Buhler wins first SPT Title

Defeats Koutney in heads-up play

The Sacramento Poker Tour held the 9th event of the season on September 24th, and crowned the 9th different champion. Greg Buhler, who had previously cashed in 3 events this year, captured his first title. He held off Kevin Koutney, who was looking for back-to-back titles after winning McDaniel's World Series of Poker. The length of this event (over five and a half hours) was one of the longest non-majors in SPT history.

The event started with 15 players, including 4 first time players. Play moved relatively quickly, knocking out the first 6 in a little over an hour. It was not, however, a sign of things to come.

At the final table, players entered with the following chip counts:

Tim Waisner 4,400

Steve Harbaugh 9,150

Kevin Bristow 4,450

Barry Bonillo 7,775

Kevin Koutney 3,375

Joaquin McPeek 1,100

Saul 4,775

Greg Buhler 6,675

Chris 3,000

Playing the short stack, Joaquin needed to make a move. He found A-Q, and moved all-in. Barry thought for a long while, and finally folded pocket 8's in the small blind. Koutney, however, called with pocket sixes in the big blind. The sixes held up, and we were at 8.

Chris was next to go in a brutal beat. Bristow raised with pocket tens, and Chris called in the big blind with pocket fives. The flop came down 7-7-5, and Chris checked. Bristow got a chip count for Chris, then moved all-in. Chris instantly called. However, the 7 on the turn gave Bristow a higher full house, and the fourth 7 on the river gave Bristow the hand as his 10 was the higher kicker.

A flopped set was the cause of the next elimination, as Steve had pocket fours on a Q-Q-4 flop. Raising and re-raising with Waisner, who had Q-8, led to Waisner's elimination.

And then there were 6. Play with 6 players lasted more than 5 full levels, as the blinds kept escalating. Players were all-in and the hands were holding up. Saul and Kevin Koutney were both on short stacks but avoided elimination 3 times each. Eventually, however, they tangled with each other. Saul moved in with pocket fives, and Koutney called with J-10. A Jack on the flop eliminated Saul in his first SPT event, and we were at 5.

A huge bluff and a great call swung the match next. Bonillo had raised from the big blind with pocket Jacks, and Harbaugh called after limping in with K-10. The board eventually read 2-3-3-4-Q, with 3 clubs. Barry checked the river, and Harbaugh went all-in on the river, which would have put Barry all-in. He thought for a long time, and finally called. Harbaugh was crippled at this point.

Steve fought off elimination on a few hands, but ultimately, his A-4 of diamonds ran into Koutney's A-K. The flop of 5-6-7 made it interesting, but the King on the turn and the Ace on the river ended it for Steve. He finished in fifth place, earning 83 points in the player of the year standings.

Blinds at this point were at 800-1600 as play kept going on much longer than anticipated. Bristow moved all-in with A-6 of diamonds, having Bonillo covered. Bonillo thought for a long while, then finally called with K-9 of diamonds. The flop was K-K-K, and Barry's flopped four of a kind kept him alive.

Play kept going, until we finally got to 2000-4000 blinds. Bristow was in the big blind for 4000 of his 6,800, and called Koutney's raise with  8-6 diamonds, vs. Koutney's K-Q. The flop had a King, but also 2 diamonds. No more help came, and Bristow was out in fourth. He earned $33 and 104 points in his 6th point finish in 9 tournaments this year.

With huge blinds, action was forced to go quickly. Barry was next. Greg had flopped a straight with J-8 on a 9-10-7 board. He bet 4,000, Barry went all-in, and Greg called. No help came, and Barry was out in third. He won $67 and 134 points in his 5th point finish this year.

Heads up, the blinds moved to 4000-8000 as we moved past 5 and a half hours of play. Amazingly, hands found both players. Greg started with a large chip lead, and raised with pocket 3's. Koutney moved all-in with A-K and Greg called. The flop had an Ace, and we played on. Greg survived another all-in, to take a decent chip lead, but with these blinds, one hand is critical. The next hand, Greg limped on the button with Q-Q, Koutney moved in again with A-K, and Greg called. This time, the pair held up, and Greg had won.

Koutney won $84 and 184 points in his second points finish this year. Greg won $151 and 297 points in his fourth points finish this year.

The player of the year race continues to develop, promising that Man Day 6 will be huge for the race. Man Day will have 2 tournaments - one minor and the final major of the year. Held October 22nd at Kevin's, this is the event of the year!

Some interesting notes so far this year:

• 43 different players have played in SPT events this year.
• 23 have played in multiple events.
• 18 different players have earned points towards the player of the year standings.
• 13 players have multiple top 5 finishes.