Robert Veazey got the cover of Ante Up Magazine.
B.J. McBrayer got the seat in the Ante Up World Championship Main Event.
And all of the final seven players got just shy of $15K.
While a vicious storm swirled outside Pearl River Resort in Choctaw, Miss., a pair of calm deals brought to a close the main event of the Pearl River Spring Poker Classic Ante Up Poker Tour series and left everyone pleased.
“I normally don’t like to chop, but the blinds got so high that the average stack was 10 big blinds, so that’s why I decided to do it,” McBrayer said of the first deal, which hinged on his approval. The other six players more or less quickly agreed to chop the money evenly and play it out for the magazine cover and world-championship seat as the clock ticked past midnight. “I think everyone was happy about it.”
And the heads-up deal with Veazey was an easier one for Tuscaloosa’s McBrayer, one of the more consistent players in the Southern circuit, to accept.
“I’ve been playing poker professionally for a long time now and I just never really cared for the limelight,” he said of giving up the title and the cover to get the chance of a much bigger payday at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in California this August.
Veazey, who was the chipleader three times at the final table but was the short stack when the first deal was reached, never thought he’d see sundown, let alone the title.
“I started the day with 27K,” the retired owner of a metal company said. “I had checked out of my room because I thought I’m only going to last so long. But then I started catching cards. I was ready for the chop. I was the short stack and we got better than third-place money.”
The second deal was equally easy for him.
“B.J. wanted the seat more than the cover; I can guarantee you that,” said Veazey of Carenco, La. “I used to own a business. I just play for fun. If I never won a dollar playing poker, it wouldn’t make a difference to me, though I still like to win. I can’t wait until the magazine comes out!”
The 14-event series, well-run as always by Paul Dutsch and his crew that’s well-known in Mississippi and beyond, kicked off with a muilt-flight $10K guarantee for $340 that attracted 406 entries. Other tourneys included a seniors event, three Omaha events and a Monster Stack that featured 30-minute levels and 30K chips.
The tournament played out in the Time Out Lounge at Golden Moon, one of two casino-resorts that make up Pearl River Resort. On weekends, Time Out Lounge is an upscale sports lounge, which meant Pearl River Spring Classic players never were far from NCAA Final Four action. The room is largely closed off by glass from the casino, so players got the excitement of the casino without much of the noise. With 11 large-screen TVs throughout the lounge, they never missed a layup. The lounge offered a full bar and tableside food service as well, giving players just about anything they could want in a poker tournament.
“We had record-setting fields for the property on both the opening weekend and main-event weekend. Word is spreading about this property in the southeastern poker community,” Dutsch said. “Where else adds four seats to its main-event megas, has comped tableside food service in the tournament area, guarantees the opener, guarantees the main event and provides unbelievable hotel rates to its poker players? The overall experience is hard to beat in today’s poker environment.”
Just a short walk from the tournament area was Pearl River’s poker room, where live play has hopping on weekends.
“Our cash-game action picks up significantly during our Ante Up Poker Tour events,” poker room manager Denise Dahl said. “The games here are known to be very juicy. Our tournament director tells me that some of his regular tournament players will skip certain events to play cash because the games are so good.”
Owned and operated by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Pearl River Resort features two hotel-casinos, Silver Star and Golden Moon, that together offer more than 1,000 hotel rooms, 2,400 slot machines, 59 table games and a 14-table poker room with a separate tournament room, as well as the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, Geyser Falls Water Theme Park and numerous dining and entertainment options.
The next Ante Up Poker Tour series at Pearl River will be the third Pearl River Poker Open from Oct. 26-Nov. 5.
“Mark your calendars. There will be a couple of new events on the schedule,” Dutsch said. “The one I can tell you about now is Mini Main Monday. It will be on the Monday of the opening weekend. One flight, half the buy-in of the main event and same structure. This will be the sixth tournament series at Pearl River Resort. Each has grown a little larger as word spreads about the hospitality that this property has for its poker players.”
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Main Event – No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-in: $800
Entries: 206
Prize pool: $147,700
1. Robert Veazey, Carenco, LA, $14,899
2. B.J. McBrayer, Tuscaloosa, AL, $14,897
3. Chris Lane, Madison, MS, $14,897
4. Mike Horchoff, River Ridge, LA, $14,897
5. Richard Runyon, Lauderdale, MS, $14,897
6. Sammie Kirkwood, Greenwood, MS, $14,897
7. Robbi Matthews, Baton Rouge, LA, $14,897
8. Michael Monaghen, Jackson, MS, $5,170
9. Rodney Shows, Hattiesburg, MS, $3,693
10. Alex Dmytraczenko, New Orleans, LA, $2,806
11. Max Dove, $2,806
12. Clifford Chrisolm,$2,806
13. William Brock, $2,363
14. Prissy Giroir, $2,363
15. Jacob Corda, $2,363
16. Rebecca Campbell, $1,920
17. Curtis Barnette, $1,920
18. Craig McFall, $1,920
19. Nathan Willis, $1,477
20. Barry Schultz, $1,477
21. Thuy Djedos, $1,477
22. Joseph Laro, $1,477
23. James Davis, $1,477
24. Patrick Rhodes, $1,477
25. David Huwe, $1,477
26. Karl Boruty, $1,477
27. Joshua Palmer, $1,477
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort, Choctaw, Miss.
Event #1 – No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-in: $340
Entries: 406
Prize pool: $117,740
1. Matthew Higgins Rossville, GA, $26,369
2. Robert Donald Brandon, MS, $14,129
3. Rodney Shows Hattiesburg, MS, $9,419
4. Michael Sullivan Fulton, MS, $8,242
5. Daniel Howard Bogue Chitto, MS, $7,064
6. Michael Monaghan Yazoo City, MS, $5,887
7. Paul Hebert Pierre Part, LA, $4,710
8. Robert Parnell Florence, AL, $3,352
9. Case Buxton Birmingham, AL, $2,355
10. Tara Snow Tuscaloosa, AL, $1,766
11. Berry Champein, $$1,766
12. Bryne Wilson, $1,766
13. Hyman Friedman, $1,531
14. Thomas Pullens Jr., $1,531
15. Wesley Golden, $1,531
16. Heath Pender, $1,295
17. Christopher Harrison, $1,295
18. N/A, $1,295
19. Stanley Avery, $1,060
20. Josh Palmer, $1,060
21. Donny Doucet, $1,060
22. Chase Turner, $1,060
23. Randy Tackett, $1,060
24. Kevin Roberts, $1,060
25. Jimmy Milsaps, $1,060
26. Scott Maher, $1,060
27. Chad Marsh, $1,060
28. Everett Mitchell, $824
29. Mack Trelles, $824
30. Ronnie Hope, $824
31. Richard Runyon, $824
32. John Williams, $824
33. Robert Lemley, $824
34. James Davis, $824
35. Robert Duncan, $824
36. Donna Druid, $824
37. Collen Surman, $589
38. Chris Davis, $589
39. Richard Sinclair, $589
40. Jeanne Millsaps, $589
41. Nelson Solar, $589
42. Donald Dove, $589
43. Peter Huang, $589
44. Dallas Priman, $589
45. Eric Johnson, $589
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #2 – Seniors No-Limit Holdem
Buy-in: $230
Entries: 72
1. Donald Kelly, Alexander, AL, $4.306
2. Carl Rouss, Birmingham, AL, $2,501
3. James Bres, Hoover, AL, $1,668
4. Charles Griffin, Florence, MS, $1,251
5. Ross Ladart, Ft. Worth, TX, $1,112
6. Henry Harden, Ponotoc, MS, $973
7. Susan Smith, Vestavia, AL, $834
8. Gerald Denman, $695
9. James Arnold, Avalon, MS, $556
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #3 – No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-in: $230
Entries: 59
1. Dustin Stewart, D’Iberville, MS, $3,531
2. Charles Stalfort, $2,050
3. Grover Faulkner, Tuscaloosa, AL, $1,366
4. Philip Walsh, Ridgeland, MS, $1,025
5. Ronnie Hope, Baton Rouge, LA, $911
6. Terry Simpson, Quitman, MS, $797
7. Damon Tucker, Forest, MS, $683
8. Mark Rouss, Hoover, AL, $569
9. Stanley Williams, Carrollton, GA, $455
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #4 – Pot-Limit Omaha
Buy-in: $230
Entries: 13
1. Edward Boyd, Alabaster, AL, $1,254
2. Michael Lawson, Birmingham, AL, $753
3. Jewell Spooner, Madion, MS, $502
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #5 – No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-in: $150
Entries: 40
1. Mitchell Mittclmark Birmingham, AL, $1,920
2. Ronnie Hope, Baton Rouge, LA, $1,152
3. Kenneth Anderson, Tuscaloosa, AL, $816
4. Clifford Mills, Murphysboro, IL, $576
5. Jerry Wiley, Meridian, MS, $336
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #6 – Big O
Buy-in: $230
Entries: 24
1. Dustin Stewart, D’Iberville, MS, $965
2. Herman Shumaker, Brandon, MS, $965
3. Renee Willis, Philadelphia, MS, $965
4. Jimmy Smith, $965
5. Herbert Tapscott, $965
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #7 – No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-in: $110
Entries: 10
1. Byron Doggett, Gilbartown, AL, $235
2. Derrick Edwards, Petal, MS, $235
3. Larry Caughlin, $200
4. James “Mousey” Davis, Jackson, TN, $200
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #8 – No-Limit Hold’em Bounty
Buy-in: $190
Entries: 23
1. James “Mousey Davis, Jackson, TN, $1,552
2. Ralph Reid, Meridian, MS, $932
3. William Swink, Columbus, MS, $621
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #9 – Limit Omaha/8
Buy-in: $230
Entries: 18
1. Joe Smith, $1,746.00
2. Kenneth Anderson, Forest, MS, $1,048
3. Jimmy Smith, $698.00
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #10 – No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-in: $110
Entries: 12
1. Phillip McCormick, $522
2. Robert Harper, Meridian, MS, $313
3. Nicholas Hawkers, Crystal Springs, MS, $209
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #11 – No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack
Buy-in: $160
Entries: 40
1. Roderick Macpherson, $2,080
2. Rene McDaniel, $1,248
3. Daryl Stephens, $884
4. Jerry Venable, $624
5. Hubert Phillips, $364
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #12 – No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack
Buy-in: $230
Entries: 73
1. Corey Harrison, Bessemer, AL, $4,322
2. Freddie Ardoin, Lacassine, LA, $2,510
3. Joshua Lewis, Baton Rouge, LA, $1,673
4. Eugene Dudek, Houma, LA, $1,255
5. Rebecca Campbell, Baton Rouge, LA, $1,115
6. Bruce Mcafe, New Orleans, LA, $976
7. Michael Sylznick, Chattanooga, TN, $837
8. Charles Stalfort, Atlanta, GA, $697
9. Larry Williamson, Brookhaven, MS, $558
Pearl River Spring Poker Classic – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
Event #13 – No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack
Buy-in: $190
Entries: 45
1. Tony Gray, $1,900
2. Byron Lowe, $1,900
3. Joshua Lewis, $1,427
4. Saeed Nia, $1,427
5. Stanley Williams, $501
