Summer Poker Challenge Wraps Up

Mitch Schock, fresh off his 29th place showing in the World Series of Poker, served as emcee and tournament director for the weekend events. Mitch made the tournament very fun and shared a lot of good stories from the WSOP.

Participating bars ran two separate 4 week contests, sending their overall champions from each event to the championship events. Prizes awarded included a $10,000 cash freeroll on Saturday and 20 seats to the Heartland Poker Tour on Sunday. Players with perfect attendance during regular season play were also entered in a drawing for a 42” Plasma HDTV. It was a great way to wrap up the summer poker leagues.

Harry Samuelson from Borrowed Bucks Roadhouse in Grand Forks, ND redefined the term “lucky” on Saturday during the $10k freeroll…His overwhelming success during that tournament was capped off with the stunning announcement that he had also won the drawing for the Plasma TV. Every jaw in the house dropped and there were moans and groans of disbelief…The odds of his name being drawn were approximately 900:1!!! It was truly unbelievable. Oh yea, Harry also won the “High Hand Award” $100 cash prize with a nine-high straight flush. Go figure!

Over $1,000 was given away in mystery prizes during the main tournament, including $200 for a second-chance side tournament.

Some of the mystery prizes included:

First Bust Out $50	Rick Passer, Pier 65-McGregor, MN
1st Pocket Aces Cracked $100	John Reimer, The Nestor-Fargo, ND
Worst Bad Beat $100	Gaylon Brown, Wonder Bar-Jamestown, ND
Last Female Standing $100	Sheri Tomhave, Z103-Fergus Falls, MN
Best Dressed Player $100	Donna Newkirk, Grumpy’s-Grand Meadow.

There were also prizes for Random Bust Outs (25th & 50th place) and a Headhunter prize on Derek Melicher, the lone defending Dakota Poker League Champ.

Here is the list of top finishers in the $10,000 Freeroll:

1st Place - $3,000	Harry Samuelson	Bucks-Grand Forks, ND
2nd Place - $1,500	Jareb Raan	JT Cigarro-Fargo, ND
3rd Place - $1,200	Matt Peterson	Grumpy’s-Albert Lea, MN
4th Place - $900	Scott Nelson	Boxer’s-Faribault, MN
5th Place - $700	Jason Overvold	Lariat Lounge-Velva, ND
6th Place - $500	Glen Seidler	Seib’s-Elgin, ND
7th Place - $400	Sheri Tomhave	Z103 Bar-Fergus Falls, MN
8th Place - $300	Pat Pederson	Menagha VFW
9th Place - $200	Tim Holden	Marie’s-Red Wing, MN
10th Place - $200	Steve Reim	Tootsie’s-Annandale, MN
11th Place – 100	Kim Lillehaug	Tootsie’s-Annandale, MN

Sunday’s tournament brought another group of qualifiers for a shot at 20 grand prizes! The top 20 players would earn a seat to a Heartland Poker Tour event of their choice.

Players were excited for the opportunity to win a $500 seat in an HPT event since the prize pools have been routinely exceeding $100,000.

Heartland Poker Tour Seat Winners:

Roger Cooper	Ratzo’s Pool Hall-Barnesville, MN
Dennis Hoff	Stampede Saloon-Hewitt, MN
Adam Johnson	Press Bar-St. Cloud, MN
Jenny Kriewald	Sandoon Saloon-Sanborn, ND
Dale Garwood	Billy’s Corner Bar-Vergas, MN
Darick Demarais	M&J Saloon-West Fargo, ND
Todd Egerdahl	JT Cigarro-Fargo, ND
Scott Eckert	Old Broadway-Fargo, ND
Russ Nehring	Sports Den-Williston, ND
Mike Henry	Boxer’s-Faribault, MN
Andy Anderson	Sports Page-Tea, MN
Diana Cominghay	VFW-East Grand Forks, MN
Kyle Shroyer	South Gate-Grand Forks, ND
Judy Kraft	VFW-Menagha, MN
John Beringer	Elks Lodge-Wadena, MN
Richard Allard	Slammers-Fargo, ND
Derek Grant	Down Under Pub-Grand Forks, ND
Wayne Jundt	Midway Lanes-Bismarck, ND
Dave Chaput	Mabel Murphy’s-Fergus Falls, MN
Kale Brastad	12 Mile Tavern-Swanville, MN

Hopefully we will end up seeing one of the lucky winners on TV winning big money in the near future! Congratulations are in order to all qualifiers and especially Mike Henry, who has come so close in several championship events. Way to go, Mike! The next league opportunity is a 10 week league this fall with an opportunity to win a dream vacation to Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas to play in the World Poker Tour! A total of 3 grand prizes will be awarded through sites in Minnesota, North & South Dakota, and Nebraska. Good luck all players!