Iowa poker player William Reynolds took down the $25,000 buy-in PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) High Roller Event at the tender age of 21. His victory was worth $576,000.
In the final hand of the blockbuster event, Will Molson was all-in pre-flop holding K-8 and found himself up against Reynolds’ A-10 of diamonds. The flop of 5-7-9 gave Molson a gutshot straight draw to a six, but a running J-A was no help. Molson pocketed $322,000 for his runner-up performance. Entering heads-up play, Reynolds held a 3:2 chip lead and never looked back. He took fourth in the European Poker Tour’s (EPT) San Remo stop last season and told PokerStars officials following the tournament, “I feel ecstatic. It was the most roller coaster of a ride I’ve ever been on. I was all-in so many times on Day 3, I thought I would be the final table bubble.”
Dmitry Stelmak was the first all-in of the final table and, accordingly, the first player sent packing from the Bahamian poker tournament. He moved all-in before the flop with K-10 of hearts and Tobias Reinkemeier called with A-10. The flop came A-10-9, all diamonds, giving Reinkemeier top two pair to retain his commanding lead in the hand. However, a king on the turn left Stelmak drawing to one of the two remaining cowboys in the deck. The miracle did not come, as the river was a jack and Stelmak departed, $66,000 richer for his wear.
Twenty-one year old Matt “ADZ124” Marafioti was eliminated in seventh place for $87,000. He called all-in with pocket sevens and was in a race against Reynolds’ A-K. The flop of 9-4-10 was no help to Reynolds, but an ace on the turn propelled him into the lead for good. The river failed to come a seven and the PCA High Roller final table was trimmed to six.
Reinkemeier hit the rails in sixth place, earning $108,000. The German was all-in pre-flop holding a wired pair of eights, but was up against the pocket kings of Reynolds. The board ran out J-4-7-A-Q and that was all she wrote for the 22 year-old. Lisa Hamilton, the lone female at the final table and one of only two who entered the event, took fifth place for $133,000. Hamilton came out on the short end of a race for all of her chips with pocket jacks against A-Q. Molson spiked a queen on the turn to send the World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner out.
Michiel Brummelhuis was eliminated in fourth place from the high-stakes PCA event. Brummelhuis picked an inopportune time to commit his chips, as his Q-9 ran into Reynolds pocket rockets. The flop came 10-6-3 and a jack on the turn gave Brummelhuis an open-ended straight draw for the win. However, a seven fell on the river and Brummelhuis’ title hopes were dashed; he picked up $154,000 for his efforts. Molson held a slight edge entering three-handed play.
Uruguay’s Adolfo Vaeza departed in third place for $218,000. He pushed with 3-5 after a flop of 4-6-A for a straight draw and Reynolds insta-called with A-K for top pair, top kicker; a running J-5 sent him out in third place. Vaeza took fourth place in the EPT London High Roller event for $224,000. Here were the final results from the PCA High Roller Event:
1. William Reynolds – $576,240
2. Will Molson – $322,075
3. Adolfo Vaeza – $218,150
4. Michiel Brummelhuis – $154,350
5. Lisa Hamilton – $133,770
6. Tobias Reinkemeier – $108,045
7. Matt Marafioti – $87,465
8. Dmitry Stelmak – $66,885
Thursday marked the final day of play in the 2010 PCA. Over 6,000 players entered the PCA’s 50 events, making it the largest poker tournament series outside of the annual WSOP.
