Jude "'j.thaddeus" Ainsworth Wins PokerStars SCOOP Main Event -Hi

April 14, 2009

Mickey Doft Live Reporter

Fourteen of online poker's best players returned on Monday for the conclusion of the Main Event-Hi in the PokerStars All-Stakes Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP). The $10,300 event drew 502 players, and the first task on Day 2 was to determine the final-table lineup among the 14 survivors. Among the five players that made Day 2 but missed the final table were BriDge2PaiN in 10th place ($65,260), Day 1 chip leader Jonathan "xxjondxx" Delong in 11th ($65,260) and Jamie "pokerjamers" Armstrong in 13th ($55,220). The nine finalists showed these chip counts as the final table began:

Jude "j.thaddeus" Ainsworth — 1,150,492

Derric "actionDJ" Haynie — 842,557

Niklas "ragen70" Heinecker — 808,362

Jon "PearlJammer" Turner — 676,174

Chowdahhead4 — 617,123

Steven "$teveyMoney" Merrifield — 482,888

Jesse "MazeOrBowie" Martin — 243,940

teacuppoker — 104,776

Chris "Moorman1" Moorman — 93,688

Exiting the final first was teacuppoker, during the 3,500/7,000/875 level. Steven "$teveyMoney" Merrifield raised to 18,230 in the hijack and teacuppoker went all in for 68,276 from the cutoff. Action folded back to Merrifield, who called with 8♦7♦, and Merrifield needed help against teacuppoker's A♥9♦. That help arrived as the board rolled out J♥5♣8♥3♣7♣. Teacuppoker finished in ninth place for $83,332. Chris "Moorman1" Moorman busted shortly thereafter. He raised to 19,000 under the gun and Merrifield called from middle position. The flop came 3♦J♦K♠; Moorman fired a continuation bet of 32,750 and Merrifield called. The turn was the J♣ and Moorman bet 81,750. Merrifield, though, went all in, having his man easily covered. Moorman called all in for 122,876 with A♠7♠, which trailed Merrifield's A♦10♦. The 4♦ river blanked and Moorman pocketed $112,950 for eighth.

Derric "actionDJ" Haynie fell at 4,000/8,000/1,000 after losing much of his stack to Jon "PearlJammer" Turner. Haynie opened to 20,000 in middle position and Turner popped it to 58,750 on the button. Play folded back to Haynie who re-raised to 162,555, only to have PearlJammer go all in for 628,424. Haynie called and tabled A♠K♥ to Turner's J♥J♦. The flop came out J♣10♦7♠ and Turner jumped ahead with top set. Haynie called for a queen in the chat, but the turn 7♦ gave Turner the winning full house. Haynie busted a few hands later when his Q♣J♣ didn't improve against Niklas "ragen70" Heinecker's K♥Q♥. Haynie earned $163,150 for his seventh-place showing.

An hour and a half later, Chowdahhead4 busted in sixth place at 7,000/14,000/1,750. Jon "PearlJammer" Turner opened wish a raise to 32,750 in the cutoff and Chowdahhead4 re-raised to 87,560 on the button. In the big blind, j.thaddeus bumped it to 224,000, and Turner got out of the way. Chowdahhead4 called and the flop fell K♥Q♣10♠. J.thaddeus led out 70,000 and went all in for 145,066, which j.thaddeus called, showing K♠K♦ for top set. Chowdahhead4's 6♠6♥ needed a miracle, but the turn and river came A♠ and Q♥. Chowdahhead4 won $213,350 for sixth place. Steven "$teveyMoney" Merrifield departed during the 8,000/16,000/2,000 level. Jesse "MazeOrBowie" Martin raised to 48,000 in the cutoff and Merrifield shoved for 293,717 with Q♥10♣. Martin called with a dominating A♥Q♠ and won the pot as the board came 6♦7♦8♠Q♣K♣. Merrifield collected $281,120 for fifth.

Jesse "MazeOrBowie" Martin hit the rail later in the level. J.thaddeus made it 40,000 to go in the cutoff and Martin went all in for 625,347 on the button. It folded back to j.thaddeus, who called with Q♠Q♦, way ahead of Martin's 7♦7♠. The board ran out 4♦3♣A♠10♥5♣ as Martin took fourth place for $401,600.

Jon "PearlJammer" Turner exited the final table in third place, but not without drama. J.thaddeus was well in front with over 4.2 million, while Turner and Niklas "ragen70" Heinecker were both under 500,000. Turner was all in with 2♣2♠ against j.thaddeus' J♥J♦ and the flop ran out an amazing 2♦J♣2♥. Turner doubled up, but then lost after being all in preflop with A♥Q♦ against Heinecker's J♣10♣ to be back on the short stack. Turner was finally eliminated when his K♦Q♥ couldn't improve against Heinecker's A♥10♥, and he exited with $527,100 for third place. Heads-up play began with these chip counts:

j.thaddeus — 3,879,797

Niklas "ragen70" Heinecker — 1,140,203

The heads-up duel made it to the 12,500/25,000/3,125 level. J.thaddeus min-raised to 50,000 and Heinecker popped it to 15,000, which j.thaddeus called. The flop came 3♦Q♣9♥ and both players checked, leading to the A♣ turn card. Heinecker bet 175,000 and j.thaddeus called, bringing the 6♣ on the river. Heinecker checked it to j.thaddeus, who fired 300,000. Heinecker went all in for 980,803 and j.thaddeus snap-called with 10♣8♣ for a flush. Heinecker was caught making a move with J♥6♦ and was then assured the runner-up spot, earning $715,350. The triumph by j.thaddeus in the SCOOP Main Event-Hi was worth $963,338.