"The Shawnster"

Shawn Eldridge won tonight's tournament, despite confessing earlier in the day that he didn't have a good feeling about the game and considered not playing.

Shawn faced Larry Knight in the final heads-up match, making it two straight tournaments in which Larry made the final pair.

Three Table Start

The tournament got underway at quarter after 7:00. We had to blind in Dan until he arrived shortly thereafter.

The main table was comprised of seven players: Reggie, Shawn, Kathryn, Charles, Marjorie, Daniel, and Dan The back table also had seven players: Jeff, Ernie, Ryan, Dominic, Shelly, Rachel, and Lorinda.

The "TV" table had just 6 players: Nicolas, Wesley, Stanley, Nick, Robyn, and Larry.

It took 50 minutes of play to eliminate the first player. Rachel bowed out at 8:05, having - in the hole for the second consecutive hand, but losing to Dominic's - when an ace came on the flop.

Charles Cosgrove was next out, the first victim at the main table. Unlike Dominic's - that eliminated Rachel five minutes earlier, Charles' - fell to Kathryn's - when a jack appeared on the board.

After another five minute interval, Dominic was next out when his fell to Ernie's as a king made the board, and the further appearance of two 6's did nothing to help out Dominic.

Dominic's friend Ryan Kirksey, held on another 20 minutes when his pocket - were busted by Lorinda's -. Jen made a baby straight to topple Ryan's trip-aces. It was the second time tonight that pocket aces were busted. Reggie had aces beaten by Shawn earlier.

Robyn and Marjorie went out at about the same time at 8:45. Robyn lost to Wesley at the TV table, having gone all-in with , but losing to when no cards came on the board to help either player. At the main table, Marjorie lost to Reggie, when her self-claimed stupidity had her calling with middle pair when her paired the board. She lost to Reggie's -.

Two Table Shuffle

An hour and a half into the tournament, we were down to 14 players, and redistributed the players among two tables.

Reggie, Daniel, Nick, Nicolas, Shawn, Ernie, and Wesley sat at the main table. Stanley, Dan, larry, Shelly, Kathryn, Lorinda, and Jeff fleshed out the back table.

Stanley was short stacked at the rear table and was the first out after the consolidation. He failed to document his ouster, so the details are lost to history.

The main table was site of major carnage as the next five eliminations occurred at the main table.

Nicolas was the first victim, when he was compelled to go all-in with , but lost to Shawn's when Shawn made two pair.

Ernie was Shawn's next victim when Ernie had to call with his when the board made him two pair, but his Dead Man's hand was exactly that when Shawn made a club flush with his .

Next out was Daniel at 9:20. His lost to Wesley's . Daniel tried to bluff when two hearts appeared on the flop, but Wesley made trip 8's on the turn and called Daniel's all-in move. It turned out that Daniel was drawing dead at that point, due to Wesley's .

The main table needed another victim and the rear table was culled to bring forth Dan. He put on a brave face and immediately went all-in from early position in the first hand he was dealt. Nick called and so did Shawn. Nick and Shawn tap danced around the flop and turn, when the board failed to help either player. Shawn ended up taking the hand when a jack paired him on the river.

The hand that eliminated Dan severely weakened Nick's chip stack, but he found a hand shortly thereafter which he could go all-in with, a - off suit. Reggie called with -, and the jacks stood up. Nick followed his brother to the side game.

The Final Table

With Nick's elimination, we were down to eight players, and sat the final table. Five players emerged from the back room to take on the remaining three players at the main table. In order, the seating was Reggie, Jeff, Shelly, Larry, Kathryn,Wesley, Shawn and Lorinda.

Kathryn outlasted her folks, but was the first out at the final table. Her was a valiant short-stack stand, but fell to Larry's .

Shelly was next out a few minutes later, eliminated by Shawn. Another short-stack situation, she went all-in before the flop with - off-suit. Everyone folded but Shawn, who called with his - off-suit. An eight came on the flop, giving Shawn the eventual winning hand.

Lorinda was next out at 9:45 in the third straight short stack all-in move, this time with . Al called with . A queen jumped up on the turn, securing Lorinda the pot. "Boo-hoo" says Lorinda!

Last month's champion, Jeff Salazar almost made it into the money again this month, but was taken out by this tournament's eventual champ. Jeff had - off suit and raised 100 pre-flop. Shawn called, and the flop came --. Shawn was under the gun, and bet 100. Jeff raised all-in, which Shawn called. A king came on the turn, matching one in Shawn's - hole cards.

We're In the Money!

The final four spots were held by Reggie, Larry, Wesley, and Shawn. Two former champs faced off against two hungry veterans.

Reggie was first out, when his - was beaten by Larry's -. Larry was in the big blind and got some luck when a came on the flop, and a came on the turn.

Though not actually eliminated, Wesley's evening ended in a see-saw hand. Pre-flop Larry checked, and then called an all-in bet made by Wesley. Wesley had 480 chips to Larry's 385. Wesley turned over and Chris exposed an accompanied by a mild oath.

The flop came giving Chris another set of outs, if a would come to complete a straight. The turn was a giving Chris more outs in the form a flush. Sure enough, a popped up on the river, to much glee by Larry and disappointment by Wesley.

On the next hand Larry stated "Wesley, you're going all in". Wesley had - and 95 chips left, so had no choice but to call against the obvious ace that Larry held. Shawn also called, but Larry won when an ace came on the river, eliminating Wesley.

Larry and Shawn battled for about a dozen hands, with the final hand having Larry with and Shawn having . Larry went all-in with about 530 chips, and Shawn called. Shawn's didn't need it, but ended up winning the tournament with an ace-high straight.

The big blow to Larry's ambition occurred a few hands earlier when he put Scott all-in holding -. Shawn called with -, and made a pair of 5's on the flop. The fives held up, giving Shawn a large chip advantage that Larry had just held.

Congratulations to Shawn for making his first money finish a first place finish.