It's Over!!!...
Yes, from a 12pm start yesterday afternoon to 6:50am this morning (almost nineteen hours later), we have finally whittled down our initial field of 1,000 to a final table of ten.
After a see-saw battle that would give the 100 Year War a run for its money, Kyle Bowker finally defeated a fatigued and downtrodden Travis Roseberry to take that last spot in tomorrow's final.
At the time, Roseberry was struggling. Although he'd just doubled up with kings (he cheekily limped preflop) to Bowker's J-2 on a jack high board, he was still short and in desperate need of a double through. And when both players hit a minimum of top pair on a jack high board, the inevitable clash occurred and the chips flew in.
Roseberry =
Bowker =
Board =
The players, press and tournament staff held their breath as the river was dealt...
River =
And that was all she wrote.
Bowker was sportsmanlike in victory and resisted a cheer or jump of joy that so many would have executed, instead shaking the hand of his defeated opponent and offering his sincerest consolations.
Whilst Roseberry looked understandably dejected, Bowker was equally bedraggled, barely able to raise a smile as his exhausted frame trundled out of the Amazon Room.
As for us, we'll be back here at 2pm for the final. See you there... with coffee in hand.