Poker Tournament Results

Southern Poker Championship / WPT Event Season 7

Dan Clemente

Tournament Report

Dan Clemente, from Hernando, MS Wins First Major Live Tournament and $65,468 Longtime Poker Rounder Takes Second Event at Beau Rivage Biloxi, MS (January 5, 2009) - The second tournament of the 2009 Southern Poker Championship ended today as longtime poker pro Dan Clemente won his first major live poker tournament after many years of playing on the circuit. The Mississippi-based rounder who has previously won a few tournaments online collected $65,468 in prize money. Clemente was also presented with a custom-made white gold and diamond bracelet, the crown jewel presented to all tournament winners in this year's series at the Southern Poker Championship. He will also receive a $10,000 buy-in to the Main Event, which takes place Jan. 14-17 as part of the World Poker Tour. The $550 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em tournament was played over two straight days. Only the top 54 players collected prize money. The total prize pool amounted to $264,510. All of the action took place inside the grand ballroom, inside Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. When final table play began on day two, Clemente was ranked fourth in chips. Dave Terry, from Alpharetta, GA arrived with a slim chip lead. But given the wide chip distribution and blinds, there was no prohibitive favorite among the final nine. By being patient and waiting for the right moments, Clemente gradually ascended to the chip lead and closed out the victory in just over four hours. Players were eliminated in the following order: 9th Place - Only a few hands into play, David E. Robbins, Jr. was the shortest-stacked player. He moved all-in with A-Q. His raise was called instantly by Dave Terry with pocket eights. The middle pair held up in the battle of two Daves, putting Robbins out on the rail. Robbins' was previously the runner-up finisher in the 2007 Gulf Coast Poker Championship held at the Beau Rivage, which paid $411,185. 8th Place - Jacob Tyler, from Birmingham, AL went out when he committed his final chips with Q-10. Justin Wilkerson made an easy call holding Q-Q, which left Tyler drawing as a longshot. Tens remained hidden in the deck and failed to rescue Tyler, who settled for eighth place. Tyler, who owns an amusement business, had previously finished in the money three times at the World Series of Poker. 7th Place - About 90 minutes into final table play, Brian Lendecky was eliminated. On his final hand, he flopped top pair (nines) with an inside straight draw. But Dave Terry had top pair as well, with a higher kicker. Lendecky failed to improve his hand, which meant a seventh-place finish. Lendecky, who lives in Austin, TX is an instructor at the University of Texas School of Business. 6th Place - Chuck Norris, as might be expected, put up a hard fight. But he ultimately lost when he moved all in with a straight draw and missed. On his final hand, Norris had J-10 and connected to a flop with a queen and a nine. But Dan Clemente had pocket nines, good for trips. Norris, who works as a general contractor in North Carolina, nailed down sixth place. Norris previously served in the Persian Gulf War with the U.S. Army. 5th Place - Fifth place went to colorful tournament pro and three-time WSOP gold bracelet winner Eskimo Clark. With about 20 players still in, Clark had been the chip leader. But he went card dead late in the tournament and busted out with A-10 against Justin Wilkerson's pocket queens. Clark, originally from New Orleans, now lives in Las Vegas and travels around the country playing in big events. Now with nearly 100 major cashes, and $1.8 million in career winnings, this was Clark's best tournament finish since 2007. 4th Place - As blinds and antes escalated, Dave Terry found himself having to commit with a weaker hand than he hoped. He pushed with Q-J and was called by Justin Wilkerson, holding A-J. Terry was dominated. He picked up a straight draw on the turn but ultimately lost as Wilkerson dragged the pot with a pair of aces. Meanwhile, Terry who arrived at the final table as the chip leader and who has cashed at numerous other major tournaments, settled for fourth place and $17,458. 3rd Place - Brian Anderson was the youngest player of the final nine. About four hours into play, the 24-year-old moved all-in after flopping top pair (kings) with his K-5. But Justin Wilkerson had A-9 (a nine flopped) and caught a second pair (aces) on the river. Anderson collected a nice payout of $19,838 for two days of poker playing. 2nd Place - When heads-up play began, Dan Clemente enjoyed a 3 to 1 chip advantage over Justin Wilkerson. It took only six hands to determine the winner. On what turned out to be the final hand of the tournament, Clemente was dealt pocket fives. Wilkerson was dealt A-4. After the flop came 4-3-3, Wilkerson (with two pair -- fours and threes) was all-in. Clemente had two pair as well - fives and threes. The higher hand prevailed as two blanks fell on the turn and river. Justin Wilkerson, from Albany, GA ended up as the second-place finisher. This marked the farming equipment salesman's third time to cash in Mississippi. He had previous cashed at the Gulf Coast Poker Championship. As the runner up, Wilkerson received $33,386. 1st Place - Dan Clemente's best prior finishes were at the World Poker Open. Included amongst them was a second-place showing in 2007. But this was a true breakthrough victory for the 36-year-old, who lives and plays mostly in the Tunica, MS area near his home. The 2009 Southern Poker Championship continues through January 17th. Over the next several days, other poker games will be featured on the tournament menu, with events in Seven-Card Stud, Pot-Limit Omaha, Limit Hold'em, and Omaha High-Low. Based on the early turnout, the action should be spectacular for the remainder of the tournament.