 15/30k, Phil raised the button with K6 and Rousso moved all-in for 220k with pocket fives. Laak hit a King on the flop and avoided the fives to send Vanessa out in fourth spot with six points and take his chip count to a dominant 1,800k against Tran and Timoshenko.

Timoshenko battled heartily as one of five debutants at the table and took home a well-earned eight points for third place. He got up to 450k with some bold moves but Laak ended his resistance as the blinds hit 20/40k and Jovial Gent moved all-in for 375k in the small blind with Q3 and Laak snapped him with K10, hitting a pair of Kings on the flop and a set on the turn to take a big chip lead into the heads-up battle with Tran.

The second heat takes place on Saturday with Phil Hellmuth, David Benyamine, Tony G and online qualifier Giovanni Safina playing their first game of the league while Laak, Tran, Timoshenko and De Wolfe play their second game.