Wednesday, June 21, 2006 | 7:17 a.m.
Stateline
Because of its proximity on the calendar to poker's biggest event, the final World Series of Poker circuit event of the 2005-06 season drew a smaller field than some had anticipated.
But if the enthusiasm displayed by fans at Harvey's Lake Tahoe casino resort was any indication, poker is in no danger of relinquishing its status as America's newest favorite spectator sport. (Or is that "sport"?)
Even before the main event, a $10,000 buy-in no-limit Texas hold 'em competition began at Harvey's, poker aficionados were crowding the rail around the tournament area, pointing out well-known players such as former world champs Dan Harrington and Chris "Jesus" Ferguson.
During a break, while tournament players headed for the seafood buffet, some fans - evidently desperate for a fix - even drifted over to watch the end of a minor tournament in an adjacent area.
They were urged by a well-meaning tournament official who announced that "21 of the finest hold 'em players around" were still alive in that event. (A nice thought, but patently untrue: I know, because I was one of the 21.)
Back in the tournament actually worth watching, 32-year-old Clint Baskin, a plumber from Stockton, Calif., outlasted a field of 110 to win the Tahoe circuit event and collect the top prize of $372,240. It was nearly midnight Monday, the fourth day of the tournament, when Baskin eliminated Brian Fidler of Stamford, Conn., who earned $206,800 for second place.
Baskin also earned an entry into next week's 2006 Tournament of Champions at the Rio, a $2 million free roll for 27 top players, including the winners of all 2005-06 World Series circuit events.
Circuit tournaments take place at Harrah's-owned properties throughout the nation and promote the annual World Series of Poker, which gets under way next week at the Rio. This year's World Series officially begins Sunday with satellite tournaments and concludes Aug. 10 with the final table of the $10,000 buy-in championship event, which is expected to attract about 7,500 players this year.
The 110-player field at Lake Tahoe represented a drop-off from the 170 who entered the previous circuit event last month in New Orleans and the 173 who played at Harvey's last year, when the tournament took place in May.
Although this year's field did include big names such as former World Series bracelet winners Billy Baxter, Bob Stupak, Chau Giang, Barry Greenstein, John Juanda and Erik Seidel, other players opted to forgo a Tahoe trip and focus on the grueling World Series schedule at the Rio.
Monday's final table, filmed by ESPN, featured two players who had won gold rings at World Series-related events - J.C. Tran (Rio, 2005) and Jamin Stokes (Caesars Indiana, 2005). But it was Baskin who emerged with the biggest poker payday of his life.
Baskin, who won his way in through a $200 buy-in "super satellite," was third in chips at the beginning of the final table but had about a 3-to-2 chip advantage against Fidler once heads-up play began.
On the final hand, Baskin was holding ace-four to Fidler's queen-nine when the flop came 9-6-5. When the turn showed a deuce, Baskin called a $50,000 bet by Fidler with an inside straight draw. With about $1.6 million in chips, Baskin figured it was worth a shot.
"I knew that if I caught a three or an ace, I would win (the tournament)," said Baskin, who learned to play poker at age 7 from his great-grandmother. "It didn't cost me that much to call, so I did."
A three on the river gave Baskin a straight, knocking out Fidler, the winner of an Internet promotion that awarded him a full year of poker lessons from Las Vegas pro Daniel Negreanu.
Negreanu also entered the Tahoe circuit event but was eliminated long before his protege.
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