Poker Tournament Results

Southern Poker Championship / WPT Event Season 7

Mark Wilds

Tournament Report

Biloxi's Mark Wilds Enjoys the Home Field Advantage Local Poker Pro Wins Fifty Grand in Beau Rivage's Hold'em Event Biloxi, MS (January 6, 2009) - The third event of the Southern Poker Championship ended today as Mark Wilds overcame a significant chip disadvantage and a sizable field of 409 entrants, thus becoming the latest tournament champion of the new year. Wilds is a 43-year-old poker pro from Biloxi. In fact, he lives only ten minutes away from Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, which hosted the competition. First place paid $50,859. Following his victory, the popular Wilds received congratulations from several well wishers. He was presented with the custom-designed white gold and diamond bracelet, the final crowing achievement of victory. Wilds also received a buy-in to the World Poker Tour championship event, valued at $10,000. The Main Event will be played January 14th-17th in Biloxi. This was the second of three $550 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em tournaments on the schedule. The competition took place over two straight days. Only the top 36 players collected prize money. The total prize pool amounted to $264,510. The action took place inside the tournament grand ballroom, set up inside Beau Rivage. After 399 players were eliminated over 14 hours of play, the final table began with three players in close proximity to the chip lead. Phong Truon (440K) enjoyed a slight advantage over Eric Crain (436K) and Jeff Tims (434K). The ultimate champ Mark Wilds was a distant ninth place, seemingly far removed from victory. From the start of play, the action was fast. Three players busted out within the first 15 minutes. Players were eliminated in the following order: 10th Place - Greg Fund, a Chief Financial Officer from Myrtle Beach, SC was the first finalist to depart. Only a few hands into play, he was dealt A-10 and moved all-in. Eric Crain called the raise and tabled A-Q. The better hand held up, which meant an early exit for Fund. 9th Place - Kenneth Sewell, from Stockbridge, GA was the lowest stack when the final table began. He moved all-in with K-10, but ran into a freight train as Phong Truong called instantly and showed pocket aces. The rockets blew Sewell out of the tournament, leaving the accountant with a payout totaling $3,391. This was Sewell's first-ever final table appearance. 8th Place - Brandon Jarrett has enjoyed a phenomenal run in tournament poker over the past six months. He has entered 12 tournaments and made four final tables. He also has two wins. But this was not Jarrett's day, as he called a raise with K-Q on his last hand, which lost to Mark Wild's pocket queens. The Georgia-based poker pro collected $5,274. 7th Place - Play slowed down a bit before John Holley got into a race with Jack Miller. Holley was all-in with A-K versus Miller's pocket sixes. Holley failed to improve, which resulted in an unlucky seventh-place finish. Holley works as a charter boat captain. He sailed off with $6,958 in prize money. 6th Place - It was easy come, easy go for Jack Miller. Shortly after busting a player, Miller suffered the same fate. He moved all-in on a heart draw, but unfortunately ran into a higher heart draw held by Eric Crain. That meant Miller was basically drawing to just two live cards (six outs). He missed the flush, but then didn't make a pair - which meant a sixth-place showing. Miller, who owns a marine towing and salvage company on the Gulf Coast, pocketed $8,786. 5th Place - On his final hand, Jeff Tims tried to make a position re-steal, which backfired. Phong Truong was on the button and raised. Sensing a steal attempt, Tims shoved all-in with K-5 (obviously hoping not to get called). Truong indeed did have a decent hand, called, and won the pot, knocking out Tims. With this cash, the Houston-based poker pro now has over $250,000 in tournament winnings. He won an event at the Gulf Coast Poker Championship, held at the Beau Rivage a few months ago. 4th Place - Paul Distefano knows something about overcoming adversity. He lost his business in a recent hurricane. But he managed to rebuild his life and make a comeback. Unfortunately, that same spirit did not prevail at the poker table. On his last hand of the tournament, Distefano took a wicked beat when his A-K made top pair after the flop. His adversary Mark Wilds was left drawing to just two outs holding pocket fives. Wham! A five rained down on the turn, busting the 41-year-old businessman. Distefano took home a bad beat story and $12,440 for fourth place. 3rd Place - Phong Truong had been a major force during the initial two hours at the final table. But his momentum waned as he lost a few key pots when played became short -handed and was left low on chips. Truong finally moved all-in on a flush draw. The raise was immediately called by Eric Crain, who had flopped a pair of aces. Truong had a decent chance to double up, but missed on the final two cards - mandating a third place finish in this event. The student from Atlanta who was born in Vietnam was paid $16,576 for his impressive showing. 2nd Place - When heads-up play began, Eric Crain and Mark Wilds were close to even in chips. The rivals battled back and forth for nearly an hour. Then, a dramatic hand took place which determined the final outcome. Eric Crain had 10-8 and made two pair, tens and eights. But Wilds had J-8 of spades. He moved all-in on a flush draw, picked up a straight draw as well, and then completed the mission by spiking a spade on the river to lock up victory. Eric Crain was forced to settle for second place, which paid $28,255. Previously as journalist, the poker pro from Illinois has cashed at the WSOP and other major tournaments. 1st Place - Mark Wilds now has 56 tournament cashes in his impressive career, which began back in 2000. He has won over $700,000 in that span. This was his second major tournament victory. His previous win took place in 2007 at the World Poker Open, in Tunica, MS.