Tennessee Poker League
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  James Hall               Melissa Shafer                    

                Male & Female Player of the Year              

 

 

 

 

 

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Rick Barnes email about the trip.

Hi Jan,
Here is just a note to tell you about my experiences in Tunica.
As our first visit to Tunica, my wife, Faye, and I were very impressed by the glitz and size of the many casinos. As you know, we stayed in Fitzgerald's, or "The Fitz" as it is known. The hotel and casino were fabulous, even though it only took them 15 minutes to extract the first $100 from my pocket at the blackjack table.
We made a special effort to visit all of the casinos that we could, so as to spread the wealth as much as possible.
But now for the WSOP...
Held at the "Grand", the first event for the WSOP was a $300 buy-in (plus fee) no-limit holdem event, which attracted over 800 participants, with the winner earning a reported $63,400, plus a WSOP circuit ring. The event was played until 2:00am, and then continued at 2:pm the following day (Tues.).
The event in which I played was event #2; a $500 buy-in no-limit holdem tournament. Of the approximate 500 entrants, I finished out of the money five hours later at #120. Although I was playing fairly well, with an above-average stack for most of the day, I was eliminated in relatively quick fashion when my stack was depleted after a couple of unremarkable plays in which my promising starting cards failed to improve. After that, it was only a matter of time before the blinds and antes dictated a desperation play, which was predictably picked off by the big blind.
While my results were less than what I would have desired, our stay was great (and we REALLY enjoyed the voucher that the WSOP provided for the Grand buffet!).
Thanks again to you and Dan (and the TLP) for the great opportunity!

Rick (and Faye) Barnes

The final table action started very conservative. Ken Stacey has dominated the players and has a chip lead of twice as many chips as anybody else. However several players are in the middle group and Ken takes two large hits in a row from Rick Barnes and Rick becomes the chip leader.

Chris Petty has taken out two players and is well up in chips when we get to the final five players.

Three hands later Ken Stacey, Matt McHugh and Chris Petty get involved in a large three way pot before the flop. The flop is -3s-5s-8c-and after some ferocious raising all three are all-in. Chris shows a -2h-4h- (sometimes called a Dan Numan special) for a straight draw, Ken shows 5c-10s for a pair and Matt shows Ah-Kh. The turn is the 10h giving Ken two pair and the lead, however the river is the Ad and Chris hits "em" with a 2x4 by getting the straight to the 5, knocking out two players and moving up to second chip stack. Suddenly we are three handed and the chip counts are:

Rick Barnes       470,000

Chris Petty        390,000

John Shelton      260,000

For quite a few hands chips trade back and forth with Chris being on the poor end of it. He goes all in with his final 50,000 with pocket 4's and is called by Rick with 5-7. No help from the board he doubles up to 100,000. The very next hand John raises Chris from the small blind and Chris calls. The flop is A-8-9- John bets 60,000 and Chris calls. The turn is a 7 and Chris goes all in for his remaining 28,000. Chris shows 7-10 and John shows 7-8 for two pair. The river is a J and Chris makes his straight and now has 240,000, John drops to 220,000. Rick is moving his big stack well and now has 660,000.

Play goes on very tight and slow, Chris is not playing any hands, the Antes and Blinds are eating his stack up. Down to only 50,000 he moves all in from the small blind with his final 20,000 with a 9s-8s and gets called by Rick from the big blind with 8c-4c. Flop is 3-4-5 turn K-river 10 Rick wins with the 4's and Chris is out in 3rd.

The final two are:

Rick Barnes     850,000

John Shelton    270,000

John has been raising many pots and had been bluffing Chris and Rick out of several small pots and showing his bluffs. He continues this pattern and Rick doesn't get involved in any major showdowns.

Example: Rick limps in from the SB, John raises 30,000 Rick calls. The flop is Kd- 5h- 5s-Rick leads out with 100,000 John immediately re-raised to 400,000  Rick folds, John shows the bluff.

The chips are very even when Rick is the BB and John in SB raises, Rick calls the raise. The flop is K-J-7 John makes a big bet, Rick raises and John goes all-in    WOW!  ** Rick thinks for a long time and makes the call. Rick shows a Jd-2d, John has Ah-Kc. The turn is a 2c and the river is an 8, in one hand John is left with only 34,000.

John goes all-in with A-10 and is called by Rick with pocket 6's. With no help from the board the tournament is over and Rick is the winner.

See you all at the next Final Table and may all your flops be good.

Dan

** Jan's note: Watching the final table was great, and I saw some really good play. My only question is:  would Rick (holding only a J-2 ) have called John's all in if he had not seen John bluff at so many pots. I guess we will never know. And that's POKER!

Players at the Final Table   Damian Tweed had so many chips at the end of the first day he placed in 6th and did not play on the final day (we have asked players not to play the free rolls if they can't play the finals or take the trip) it is not fair to the other players.

Misty Barrett was the highest finishing woman in 8thplace. She played very well the whole tournament. Wayne Star forgot he was supposed to play on Sunday and his chips finished in 25th without him, nice play CHIPS.