World Poker Tour on FSN: Southern Poker Championship — Part II

May 16, 2011

Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager

FSN continued its broadcast of the World Poker Tour’s ninth season with Part II of the Southern Poker Championship from the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi. If you recall last week’s episode, Ryan Hughes was eliminated in sixth place for $89,375 and was followed out the door by Pat Mahoney taking home $113,208 in fifth place. That left just four players remaining including WPT Season VII Southern Poker Champion Allen Carter, who was going for his second title in three years, well-known poker professional Shannon Shorr, 2006 World Series of Poker final tablist Leif Force, and Russian Pro Alexander Kuzmin.

Here is how the final table looked at the top of the broadcast.

Final Table

Seat 1: Alex Kuzmin (994,000)
Seat 2: -empty-
Seat 3: Leif Force (1,230,000)
Seat 4: -empty-
Seat 5: Shannon Shorr (1,409,000)
Seat 6: Allen Carter (2,835,000)

First Hand: With the blinds at 10,000/20,000 and a 3,000 ante, action folded to Shannon Shorr in the small blind, and he raised to 60,000 with A♦10♦. Allen Carter peeked down at J♣J♦ in the big blind and opted to reraise to 170,000, which Shorr called. When the flop fell 2♥9♣Q♣, Shorr checked and Carter fired out 200,000. It was enough to get the job done as Shorr nonchalantly folded his cards.

Kuzmin’s Life at Stake: On the button, Alex Kuzmin raised to 50,000 and received a call from Shannon Shorr in the big blind. The two watched the flop come down 10♦5♦J♠ and Shorr immediately led out for 77,000. Kuzmin wasted little time in raising to 230,000, Shorr moved all-in for 1.7 million, and Kuzmin called off for 902,000.

Shorr: A♦6♦
Kuzmin: K♦K♣

Shorr had the nut-flush draw but was still behind the pocket kings of his opponent. The K♠ on the turn took away some of Shorr’s outs, and the 10♠ gave Kuzmin a full house and the win. The Russian pro, who began the original final table as chip leader, received a much-needed double to 1,926,000.

Shorr Eliminated in Fourth Place: After being crippled in the aforementioned hand, Shannon Shorr moved all-in from the small blind for 327,000 holding J♥7♦. Allen Carter made the call from the big blind with Q♥J♠, putting Shorr in a tough spot. The A♣3♠9♣ flop left Shorr looking for a seven, but the Q♦ turn left him drawing dead. After the 3♥ was put out on the river for good measure, Shorr shook hands with the table and made his exit from the tournament in fourth place with $144,985.

Five Questions: Kimberly Lansing sat down with Dwyte Pilgrim to discuss his big WPT win at the Borgata Poker Open. They talked about emotion, table antics, sponsor, the future, and shocking the world.

When asked what he felt about his win, Pilgrim responded, “Somebody said it was a feeling of euphoria. One of my first goals was to get on a WPT big-stage final six, and once I got there I wanted to win. You know, I just got lucky and I did it in my first attempt. Sometimes guys go ten times without winning. It was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in my life.”

Nice Lay Down: Alex Kuzmin raised to 75,000 from the small blind with 7♦7♠ and Leif Force made the call from the big holding 6♦6♥. Both players checked the 10♣9♥8♠ flop, and the 6♠ hit the turn. It seemed to be an action card, giving Kuzmin a straight and Force a set. The former led out for 80,000, while the latter surprisingly smooth called. The A♣ river changed nothing and Kuzmin quickly bet 425,000 into a pot that only had 322,000 in it. Force silently slid his cards into the muck without a moment’s thought.

Force Doubles Through Carter: Allen Carter raised to 75,000 on the button with A♠K♦ and received a call from the K♥9♠ of Leif Force in the big blind. The Q♥9♥K♠ flop screamed action, and that is exactly what viewers got. Force checked, Carter bet 125,000, Force moved all-in, and Carter risked 32 percent of his chips to make the call. Force was a 73-percent favorite to double to 2,080,000, which is what he did when the 8♠ hit the turn followed by the 5♣.

Frustration Setting In: On the next hand, Allen Carter picked up K♥K♣ and raised to 75,000. Force made the call from the big blind with 5♠5♣, leading to a 2♠4♦J♥ flop. Both players checked to the A♠ turn, at which point check-called a bet of 100,000 from Carter. The 5♦ river gave Force a set and he bet 230,000. “You should go buy a lotto ticket, dude,” Carter said before folding his pocket kings face up.

Ones to Watch: In the WPT’s newest segment, Allen Bari was featured and sounded off on the Southern Poker Championship. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t finish in the money and was more than willing to tell viewers his feelings on the matter. Needless to say, he wasn’t happy.

Carter Eliminated in Third Place: Allen Carter raised to 100,000 from the small blind only to have Alex Kuzmin reraise to 275,000 from the big. Carter wasted little time in moving all in for 1.7 million and Kuzmin made the call.

Carter: J♣9♦
Kuzmin: A♦Q♦

“Alright, let’s get lucky,” Carter said as he discovered the grim news. However, the 10♣2♣7♦ flop gave him a gut-shot straight draw. When the J♦ peeled off, Carter thrust his fist in the air and pleaded for a black card on the river. His enthusiasm quickly died as the 10♦ spiked on the river, giving Kuzmin a flush and the win. Carter was eliminated from the Southern Poker Championship in third place with $218,471.

Heads-Up Action: Alex Kuzmin entered heads-up play with 4,545,000 in chips to Leif Force’s 1,925,000. With a 2.3-to-1 chip lead and the blinds only at 25,000/50,000, it seemed Kuzmin had things well in hand; however, Force took down a few hands and it seemed as though he might be able to claw his way into contention after all.

Final Hand: Leif Force’s momentum quickly came to a halt after his bluff was snapped off by Alex Kuzmin’s rivered air of aces, leaving the former with fewer than 700,000. In the next hand, Kuzmin moved all-in with K♦4♠ and Force called off holding the J♣9♣. It was a coinflip as the flop came down 4♦Q♦5♠, giving Kuzmin a pair of fours. The 3♥ turn changed nothing, and the 2♣ river eliminated Force in second place for $315,790.

Meanwhile, Kuzmin took down the Southern Poker Championship and the accompanying $601,469 first-place prize.

Tune in Next Week: FSN’s broadcast of the WPT will continue next Sunday, so be sure to either check your local listings or visit PokerNews for the recap.

Past World Poker Open/Southern Poker Championship Winners

Season	Player	Earnings
1	David “Devilfish” Ulliott	$589,175
2	Barry Greenstein	$1,278,370
3	John Stolzmann	$1,491,444
4	Scotty Nguyen	$969,421
5	Bryan Sumner	$913,986
6	Bill Edler	$747,615
7	Allen Carter	$1,025,500
8	Hoyt Corkins	$739,486
9	Alexander Kuzmin	$601,469