Mallory gets first title

Defeats Bristow heads up

The 7th event of the 2006 SPT season took place Friday night, with Matt Mallory winning his first SPT victory, while also accomplishing his first cash on the SPT. He came back from almost out to taking a huge lead into heads up play.

The event started with 10 players, and Sanjit was out first as his two pair ran into a straight on the river, then Stamp hit trips to knock him out. The final table and chip counts:

Rick Thomas 2,350

Kevin Bristow 3,975

Tim Waisner 3,850

Ron Fukui 2,825

Dave Finch 2,000

Travis Green 4,000

Eric Stamp 2,625

Dave Guiterrez 3,775

Matt Mallory 4,600

Dave Guiterrez quickly tripled up with a straight, knocking out Dave Finch and leaving Travis with only $25. He lost on the next hand to Stamp, and we were 7. Ron Fukui's A-Q lost to Dave's A-2 when a 2 came on the flop. Rick Thomas moved all-in with 10-9 on a J-Q-x board, only to be called by Waiz with K-Q. No help came, and Rick was out on the bubble again.

Then a huge pot developed. Stamp was all-in, with Dave and Waiz calling. The flop was all diamonds, with the Ace of diamonds. Dave bet and Waiz called. The turn was a fourth diamond, with Dave betting 3,000 and saying he had the King of diamonds. Waiz called. Dave pushed on the blank river, and Waiz agonized over making the call, finally calling and showing the Queen of diamonds, as he said he did. Stamp was out in 5th with no money but 51 points, and Waiz was out in 4th with $22 and 68 points. It was Waiz's 4th point finish of the year, and enough to keep him in first place for the TOC race.

Mallory was short stacked at this point, and was all-in for 1,500 with pocket queens against Bristow's A-J of hearts. 2 hearts came, but not enough to knock Mallory out. Matt then clawed back with bets that Dave reluctantly folded many times. Meanwhile, Bristow raised on the button 3 times, only to be called by both players, and Mallory betting the flop.

Ultimately, Dave bet out on a J-4-5-10 board, making a big bet. Matt reluctantly called. Dave went all-in when the Ace hit on the river, with Matt calling. Dave showed J-2, but Matt had K-Q for a straight, and Dave was out in third. He earned $45 and 93 points in his first cash of the 2006 SPT season, and his 7th career cash.

Heads up, Mallory had a 9-1 chip lead. Bristow battled, moving all-in 5 times with no call. He got a call holding J-9, vs. Mallory's 10-8. The board had a Jack and a 9, giving Bristow 2 pair but Mallory a straight draw. The river missed, and Mallory was down to a 4-1 chip lead.

After a few small pots won by Mallory, he made a small raise on the button with Q-Q. Bristow called with K-9, then pushed all-in on a Q-J-9 flop. Mallory called, and no 10 came, giving the win to Mallory.

Kevin Bristow won $56 and 134 points in his 5th SPT cash this year, and 19th of his career. This is also the 5th consecutive cash for Bristow, setting an SPT record.

Matt Mallory won $101 and 226 points in his first career SPT cash and victory.

The TOC race tightened, with Bristow in second place, but Waiz (with his two wins) remains in first. It should be an interesting race as we head down the second half of the year.

The next event will be the third major on the SPT circuit, the 2006 McDaniel's World Series of Poker. The main event will be preceded by a Crazy Pineapple tournament, both of which will be sancitioned events counting towards the TOC. Look for an invite soon!