Main Event Day 4 - Final Table
REMAINING PLAYERS:
8
AVERAGE STARTING STACK:
606,000 (61 BBs)
STARTING LEVEL:
5,000-10,000/ 1,000 ante
FIRST PRIZE:
$782,410
When final table play began, 18 minutes remained in the 5,000-10,000/1,000 ante level. These are the seats and starting stacks:
Seat 1 – Fabrice Soulier – 537,000 (54 BB)
Seat 2 – Mike McDonald – 357,000 (36 BB)
Seat 3 – David Steicke – 1,059,000 (106 BB)
Seat 4 – Dutch Boyd – 393,000 (39 BB)
Seat 5 – Isaac Baron – 876,000 (88 BB)
Seat 6 – Sean Getzwiller – 235,000 (24 BB)
Seat 7 – Erik Seidel – 1,031,000 (103 BB)
Seat 8 – Nam Le – 362,000 (36 BB)
The chip average was 606,000 (61 BB)
The second Epic Poker League Main Event began on September 7th with 97 players and a $2,301,200 prizepool. After three days of action, the field was decreased to the final eight players. Erik Seidel made his second consecutive Epic Poker Main Event final table, Fabrice Soulier was looking to win the Main Event on his first attempt, and Mike McDonald was looking to give himself an early birthday present.
The pace of play was quick at the beginning with three players eliminated during the first hour but slowed considerably when the stacks were close. In the end it was 21-year old Mike McDonald celebrating his birthday 24 hours early as he defeated Australian David Steicke heads-up for the title, $782,410 in prize money, and the Champion's Ring.
Dutch Boyd began the day with a chip stack which put him in the middle of the field but was the first to exit. Boyd called Erik Seidel's preflop raise but ended up with all his chips in the middle on a 4c-3h-3s board. His pair of jacks may have appeared to be good until Seidel tabled pocket aces. The turned ace of hearts locked up Boyd's exit from the final table in 8th place.
The big run by amateur Sean Getzwiller came to an early end. He won his way into the event by making the Pro/Am Tournament final table and turned the opportunity into a 7th place Main Event finish for $69,040. Getzwiller three bet all-in against Mike McDonald's preflop raise, but his Ah-Kc was unable to beat pocket kings.
Isaac Baron began the day 3rd in chips but had a rough time in the early action. He put his last 170,000 in the middle and was called by Fabrice Soulier in the big blind. Baron's QTs was behind the Ah-Tc of Soulier. The board was not favorable to Baron and he was knocked off the final table in 6th.
Nam Le began the day with one of the smaller stacks to begin play but worked it well. He was able to stay solid while those around him were knocked out. With the blinds going up, Le went all-in preflop with As Kh and was drawing against the pocket jacks of Fabrice Soulier. The hand was virtually locked up when Soulier flopped a set of jacks and no runner-runner miracle as Le was eliminated in 5th place.
Erik Seidel was in a good position to win the second Epic Poker Main Event when he began the day second in chips. Early in the day he moved into first place with some big hands. Things then went cold for the 8-time WSOP bracelet winner and he found himself at the bottom among the last four without a major showdown. Seidel moved all-in from the button with pocket fives but was behind the pocket nines of Fabrice Soulier. He was unable to come from behind and finished the tournament in 4th place.
Fabrice Soulier was a crowd favorite throughout final table play and gave his rail plenty to cheer about early on. Mike McDonald doubled up through Soulier several times before three handed play began and it was McDonald who ended his evening. After several orbits of little post flop action, Soulier moved all-in from the small blind and was called by McDonald in the big blind. Soulier's Ah-Th was an underdog against Ac-Qd and did not catch up. Soulier was eliminated from his first Epic Poker Main Event in 3rd place.
David Steicke began heads-up play with the chip lead but lost a major pot when his Ac Qh was unable to improve against McDonald's pocket sixes. The hand gave McDonald a 20-to-1 chip lead and he would not let it go. Steicke was able to double up twice in the match but was finally eliminated when his Ks-2c did not improve against McDonald's Ad-4h. Steicke collected $506,260 for his second place finish.
Mike McDonald gave a small fist pump when then hand was over and he is now an Epic Poker League Main Event Champion.
The pace of play was quick at the beginning with three players eliminated during the first hour but slowed considerably when the stacks were close. In the end it was 21-year old Mike McDonald celebrating his birthday 24 hours early as he defeated Australian David Steicke heads-up for the title, $782,410 in prize money, and the Champion's Ring.
Dutch Boyd began the day with a chip stack which put him in the middle of the field but was the first to exit. Boyd called Erik Seidel's preflop raise but ended up with all his chips in the middle on a 4c-3h-3s board. His pair of jacks may have appeared to be good until Seidel tabled pocket aces. The turned ace of hearts locked up Boyd's exit from the final table in 8th place.
The big run by amateur Sean Getzwiller came to an early end. He won his way into the event by making the Pro/Am Tournament final table and turned the opportunity into a 7th place Main Event finish for $69,040. Getzwiller three bet all-in against Mike McDonald's preflop raise, but his Ah-Kc was unable to beat pocket kings.
Isaac Baron began the day 3rd in chips but had a rough time in the early action. He put his last 170,000 in the middle and was called by Fabrice Soulier in the big blind. Baron's QTs was behind the Ah-Tc of Soulier. The board was not favorable to Baron and he was knocked off the final table in 6th.
Nam Le began the day with one of the smaller stacks to begin play but worked it well. He was able to stay solid while those around him were knocked out. With the blinds going up, Le went all-in preflop with As Kh and was drawing against the pocket jacks of Fabrice Soulier. The hand was virtually locked up when Soulier flopped a set of jacks and no runner-runner miracle as Le was eliminated in 5th place.
Erik Seidel was in a good position to win the second Epic Poker Main Event when he began the day second in chips. Early in the day he moved into first place with some big hands. Things then went cold for the 8-time WSOP bracelet winner and he found himself at the bottom among the last four without a major showdown. Seidel moved all-in from the button with pocket fives but was behind the pocket nines of Fabrice Soulier. He was unable to come from behind and finished the tournament in 4th place.
Fabrice Soulier was a crowd favorite throughout final table play and gave his rail plenty to cheer about early on. Mike McDonald doubled up through Soulier several times before three handed play began and it was McDonald who ended his evening. After several orbits of little post flop action, Soulier moved all-in from the small blind and was called by McDonald in the big blind. Soulier's Ah-Th was an underdog against Ac-Qd and did not catch up. Soulier was eliminated from his first Epic Poker Main Event in 3rd place.
David Steicke began heads-up play with the chip lead but lost a major pot when his Ac Qh was unable to improve against McDonald's pocket sixes. The hand gave McDonald a 20-to-1 chip lead and he would not let it go. Steicke was able to double up twice in the match but was finally eliminated when his Ks-2c did not improve against McDonald's Ad-4h. Steicke collected $506,260 for his second place finish.
Mike McDonald gave a small fist pump when then hand was over and he is now an Epic Poker League Main Event Champion.
8-Max Main Event Final Table Preview
