Sgambelluri qualifies for poker s Main Event
The fair-skinned, multi-talented 1991 graduate of Father Duenas Memorial School grew up on Guam making a name for himself in golf, and later, as a guitarist and singer.
But he's had big success in another field recently -- poker.
Less than two weeks ago, Sgambelluri qualified for the main event by winning certain levels on an online site, Pokerstars.com. Although anyone can join the big event with a $10,000 buy-in, Sgambelluri qualified through a series of online satellite tournaments, which allow players to cash in on big prizes by consecutive wins in smaller tournaments. In this case, he played Sit and Go (one-table tournaments) games against other players who either won earlier levels or bought in for a chance to win their table and advance to the next level.
Sgambelluri chose to buy in at Level 4 for $200 for a chance to advance.
"I was trying to qualify for about a week and a half, but the three steps I won were done in just two days. After a few disappointing finishes, I won Steps 4, 5 and finally 6. I was in disbelief," he says.
"Steps 4 and 5 were played in about an hour each (we started with $1,500 in chips) and Step 6 lasted a little over two hours with $3,000 in chips."
Sgambelluri struggled early on before his big win. A week earlier, he made it to Step 6 only to get knocked out first out of nine players at the table. He made another run a week later and reached Step 6 only to face another short stack in front of him.
"I started getting involved in unnecessary pots and hands and had my stack dwindle to $700 and no one was knocked out. 'That's just great, Santino!' I thought to myself." Miracle time
With the blinds at 25/50 and Sgambelluri only winning blinds here and there, he made a critical play while on the button. He went all-in before the flop with a 5-10 of spades and got an immediate call from the small blind, who was only too happy to show his pocket aces.
He dodged a bullet and picked up a 10 on the flop and a five on the river. Miracle Time, he called it. He doubled up a few hands later and was back in the mix.
"I knew that when there were six players, I was guaranteed at least $500, fourth and fifth made $1,000, second and third made $1,500 and first place won $10,000 plus $2,500 for the buy-in and travel money," he says. "Players kept getting knocked out, then we were down to four, then three, then heads-up. I was freaking out!"
He put an exclamation point on his win with his final play. With a 60-40 chip lead, he picked up a suited queen-8 and raised five times the big blind, only to get re-raised all-in by his opponent. He thought about it a bit, decided it was time and made the call and saw 6-6, putting him behind. But the flop came Q-Q-8, giving him an almost unbeatable full house. The other two sixes never showed 'Tiger-style'
"I started screaming/dancing/ pumping my fist Tiger-style. Tino is going to the World Series, baby!" he says. "I called all my poker buds to relay the good news and was still shaking. I called my wife who was at the store and told her the news. She was the most calm about it, saying, 'I knew you were gonna win it today.'"
Sgambelluri finished first in Paradise Poker's million-dollar freeroll online tournament in 2006 and was also sponsored by them to the WSOP Main Event that same year, finishing around 3,000th out of 8,700 players.
The Main Event starts July 3rd. He also accepted Pokerstars' sponsorship package, which carries benefits if he wears the company apparel.
Sgambelluri is a U.S. Navy officer stationed in Hawaii on temporary assignment to Guam. He has a wife Elle and children Christopher, 12, Santino 3, and Milla, 1.
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Author: fish long
