Summer Shootout Recap
Sunday August 28th marked the first ever 4th Street Poker Tour Summer Season Major. With a documentary crew on hand to film this historic event, players began filing in to Club Med to register for the Summer Shootout.
Of course, the shootout format was another first for the 4SPT. For over a year the 4SPT has played the standard tournament format that involves balancing tables when players bust out by rotating new people in. In a shootout, no such balancing occurs and a player is required to outlast his table in order to make it to the Finals.
But the Shootout featured an even more historic 4SPT first, something so monumental, players who weren't there might find it hard to believe it even happened...
The Shootout began with 5 tables of action, each filled with 7 players (minus two no-shows). Playing down to a winner at each table has its advantages (not having to move players) and disadvantages (the time it takes tables to finish). Tables 4 and 5 were rockin' and rollin' early as players were dropping left and right. Before long we had our Table 4 winner--Dino "The KCBP"--and our Table 5 winner--Brett. They were shortly joined by Summer Season Champion--Richie Rich--who made short work of Table 1. But these three would have a nice little rest before the Final Table because Tables 2 and 3 just couldn't seem to find a winner, no matter how hard they tried. Max "The Factor" finally ousted Cheyenne to secure his spot in the Finals. But it was Table 2 where a real battle was taking place.
It came down to the Summer Season points runner-up Mr. Pick vs. his Westside Degenerate counterpart, Al. Al had the Pick down early in their heads-up match and it looked like he would wrap up the final seat at the Final Table. However, a series of double-ups turned the tide and vaulted the Pick into the lead and eventually to the Table 2 win.
The Final Table looked to be an epic match-up - a stellar lineup that included Dino "The KCBP," who already holds a Major Title from the No Limit Smoke 'Em II just three months ago; Richie Rich, the Summer Season Champion; and Mr. Pick, the Summer Season runner-up. But before we seated the Final Table, the Pick informed a stunned crowd that he was walking away. Walking away from his shot at taking down the only one who could beat him for the Summer Season. Walking away from a shot at a Major and the coveted gold medal. Walking away from 4SPT immortality...
Not really prepared for this situation, we had to think on our feet and made the decision that Al would take his place at the Final Table since he was the next best player at the Pick's table. So we were set as the newly dubbed "ALternate" stepped up to fill the shoes and seat of the Pick.
Another unique feature about the Shootout was that, unlike in regular Tour events where the Final Tables started with varying chip stacks, these players all started with $7,000 in chips. This made for a much slower game but showcased some interesting play as players were able to make moves they normally would not have the opportunity to make. Early on, it was Richie Rich taking advantage of this situation as he relentlessly pounded the rest of the table with raises and re-raises that put him in the lead. Known for coming up big in Majors, the KCBP didn't take that for very long as he began to mix it up with Richie Rich and began to build a chip stack of his own. The battle for the gold was waged over 3 hours, and at times it seemed it would never end. But it finished in a flurry as the ALternate, who had been quiet early, suddenly woke up and began taking people out. First he dealt Richie Rich a devastating blow which ended his Summer reign of terror. Then the ALternate dashed the KCBP's hopes for back-to-back Majors when he took him out for the win.
It just goes to show that there is always an alternate waiting in
the wings to step up big when you don't show up with your "A" game or
don't even show up at all.
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