Ken Donarski Claims Second Ring After Coming Up Short In Event #1
While PokerNews is here offering live updates from the Main Event, we’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you about the full schedule of side events that have been playing out over the past week at the World Series of Poker Circuit Potawatomi.
In Event #5: $400 NLH Turbo, 155 runners created a $55,155 prize pool that was paid out to the top 24 players. Among those to cash but fall short of the official final table were Thai Dinh (10th- $915), Jason Alonzo (13th - $787), Gerald Heath (14th - $787), James Pupillo (18th - $699) and Cole Sudeck (23rd - $604).
In the end, it was Illinois native Ken Donarski who collected every chip in play to win his second gold ring along with a $13,127 payday.
The one-day event was moving fast-paced as most turbo events are and bodies kept flying to the payout desk even after the final table was reached. It wasn’t until three players were remaining until chips were evened out and play slowed down.
Once Donarski eliminated Jeff Halcomb in third place, he took a sizable chip advantage into the heads-up match against Gordie Jones.
The heads-up battle lasted didn’t look like it was going to last very long as all the chips were in the middle the very first hand. Donarski flopped top-pair and was ahead until Jones turned his open-ended straight leveling the playing field.
The back-and-forth battle continued to a point where Jones took the commanding chip lead and the two players were all in once again. It was a race for Donarski’s tournament life as he held big slick while Jones held a made hand of nines. Jones was looking good to secure the title until an ace fell on the river giving Donarski the double-up and turning the tides once more in his favor.
The heads-up match continued with one more all in where Jones got his stack in on the turn holding two-pair while Donarski flopped his ace. Jones got his money in good once more, but it was like he was in a bad dream playing over as Donarski rivered a third ace to send Jones out the door in second place.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ken Donarski | Willow Brook, IL | $13,127 |
| 2 | Goride Jones | Nekoosa, WI | $8,114 |
| 3 | Jeffrey Halcomb | Chicago, IL | $5,649 |
| 4 | David Tyler | Oconomowoc, WI | $4,030 |
| 5 | Jeremy Johnson | Green Bay, WI | $2,947 |
| 6 | Joseph Reiman | Waukesha, WI | $2,210 |
| 7 | David Watters | Neenah, WI | $1,701 |
| 8 | Fredrick Bailey | N/A | $1,346 |
| 9 | Kyungmin Park | Northbrook, IL | $1,094 |