Ingram - After agreeing to chop 1st and 2nd place prize money, substitute Sean O. went on to capture his first career regular season victory by defeating head's-up opponent Jim H. in the early morning hours Sunday to claim E7 of Season V of the Fish 'N' Chips Poker Tour!
With three regular players out, the directors turned to the sub list for replacements. Sub player's Sean O, Drew M. and Erik M. (season debut) all answered the call. However just a few hours before the tourney, Drew M. canceled for unspecified reasons. Sub Jim S. (season debut) filled-in on short notice keeping the field full at 20 players.
The tournament started on time for a change sans Chris S, Fran D. and Tom W. who were all running late.
After being sucked out by Jason Ta's turned full house and felted, Lolly purchased the evening's first rebuy. A short time later she found herself all-in holding two queens against Nick's pocket T's. A 10 spiked on the flop and blanks on the turn and river gave the tournament it's first elimination.
In an effort to double-up, Kevin pulled the trigger holding K-T and got a caller in Bill's pocket 9's. The flop brought a 9 and Kevin rebought. A dozen hands later, Kevin shoved all-in on a 9-J-Q flop and Jason Ta. quickly called with K-T for a flopped straight. Kevin mucked his holdings to a meaningless turn and river and quietly exited in 19th place.
Anita was out next after flopping top-pair (8's) and announcing "all-in" only to be called by Angie's pocket "Vowels".
Next to hit the rail was Eric W. who went card dead after the break. Early on, he picked up aces in the hole out of the small blind and got no action before losing 35k to Keith on the last hand before Keith was moved to the other table. Blinds and antes whittled him down to just 22,500. On his last hand, Angie called 6k in the cutoff and it folded around; Eric looked down at 7-7 and was "small in" for his last 22,500. Jim S. called from the BB and Angie called. The K-x-x flop was checked, as was the J on the turn. Jim checked the river T and folded to Angie's all-in. Angie rolled over A-Q for runner-runner to broadway and Eric's 7's hit the muck.
With blinds at 3k/6k/500, Jason Ta. raised to 18,500 holding two T's only to have Bill come over-the-top all-in for 109,000. Jason called and Bill revealed A-Q. The flop, turn and river brought no help and the season points leader was out in 16th place.
It was rough sailing for "Captain" John, having earlier lost a QQ v QQ; with his opponent holding the queen of clubs, the flop and turn brought four clubs and John doubled up his opponent. He finally bowed out in 15th place after flopping middle-pair (9's) holding A-9 and pushing his short stack in. Angie called with bottom-pair (8's) with J-8. John was on the verge of a double-up as the turn brought no help for Angie. However a jack on the river gave Angie two-pair and the elimination.
Down to less than six BB's, Jason Tr. decided to push all-in blind and got a caller in Chris S. who turned over A-T. Jason flipped over K-9 and prayed for the flop to hit him. The flop brought a 10, cutting Jason's outs in half. The turn and river were blanks and Jason was out.
Jim S. was next to the rail when he pushed with Q-10 and got called by Fran's A-J. The flop broadened Fran's lead with an ace and the board held. Erik M. pushed the last of his chips in with pocket 6's and was called by Fran holding A-T. The turn gave Fran a straight and Erik hit the rail.
Mike M. exited in 11th place after shoving for 37k with A-K on a 10-7-8 flop and getting called by Jason Ta's 6-8. A 6 on the turn gave Jason two-pair and a huge lead. Mike hoped to chop with a nine, but it never came and he joined the cash table. The final table formed with Tom's elimination in 10th place.
Jim O. ran his pocket fours into Sean's pocket queens and became the first one eliminated from the final table. Nick followed after over-playing K-8 while Jim H. held pocket kings. Jim scored back-to-back eliminations when he took all of Angie's chips holding A-J to Angie's A-T.
With six remaining and blinds at 10k/20k/3k, Jim H. bumped the action to 63k. Chris S. looked down at A-Q and came over the top for 275k all-in. Jim called and revealed "Ace Magnets". Jim managed to avoid an ace on the board and his pocket kings held.
The tournament bubble loomed with 5 players remaining. Keith got it in good with his A-K for 150k PF against Fran's A-8. But he was drawing thin once an 8 hit the flop. Bricks on the turn and river sent Keith home in 5th place.
4 handed play between Jim, Sean, Fran and Jason Ta. began with Jim and Sean holding a majority of the chips in play and with Fran and Jason on the short stacks. Blinds were at 15k/30k/5k.
Jason bumped the action up to 80k and was called by Jim. The flop came A-8-9 and Jim announced "all-in"; Jason made the call and revealed A-2 as Jim turned over A-6. It appeared as though a split pot was in Jason's future, but a 2 on the turn gave Jason a commanding 86.4% lead in the hand. But the river brought a 6 and gave Jim the better two-pair. Jason collected his 4th place money and keyed Jim's car on the way out. It was Jason's first cash of Season 5 despite six final tables appearances.
With three remaining, Sean raised to 120k and Fran shoved for 300k. Sean made the call and tabled As-Kh; Fran turned over Jd-Th. The Ac-Ks-9c flop gave Sean better-than a 4:1 lead in the hand. Fran was looking for a queen or running jacks, but a 9 on the turn limited Fran to a queen. The 6d fell instead giving Fran a 3rd place cash; it was Fran's third straight profitable tournament, and he has cashed in 4 of his last five events.
Head's-up play between Jim and Sean started with blinds at 25k/50k and each player agreeing to forgo the 7k ante. Jim held 1.6 million chips to Sean's 900k.
After several hands, Sean had a slight lease holding 1.4 million chips. With 7 minutes remaining in the level, both players agreed to chop 1st and 2nd place prize money 50/50 and play it out for the points. This seems to be the trend in the FNCPT lately as this has happened in 3 straight events now.
Jim and Sean slugged it out for the remaining 7 minutes in the level. I watched the action tableside anticipating the final hand would be dealt at any moment as a chop was agreed to and both players wanted it to end (in my mind). But it didn't. Jim and Sean battled back and forth giving a full effort well into the 40k/80k level. A few hands after receiving a devastating blow to his (Jim's) stack, the final hand of the tournament was dealt.
Sean raised to 270k and Jim quickly re-raised all-in. Sean snap called and turned over As-9h. Jim meekly revealed 7h-4d. The Jc-7c-9d flop gave Sean the lead with middle pair (9's) and Jim bottom pair (7's). The 3d turn changed nothing. Jim was down to a 7 or a 4. The 2d came instead and Sean had his first FNCPT win.
Sean had 3 previous head's-up matches in FNCPT regular season events but finished 2nd each time. The fourth time was a charm.
Congrats Sean on your first FNCPT win and thanks to everyone who came out for S5E7!
~ Jason Tr.
PS, I would like to thank everyone who assisted in tracking eliminations Saturday night. It's appreciated and makes the writing of this blog much easier. Thanks again!
April 8 Update
The heavy hitters are all at the top. Bill's three victories keep him way
out in front, though Sean remains on his tail after Saturday's win. Jim H. has
only cashed twice, but it was for 1st and 2nd place -- enough points to creep
past Fran for third place. Fran has cashed in 4 of the 5 events he's played in,
but missing two events allowed him to slip to fourth. After Fran, there is
a 6-point drop to fifth place.
As tight as the race is at the top, there is an equally tight race at the
bottom. Only 3.24 points separate 5th from 8th. Jason Ta. climbed 4 spots with his
fourth place finish in E7. Jason Tr. only slipped one spot, despite a
less-than-satisfying 14th place finish Saturday night. Jim O. was the first to
hit the rail at the final table and earned only 2.83 points, but it was enough
to jump 3 spots to the 7 slot. Nick held even in 8th overall. Here are the updated "April 8" through 7 events:
- Bill B. 56.22
- Sean O. 43.52
- Jim H. 32.55
- Fran D. 30.71
- Jason Ta. 24.95
- Jason Tr. 23.11
- Jim O. 21.97
- Nick G. 21.71
Marc and Drew were both idle and dropped out of the Top 8; it was worse for
Drew who cancelled late and took a 0.95 point penalty. Keith's bubble earned
him enough points to put him within 1 point of the final guaranteed spot at the
final table. Mike M. remains on the outside looking in, but he treaded water to
remain in 12th place. Chris S. jumped two spots in the standings with his 6th place finish. Mike T. was headed in the opposite direction, missing E7 (his third absence this season) and
dropping 3 spots to 14th place.
With the difference between 8th place and 14th place at less than 3.5 points, it is still anybody's game going in to the last 4 events.
~ Eric W.
