Hand #153: John Holley's last hand in this Senior Championship ended with a bang, but it began with a simple check of his big blind option. Dana Ott had limped in on the button, and Kenneth Lind did the same from the small blind.
After tapping the table, Holley saw a flop of , and after Lind checked to him, Holley did the same. Ott seized on this sign of weakness by betting 275,000, which folded Lind quickly, and the action was back on Holley.
He assessed the size of his stack in relation to Ott's, and then reraised to 575,000, putting the pressure back on his opponent. Ott grabbed a stack of chips and moved it forward, saying "I call it" as he did so, and for a brief moment the table thought he had moved all in. After correcting the dealer, Ott's flat call was accepted and the arrived on the turn.
Holley then shipped his stack into the middle, shoving for just over 1.5 million, and he was dismayed to hear Ott snap him off while beating him to the pot.
"Nice hand sir," said Holley, turning over his and suspecting he was in bad shape. When Ott turned over his for the nut straight, Holley discovered that his tournament life had come to an end, and the meaningless on the river changed nothing. The WSOP Circuit veteran exited in 3rd place, and despite coming up short here at the Mothership, he just added a few more buy-ins to his bankroll.
Hand #151: Ott made his standard large opening raise, this time making it 450,000 to go from the small blind. After several hands without a flop, Lind decided to call and the dealer spread the across the felt. Ott checked to Lind, who slid a single stack of 20 green T25000 tournament chips forward for a 500,000 wager. This convinced Ott, who tossed his hand away after a moment or two.
Hand #151: Holley got a walk in the big blind, and he flashed the to the table and his supporters on the rail.
Hand #152: Ott was the latest to receive a walk, and he also had a pocket pair to show the crowd, turning his face up while dragging the small pot.
Hand #137: Dana Ott opened to 250,000 from the button. Only Ken Lind from the small blind called. Lind check called Ott's bet of 500,000 on the flop. Both players check the turn. Lind checked the river and then folded when Ott bet 500,000.
Hand #138: John Holley completed the small blind and Dana Ott checked his option. Holley led for 130,000 on the flop and Ott folded.
Hand #139: Holley called the big blind from the button. Ott completed the small blind and Lind checked his option. Both Ott and Lind checked the flop. Holley bet 155,00 and only Ott called. Ott check called Holley's 205,000 bet on the turn. Ott again checked to Holley, this time on the river. Holley bet 345,000 and Ott folded.
Hand #140: Ott raised to 500,000 from the button and the blinds folded.
Hand #141: Holley completed from the small blind and Ott checked his option. Both players checked teh flop. Holley led for 105,000 on the turn and Ott folded.
Hand #142: Holley raised to 210,000 from the button. Lind reraised to 525,000 from the big blind and Holley called. The flop came and Lind moved all in, eliciting a fold from Holley.
Hand #143: Holley received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #132: After both Lind and Holley limped in, Ott checked his option and the flop came . The action was checked to Lind, who won the pot with a 400,000 wager.
Hand #133: Holley opened for 215,000 holding the button, and only Lind elected to call. On the flop, Lind checked and called Lind's bet of 150,000, bringing the to the board on the turn. Another check by Lind elicited a bet of 400,000 by Holley, and the chip leader snap-folded, saying "I had two baby spades there John, only folded 'cause the fourth one came."
Hand #134: Ott won the blinds and antes with an open to 250,000 from the button.
Hand #135: After Holley limped in from the small blind, Ott decided to check his option and the flop fell . After checks around, the came on the turn, and Holley took the pot with a bet of 175,000.
Hand #136: Holley used his newly acquired chips to raise his button, making it 200,000 to play and stealing the blinds and antes.
Kenneth Lind is leading this final table with more than half the chips in play. He took a few minutes during the last break to tell PokerNews a little about himself.
PokerNews: What motivated you to play this tournament?
Lind: I’ve been playing poker, Hold’em, for 10 or 12 years. Played a few tournaments here and there. I play every Wednesday night with a bunch of friends. And I put it on my “Bucket List.” I said I want to play at the World Series before I start pushing grass up. So I spent some time thinking about it, and my wife kept saying, “Go, go, go.” And I kept saying, “Well...it’s a thousand dollars. That’s a lot of money.” I might have a couple hours of fun and then I’m sitting on my...derriere, who knows? And I guess there are people around that have more confidence in me than I have in myself. And a real good friend of mine said, “Ken, you go. Why don’t you go, and I’ll pay your entry fee.” And I told him, “No.” I kept saying “no” for months. And finally he said, “A lot of pros have somebody backing them. I’m going to back you.” And I said, “OK,” and that’s why I’m here. It’s my first WSOP. I’ve never been in a tournament with more than 10 tables. And here I am at the end of this tournament with 4,407 people, and I’m still in shock.
Several legends of the game were in this tournament. Johnny Chan, T. J. Cloutier, to name a few. How does it feel to outlast them?
They were both in this one? The only pro that I saw was Bill Baxter. I looked around, but I don’t know which other pros were in the tournament. Chan and Cloutier...that’s really something. I’m shocked. You put in shock again. We might need a defibrillator here before long.
Are you planning to play again next year
My inclination is yes, but who knows? I might not even be around next year. My whole family died at 40, and here I am at 68. For the last 28 years, it’s been nothing but gravy for me.
Hand #124: Ken Lind received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #125: Dana Ott called the big blind from the button. Lind folded his small blind and John Holley checked his option. Ott called Holley's bet of 130,000 on the flop. Holley led for 210,000 on the turn. Ott moved all in and Holley folded.
Hand #126: Lind called the big blind from the button, Holley completed the small blind and Ott checked his option. Holley and Ott both check-folded to a 225,000 bet from Lind on the flop.
Hand #127: Holley raised to 205,000 on the button. Both Ott and Lind called from the blinds. Ott led for 300,000 on the . Lind folded and Holley called. Both players checked the turn. Dana Led for 300,000 on the river and Holley called. Ott showed for a straight and Holley mucked his hand.
Hand #128: Holley received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #129: Lind raised to 330,000 and Holley and Ott folded.
Hand #130: Holley raised to 205,000 from the button and the blinds folded.
Hand #131: Lind Raised to 330,000 and won the pot.
![[user253757]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
, and after Lind checked to him, Holley did the same. Ott seized on this sign of weakness by betting 275,000, which folded Lind quickly, and the action was back on Holley.
arrived on the turn.
and suspecting he was in bad shape. When Ott turned over his 
for the nut straight, Holley discovered that his tournament life had come to an end, and the meaningless 
on the river changed nothing. The WSOP Circuit veteran exited in 3rd place, and despite coming up short here at the Mothership, he just added a few more buy-ins to his bankroll.
to the table and his supporters on the rail.
flop. Both players check the 
turn. Lind checked the 
river and then folded when Ott bet 500,000.
flop. Holley bet 155,00 and only Ott called. Ott check called Holley's 205,000 bet on the 
turn. Ott again checked to Holley, this time on the 
flop. Holley led for 105,000 on the 
and Lind moved all in, eliciting a fold from Holley.
flop, Lind checked and called Lind's bet of 150,000, bringing the 
to the board on the turn. Another check by Lind elicited a bet of 400,000 by Holley, and the chip leader snap-folded, saying "I had two baby spades there John, only folded 'cause the fourth one came."
. After checks around, the 
came on the turn, and Holley took the pot with a bet of 175,000.
turn. Ott moved all in and Holley folded.
flop.
. Lind folded and Holley called. Both players checked the 
for a straight and Holley mucked his hand.