Spooky Cards at North Dakota Gold Rush 2 Championship Tournament
Halloween weekend brought good times (and spooky cards) to the North Dakota championship tourney held in Jamestown, ND. The Quality Inn & Suites was the sponsor location, with 111 players from all corners of the state vying to win one of three seats to the Gold Rush 2 $20,000 Cash Finale in Las Vegas, NV. A bonus heads-up tournament awarded the winner a direct entry ticket to the first Sin City Showdown online championship (to be held Nov 1st).
For the 22nd all-time league championship in North Dakota, a tough, veteran group of league players included nine (9) players who have previously won a grand prize through the league: Lisa Hedstrom, Jay Tooley, Calvin Mosbrucker, Lois Kihne, Thomas Eaglestaff, Preston Sweeney, Vance Barta, Art Ziemann, and Kerry Wentz. Wentz entered the tournament as the overall points leader for the summer session (1426) playing out of the Bismarck VFW.
The fist player to bust came in the 2nd level, Tony Noga from Bucks in Fargo when his AK ran into Grand Miller's KK on a king high flop. At the first break, Dana Williams (28.2k) and Mike Smith (28k) from The Bowler in Fargo, and Mike Butts (24.9k) from Lucky Strike in Minot were the early chip leaders...
Some big hands catapulted a couple ladies to early chip leads. Sue Keller knocked out 2 players in one hand early after the first break and Nancy Just took out 2 players in one hand to scoop a 40k pot about halfway through the day.. Former champ Vance Barta survived possible elimination when he made a pair of tens holding suited connectors in a 3-way hand for about 30k in chips.
Chip leaders after the dinner break were Mike Smith (84.5k) from The Bowler-Fargo, Grant Miller (83k) from Champs-Dickinson, former Champ Preston Sweeney (83k) from The Bowler-Fargo, and Bob Svangstu (63.5k) from Mr. K's-Crosby..
Guy Talma hit a turn card to put a dent in Preston Sweeney's chip stack. Lisa Hedstrom from Sportsmans Bar in Wilton (previous poker cruise package winner in the Ship-It contest) busted to Dana Williams from The Bowler.
Mike Butts doubled through chip leader Mike Smith with pocket Queens. Chuck Udart busted in 26th place after flopping a set of 7's only to lose to a straight on the river..
A halloween trick or treat hand came when Sue Keller put a hellacious beat on Gary Zander. After a floor call to determine what to do with a dealer error when several cards fell face up from the bottom of the deck, an all-in with a call revealed both players holding the same hand, A-10 . Looked harmless, but not over...When the hand continued, the flop looked harmless with 3 different suits, but when the turn produced a 2nd diamond on the board, each player quickly realized Sue held the ace of diamonds for a possible flush on the river... then.......BAM! Diamond on the river to give Sue the flush! What a terrible beat!
With 3 tables of players left, the atmosphere in the room was fairly loud and rambunctious, with Steve Pris having fun with the players and league organizer Pete Bushey calling down several exciting hands and beers going down fast with happy hour!
A little after 8pm, the final table was set:
Nancy Just - Lariat Lounge, Wishek
Grant Miller - Champs, Dickinson
Peter Hettwer - West Fargo VFW
Kerry Wentz - Bismarck VFW
Bob Svangstu - Mr. K's, Crosby
Preston Sweeney - The Bowler, Fargo
Pat Hurley - Bucks, Grand Forks
David Hokanson - Williston Legion
Sue Keller - Hooterville Bar, Minot
Guy Talma - Empire, Fargo
The two ladies at the final table got em all in there with KK vs. QQ with Nancy Just holding the pocket kings and coming out on top. Preston woke up to pocket kings vs. Kerry who was the first player to bust out of the final table.
The pace of play on the final table was SLOOOOOOOOW. Several short stack survivals...A few levels passed before Guy Talma busted in 9th place.
Preston Sweeney turned into the story of the tournament. When it's your night, it's your night...Sweeney crushed the final table, busting several players by outflopping them despite being well behind in a couple situations... In the biggest hand of the final table, Sweeney scooped a 400k pot and busted Sue Keller and Peter Hettwer. Holding 5-7 of hearts on a A-Q-2 board (2 hearts) Pete Bushey was announcing the percentages when he interrupted to say, "Well I can go 3-4 for the straight too". SURE ENOUGH, the turn was a 3, and the river....a 4. The crowd went wild as the remaining players were astonished.
In the end, Sweeney got caught with 6-3 spades preflop, only to flop 6-6-8 against his opponent's pocket Queens. To Preston's credit, he had the chips to gamble and was pushing action.
That's poker!
Congratulations to the three big winners who each earned airfare and hotel for the Gold Rush 2 national final in December, where $20,000 cash will be given away in an exclusive 25-player national championship. (pitctured right: Hurley, Just, Sweeney)
Top 20 Finishers:
1. Pat Hurley
Preston Sweeney
Nancy Just
4. David Hokanson
5. Bob Svangstu
6. Grant Miller
7. Sue Keller
8. Peter Hettwer
9. Guy Talma
10. Kerry Wentz
11. Chris Keller
12. Vern Shasky
13. Troy Potter
14. Mike Butts
15. Mark Maple
16. Dennis Carter
17. Mike Smith
18. Bob Tweeten
19. Wayne Jundt
20. John Sayler