Scott Stoker & Sheila Kingsbury Latest Winners
The Western Wisconsin State Finals were held this past weekend (Saturday the 14th) at the Outer Limits Bar and Grill in New Richmond WI. The 22 players in attendance were SUPER EXCITED to hear about the runner up receiving an invitation to the National Finals, thus, giving each of them a one in ten shot at headed to VEGAS this July.
Our early favorites were Dale Hjelmgren and Keith Hines both having WI State FINAL TABLE experience and both were grabbing chips fast, but Dale nearly doubled up within the first 4 hands as Jassen Huebener (another WI state finals regular) didn’t think Dale had the goods vs. his pocket nines… “Ooops” he says as Dale showed 2 pair and won a huge (7 k) pot with the blinds at 25-50. Play slows down after the initial excitement and we entered the grind.
After a few levels we lost 3 players including Cindy Widgren… She has gone very deep in State finals before and most were surprised to see her exit so early. With most of the players waiting for the right time to strike in a pot it was clear there were three players that weren’t waiting for card to fire out some chips…. Dale Hjelmgren, Jim Klein, and Paul Sarec were all playing a lot of pots and continuation bets were winning most of them… Occasionally there was a three bet and even rarer was the check raise but there were a few.
After a few levels we lost 3 players including Cindy Widgren… She has gone very deep in State finals before and most were surprised to see her exit so early. With most of the players waiting for the right time to strike in a pot it was clear there were three players that weren’t waiting for card to fire out some chips…. Dale Hjelmgren, Jim Klein, and Paul Sarec were all playing a lot of pots and continuation bets were winning most of them… Occasionally there was a three bet and even rarer was the check raise but there were a few.
The final table wound up with a great showing for most all of the Bars starting with Paul Sarec (JJ’s Outpost and Outer Limits), Macey Peterson (Boomers), Dale Hjelmgren (Outer Limits), Melissa Sarec (Outer Limits and JJ’s Outpost), Jim Klein (JJs Sports Bar), Scott Stoker (Pitchers Pub in Madison) As the only transfer into this event he didn’t know anyone at the table but became quick friends with everyone as he is the nicest guy you could sit next to at the tables, Keith Hines (Outer Limits), Todd Schultz (Outer Limits) who drives over an hour one way from Menomonie to play every week, and last but certainly not least Sheila Kingsbury (JJ’s Sports Bar).
Play was tight and aggressive as expected, until Jim Klein started to raise his pre flop bets and you could tell it was only a matter of time before someone challenged him… Melissa decided pockets 10’s were her best chance to double up thru him and made the push to all in, Jim called and flipped QJ. Flop brings a J and Melissa is eliminated… Dale decides to push his pre flop aggression as well and is maintaining while Macey, Keith, and Todd all remain patient or as well like to say card dead. Macey and Todd both finally grind out and Paul went runner, runner, runner, runner to eliminate Dale. Keith Hines grinded out in fifth, and Jim Klein hit a 3 outer on Paul to eliminate him and were down to 3. With a 2/3 chance at going to Vegas the play decidedly takes a turn to the ordinary as nobody want to be the one to make a mistake and get sent home on the bubble... Jim Klein was finally eliminated after taking a huge chip lose to Sheila after she trapped him with Aces full of Kings and Jim had to call with Kings full of Aces… and one hand into heads up Scott Stoker becomes WI newest State Champion while Sheila Kingsbury was probably the happiest runner up we've seen an a long time as she headed to Vegas as well!