Eight Deuce · Tournament #32
Lee Ugarte Knocks Out Eight and Loses. Juan Lopez Knocks Out One and Wins.
It happened to Mike McEvoy last month with seven. Eighteen players, $1,200, and the same story told louder.
Four weeks ago Mike McEvoy made seven knockouts and finished second. On Friday Lee Ugarte made eight — more than anybody has ever made in an Eight Deuce tournament without winning it — and finished second again. Juan Lopez made one all night and took the $480.
Eighteen players and three rebuys made $1,200, matching the biggest field and the biggest pool the league has ever had, and $480 equals the biggest first prize. It took four hours and five minutes and a seven-minute finish.
It is Juan’s third Eight Deuce win and the fourth of his career. Lee took $330, and after two tournaments has a win and a second.
Warren Mervin was third for $225, his fourth top-four finish in six tournaments. Steve McLean made three knockouts and was fourth for $165.
Where the money went
| Player | Prize | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Lopez | $480 |
| 2 | Lee Ugarte | $330 |
| 3 | Warren Mervin | $225 |
| 4 | Steve McLean | $165 |
The undercard
Angela Cain bubbled in fifth. Mike McEvoy, who made seven knockouts last month, went sixteenth this time without one.
Mike Conner was the first player out after eighty-six minutes. Eight of the eighteen who played went out to Lee Ugarte, including the men who finished third, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth, tenth and fifteenth.
The bigger picture
Two tournaments, two winners, and the man who has not won either of them leads the standings: Lee Ugarte on 155.00, fifty ahead of Juan Lopez, who has played one.
Eighteen players is a figure the league has reached three times now, in May 2021, February 2022 and February 2024, and never beaten. The season runs to ten tournaments and the Player of the Year counts a player’s best eight scores.
| Player of the Year — after #32 | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lee Ugarte | 155.00 |
| 2 | Juan Lopez | 105.00 |
| 3 | Steve McLean | 70.33 |
| 4 | Mike McEvoy | 69.02 |
| 5 | Warren Mervin | 64.86 |
| 6 | Shawn Miller | 63.50 |
| 7 | Lance Cain | 57.33 |
| 8 | Angela Cain | 56.25 |
Eight Deuce #32 — Friday, February 9, 2024. 18 entrants, 3 rebuys, four paid from a $1,200 prize pool. Player of the Year counts each player’s best eight scores.