2014 Western New York Poker Challenge

Event 10: $300 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2014 Western New York Poker Challenge

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
kq
Prize
$4,500
Event Info
Buy-in
$265
Prize Pool
$29,958
Entries
119
Level Info
Level
26
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
5,000

Sessum and Zurek Off to the Races

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Maurice Sessum opened with a raise under the gun and was soon met by a three-bet to 32,500 from Kali Zurek in the small blind. Sessum responded by four-betting all in for 98,500, and Zurek, who barely had the bigger stack, took her time before making the call.

Sessum: {a-Spades}{k-Spades}
Zurek: {j-Hearts}{j-Clubs}

It was a classic flip, and while the {3-Diamonds}{5-Diamonds}{4-Hearts} flop kept Zurek in the lead, it also gave Sessum a wheel draw. The {A-Hearts} turn was a big card, but you wouldn't know it as Both Zurek, who had lost the lead, and Sessum, who had taken it, remained silent.

When the {10-Diamonds} completed the board on the river, Sessum gave a little fist pump as the dealer verified the stacks.

Player Chips Progress
Maurice Sessum
Maurice Sessum
200,000 125,000
Kali Zurek
Kali Zurek
20,000 -95,000

Tags: Maurice SessumKali Zurek

Archer Spears Olshan and Harker

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Aaron Olshan
Aaron Olshan

Aaron Olshan was the victom of a nasty beat over at table three. Olshan got his last 65,000 or so chips in preflop against Chris Harker and Mark Archer. Archer had them both covered.

Olshan: {A-Clubs}{A-Spades}
Harker: {A-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}
Archer: {A-Hearts}{K-Clubs}

According to the PokerNews Odds Calculator, Olshan was an 80% chance to win a huge pot with his aces, but Archer picked up flush outs on the {7-Hearts}{3-Hearts}{K-Hearts} flop. Archer called for a heart, and the dealer quickly obliged with the {Q-Hearts} on the turn, clinching the whole pot for Archer. The meaningless {3-Clubs} completed the board, and two players were eliminated.

Player Chips Progress
Mark Archer
Mark Archer
240,000 110,000
Chris Harker
Chris Harker
Busted
Aaron Olshan us
Aaron Olshan
Busted

Tags: Aaron Olshan

The Turn Digs It In

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Michael Kurek got his short stack all in preflop and found himself up against the chip leader, Ryan Rivers, albeit it in great shape.

Kurek: {a-Hearts}{a-Diamonds}
Rivers: {5-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}

Rivers has been running hot, but it didn't look like he would in this hand as the {a-Spades}{k-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds} flop delivered Kurek a set. However, Rivers then caught the {5-Hearts} on the turn, which meant he could find the improbable victory with the case five on the river.

The dealer burned one last time and put out the {J-Diamonds}. Rivers missed, and all a happy Kurek could say was, "The turn just to dig it in a little I guess."

Player Chips Progress
Ryan Rivers ca
Ryan Rivers
270,000 -60,000
Michael Kurek
Michael Kurek
125,000 67,000

Tags: Michael KurekRyan Rivers

Table 3 Seat Draw

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
SeatPlayer
1Hoss Colao
2Chris Harker
3Ryan Rivers
4Aaron Olshan
5Mike Feldmeyer
6Mark Archer
7Scott Aitchison
8Michael Kurek
9George Johnson
Player Chips Progress
Ryan Rivers ca
Ryan Rivers
330,000 -30,000
Mike Feldmeyer
Mike Feldmeyer
190,000 55,000
Mark Archer
Mark Archer
130,000 130,000
George Johnson
George Johnson
72,000 -19,000
Scott Aitchison
Scott Aitchison
65,000 8,000
Aaron Olshan us
Aaron Olshan
60,000 -100,000
Michael Kurek
Michael Kurek
58,000 58,000
Hoss Colao
Hoss Colao
45,000 -35,000
Chris Harker
Chris Harker
31,000 -24,000

Tags: 2014 Western New York Poker Challenge

Table 1 Seat Draw

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
SeatPlayer
1Dave Grana
2Thomas Keeper
3Kali Zurek
4Anish Bedhia
5Maurice Sessum
6Alex Visbisky
7Chris Myers
8Travell Thomas
9Kevin Reyes
Player Chips Progress
Alex Visbisky us
Alex Visbisky
215,000 20,000
Kevin Reyes
Kevin Reyes
210,000 85,000
Chris Myers
Chris Myers
190,000 20,000
Travell Thomas
Travell Thomas
160,000 45,000
Anish Bedhia
Anish Bedhia
130,000 -50,000
Kali Zurek
Kali Zurek
115,000 -20,000
Dave Grana us
Dave Grana
112,000 112,000
Thomas Keeper ca
Thomas Keeper
105,000 105,000
Maurice Sessum
Maurice Sessum
75,000 75,000

Tags: 2014 Western New York Poker Challenge

"Barry the Beast" Falls in 19th Place

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Action folded around to a short-stacked Barry Kruger on the button and he moved all in for his last 25,000 or so. Alex Visbisky was next to act in the small blind and isolated by pushing the big out.

Kruger: {a-Clubs}{q-Hearts}
Visbisky: {a-Hearts}{k-Spades}

Kruger was in dire straits due to his inferior kicker, and he watched helplessly as the board ran out a dry {5-Clubs}{2-Diamonds}{10-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}. Kruger fell in 19th place, which means it's time for the two-table redraw.

Player Chips Progress
Alex Visbisky us
Alex Visbisky
195,000 25,000
Barry Kruger ca
Barry Kruger
Busted

Tags: Barry KrugerAlex Visbisky

"Not the Way I Wanted to Go Out"

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Joe Mundier seemed none too pleased, and we made our way over to find out why.

What we discovered was that he had gotten his stack of 70,000 or so all in preflop in a bad spot. We're not sure of the action, but it appeared Mudier shoved at the wrong time.

Mundier: {a-Clubs}{9-Clubs}
Reyes: {a-Diamonds}{a-Hearts}

Mundier was out of his seat even before the flop came down {7-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{3-Hearts}. The {J-Clubs} turn gave him pause as he picked up a gutshot straight draw to a ten, but the {7-Hearts} river failed to complete it.

"Not the way I wanted to go out," Mundier lamented before taking his leave in 20th place.

Player Chips Progress
Joe Mundier
Joe Mundier
Busted

Tags: Joe MundierKevin Reyes

Level: 16

Blinds: 2,500/5,000

Ante: 500

A Huge Set-Over-Set Flop

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

We heard a commotion at one of the three remaining tables and made our way over to see that it was a big set-over-set hand.

It appeared Kevin Reyes got his last 47,500 in on the {3-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}{8-Spades} flop against Mike Feldmeyer. Reyes tabled the {7-Hearts}{7-Clubs} for middle set, which bested the {3-Diamonds}{3-Spades} of Feldmeyer. Neither the {5-Spades} turn nor {9-Clubs} river changed a thing, and Feldmeyer sent a good portion of his stack over to Reyes while the rest of the table kindly informed him that there was nothing he could do.

Player Chips Progress
Mike Feldmeyer
Mike Feldmeyer
135,000 -98,000
Kevin Reyes
Kevin Reyes
125,000 65,000

Tags: Mike FeldmeyerKevin Reyes

Rivers Drills the Turn

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

It seems the only big pot Ryan Rivers has lost in the past 24 hours was the one which earned him $72,000 for the bad beat jackpot last night. We just witnessed Rivers putting Sahil Ahuja all in before the flop with the {A-Diamonds}{3-Hearts} and Ahuja called with the {9-Diamonds}{9-Clubs}. The {2-Spades}{10-Hearts}{7-Diamonds} changed nothing, but Rivers pair his ace on the {A-Clubs} turn, and the {K-Hearts} on the river sent another player home at the hands of our chip leader.

Player Chips Progress
Ryan Rivers ca
Ryan Rivers
360,000 100,000
Sahil Ahuja
Sahil Ahuja
Busted

Tags: 2014 Western New York Poker ChallengeRyan Rivers