button in SafariBlake Ellinghaus Claims WPT bestbet Scramble Championship for $294,900
Table Of Contents
Blake Ellinghaus, after rivering a straight during heads-up play, is the newest member of the WPT Champions Club, and he's $294,900 richer.
The Illinois native took down the $5,000 WPT bestbet Scramble Championship, a $1 million guaranteed tournament at bestbet Jacksonville in Northern Florida. He defeated Jared Reinstein to close out his first World Poker Tour title and the biggest win of his poker career.
Chip Leader Holds On
Ellinghaus, who had just $140,000 in prior live tournament cashes, was a big stack throughout most of this tournament, which had 294 entries. He finished Day 1a second in chips, the same spot he ended Day 2, before taking over as chip leader on Day 3 heading into Wednesday's final table.
It wasn't exactly a cakewalk for him at the final table, however. Bryan Paris, one of the top online poker pros ever, went on an early run to take over the chip lead. Reinstein then won a big pot against Ellinghaus, all while Paris had taken a commanding lead.
Hugh Membrino made things even worse for Ellinghaus by doubling up against the eventual champ after winning a 60/40. But Ellinghaus never fell too short. He'd get all those chips back when he flopped top pair with top kicker to bust Membrino, who had top pair and a weaker kicker, in sixth place ($57,000).
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blake Ellinghaus | $294,900 |
| 2 | Jared Reinstein | $184,000 |
| 3 | Bryan Paris | $135,000 |
| 4 | Skyler Dennis | $100,000 |
| 5 | Michael Macchia | $75,000 |
| 6 | Hugh Membrino | $57,000 |
Reinstein's pocket aces held up to bust Michael Macchia in fifth place ($75,000), which meant the final four were all guaranteed a six-figure payday.
Skyler Dennis was the next player to double through Ellinghaus. But Ellinghaus would continually battle back. Like he did with Membrino, he got some revenge and eventually busted Dennis in fourth place ($100,000).
This time, he focused on increasing his chip lead, which he never again relinquished. Ellinghaus, with pocket jacks, sent Paris home in third place ($135,000) when pocket jacks held up against pocket nines.
Ellinghaus, who qualified for the tournament via a $580 satellite, held a 6:1 chip lead when heads-up play began, although Reinstein did double up at one point to get back in the ballgame. But it all came to an end when Ellinghaus rivered a straight and moved all in and received a call from Reinstein, who flopped a straight draw but instead hit a pair on the river. Reinstein was eliminated in second place for $184,000.
*Images courtesy of the World Poker Tour.
