Full Tilt FTOPS Main Event Recap - First Prize a Whopping $336k

May 21, 2007

Haley Hintze

Full Tilt FTOPS Main Event Recap - First Prize a Whopping $336k 0001

The Full Tilt Online Poker Series [FTOPS] concluded its ten-day run with a magnificent Main Event. The event --- more specifically, FTOPS #10 --- drew nearly 4,000 players with an eye on more than a third of a million in first-prize money and irrevocable FTOPS bragging rights.

Full Tilt FTOPS #10 (Main Event): $1,500,000 Guaranteed NL ($500+35 buy-in)

This season's FTOPS Main Event saw 3,798 players registered for the event, building a prize pool of $1,899,000. That purse wasn't the largest of the night, but the first-place money of $336,217.95 was easily the evening's largest prize. 522 players made it to the money, and the top 15 spots each made at least $10,000 for their night's work. 'John_McClane17' lived up to his 'Die Hard' nickname by amassing over $3.1 million in chips, leading the way to the final table.

The first final-table exit occurred immediately, as a short-stacked 'SN8WMAN' made a move from the small blind with K♠5♦, only to be called by 'RastaAl' from the big blind with K♥8♠. RastaAl took down the pot and notched the knockout when the board offered 6♠9♣7♥A♥J♥. A couple of dozen hands later it was RastaAl on the wrong side of the elimination equation. On this hand, RastaAl had 6♦6♠ to the A♥J♠ of 'IdahoQueens,' but the 10♥2♣K♦Q♥J♦ board gave IdahoQueens the Broadway straight.

The chain of knockouts continued moments later. IdahoQueens opened with A♥10♦, then saw 'KingDan23' make an all-in re-raise. KingDan23 had made several re-raises in earlier hands to take down pots pre-flop, but this time IdahoQueens made the call to find KingDan23 with a real hand Q♥Q♣. It got worse from there, as KingDan23 flopped a set and won easily when the Q♦2♠10♣6♠K♥ board was complete. The hand pushed KingDan23 to nearly $8 million in chips, twice the level of second place. KingDan23's stack jumped again when he won a race with 10♦10♣ against 'boNeZee's A♠K♥, the board arriving 9♠7♦4♠10♥6♣. boNeZee's departure left five players in the running.

KingDan23 made it three in a row by picking off 'amatos,' who was low on chips and made a move with J♠5♠. KingDan23 made the call from the big blind with K♦8♣, and picked up the pot as the board showed 2♥9♥A♠3♠8♦. 'CroqueMonsieur' finally slowed KingDan23's run by doubling through with queens against KingDan23's sixes.

A huge three-way pot saw 'sicklol' bounced to the rail in fourth. KingDan23, with over $9 million in chips and the blinds at $60,000/$120,000 pushed all-in from the button with K♦6♥. Both John_McClane17 and sicklol, the small and big blinds, respectively, were under $2 million at this point. John_McClane17 made the call from the small blind with A♦K♥, and sicklol thought it over and also made the call from the big blind, with A♠J♥. The board itself presented a diamond flush --- Q♦9♦4♦J♦6♦ --- but John_McClane17 held the A♦ for the nut flush and the knockout, having sicklol slightly outchipped.

John_McClane17 caught a fortunate river to continue his surge back to the lead. This time he held A♣J♦ to KingDan23's A♥K♣ and after a Q♥10♣9♦ flop, a 4♣ turn, and a 8♣ river for the straight, induced a call from KingDan23 on a $1.8 million-chip river value bet. KingDan23, though, doubled through against CroqueMonsieur moments later to climb back into the war, winning an ace-vs.-king kick matchup when both players missed a garbage board. The two players butted heads in two more large pots soon after, with KingDan23 getting the better of the trade after winning with pocket kings against CroqueMonsieur's A-8.

CroqueMonsieur's night finally ended when he moved in for his remaining chips with J♥9♣, and KingDan23 made the call with A♠6♠. The board came 2♥3♠7♠A♦10♥, pairing KingDan23's ace and marking the start of heads-up play.

Heads-up action started with KingDan23 holding a narrow lead, which he gradually worked up to a 3;1 margin. John_McClane17 roared back, however, first doubling through with pocket queens, then doing so after rivering a straight and getting KingDan23 to call an all-in push. KingDan23 wasn't quite through, catching two jacks --- the second on the river --- to stay alive after catching the worst end of an AJ-against-QJ matchup.

The end came in similar fashion. The chips went in with KingDan23 having the better of it with A♣J♥ to John_McClane17's A♦7♠. A 7♣2♣5♣ flop paired John_McClane17's seven, but left KingDan23 with twelve outs twice for survival. None of those outs arrived, however, as the Q♥ turn and K♦ river dashed KingDan23's last chance. John_McClane17's pair of sevens held up for the clincher in a $336,000 win.