VIEW EVENT
01/17/2014
99 1/2 Wilson St
Norwwod , MA
02062
Tonight marked the final event at the Super Dragon in Pawtucket and marked the end of an era for the all the local players and regulars who have created memorable action here each and every friday night over the past 3 seasons. It was only fitting to find the venues #1 all time points leader Bob Higgins heads up at nights end!
Tonight marked the first time a player called in advance requesting to be an events bounty! Tim Schultz wanted a target on his back and Tony Carafa hit the mark, making Schultz the first bust of the top 16! Top 16 didnt break until 2/4K blinds and the field dwindled to the final 9 players just before the end of 3/6k!
James Hall entered play with a top 4 stack but his Jacks cost him greatly early v Bob Champagne and he left without winning a single postflop hand in 9th. Still a solid performance to follow up his 4th place effort last friday! George Landry was the shortest of the FT stacks and couldnt muster the crucial double up he needed before leaving in 8th. Paul Prusik played his 4th FT at the dragon in its brief history but once again it wasnt meant to be and 7th place was his tonight.
Big blind Donna Harbour doubled up small blind Bob Higgins for his last 9k at 4/8k blinds. Blinds took their tool on Harbour who just couldnt wake up to a hand before busting for her final BB in 6th. With 5 players left Bob Higgins was making a push after turning his final 9k into over 50K at 6/12k.
Douglas Kelly amassed an unbelieveable stack prior to top 16 play when he woke up to KK on the button with a small all in, an all in for more, and a massive all in in front of him! This dream spot netted Doug about 100K during the final hand before buffet and eliminated 3 players! Even pocket aces and pocket queens at the final table couldnt help Doug take it down though as he oozed chips and doubled up the competition multiple times before finally becoming todays 5th place finisher. Doug played a solid and aggressive game but just ran into too many 3 bets preflop and too many bigger hands! A tragic ending to a promising night for this aggressive grinder!
Bob Champagne had some huge hands tonight and played a solid final table. 4 handed at 8/16k, Champagne shipped all in from the button for 148k. The sb expectedly folded but Tony Carafa went into the tank and came out with a call from the bb! Champagne admittedly got caught in his "first move of the night" when Carafa felted AQo, dominating Bobs raggedy, suited, one gappers. A queen on the flop set Tony at ease while Bob saw no improvements thereafter and bubbled the prizepool in 4th.
Sue Borel was left 3 handed with Higgins and Carafa. With less than 10bb the entire final table Sue impressed with her patience and timing. However a few big hands kept her alive but soon the blinds and active 3 handed play dwindled her down with the big stacks applying pressure! The perfect storm took its toll on Sue and her chips were gone when she signed out 3rd this evening!
So Tony Carafa, already awarded bounty points tonight, squared off with Bob Higgins HU! Carafa was big stacking throughout and was a clear favorite after the big KO of Champagne! Higgins was determined to take his FT short stack, 9k at 4/8k blinds, all the way though as he began HU play a 3-4 to 1 underdog w roughly 140-200K at 10/20 blinds. Both players played aggressive preflop and no one made headway. Finally at 20/40k Higgins had little choice but to play for stacks. When he finally got the call from bb Carafa for his last 120K or so it was Bob who got it in good but Carafa turned a Ten to pair his 9To and take control of the pot to earn his first EPT win tonight!
Directors Note: Though shortest stack early on at the FT Bob played a tight/solid ship n fold game to grind his stack deep and build it up slowly but surely! Nice to see a desperate stack gain some ground and make a run at it! Proof why Dragon Bob is the venues all time points leader. Yet it was another win for the bounty hunter! Tony Carafa continues the 2014 trend of winners who knocked out the bounty along the way and marked the 2nd straight Friday this rare feat was accomplished as Ray Chauvin KOed Debbie Carafa HU last week for the win and bounty points in a single hand! Its been a good run at the Dragon but next Friday begins a new chapter as EPT SOMA returns to 138 Thai!!! Special thanks to Christine, Leo, Tutti, and John the Guitarist for their hospitality over the past year! See you at 138 Thai starting next Friday!
This event is part of the Southern Massachusetts Tour
