Eight Deuce · Tournament #13

Shawn Miller Wins One at Last

Twenty-four tournaments across two leagues, two second-place finishes, and now the biggest first prize the league has paid.

Shawn Miller played twelve tournaments at Canterberry and eleven here without winning one. He led the league in knockouts last season and finished second twice. On Friday he finally won a poker tournament, and it was the richest one anybody has played: $480 out of a $1,200 pool.

He beat Lee Ugarte heads-up in twenty-four minutes after four hours and fifty-one minutes. Lee took $330, his second runner-up in three tournaments this season, almost a year to the day since his only Eight Deuce win.

Steve McLean made four knockouts and came third for $225, and Josh Reel completed the money in fourth for $165, cashing for the second tournament running.

Where the money went

The undercard

Jason Dailey bubbled in fifth without a knockout. Rick Mickaliger made three and came seventh, comfortably his best night since he started playing here a year ago.

Jeff Holderman finished fourteenth, which makes it three tournaments and no cash to start the season for the reigning Player of the Year. Lance Cain was the first player out after an hour and twenty-four minutes.

The bigger picture

The money keeps moving. Seventeen entries and four rebuys made $1,200, forty dollars more than last month’s record, and $480 is the most a winner has been handed in either league. Each of the season’s three tournaments has beaten the one before it.

Three tournaments, three different winners, and Steve McLean is back in front on 157.50 without having won since January — a third and a ninth alongside that opening win.

Eight Deuce #13 — Friday, March 11, 2022. 17 entrants, 4 rebuys, four paid from a $1,200 prize pool. Player of the Year counts each player’s best eight scores.