When the final table started, Steve Badger had $16,000 in chips, second only to Vincent Wong's $24,000.
Shawn Azani, the short stack on the table ($1,500) went all in with A,A,J,10 only to bust out in ninth place when Gary Mallette caught a club on the river. Poker Pro Vince Burgio was the next to fall when his A,2,7,K lost to Mallette's trip queens.
Steve Badger added to his stack in a three-way hand when his A,A,3,4 made aces full and no one could produce an emergency low. The next hand went to Kenny Ha when Gary couldn't beat his aces up.
Vincente Chionglap said good-night in seventh place when a third low card didn't hit the board and he couldn't catch up with Vince Wong's queens and jacks.
With the limits raised to $2,000/ $4,000, Gary Mallette ran out of bullets when he couldn't beat Ken Ha's flush/so-so low. B. S. Chang won his first hand at the final table when Kenny Ha couldn't top his king-high straight.
The next hand found Ha, short-stacked and going all in with A,J,9,4 but unable to beat Vincent Wong's full house. Kenny left without a ha ha.
Victor Rios had to settle for fourth place money when his A,J,8,5 (aces and jacks) fell to Badger's A,K,7,2 (aces and kings).
As the limits once again went up (to $3,000/$6,000), B. S. Chang, who barely participated in the final table, didn't have enough chips to continue participating when his queen-high straight couldn't top Steve Badger's heart flush.
Two players left, Steve Badger and Vincent Wong. Heads-up for the trophy, the championship, the money! Badger wins a substantial $40,000 pot with Qc,8c,7,9d,Ah on the board when Wong couldn't call his river bet.
With the limits now at $5,000/ $10,000, another stack-mover: Badger has A,J,10,3 , Vince's hand is A,K,10,5. The flop (6,J,10 ‘rainbow) puts Steve in the lead with top two pair. Turn brings a 4, giving him a better low draw as well (A to 5). But the river is Vince's "bingo" card, a king, giving him kings and tens to Badger's jacks and tens. So it goes—and a $75,000 pot goes to Vince.
Badger takes the next one when his K–Q–9–2 beats Wong's Q,9,5,7. On the very next hand, Steve goes all in with A,K&,J,5 to Vince's K,Q,9,7. The board comes K,6,7,3 and the pot is chopped.
Badger goes all in once again, this time with 2,3,4,K to Wong's 3,5,10,10. When the board comes A,2, J,5,9, Steve scoops a crucial pot with a wheel. Steve then makes an eight-high straight to scoop another one.
With the chips now standing at $55,000 for Steve and $46,000 for Vince (and the clock on the wall saying 3:40 a.m.), the two decide to make a deal and Steve Badger is declared the winner. Congratulations to you both, poker pals! —Marc Gilutin
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