Level 6 (75/300/360)
Day 1A Entrants: 147
Meet the Wu's: Li and Tricia. The husband and wife couple both played--and reached the final table--in the RGPS Deepstack event on Wednesday. Li finished third for $2,758 and Tricia (who was knocked out holding two pair by Li's turned spade flush) finished seventh for $1,095.
"Some people worry we may collude," she opines, "but I think that hand proves we don't."
They are back again for Flight A of the RGPS Main Event and we spoke with Tricia to learn more of their story. The two met in the mid-nineties. Li, who attended college in Canada, was soon after a part-owner of a restaurant in Pittsburg, Kansas. Tricia lived in Joplin at the time and the two were married in 1996.
After moving to Li's homeland of China, they opened a bar and grill, which Tricia named "Cheers," proving popular with the locals and especially popular with foreign nationals. Following the 9/11 attack, the couple decided to return to the U.S. and again settled in the southeast Kansas/southwest Missouri area. Specifically, they own and operate Orient Express, a chinese restaurant with three locations.
Tricia says she's been playing for two years, and usually plays cash, but recently moved to tournament poker. Her first entry was into a WPT event last fall.
"I entered eight events, and cashed six times," she says.
Watching her in action, it's easy to see why. Arriving at the table, we see a three-way pot developing over a T♦8♣7♦ flop. Askia Ingram leads from the small blind for 20,000. The big blind calls and Tricia calls on the button, creating a massive pot.
The turn brings the 2♦, filling a possible flush. Ingram leads for 35,000 this time. The big blind thinks for a moment and calls, leaving himself around 18,000 chips behind. Tricia overcalls on the button for less, around 16,000.
The dealer puts out a river in the 6♥, adding a four-card straight to a three-flush board. Ingram leads again with an all-in bet. The big blind shrugs and groans, but calls all-in while turning over A♠8♠ for second pair. Ingram turns over 9♣7♥ for a rivered straight, while Tricia turns over 7♣7♠ for a set of sevens.
Ingram pulls in the monster pot and now sits on 195,000 chips.
Tricia made a beeline for Li's table to break the bad news. Li is two tables over and has about 28,000 in front of him.