Kevin Killeen Upends Max Silver to Win UKIPT4 Dublin Main Event
Irish poker pro Kevin Killeen won the UK and Ireland Poker Tour Dublin Main Event on Monday. Killen outlasted a field of 682 to win €87,700, the biggest score of his career.
Poker pro Max Silver had Killeen on the ropes several times at the final table, but the Irishman managed to double up each time to survive. Silver was eyeing his second UKIPT Main Event title and fifth title on the tour overall, but he was unable to hold off Killeen when it mattered most.
UKIPT4 Dublin Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Killeen | €87,700 |
| 2 | Max Silver | €53,700 |
| 3 | Chris Wood | €38,400 |
| 4 | Robert Sturman | €29,100 |
| 5 | Dirk Thijssen | €23,100 |
| 6 | Joeri Zandvliet | €17,700 |
| 7 | Larry Ryan | €12,830 |
| 8 | Ivan Tononi | €8,748 |
Killeen began the final table with the chip lead and he added to it early on. After Ivan Tononi was eliminated in eighth place when his J♠8♦ failed to improve against Robert Sturman's Q♥Q♦, Killeen got all of Larry Ryan's chips. According to the PokerStars Blog, action folded around to Ryan in the small blind and he raised to 80,000. Killeen reraised to 190,000 from the big blind, and Ryan called to see a flop of K♥J♠7♥. Both players checked, bringing the J♦ on the turn, and Ryan check-called a bet of 195,000. On the Q♣ river, Ryan checked and Killeen bet 290,000. Ryan then moved all in for 415,000 and Killeen called, showing the Q♦Q♠ for a full house. Ryan's 10♣9♦ for a straight was second best and he exited in seventh place.
Two-time UKIPT Main Event champ Joeri Zandvliet was the next to go. After Silver raised to 120,000 from the cutoff with the 7♦7♠, Zandvliet moved all in for 1,150,000 from the big blind with the K♦7♥. Silver called, and the board ran out A♥4♣4♠2♦Q♣ to send Zandvliet out the door. Silver was the chip leader at this point, and he continued to build his stack by eliminating Dirk Thijssen in fifth place.
Moments later, Sturman committed his short stack preflop with the 10♠10♠ and was in good shape against Chris Woods' A♠9♥, but the A♥K♠3♦9♠K♣ board sent Sturman to the rail in fourth place.
Wood was unable to put his new chips to good use. He three-bet all-in for 1,960,000 from the small blind with the 7♦6♦ and Killeen, the original raiser, called from the button with the K♠Q♦. The dealer rolled out a board of 10♥A♦Q♠J♣5♠ to give Killeen a straight and sent the tournament into heads-up play.
Silver had the lead and stretched it to more than a three-to-one advantage until he lost a big flip to Killeen. Killeen raised to 200,000 on the button with 9♦9♥, Silver three-bet to 525,000, Killeen moved all in, and Silver called with K♠Q♣. Killeen's pair held up through the 6♠5♣10♣10♦6♣ board and he secured the double.
The Irishman managed to double through Silver three more times during the match before finally putting it away. On the final hand of the tournament, Silver raised to 320,000 and Killeen responded with a three-bet to 825,000. Silver four-bet all in for around four million, and Killeen called.
Silver: Q♠8♠
Killeen: K♣Q♣
Silver needed some of the luck that Killeen found during his four previous doubles, but he was unable to do so on the 6♦4♥2♣3♠A♦ board. With that, Killeen was mobbed by his rail of supporters before being crowned the champion of the UKIPT4 Dublin Main Event.
Lead image and data courtesy of the PokerStars Blog.
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