From All-In blind to Event #8 Champ

Saturday night's festivities began with a packed venue of 20 participants. The square and oval tables each held 10 players. The square table started out and maintained solid play through out the tournament with not a single player gaining a significant chip advantage over another. The oval table however began out a little faster with the first 4 of 5 players being eliminated here, each time extracting a player from the square table. Keith K. was the first eliminated before the break declining the optional rebuy after some bad beats. Jason Ta. was the next to go after a solid finish in the last event. Kevin An, Jim S., and Jim H. rounded out the first 5 eliminated.

Jason Tr. was the next to be eliminated after failing to get anything significant going at his table. Mike T. was eliminated in position 14, having an early exit was a relief to the rest of the field, but he maintains a solid hold for the number one spot in the overall standings for the league. Husband and wife combo, Tina B. and Paul B., went out next back to back, respectively. Pat M. went out in 11th place while 2nd in overall standings holder, Nick G., broke the bubble for the final table failing to make any progress in points against Mike T. for 1st place overall in the league with 3 events to go.

The final table was finally set with the blinds late in the 7K/15K level. Erik Wej. went out in 9th position when his pocket 7's went up against Matt Pe.'s A-Q who earlier in the tournament was all in blind for under 50K in chips at the square table. The play remained solid throughout when Anita G.'s preflop raise with A-7 was reraised all in against Carl W.'s A-K. Matt Pe. took out Angie S. next when she went all in with Pocket K's and failed when two aces hit the board against Matt Pe.'s A-9. Next in the action was Lolly O. tripling up with her K-9 against her husband Jim O. and Matt Pe. Lolly proceeded in the next hand to double up through Matt Pe. with her pocket 9's cracking the pocket J's of Matt Pe. when a rivered straight hit. Matt Pe. regained chips by doubling up through Jim O. when his pocket K's held up against Jim O.'s pocket 9's. Jim O. who played a solid game throughout the tournament lost traction at the final table with the blinds catching up to his big stack and went out in 6th position when his pocket 4's all in raise preflop failed against Carl W.'s K-2. Jeff R. who remained pretty quiet throughout the final table was able to double up through Carl W. back to back to sneak ahead of Bill B. who went out on the money bubble once again finishing 5th when his J/10 fell short of Carl W.'s A/8. The final four positions were played in less than 12 hands with the blind levels at staggering levels. Jeff's 4th place finish was enough to put him less than a point off of 2nd place overall in the league. Carl W. went out next in 3rd with a very respectable tournament. Heads up play between Lolly O. and Matt Pe. only lasted two hands when Matt Pe.'s K-Q hit a king on the flop to put Lolly O.'s pocket J's away.

Congrats to the final four finishers on a great tournament!

~ Nick G.