Andy Spears Wins Event #12 of Western New York Poker Challenge
On Friday, the 2014 Western New York Poker Challenge continued with Event #12 $200 No Limit Hold’em Deepstack Turbo, which attracted 141 entries to the Seneca Niagara Falls Casino & Hotel and created a prize pool of $22,933. It took 29 20-minute levels of play before a winner was determined, and that man was Andy Spears, who took home $6,422 for his performance.
According to our Players to Watch preview, the Seneca Poker Room has been Spears' personal playground for the past year. Last August he took down the Summer Slam Series Main Event for $23,700, and a few months later he went wire-to-wire to win the $1,500 Fall Poker Classic Main Event for $52,410. In addition, back In September he claimed his first World Series of Poker Circuit ring in Cincinnati, winning a $365 Turbo tournament for $10,801.
WNY Poker Challenge Event #12 Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Andy Spears | $6,422 |
| 2nd | Kevin Volz | $3,967 |
| 3rd | Cameron Bartolotta | $2,867 |
| 4th | Jonathan Cosme | $2,144 |
| 5th | Dave Schrader | $1,559 |
| 6th | Barry Kruger | $1,193 |
| 7th | Jim Burkett | $917 |
| 8th | Tom Mistretta | $573 |
| 9th | Todd Saffron | $573 |
| 10th | Lou Dodaro | $470 |
The top 15 finishers of Event #12 each locked up $390, and the first to claim a payday was Greg Long. In the last hand of Level 21 (8,000/16,000/2,000), three players saw a flop of K♥8♥6♣ and Long moved all in for roughly 70,000 from the big blind. Barry "The Beast" Kruger folded, and then Kevin Volz wasted little time in calling.
Volz: K♠5♠
Long: 8♦4♥
Long had flopped middle pair, but it was no good as Volz held top pair. Neither the 7♣ turn nor A♠ river helped Long, and he was eliminated in 15th place for $390.
From there the in-the-money finishes continued as Dennis Danielski (14th - $390), Hoss Colao (13th - $390), Glenn Pawlowski (12th - $470), Jeff Kandefer (11th - $470), Lou Dodaro (10th - $470), Todd Saffron (9th - $573), Tom Mistretta (8th - $573), Jim Burkett (7th - $917), and Barry “The Beast” Kruger (6th - $1,193) all hit the rail.
Kruger fell in Level 27 (30,000/60,000/5,000) due to back-to-back hands. In the first, Kruger raised preflop and Volz called from the small blind, the flop came down 10♠3♠10♥ and a raising war saw them get a lot of chips in the middle.
Kruger: Q♠J♠
Volz: A♠6♠
Kruger seemed devastated that his flush draw was no good, and he began calling for a queen. The 2♣ turn wasn't it, and neither was the K♠ river. Both players made a flush, but of course the ace-high one of Volz was best. Kruger was left with just 160,000 after the hand.
In the very next hand, action folded to Spears in the small blind and he moved all in to put the pressure on Kruger, who thought for a bit before calling off his last 85,000.
Kruger: 5♥7♦
Spears: 10♦9♦
Kruger was behind, but he was drawing to two live cards. The 3♥A♥J♣ flop was as dry as could be, and the 10♠ turn actually left him drawing dead. The meaningless A♣ was run out on the river for good measure, and Kruger shook hands with each of the remaining five players before exiting the tournament area.
Not long after, David Schrader fell in fifth place for $1,559, and he was followed out the door by Jonathan Cosme in fourth for $2,144. After Cameron Bartolotta fell in third place, Spears and Volz engaged in a back-and-forth heads-up match. Eventually Spears came out on top, and he was able to add yet another title to his Seneca Niagara Falls résumé.
In the final hand, which happened in Level 30 (60,000/120,000/20,000), Spears moved all in from the button, and Volz called. The stacks were about even, so the flip was virtually for the title.
Spears: A♥6♠
Volz: K♣J♥
Spears pulled ahead immediately on the A♦2♥9♥ flop, but Volz picked up some flush outs on the 3♥ turn. However, the 6♠ completed the board to give Spears the win.
Congratulations to Andy Spears, winner of the Western New York Poker Challenge Event #12!
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be at Seneca Niagara Casino all weekend long to bring you live updates from the 2014 Western New York Poker Challenge, including the $1,100 Main Event that begins on Saturday.
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PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.
