Canterberry Poker League · Tournament #5

Paul Denny Turns Up and Wins It

Two debutants in the final two, and neither of them had ever played this league before Saturday.

Four tournaments, four winners, and all four of them regulars. The fifth went to a man who had never sat down here in his life. Paul Denny put out four of the nine, played three hours and fifty-four minutes and finished it in seven minutes and thirty-nine seconds heads-up, for $90 on debut.

He is the host’s father, which makes the family record for the night an interesting one: Eric Denny finished seventh, two knockouts to his name and nothing to show for them.

The man Paul beat heads-up was also playing his first league tournament. Tom Buzbee took $55 for second. Between them the two newcomers took the top two places and $145 of the $200 on offer.

Chris Johnson was third for $35 — his fourth money finish in five tournaments, and nobody else in this league has managed more than three. Mike Short completed the money in fourth for $20, his second cash in three.

Where the money went

The undercard

Dan Myers bubbled in fifth. The night’s cruelest card belonged to Rick Mazza, who arrived as the reigning winner and left first, gone in an hour and fifty-three minutes — sent home by Eric, which is one way for the family to settle up.

The bigger picture

Five tournaments, five different winners. Halfway through the season and not one man has won twice.

Chris Johnson holds the lead on 46 points, seven clear of Mike Conner, and he has done it without winning since July — four cashes in five is worth more than one good night. Paul sits eighth on a single tournament, which is what happens when you win the first one you play.

Canterberry Poker League #5 — Saturday, October 11, 2008. 10 entrants, four paid from a $200 prize pool. Points shown are the league standings after five tournaments of the 2008-09 season.