2014 Western New York Poker Challenge

$100,000 Guaranteed Main Event
Day: 1
Event Info

2014 Western New York Poker Challenge

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
109
Prize
$37,061
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$176,595
Entries
183
Level Info
Level
24
Blinds
15,000 / 30,000
Ante
3,000

Spears Enters

Level 3 : 75/150, 0 ante
Andy Spears -- Winner of Event #12
Andy Spears -- Winner of Event #12

Fourteen hours ago Andy Spears took down Event # 12 of the WNY Poker Challenge, topping a field of 141 entries to claim the top prize of $6,422. Now, Spears will attempt to win the third straight Main Event of a major series here at the Seneca Niagara Falls Casino & Hotel.

Last August Spears 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. We were on hand to witness his dominant performance in the Fall Classic; Spears doubled up with aces in the first level of the tournament and never looked back, eventually defeating a tough final table that included Scott Gaddi, Jason Nablo, Alex Barker and Travell Thomas.

We'll see if he can navigate another big field and three-peat.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Andy Spears us
Andy Spears
25,000
25,000
25,000

The River is Nasty to Rivers

Level 3 : 75/150, 0 ante

On a flop of {q-Hearts}{5-Hearts}{2-Spades}, Mike O'Halloran checked from the big blind and the under-the-gun players did the same. The hijack followed suit, and then Ryan Rivers bet 800 from the cutoff. O'Halloran responded with a check-raise to 1,900, the UTG player folded, and the hijack called. Rivers then three-bet to 4,000, O'Halloran called, and the hijack got out of the way.

O'Halloran proceeded to check-call a bet of 6,000 on the {9-Spades} turn, and then checked once again on the {Q-Diamonds} river. Rivers did the same, and showed why as his {5-Clubs}{2-Clubs} flopped two pair had been counterfeited. Sure enough, O'Halloran tabled the {a-Spades}{a-Hearts} for aces and queens.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mike O'Halloran
Mike O'Halloran
38,200
Profile photo of Ryan Rivers ca
Ryan Rivers
16,500
-12,000
-12,000

Tags: Mike O'HalloranRyan Rivers

Meyers vs. Block: Cooler Turn Sends One to the Rail

Level 3 : 75/150, 0 ante

With 1,800 or so in the pot and a flop of {5-Hearts}{4-Spades}{9-Hearts}, Rick Block checked from middle position and Chris Meyers did the same from the cutoff. Both players then called a bet of 425 from the button, and the dealer burned and turned the {6-Spades}.

Block liked it and quickly led out for 2,600, which inspired Meyers to raise to 6,200. The button got out of the way, and Block responded by moving all in for right around 14,500. Meyers snap-called and Block discovered the bad news.

Block: {2-Spades}{3-Hearts}
Meyers: {7-Clubs}{8-Spades}

The turn had given both players a straight, but as you can see Meyers' was best.

"Wow, nice hand," a stunned Block said. The {6-Clubs} was put out on the river, and Meyers pulled in the pot.

Block immediately made his way to the registration desk and reentered the tournament.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Chris Meyers us
Chris Meyers
42,000
42,000
42,000
Profile photo of Rick Block
Rick Block
Busted

Tags: Chris MeyersRick Block

Early Chip Update

Level 3 : 75/150, 0 ante
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Johannes Mueller us
Johannes Mueller
59,000
5,400
5,400
Profile photo of Matthew Sande
Matthew Sande
45,000
20,000
20,000
Profile photo of Pete Kaemmerlen
Pete Kaemmerlen
33,000
8,300
8,300
Profile photo of Andy Spears us
Andy Spears
29,000
4,000
4,000
Profile photo of Mike Shavensky
Mike Shavensky
28,000
3,000
3,000
Profile photo of Randy Pfeifer
Randy Pfeifer
26,000
1,000
1,000
Profile photo of Joe Ciffa us
Joe Ciffa
21,000
-4,000
-4,000
Profile photo of Greg Ostrander us
Greg Ostrander
20,000
-12,000
-12,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Art Demmerley us
Art Demmerley
19,000
-6,000
-6,000
Profile photo of Hoss Colao
Hoss Colao
18,000
-11,000
-11,000
Profile photo of Steve Przybyl
Steve Przybyl
17,000
-8,000
-8,000
Profile photo of Lou Tomassi
Lou Tomassi
16,000
-9,000
-9,000

Meyers Gives Up the Fish Hooks

Level 3 : 75/150, 0 ante

Shortly after eliminating Rick Block and chipping up, Chris Myeers gave a good portion of his chips to Kyle Gay.

It happened when there was about 2,000 in the pot on a flop of {4-Clubs}{9-Spades}{3-Spades}. Meyers was first to act and bet 1,100, which was met by a raise to 3,100 from Gay. Not to be outdone, Meyers three-bet to 7,800 and Gay wasted little time in moving all in for 15,825 more.

Meyers eyed his foe suspiciously, but eventually folded the {j-Hearts}{j-Diamonds} face up. Gay declined to show his holdings.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kyle Gay
Kyle Gay
33,200
8,200
8,200
Profile photo of Chris Meyers us
Chris Meyers
33,000
33,000
33,000

Tags: Chris MeyersKyle Gay

Level: 4

Blinds: 100/200

Ante:

Bracelet Winners Back-to-Back

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante
Greg Ostrander
Greg Ostrander

PokerNews' Chad Holloway isn't the only World Series of Poker bracelet winner here today. Greg Ostrander is seated directly behind our media desk at Table 3. Ostrander won Event #41 of the 2012 WSOP, a $3,000 no-limit hold'em event for $742,072. He denied Aussie poker pro Jackie Glazier of her first WSOP bracelet, overcoming a three-to-one chip deficit in a lengthy heads-up duel to claim his own first piece of WSOP hardware.

According to the Hendon Mob poker database, Ostrander has $934,000 in career live tournament winnings, so it is possible that if he took this one down he would eclipse the $1 million mark.

Tags: 2014 Western New York Poker Challenge MaChad HollowayGreg Ostrander

Bergeron Busts One; Tips the Massage Therapist

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante

Life is just gravy for Brian Bergeron. While enjoying a massage, he became involved in a big hand that saw him send an opponent to the rail.

We missed the details, but we do know the unknown players shoved his last 6,925 preflop holding the {q-Spades}{7-Clubs} only to run into the {a-Spades}{q-Clubs} of Bergeron. The board ran out a clean {k-Spades}{2-Diamonds}{5-Hearts}{a-Hearts}{4-Diamonds}, and Bergeron got a good boost to his stack.

He turned right around and won the next hand with the {a-Diamonds}{k-Diamonds} on an ace-high board, at which time his massage came to an end. Bergeron thanked the massage therapist, paid his $40 bill, and gave her a $10 tip. Needless to say, Bergeron is feeling good.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Brian Bergeron
Brian Bergeron
34,000

Tags: Brian Bergeron

Aces Aplenty for Aga

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante

After John Aga checked a flop of {q-Clubs}{4-Spades}{a-Hearts} from the small blind, Glenn Pawlowski moved all in for his last 5,000 or so from middle position. Another player folded, and then Aga made a quick call.

Aga: {a-Diamonds}{a-Clubs}
Pawlowski: {j-Spades}{10-Spades}

Aga had the good with trip aces, but Pawlowski was drawing live to a king. The {Q-Clubs} close was close, but not quite what Pawlowski needed. The {2-Diamonds} river also failed to produce, which meant Pawlowski's day came to an early end (unless of course he decided to reenter in the next 40 minutes or so).

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of John Aga
John Aga
45,000
Profile photo of Glenn Pawlowski
Glenn Pawlowski
Busted

Tags: Glenn PawlowskiJohn Aga