Tony Dunst keeps it in the family as the World Poker Tour (WPT) Raw Deal host manages to sneak and snap his way through a field of 191 players to take the first prize of $145,000 at the WPT Caribbean Main Event on the beautiful island of St. Maarten.
It was a great performance by Dunst, who recently played a starring role in the hit online poker documentary Bet Raise Fold, where viewers got to see how the events of Back Friday impacted on his life.
That documentary showed how the Raw Deal position turned into a lifeline for the man known as Bond18, and so it was only fitting that the WPT should also be the stage for his most impressive performance to date.
Despite coming into the final table as the chip leader, Dunst was always going to find it tough to get his name engraved in the WPT Champions trophy, as he squared off against two former champions Marvin Rettenmaier and Giacomo Fundaro.
Final Table Starting Positions
Seat 1. Tony Dunst – 1,418,000 (118 bb)
Seat 2. Giacomo Fundaro – 458,000 (38 bb)
Seat 3. Zoltan Purak – 324,000 (27 bb)
Seat 4. Marvin Rettenmaier – 1,046,000 (87 bb)
Seat 5. Robbie Bakker – 1,069,000 (89 bb)
Seat 6. Severin Schleser – 1,416,000 (118 bb)
It took 34 hands before we lost our first competitor and it was the name of Robbie Bakker that moved away from the table in sixth position.
Tony Dunst raised to 32,000 under the gun, Robbie Bakker raised to 90,000 from the small blind and Dunst called. The flop was [Ac] [Th] [5c] Bakker bet 85,000 and Dunst called.
The turn was the [2d], Bakker once again bet – this time 197,000 – and Dunst called.
The river was the [Qc] and Bakker moved all-in for 615,000 and Dunst called. It was pocket aces for Bakker, who had flopped a set, and [Jc] [Tc] for Dunst who had rivered a club flush draw to extend his lead at the top.
Zoltan Purka was next to leave in fifth place. Purka moving all-in for 275,000 and Tony Dunst calling from the big blind. It was pocket eights for Purak, [Ac] [Qc] for Dunst and a queen on the river sealed the deal.
Then we lost the two-time WPT Champion Marvin Rettenmaier in fourth. The German moved all-in from the small blind for 392,000 and Severin Schleser called from the big blind. It was [Ad] [Js] for Schleser and [Jh] [8h] for Rettenmaier. An ace on the flop handing Schleser the pot.
Instead of spurring Schleser on after the Rettenmaier elimination it spun him out. Giacomo Fundaro opened to 52,000, Schleser three bet to 127,000, Tony Dunst cold four bet to 265,000, Fundaro folded, Schleser moved all-in and Dunst called. It was [As] [Kc] for Dunst, [Ac] [Qd] for Schleser and a king on the flop took the match into the heads up phase.
Heads Up Chip Counts
Dunst – 4,790,000
Fundaro – 940,000
It was a heads-up encounter of David v Goliath proportions, but the former WPT Marrakech champion found a quick double up to even up the fight.
Dunst raised to 60,000 and Fundaro called. The flop was [Jh] [6h] [4d] and Fundaro check-called a 60,000 Dunst bet. The turn was the [9h] Fundaro bet 95,000, Dunst raised to 275,000 and Fundaro called.
The river was the [Js] and Fundaro moved all-in and Dunst called. It was flush over flush with the [Ah] [3h] of Fundaro much stronger than the [4h] [2h] of Dunst, and suddenly it was game on with Dunst’s lead cut down to 3,180,000 versus 2,550,000.
Then with Dunst chipping away at the Italian we had the tournament defining pot.
Fundaro opened to 80,000, Dunst re-raised to 185,000 and Fundaro called. The flop was [Jh] [Ts] [3s], Dunst checked, Fundaro bet 205,000 and Dunst called.
The turn was the [Ac] and both players checked.
The river was the [3d], Dunst bet 530,000 and Fundaro called. It was [As] [3h] for the boat for Dunst and Fundaro mucked.
Then Dunst moved all-in holding [Jd] [2h] and the short-stacked Fundaro called with [Kh] [3h]. The flop ran out [Js] [9d] [2s] [6s] [6h] and the triumphant Dunst headed over the Raw Deal segment to critique…himself?
Final Table Standings
1st – Tony Dunst – $145,000
2nd. Giacomo Fundaro – $100,000
3rd. Severin Schleser – $63,500
4th. Marvin Rettenmaier – $46,800
5th. Zoltan Purak – $35,900
6th. Robbie Bakker – $28,700
Photo courtesy of WPT.flickr
