Sean Becomes First Male Repeat Winner of the Fall

We had a fairly small event for Hold'em - so small Bak had no chance to make the Top 8 since not points were on the line.

While the field was relatively narrow for the final event of the season, the game was suspenseful. Three players were in jeopardy of missing the cut, and others looked to move up and add chips to their TOC stack. While Hank was untouchable, second-place Brando held only a narrow two-point lead over Tim. Brando vaulted into second with consecutive cashes in Events 8 through 11.

Meanwhile, the remaining five spots were a proverbial cluster-fuck with only 12 points separating eight from fourth. Frenchie Phil held a slim one-point lead over Sean. Sean went into the final week with an eight-point lead over Bearded Mike, and from there it became very interesting. After 11 events Candy was 17 points out of a top eight spot, and anything less than a top cash in HORSE would seal her fate. She won it, placing her one point ahead of Jim with one event remaining.

Candy’s strong finish made for an interesting situation in the final event. With Pablo’s scheduling conflict, Bearded Mike, Candy, and Jim were left fighting for two remaining TOC spots. Pablo used this dynamic on at least one occasion (but likely more) to bluff Candy off of big hands.

Candy, Jim, and Pablo accounted for half of the players at table two, and Candy and Jim wound up AI against each other several times, but without calls. Jim finally flopped a pair against Hank and got AI. Hank held the top pair with a flush draw and no miracle came, sending Jim out, and putting Candy and Bearded Mike into the TOC.

Sean started with the chip-lead on me and won after a huge, enormous, crushing hit-out....um, actually it was a 60/40 hand and if I won it he still would have had the chip lead. Anyway, second put me ahead of Phil in points, and first pushed Sean all the way to second ahead of Tim and Brando who were tied.

Sean also became about the 10th winner in GPT history to be photographed with Malcolm X - way to go Sean!

Year of the Woman in the GPT

The GPT hosted its first weekend HORSE tournament with 45-minute blind levels, three games per level, 3,000 in chips, and dealer’s choice for the cash places in a set-up truly designed for skill players. Despite that, the 12-person field was our lowest of the year. For the most part, the early exits were from those who needed the points. Jim followed his Stud victory in Event 11 with a quick exit, and was the first out by over an hour. Tim, the only early departure who didn’t need to pick up points, went out next. He would be waiting a very long time.

After being crippled by Candy in Stud/8 hand while holding A345 with three diamonds on fourth street, Bearded Mike got AI in hold’em with two overs against Baklava’s tens, and was out in 10th. Baklava, who came over an hour late (and still had a chip edge over two people when he showed up) went out next, followed by Pablo and then Phil, who started the week within a point of each other. With the final six set, Brando was once again in the thick of things, along with Hank, both Seans, Lee and Candy.

Brandon was next to go though and it was almost time for dealer’s choice. Sean SP busted on the bubble leaving the cash players to battle in dealer’s choice. Hank got all-in several times and relied on Stud/8 as his game of choice. Both Candy and Hank were obliged to add triple draw to the rotation, but had no further takers. Hank finally came up short to go out fourth for his eighth cash of the year, and a lock on Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

After Sean went out the showdown was set between Candy, a Season 2 Champion, and Lee, a self-described limit specialist. Lee came at her with chips, and Candy played great – “to be fair,” that description was from her husband, who may be biased. After waiting four hours he likely was giddy just to see the tournament end.



















Candy’s win, her second of the season, propelled her to the hunt for the Tournament of Champions – anything less than the top two probably would have sealed her fate. It’s not over of course with Jim merely one point behind, and with Candy in striking distance of two players. Candy’s win also means the only two repeat winners of the season are women. Brando’s late-season surge puts him at second just ahead of Tim, and with an eye towards a large ToC chip stack.

In the current Top 8, only Phil and Pablo haven’t won an event yet. They have one more chance on December 3 when the final even will be short-handed hold’em at Bearded Mike’s. We’ll also have our award presentation for Player of the Year, and the event will decide the Tournament of Champions line-up as well as their relative stacks.

Happy Thanksgiving – enjoy the land you stole from Bearded Mike’s peeps.

Yes I will update the site soon

Jim won Stud for his first title of the year adding to one runner-up.

Candy won HORSE for her second title, meaning the only two repeat winners this season are both women.

The following men will have something to do about that on December 3:
Hank
Brandon
Tim
Sean
Bearded Mike
Jim
Baklava
JD
Sean

Shelley – First Repeat Champion

Sean SP ended the rebuy period with a huge stack and wielded it mercilessly for hours Sunday. He entered the final table still in the lead. With six left, Bearded Mike, Brandon, and Candy were all short-stacked. Bearded Mike was the first to go followed shortly thereafter by Candy, but Brandon bucked the short-stack and put himself in contention to repeat as O/8 champion.

Pablo somewhat dodged the Curse of the Chip Scout when he cashed, finishing in fourth place. Brandon eventually went out third after a valiant comeback, setting up the heads-up match between Shelley and Sean. Sean continued to bully with his stack, but being a split pot game, Shelley hung in. Sean suffered a couple of brutal beats, including the last hand. When a 6 hit the turn Shelley made her low resigning Sean to half the pot with his set of jacks. After he said “damn, we’re going to chop again,” Shelley noted her wheal draw – “give me a four and it’s over.” Done.

Early exits by Jim, Phil, and Baklava and Brandon’s strong charge shook up the rankings this week. Hank and Tim still enjoy sizable leads, but Brando’s back-to-back cashes put him decisively in third place. Pablo, Phil, and Bearded Mike follow separated by only two points. While Jim currently holds the eighth spot, Baklava and Candy are within four points of him. The bad news: at Bearded Mike’s current rate the TOC will have to find a new venue this year...

Candy and Phil are World Famous

Next upload - Hank's ballz.

Nine Events, Nine Champions

Season two continued to be far different from season one, when a handful of people scored repeated titles. In our ninth event the GPT crowned our ninth Champion, furthering the broad distribution of Championship chips. Sean came into the final table with a nice stack and rode it to the final four. However, some draws hit against him and knocked him out in fourth.

But not before he hit out on Hank and crippled him. Hank eventually went out in third. Brando and Phil battled for about an hour, with Brando hitting several draws against made hands. In the final hand Phil missed drawing to a 7 with six-high and a gut-shot, and paired his 2.

The next tournament is Saturday and Lance will be here for Omaha/8. Note, the final four tournaments of the season are now scheduled.