Live tournament update sees James Calderaro take his first World Poker Tour (WPT) title, after defeating a tough final table at the Lucky Hearts Poker Open.
James Calderaro is the newest member of the WPT Champions Club after securing victory at the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek in Florida.
The Floridian will be over the moon with his victory, particularly after coming so close back in August 2012 when he finished second to Shawn Cunix at the WPT Jacksonville main event.
Calderaro defeated a field of 415-entrants, to take the first prize of $271,103, despite a final table that hosted quite a few heroes, with Shannon Shorr and Keven Stammen two of the more notable.
The final day of action saw six players duke it out and it was a familiar face to Coconut Creek that exited first.
Back in August 2012, Dollinger took the first prize in the WPT Regional Series held at this casino, and he would come so close to adding the Big Daddy to his trophy cabinet; Dollinger moving all-in from the big blind, and pocket tens, only to see Dimas Martinez Jr. call with sevens and spike a third seven on the flop to end Dollinger’s tournament hopes in cruel fashion.
Tim Kegel was the next man ousted out of the competition after a flip turned its back on him. It was Big Slick for Kegel and the pocket deuces for Shannon Shorr, and an all red board handing Shorr a baby flush despite Kegel flopping a king to take the early lead.
The day started with Dimas Martinez Jr. With the chip lead, but the 40-year old would have to settle for a fourth place spot after his ace-king failed to find a decent flop, turn or river in an all-in encounter with Calderaro and his pocket tens.
That left the three heavyweights in the hunt for blood and it was the World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet holder who would exit in third. Once again it was ace-king that failed its holder when Stammen got it in against the ace-nine of Calderaro only to see a nine hit the river to send him out with $122,197 in prize money.
The heads-up action saw Shorr start with the lead with 6,560,000 playing 5,905,000 and in truth the match-up swung first one way and then the next.
The deciding hand came after Calderaro had managed to gain a significant chip advantage before moving all-in holding [9d] [8d], Shorr called for his last million chips with [Ad] [Jh] and the board ran out with three diamonds to hand Calderaro the flush and the win.
It was another agonizingly close call for Shorr who still remains in search of his first major title, although it’s surely a question of when and not if.
Final Table Standings
1st. James Calderaro – $271,103
2nd. Shannon Shorr – $190,039
3rd. Keven Stammen – $122,197
4th. Dimas Martinez Jr. – $90,366
5th. Tim Kegel – $67,842
6th. Evan Dollinger – $54,355
