Greg "Grumpy" Heslip's 10-8 topped Shawn Delargy's 6-4 in the final hand and the San Diego quality engineer pocketed the $8,000 first prize at the $25,000 Annie Duke Free Roll Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament Saturday, January 30 at Pala Casino Spa & Resort, located outside of San Diego, CA.
Heslip beat 66 players, including Duke, for his first tournament victory. Duke, a top poker professional, hosted Pala's first major tournament in its new 15-table poker room that was part of the casino's $100 million renovation.
"It was competitive. There were a lot of good players here today. Annie was terrific as the host and it really feels good to finish first against this field. I play here two or three times a week and will definitely be back," Heslip said.
Delargy, a control operator for a major utility in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, took home $5,900 that included $1,000 bonus for knocking Duke out of the tournament. Kyle Perez from Pala, CA, finished third and earned $3,500; fourth was Robert Butler, Escondido, CA, $2,000; fifth, Robert Muehlberg, Wildomar, CA, $1,700; sixth, Glen Connolly, Temecula, CA, $1,500; seventh, Chris Ciremele, Valley Center, CA, $1,200; eighth, Joseph Simms, Fallbrook, CA, $1,000; ninth, Gary Benton, Fallbrook, CA, $700, and tenth, Peggy Diaz, Vista, CA, $500.
Players can qualify until Midnight, March 3, to win a $10,000 entry into the 2010 World Series of Poker in Pala's WSOP Free Roll Poker Tournament set for Saturday, March 6. In addition to their starting chips, players may opt for a $10 optional staff fee for $1,000 in additional chips; a $25 optional re-buy for $2,500 in chips, and a $50 single add on for $5,000 in additional chips.
The first 120 players accumulating 40 hours of live play qualify for a seat and the opportunity to win a $10,000 entry into the 2010 World Series of Poker.
