By Todd Lamansky
Sin City local Keith Ferrera topped a pro-heavy field of 254 and a final table that included Will “The Thrill” Failla and Paul Lieu to win the Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza’s $2,500 main event in February.
He pocketed $139,720 for the victory, the second largest payday of his career, to bring his lifetime earnings to $834,273. Ferrara also has six World Series cashes, including one in the 2008 main event.
The Venetian’s 2012 DSE kicked off Jan. 26 on the casino floor of the Palazzo. Confused? The hotels are sister properties owned by Las Vegas Sands Corp. The series ran through Feb. 21 and featured 30 events, a variety of games with buy-ins ranging from $340-$2,500 and several $150 NLHE big-bounty tournaments that weren’t part of the official schedule.
Cary Katz, another local pro, finished first in two tournaments: Event 6 ($450 NLHE big bounty) and Event 12 ($550 NLHE). He took home $35,614 for the victories, giving him $570,604 lifetime earnings. He, too, has six WSOP cashes, including the 2009 main event.
WSOP bracelet-winner Eric Baldwin, who lives in Henderson, had the most cashes in the series (five) totaling almost $20K, more than half coming from his first-place finish in Event 24 ($450 NLHE).
Other local pros with strong finishes in the series included Bryan Devonshire (second, $1,070 NLHE), Chip Jett (third, $340 NLHE) and Justin Young, who cashed twice, including a first in Event 27 ($340 NLHE).
Stacey Nutini, who appeared in the June 2011 issue of Ante Up after her win in the Orleans Open Main Event, won the $340 LIPS tournament at a final table that included Karina Jett (sixth).
The next installment of the DSE will run alongside the WSOP from May 24-July 15.
Deep Stack Extravaganza, Venetian, Las Vegas, Jan. 26-Feb. 21
Event 1 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 569 • Prize Pool: $164,725
Winner: Jeff Manza, $37,891
Event 2 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 231 • Prize Pool: $66,875
Winner: Tom Leto, $16,047
Event 3 • $550 NLHE
Entries: 101 • Prize Pool: $48,733
Winner: David Singontiko, $14,619
Event 4 • $340 Omaha/8
Entries: 117 • Prize Pool: $10,162
Winner: Andrew Yeh, $10,162
Event 5 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 194 • Prize Pool: $56,163
Winner: Carl Horton, $15,163
Event 6 • $450 Bounty
Entries: 166 • Prize Pool: $64,076
Winner: Cary Katz, $12,818
Event 7 • $340 H.O.R.S.E.
Entries: 94 • Prize Pool: $27,213
Winner: Dan Sindelar, $7,619
Event 8 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 205 • Prize Pool: $59,348
Winner: Ben Alcober, $14,239
Event 9 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 255 • Prize Pool: $73,822
Winner: Ben Ashen, $17,720
Event 10 • $340 PLO
Entries: 85 • Prize Pool: $24,608
Winner: David Marmor, $7,874
Event 11 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 286 • Prize Pool: $82,797
Winner: Bruce Greenberg, $19,868
Event 12 • $550 NLHE
Entries: 175 • Prize Pool: $84,438
Winner: Cary Katz, $22,796
Event 13 • $340 Ladies
Entries: 80 • Prize Pool: $23,280
Winner: Stacey Nutini, $7,449
Event 14 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 256 • Prize Pool: $74,112
Winner: Paul Kroh, $17,790
Event 15 • $450 Bounty
Entries: 180 • Prize Pool: $51,480
Winner: Vance Essak, $13,897
Event 16 • $340 O/8-Stud/8
Entries: 102 • Prize Pool: $29,529
Winner: William Carroll, $8,268
Event 17 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 609 • Prize Pool: $176,306
Winner: William Habush, $39,658
Event 18 • $340 PLO
Entries: 56 • Prize Pool: $16,212
Winner: Carter Gill, $5,674
Event 19 • $550 NLHE
Entries: 138 • Prize Pool: $ 66,585
Winner: Donald Offord, $19,976
Event 20 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 256 • Prize Pool: $74,112
Winner: Paul Spitzberg, $17,790
Event 21 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 82 • Prize Pool: $79,130
Winner: Matthew Schulte, $25,322
Event 22 • $340 H.O.R.S.E.
Entries: 82 • Prize Pool: $23,739
Winner: Daniel Plonsker, $8,072
Event 23 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 164 • Prize Pool: $47,478
Winner: Sean Small, $12,820
Event 24 • $450 Bounty
Entries: 117 • Prize Pool: $33,462
Winner: Eric Baldwin, $10,041
Event 25 • $340 PLO-PLO/8
Entries: 53 • Prize Pool: $15,344
Winner: Thomas William, $5,370
Event 26 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 214 • Prize Pool: $61,953
Winner: Andreas Hoivold, $14,875
Event 27 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 278 • Prize Pool: $80,481
Winner: Justin Young, $19,317
Event 28 • $340 PLO
Entries: 66 • Prize Pool: $19,107
Winner: Joseph Felder, $6,115
Event 29 • $550 NLHE
Entries: 222 • Prize Pool: $107,115
Winner: Larry Wight, $25,709
$2,500 Main Event
Entries: 254 • Prize Pool: $582,168
Winner: Keith Ferrera, $139,720
