Darrin Bracken Wins Event #2 of 2014 Seneca Fall Poker Classic
It took three days, six starting flights and hundreds of re-entries, but Event #2 of the Seneca Fall Poker Classic finally came to a close Wednesday night. A total of 560 entries put up the $125 buy-in, creating a prize pool $53,200 to surpass the $50,000 guaranteed prize pool.
In the end it was cash game player Darrin Bracken who came away with the title and the $12,502 top prize. Bracken came from behind to beat Michael Sweeney in a battle of contrasting styles of heads-up play. The final hand saw Bracken river a flush against Sweeney's turned set; it was one of several made-for-TV hands we witnessed at the final table.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darrin Bracken | $12,502 |
| 2 | Michael Sweeney | $7,710 |
| 3 | Peter Raimondi | $5,054 |
| 4 | Chris Ventura | $3,511 |
| 5 | Sonny Rattan | $2,607 |
| 6 | Siavash Banai | $2,022 |
| 7 | Alex Rivra | $1,750 |
| 8 | Tomasz Werstler | $1,436 |
| 9 | Carol Leonardi | $1,170 |
| 10 | Mirko Medic | $931 |
The day began with 110 players who advanced from one of the six starting flights. Only 45 positions were being paid, meaning more than half of the remaining field would go home empty-handed. The eventual bubble player was Atif Choudhury, who shoved with A♠10♦ into Tomasz Werstler's pocket aces.
The final table was reached this evening with several Seneca Poker regulars still in contention. After Mirko Medic exited in 10th place, Carol Leonardi busted in ninth when her A♦8♠ came up short against the J♥J♦ of Siavash Banai.
A double knockout occurred moments later when Peter Raimondi busted Werstler and Alex Rivera. Werstler shoved for 405,000 from under the gun and Raimondi flatted from middle position. Action folded over to Rivera, who counted his chips and pushed him into the pot. Raimondi called, creating a huge three-way all-in.
Raimondi: K♣K♦
Werstler: Q♥J♦
Rivera: A♠K♥
A runout of 7♥4♠3♣2♣J♥ gave Raimondi the entire pot, making him the new chip leader.
Brackin then eliminated Bania and Sonny Rattan to take the pole position. The hand against Rattan was a wild one as Bracken flopped a set, Rattan turned Broadway and Bracken rivered quads, sending Rattan to the rail in fifth place.
Chris Ventura and Raimondi followed, setting up a heads-up duel between Bracken and Sweeney. Bracken, with the cash game background, was looking to see a lot of flops, while Sweeney was applying pressure preflop by putting Bracken to a decision for his chips.
Sweeney opened with the sizable lead but Bracken fought back and claimed victory on an exciting final hand. Sweeney raised his button and Bracken called to see a 8♣A♠9♠ flop. Bracken bet 500,000 and Sweeney called, bringing the Q♣ on the turn. Bracken moved all in, and Sweeney snapped him off.
Bracken: 10♠6♠
Sweeney: Q♥Q♠
Sweeney turned a set of queens and slammed them proudly onto the felt, but Bracken was drawing live to straight and flush draws. Sure enough, the J♠ landed on the river to deliver Bracken's flush.
That does it for our coverage of Event #2! Be sure to check in Thursday morning as we continue our coverage of the Seneca Fall Poker Classic with Event #3 on the hotel balcony.
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