2017 Western New York Poker Challenge

$300 No Limit Hold’em
Day: 2
Event Info

2017 Western New York Poker Challenge

Final Results
Winner
Prize
$17,404
Event Info
Buy-in
$300
Prize Pool
$160,617
Entries
638
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
20,000

$300 No Limit Hold’em

Day 2 Completed

Nick Walker Wins The 2017 WNYPC Opening Event For $17,404

Level 31 : 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Nick Walker
Nick Walker

2014 Western New York Poker Challenge Main Event champion Nick Walker has done it again, winning the opening event on the 2017 WNYPC schedule at the Niagara Falls Poker Room Sunday night.

After four starting flights over two days at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Resort, 96 players returned to play down to a champion Sunday. The event drew a total of 638 entries, creating a $100,000 guarantee-smashing $160,617 prize pool with plans to pay the top 63.

The field reached the money fairly quickly Sunday and moved on to a final table of ten just before the dinner break. Matt Heiligenthaler became the first player up and over one-million chips at the final two tables and took over two-million and the lead into the final.

Heiligenthaler actually dominated play at the final table as well, and after Leo Kaplin fell 10th, John Brock took 9th, and David Battaglia bowed out 8th, his lead almost doubled.

John Fluder's run ended with a 7th-place finish and after Tim Campbell took sixth, and Joseph [Removed:340] fifth, talk of a chop ensued.

Heiligenthaler initially refused, but when Colin Reid pulled close to even through sheer attrition, a deal was struck.

Matt Heiligenthaler took $23,000 and Colin Reid earned $20,000. Sahar Khajavi got $18,000 and Nick Walker $15,000. They saved the trophy and an additional $5,124 for the winner, while setting aside $2,196 for the runner up.

Moments later, Reid took control of four-handed play, winning a huge flip against Heiligenthaler.

Heiligenthaler was the one in the danger zone after that, and soon ran two Broadway cards into Sahar Khajavi's kings to lose almost all of his chips. He busted unceremoniously on the next hand. They played three-handed for a while before striking another deal to chop the remaining money and flip for the title. Walker won the title and the trophy after playing solid enough to book the win all day long. It may have come as the result of a flip, but Walker was as deserving of the glory as any of the final three.

PositionPlayerPrize
1Nick Walker$17,404
2Colin Reid$22,326
3Sahar Khajavi$20,404
4Matt Heiligenthaler$23,000
5[Removed:339]$7,629
6Tim Campbell$5,734
7John Fluder$4,819
8David Battaglia$4,015
9John Brock$3,212

Event #1 is over, but PokerNews' coverage of the 2017 WNYPC continues Monday with a $10,000 Guaranteed $150 buy-in No Limit Hold'em event beginning at 5 p.m.

Tags: Colin ReidDavid BattagliaJohn BrockJohn FluderLeo KaplinMatt HeiligenthalerNick WalkerSahar KhajaviTim Campbell

Another Chop!

Level 31 : 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante

The players traded chips around for a while before agreeing to another chop.

Each of the remaining three players will get an addition $2,440 and they flipped for the trophy and title. Nick Walker won it.

A recap will follow.

Level: 31

Blinds: 60,000/120,000

Ante: 20,000

Matt Heiligenthaler Eliminated in 4th Place ($23,000)

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Matt Heiligenthaler
Matt Heiligenthaler

Matt Heiligenthaler jammed the small blind with the {A-Spades}{q-Hearts}, but Sahar Khajavi woke up with the {k-Clubs}{k-Diamonds} in the big and called off.

The board ran out {8-Clubs}{5-Spades}{k-Hearts}{7-Hearts}{10-Diamonds} and Heiligenthaler was left with just 40,000 in chips. They went in and he was out on the next hand.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Sahar Khajavi ca
Sahar Khajavi
2,500,000
900,000
900,000
Profile photo of Matt Heiligenthaler us
Matt Heiligenthaler
Busted

Tags: Matt Heiligenthaler

Reid Takes Control

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Colin Reid
Colin Reid

Colin Reid made it 250,000 and Matt Heiligenthaler shoved all in for 2.3 million effective.

Reid called it off with the {a-Spades}{k-Hearts} and was racing for his tournament life against Heiligenthaler's {j-Diamonds}{j-Hearts}.

The board ran out {8-Diamonds}{3-Spades}{q-Hearts}{5-Spades}{a-Clubs} giving Reid top pair aces, the pot, and a huge chip lead going forward.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Colin Reid ca
Colin Reid
4,600,000
2,100,000
2,100,000
Profile photo of Matt Heiligenthaler us
Matt Heiligenthaler
1,100,000
-2,700,000
-2,700,000

Tags: Colin ReidMatt Heiligenthaler

Let's Make A Deal

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante

A deal has been struck four-handed and they will play on, saving a little money for first and second place.

For now, Matt Heiligenthaler will take home $23,000. Colin Reid will earn $20,000. Sahar Khajavi gets $18,000 and Nick Walker $15,000.

Alongside the trophy, the winner will earn an additional $5,124. The runner-up will get an additional $2,196.

Level: 30

Blinds: 50,000/100,000

Ante: 10,000

Updated Counts

Level 29 : 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante

Colin Reid has managed to pull himself up from the basement and within striking distance of chip leader Matt Heiligenthaler without benefit of a traditional all-in double up or any real showdowns. Here's how the stacks look now:

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Matt Heiligenthaler us
Matt Heiligenthaler
3,800,000
-900,000
-900,000
Profile photo of Colin Reid ca
Colin Reid
3,200,000
2,450,000
2,450,000
Profile photo of Nick Walker us
Nick Walker
1,400,000
-1,100,000
-1,100,000
Profile photo of Sahar Khajavi ca
Sahar Khajavi
700,000
-900,000
-900,000