Norborne - For the first time this season, Bill B. was eliminated. But after rebuying, he was back in the hunt and managed to work himself into a headsup match against Sean O. again. After slugging it out, Bill got it in bad -- again -- and came out on top -- again.
For the first time in the FNCPT, the tourney was to be a full rebuy plus add-on event. Several people took the option of adding on before play began, some took it and then gave it back and a handful more added on at the first break. The event was full at 20 until Joe H. was under doctor's orders not to play in the event. A sub could not be located and the event started with 19 players, the blue table being short one seat.
First out was Keith K. who quietly exited after his trips fell short on Jason Tr's turned straight. Jim H's streak of bad luck continued. The hand after doubling up, Jim's K-K ran into Mike M's A-A and the board was dry; Jim H. was felted in 18th place for the second straight event.
With blinds at 3k/5k/500, newcomer Aaron M. got all of his chips in with K-J and was called by Nick's A-Q. Aaron spiked a jack on the flop to take the lead, but Nick found redemption on the river, hitting an ace and sending Aaron home in 17th place. Aaron was followed to the rail by Kevin who was felted in 16th place.
With blinds climbing to 5k/10k/1k, Mike T. was at risk against Sean. Sean's A-J was well ahead of Mike's A-7 suited. The flop-turn-river stayed clean for Sean and Mike was out in 15th place. In the same blind level, Sean sent another player home -- this time Anita was the victim. Anita held route 66 against Sean's A-J but the ace on the flop sealed Anita's fate, sending her packing in 14th place.
The next elimination came when John pushed all in for 67.5k with A-9 and Jason Tr. called holding 8-8. Again the board stayed clean and John was out in 13th place.
With blinds at 7k/15k/2k, Chris got in all-in good with A-T against Bill's A-2. But Bill's luck had yet to run dry. The flop came with a sweat as Bill hit a gut-shot. On the river, Bill made his 3-outer, hitting a trey for the straight and ending Chris' night in 12th place.
Marc H. was out in 11th and Nick G. followed him, bursting the final table bubble. After a few orbits with minimal action, Jason Tr. pushed all in UTG blind for 76k holding 5c-6c after suffering a devastating suckout courtesy of Angie S. Fran flatted and Eric came over the top for 123k. Action folded back to Fran who made the call. Fran showed a higher pocket pair than Eric, turned trips, and rivered a boat to eliminate both players. Jason Ta.'s night ended soon after in 7th place; he was followed by Chris B. who finished in 6th.
Mike M. had built a fairly health stack in the early stages of the final table. But his stack took a major blow when he got it all-in preflop against Bill. Bill pushed with J-9 and Mike called holding K-Q. But Rear Admiral Suckout connected big time on the J-J-9 flop and brought Mike's stack back down to earth. The money bubble burst when Mike M. was eliminated in 5th place, leaving Angie, Fran, Sean and Bill to fight it out. Angie's battle ended first as she took home a 4th place paycheck.
Three-handed, with the blinds at 15k/30k/5k, Bill and Fran got it all-in with Fran holding T-J and Bill tabling K-9. Bill took a stranglehold on the hand after the Q-9-9 flop. But with a king on the turn, Fran went from a 3:1 dog to a 3:1 favorite. But lady luck sat on Bill's lap again as he boated up on the river, sending Fran home in 3rd place.
The rematch was set: Bill versus Sean.
Sean had made it to head's-up on his initial buy-in for the second consecutive tournament, but he was still looking to close the deal for his first FNCPT victory. It was his third time making it head's-up -- twice in the last two events. And it appeared that Bill had used up all of his luck. Surely there were no more suckouts in the deck for Bill, right?
Well, not really.
On the final hand, both players put their chips in the middle with Bill holding a slight chip-advantage. Sean showed 10s-10c while Bill showed a dominated As-Th. But Bill being a 2:1 dog meant only one thing for his opponents all night: they were drawing thin. Such was the case on this hand, as Bill flopped an ace and turned a flush, making Sean's river trips meaningless.
With blinds at 3k/5k/500, newcomer Aaron M. got all of his chips in with K-J and was called by Nick's A-Q. Aaron spiked a jack on the flop to take the lead, but Nick found redemption on the river, hitting an ace and sending Aaron home in 17th place. Aaron was followed to the rail by Kevin who was felted in 16th place.
With blinds climbing to 5k/10k/1k, Mike T. was at risk against Sean. Sean's A-J was well ahead of Mike's A-7 suited. The flop-turn-river stayed clean for Sean and Mike was out in 15th place. In the same blind level, Sean sent another player home -- this time Anita was the victim. Anita held route 66 against Sean's A-J but the ace on the flop sealed Anita's fate, sending her packing in 14th place.
The next elimination came when John pushed all in for 67.5k with A-9 and Jason Tr. called holding 8-8. Again the board stayed clean and John was out in 13th place.
With blinds at 7k/15k/2k, Chris got in all-in good with A-T against Bill's A-2. But Bill's luck had yet to run dry. The flop came with a sweat as Bill hit a gut-shot. On the river, Bill made his 3-outer, hitting a trey for the straight and ending Chris' night in 12th place.
Marc H. was out in 11th and Nick G. followed him, bursting the final table bubble. After a few orbits with minimal action, Jason Tr. pushed all in UTG blind for 76k holding 5c-6c after suffering a devastating suckout courtesy of Angie S. Fran flatted and Eric came over the top for 123k. Action folded back to Fran who made the call. Fran showed a higher pocket pair than Eric, turned trips, and rivered a boat to eliminate both players. Jason Ta.'s night ended soon after in 7th place; he was followed by Chris B. who finished in 6th.
Mike M. had built a fairly health stack in the early stages of the final table. But his stack took a major blow when he got it all-in preflop against Bill. Bill pushed with J-9 and Mike called holding K-Q. But Rear Admiral Suckout connected big time on the J-J-9 flop and brought Mike's stack back down to earth. The money bubble burst when Mike M. was eliminated in 5th place, leaving Angie, Fran, Sean and Bill to fight it out. Angie's battle ended first as she took home a 4th place paycheck.
Three-handed, with the blinds at 15k/30k/5k, Bill and Fran got it all-in with Fran holding T-J and Bill tabling K-9. Bill took a stranglehold on the hand after the Q-9-9 flop. But with a king on the turn, Fran went from a 3:1 dog to a 3:1 favorite. But lady luck sat on Bill's lap again as he boated up on the river, sending Fran home in 3rd place.
The rematch was set: Bill versus Sean.
Sean had made it to head's-up on his initial buy-in for the second consecutive tournament, but he was still looking to close the deal for his first FNCPT victory. It was his third time making it head's-up -- twice in the last two events. And it appeared that Bill had used up all of his luck. Surely there were no more suckouts in the deck for Bill, right?
Well, not really.
On the final hand, both players put their chips in the middle with Bill holding a slight chip-advantage. Sean showed 10s-10c while Bill showed a dominated As-Th. But Bill being a 2:1 dog meant only one thing for his opponents all night: they were drawing thin. Such was the case on this hand, as Bill flopped an ace and turned a flush, making Sean's river trips meaningless.
Thanks to everyone who participated in Event 2 and congrats again to Bill B. on his suckouts victory in Event 2.
~Eric W.
