Canterberry Poker League · Tournament #30

Kjell Holds On by Five

The closest title race this league has had, decided on a night the leader finished ninth — and a finale where the last three standing were a husband, his wife, and the woman who beat them both to a win last year.

Eleven players for the last night of the season, and the two men chasing the title both had to get through Eric Denny first. Neither did. He made five of the ten eliminations, played four hours and forty-six minutes and needed twenty-seven minutes and fifty-one seconds heads-up — against his wife, Mandy Denny. It pays $100.

It is his fifth league win, and his first since taking the title twelve months ago.

Mandy takes $60 for second, her best finish in this league. Dawn Buzbee was third for $40, which means the last three players at the table on the closing night were two women and the man who beat them. Rick Mazza completed the money in fourth for $20.

Where the money went

The undercard

David Doole bubbled in fifth with two knockouts. Kjell Wygant needed only to stay upright and finished ninth, which was enough. Kelly Kruegel was the first player out after an hour and twenty-three minutes.

The bigger picture

Ten tournaments, eight different winners, and the tightest finish this league has produced.

Kjell Wygant is the 2010-11 League Champion on 140 points — five ahead of Lee Ugarte, who won two of the last four tournaments and ran out of nights. Kjell takes the title and the trophy in his first full season, having played only two league tournaments before it. Warren Mervin is third on 117.

He won two tournaments to Lee’s two, and the difference was the rest of the card: no finish worse than eleventh in nine of his ten nights, and five cashes. The Denny Poker Tournament follows in May.

Canterberry Poker League #30 — Friday, April 15, 2011. 11 entrants, four paid from a $220 prize pool. Points shown are the final league standings for the 2010-11 season.