Despite having to use a mobile defibrillator and a walking cane, Santa Maria resident Gary W. Casiday managed to beat out 490 card sharks to win the 2014 Central Coast Poker Championship May 2 at the Chumash Casino Resort.
The 54-year-old, who suffers from a serious heart condition, battled through more than 12 hours of no-limit Texas Hold’em and a heads-up showdown with Lawrence Ramos, 61, of Bakersfield to win the tournament and the $15,777 pot.
“I’ve been playing poker for more than 20 years and I’ve never won a tournament, until now,” Casiday told casino public relations specialist Mike Traphagen after he won. “This feels so good, but I’m really tired and I need to get something to eat.”
Casiday, who won the tournament with an ace-high flush, explained that the mobile defibrillator contains sensors that will alert medical staff at Cottage Hospital if a problem is detected with his heart.
“I’m surprised it didn’t go off when I won,” Casiday said in the statement. “When I got to the final table, I just kept moving all in whenever I had an ace, and it worked for me. It’s amazing. I finally did it.”
Traphagen later told the Sun, “It seemed exhausting, sitting there all day, calculating odds in your brain and deciding whether to place a bet.”
Ramos claimed the $10,624 second-place prize. Joining the two men at the final table were—in the order of finish—Ronald Freeman of Ventura, Nicholas Ronyecz of Goleta, Lakhamsor Cavanh of Santa Maria, Johan Dewitt of Nipomo, Shari Schubot of Santa Barbara, George Cannon of Goleta, Fredo Perez of Oceano, and James Schindel of Lompoc. Third through 10th place won between $5,949 and $1,928.
According to casino officials, the Central Coast Poker Championship is one of two large tournaments the resort holds each year in its Samala Showroom. Each entrant starts with 10,000 chips, and, after a one-hour opening round, the blinds increase every 30 minutes.
This article appears in May 8-15, 2014.
