Hidden Court West - The Sixth Fish & Chips Poker Tour Championship Event returned to Hidden Court West for a second straight season on Saturday, April 18th.
Just like last season, the starting stacks were triple stacks plus 25% of the total chips in play awarded as bonus chips. The amount each player got was based on their cumulative season point total. The T20k structure would also be used for the second straight Championship. And with the tournament lasting over 8 hours last season, it was expected to go just as long Saturday night.
Just like last season, all blind levels in the Championship were to be 30 minutes in length throughout the entire tournament.
The theme for the Sixth F&CPT Championship was "April Calling" derived from "London Calling". Each player once again had a banner hanging of them tableside. However this season, the banners were larger.
Season Five Champ Nick G's banner was displayed next to the four existing Champion banners.
The seating assignments were randomly drawn and the starting stacks were as follows:
- Sean O. 70,200
- Mike T. 74,100
- Anita G. 75,000
- Jim O. 76,900
- John M. 74,500
- Bill B. 74,800
- Jason Ta. 76,600
- Angie S. 78,600
- Mike M. 74,300
Marc H. for the second consecutive Championship volunteered for the dealing duties. As she was 9 months pregnant, Angie was a game time decision. Everyone including Angie arrived on time and the opening deal went out just after 6PM.
The first 4 levels (2 hours) cruised by into the dinner break with no eliminations. And at this point, nobody was really short stacked.
Play resumed and 50 minutes passed before the tourney would see it's first elimination. With blinds at 600/1,200/200, Mike M. was all-in preflop holding 9s-10d. Both John and Angie made the call. The flop came out 8s-8c-Qh. John and Angie checked. The 2c turned. Again, John and Angie checked. The river was the Qd and once again, John and Angie checked and both revealed an ace in their respective holdings. John and Angie split the pot and Mike was out in 9th place.
Blinds advanced into level 7 where they reached 800/1,600/200. Bill had slightly over half of his starting chip count and had been pretty much card dead thus far in the event. Then he woke up with a monster. After raising to 4,000, he was re-raised to 10,000 by Mike T. Bill played the part masterfully by tanking for roughly a minute before announcing all-in for 42,000 all-day. Mike debated it for roughly 20 seconds before making the call and then stating "we're probably racing". Mike revealed pocket 10's and Bill rolled over pocket aces. Lightning struck on the flop for Mike in the form of 10d-7h-5d for a leading set of 10's. The turn was the Qd and Bill was down to only an ace. But it was the Qs instead and Bill calmly exited in 8th place.
Level 7 ended and players took a 10 minute break. The chip counts were as follows:
- Sean O. 36,500
- Mike T. 158,700
- Anita G. 75,900
- Jim O. 50,800
- John M. 151,800
- Bill B. 74,800
- Jason Ta. 119,600
- Angie S. 98,700
Level 8 passed by and level 9 arrived where blinds increased to 1,200/2,400/400. With only 14 minutes remaining in the level, Jim O. raised to 5,500. Angie, Jason Ta. and Anita all called. A flop of 4h-Qd-7h was dealt. Angie bet out 15,000 and Anita raised all-in for 40,000. Jason and Jim folded and Angie made the call tabling Ah-Ac. Anita showed Qc-Ks and needed help. The turn was a blank in the form of the 4c. And the river was the 9d bringing no assistance and Anita was out in 7th place.
Level 10 arrived where blinds reached 1,600/3,200/500. Sean raised to 9,000 preflop holding Ad-Jc and Angie called. A flop of Ac-5h-7h was dealt and Angie checked. With 45,000 left in his stack and with top pair, fairly high kicker, Sean moved all-in. Angie snap called and rolled over pocket 7's for middle set. The 10c turn and 4s river brought no help for Sean and the Season Six Qualifier winner was out.
Levels 11 and 12 flew by and level 13 arrived. Blinds increased to 3,000/6,000/900 and Angie raised to 15,000 preflop. Jim looked down at Js-10c and decided to pull the trigger for his last 45,000. Angie made the quick call and rolled over pocket kings. Jim revealed his Js-10c and prayed for the flop to hit him. It was dealt out 5c-Qs-Qc and Angie remained in the lead. The 8d arrived on the turn giving Jim a GSSD. But it wasn't meant to be as the 10h fell on the river giving Angie the bigger two-pair and the pot. Jim bowed out in 5th place but remained as a tableside spectator.
With only 4 players remaining, the money bubble had arrived. Prior to Jim's elimination, it was proposed and discussed to pay 4th place their buy-in back. But an agreement could not be reached. So the beat went on.
Level 15 reared it's ugly head and blinds soared to 5,000/10,000/1,500. John once again became "Captain John" by donning his captain's hat. He was pumped up just a few blind levels earlier however he was now in defense mode with the shortest stack at the table. With only 2 minutes left in the level and in the big blind, John raised for 21,000 more all-in and Angie called. John showed Ah-8h and Angie showed a better Ad-Jd. The 9c-As-2c-7d-4d board was dealt and Angie's jack played giving her the elimination and guaranteed cash.
Level 15 ended and the three remaining players in the money took a 10 minute break. The three handed chip counts were as follows:
- Jason Ta. 169,800
- Mike T. 352,600
- Angie S. 153,600
Three-handed play between Jason, Mike and Angie commenced with blinds at 6,000/12,000/2,000. Although you don't hear his name up to this point in this writing mainly due to the fact that he hadn't eliminated anyone, Mike T. was pretty much bullying the table the whole tournament. He had a huge advantage over his two opponents three-handed. However, both Jason and Angie had enough chips to become the leader in just one hand. The next player eliminated was guaranteed $340 for 3rd place.
The three players played through level 16 and into level 17 where blinds climbed to 8,000/16,000/2,000. The tournament was well into the 8th hour of play and the gracious hosts joined the table to assist in shuffling duties.
Angie was starting to get low in chips and had just slightly over half of her stack when three-handed play began. On the button, Angie moved in for 83,500. Mike contemplated it for a moment before making the call. Action moved to Jason who paused for a moment before announcing all-in for 200,000. Mike again took a moment debating if he should put in another 120,000 before deciding to fold. Angie flipped over Ah-8d and Jason revealed Ad-Kc dominating his opponent. A board of Jd-Js-9s-6h-5d was dealt and Angie was out with 3rd place prize money. Not a bad run for the Season Six POY!
Head's-up play between Jason and Mike began at 3:15 AM with Jason having 424,000 to Mike's 276,000.
Ironically, the final two players in the tournament had both of their photos hanging side-by-side just behind the table.
Blinds remained at 8,000/16,000/2,000. Jason began going on the offensive against his opponent who was the chip leader a majority of the tournament. Mike was in retreat mode and exhausted when the final hand of the tournament was dealt.
Both players limped and a flop of 10h-8h-Qd was dealt. Mike bet out 32,000. Jason thought about it for a moment before raising all-in for 450,000. Mike debated it briefly and then made the call for his last 245,000 and revealed 7h-2h for a flush draw. Jason turned over Jh-4h for a better flush draw, a DBBSD and the outright lead. The Kd fell on the turn which still gave Mike out's in the form of a 2 or 7. The 6h river filled both player's flushes but Jason's was higher.
Season Six finally had it's Champion!
Congratulations Jason on your 2014-2015 Fish & Chips Poker Tour Championship!
On behalf of the F&CPT Tournament Directors, I would like to thank all those who participated this season and we look forward to seeing you all in Season Seven!
F&CPT Correspondent
~Jason Tr.
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