Play started furiously, at least at the red table. The smaller denom's and 200xBB starting stack had little effect on play, as pots quickly grew. Angie S. ran into a string of brutal coolers. In the first blind level with a PF limp, she hit top pair and raised a pot-sized bet by Eric Wej. to 200 only to get re-raised to 600. After a flat call, she turned top two pair and check-called another bet of 600. A brick 9 hit the river and she checked. After tanking to Eric's all-in of 840, she eventually called to see the bad news. Eric hit bottom set on the flop with pocket deuces. Rebuy!
Near the end of the second blind level, Keith started his climb early by taking a pot off Pat. With a flop of 3-3-3, a king on the turn and a river jack, the betting got wild. Pat bet, Keith raised, Pat re-raised and Keith went all in. Pat did the only thing he could: he called and tabled a king for a threes full. Keith un-intentionally slow-rolled 9-3 for quads, doubling up through Pat.
Midway through the third blind level (15/30), Eric was in danger of re-buying. The action was folded to the blinds. Eric (SB) limped and Chris (BB) checked. The flop came Q-9-Q and Eric fired at it. Chris re-raised and Eric popped it again, shoving in his remaining stack. Chris snap called, rolling over Q-9 for a boat, and showing he had Eric's Q-8 dominated. When a 5 came off on the turn, Chris announced it was over, before both players quickly realized Eric had the two nines left in the deck for a chop. As soon as the words left Chris' mouth, a miracle 9 hit the river, giving Eric second life.
After the first break (blinds 20/40), Angie's bad luck continued. UTG, she peeked down at "King Kong" and popped it to 500. Pat re-raised 395 more all-in with pocket 5's. Angie insta-called and a five on the flop doubled Pat up while crippling Angie. The very next hand, Angie pushed the last of her chips in and Lolly called. Angie tabled 6-6 while this time, it was Lolly who showed the kings. Angie stood up to leave as the dealer brought the flop one card at a time. The first card was a 6, but before Angie could un-fold her chair, the second card was a king, ending Angie's night in 19th place with set-on-set crime.
Carl's night ended holding A-J. He pushed all-in 3 consecutive times after receiving the "get home" phone call. On the final all-in for 1500 with that A-J, Sean called with pocket 10's. Carl could not improve and he ended his night in 18th place.
Jim H. arrived late and never really gained any traction. With blinds at 40/80 and four limpers in the pot, Jim pushed in his last 760 and got a caller in Eric Wej. Jim showed 22 and Eric rolled AK. An ace hit the flop (and another hit the river), ending Jim's night in 17th place.
Jim S. continued to build his chipstack by eliminating Jason H. in 16th place. Shortstacked after getting cracked by Jeff R's pocket kings, Jason pushed in the last of his chips with 9-5 and Jim called with A-Q. Jim led pre-flop and made two pair to win a small pot and send Jason to the rail.
Event 1's winner, Jason T, had a night like he expected: early elimination. After a big time mis-read on Kevin, he was felted and reluctantly purchased a rebuy. After a brief surge, he managed to nearly triple his rebuy until he tangled with Jim S, who raised it to 450 PF. Jason pushed all in for 2700 more and Jim went into the tank for about a minute before finally calling with pocket kings. Jason showed A-K and his ace never came, ending his night in 14th place.
The Jim S. juggernaut gained speed as he got into a three-way pot with Anita and Jeff R. With blinds at 75/150, Jeff pushed preflop for 800 with 8-3 of clubs. Both Anita and Jim called. The flop came with two diamonds and Anita pushed for 2100 more with pocket jacks. Jim called and showed A-7 of diamonds. A river diamond sent Jeff and Anita out in 13th and 12th place respectively.
The final table bubble burst when Ray and Sean tangled in a pot. Sean pushed with A-6 and Ray called holding a suited A-K. Sean took the lead when a 6 hit the flop, but the flop also showed two hearts. Ray made his flush on the river, leaving Sean with a 10th place finish and narrowing the field to just one table.
Eric Wej. was the first off the final table. He crippled himself giving the majority of his stack to Keith. When an ace hit the flop and Eric made a pot-sized bet, Keith pushed all in for 1100-ish more. Playing out the hand, Eric figured out that his ragged ace was not only second best, but that he was drawing extremely thin. Nevertheless, Eric called with A-6 and Keith showed A-8. Keith's kicker held and he doubled-up whilst Eric was crippled. Eric managed to survive the blinds, once limping all-in and quintupling up, and the other time making a small raise all-in only to have it folded back to him. Ultimately, his night ended holding pocket 4's. He pushed all in for 2200 and was called by Jim who showed K-10. Jim made top two on the flop and the third 4 stayed in the deck, ending Eric's night in 9th. Jim S. continued to amass chips, eliminating John in 7th when his 10-6 out-flopped John's pocket 6's.
Jim O. brought a solid stack to the final table and continued to maintain his position. But his luck ran out all at once. Chris pushed pre-flop with K-10, Jim S. called with Q-Q and Jim O. called with A-9 suited. Chris made a better pair on the turn when a king hit (and two pair with a river 10), felting Jim O. in 6th place and starting to gain some momentum for a late push. Shortly after busting Jim O., Pat was short-stacked and was all-in blind. Chris called with A-3 and Pat rolled over 6-4. Pat never improved and went home on the bubble, while Chris gained some strength to be able to challenge Jim S.
4-handed play began with Keith, Ray, Chris and Jim S; Keith was the first casualty when he got all the money in the middle holding A-10 but was called by Jim S. who showed A-Q. Three handed, Ray played 8-3 suited out of the big blind against A-Q off suit. After turning an 8, Ray looked to be in the driver's seat, but a river Jack gave his opponent a straight and left Ray with 3rd place money.
Heads up, Chris and Jim eventually squared off with Chris holding pocket jacks and Jim holding pocket kings. Jim started the hand ahead, but with a king on a rainbow flop, Chris' only out was runner-runner (either jacks, or an 8-9 for a straight). With a brick on the turn, Jim S. earned his first FNCPT victory.
Thanks to everyone who participated in Event #2 and congrats again to Jim S.
~Eric Wej.
