Jake Seale wants to bring the “Southern Gambler” back in style.
The 35-year-old who talked his way through the final table with a Maker’s Mark and water always in front of him took the title of the Main Event of the Pearl River Spring Poker Classic at Pearl River Resort in a two-way ICM deal. And perhaps more pressing than what he plans to do with the $27,000 top prize is whether a head gear change is in order.
“Do you think I should wear a cowboy hat?” Seale of Lumberton, Texas, said after agreeing to the deal with Kenneth Parker in the Ante Up Poker Tour series. “I, mean, I’ve had this Texas Longhorns hat for 14 years now. I think a cowboy hat says ‘Southern Gambler,’ don’t you?”
Seale, who had planned to play in the World Series of Poker Circuit event in Tulsa but decided instead to make the drive to Choctaw, Miss., for the first time, kept the final table lively, chatting with everyone, but no one more than Parker of Birmingham, Ala.
“I was in everyone’s head. That’s what I do,” Seale said. ”My strategy is half the time my hand is face up. It’s obvious what I have. If you try to take advantage of me, it’s going to go poorly for you It’s one of the hardest strategies to play, but I play it well. Think about how many big calls I made this tournament.”
Parker briefly inquired about an ICM deal when he took the chip lead three-handed, but Seale wasn’t interested at the time. After slowly chipping up against Parker heads-up, Seale decided to lock up the biggest tournament score of his life when Parker offered him not only equitable money, but also the cover of Ante Up Magazine and the seat in the Ante Up World Championship Main Event at Thunder Valley Casino Resort near Sacramento, Calif., this July.
For Parker, it was a deal that cemented an incredible day in his own right. He came into Day 2 of the $800 buy-in event that drew 179 entries with a paltry 8,400 in chips and turned it into a $22,193 payday.
“I thought I was going to be on the road back to Birmingham right after 1 p.m.” he said.
Seale had a big hand with 18 players left and never looked back.
“I had aces vs. pocket jacks that got me to a half million and after that, they couldn’t stop me,” he said. “I drove eight hours to get here. I’ve been running good and I came here with high hopes, I ran well enough and the cards favored me and I came out on top. And the cocktail service here is great!”
Seale, who recently had two runner-up finishes at a RunGood Poker Series in Shreveport, La., plays in a home game and also plays the quarterly tournaments at Coushatta Casino in Louisiana.
“I kind of grew up there. I love the folks there,” he said of Coushatta. “I used to play semi professionally. I always used poker as supplemental income when I’m not losing it ‘investing in dice futures.’ Now I’ll be able to play more tournaments.”
The series featured seven other events, kicking off with a $100,000 guaranteed multi-flight event that drew 350 entries and was won by Stephen Bierman. Other event winners included William Stanford, Tara Snow, Timothy Maxwell, Lee Breeland, Grover Faulkner and Charles Stalfort.
Cash game action, under the direction of poker room manager Denise Dahl, was heavy on the weekends with a variety of games.
The Pearl River Poker Open played out in the upscale Time Out Lounge, which features more than a dozen TVs so players didn’t miss any of the exciting college basketball action while playing in a comfortable and private area. Owned and operated by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the two casino-resorts at Pearl River together offer more than 1,000 hotel rooms, 2,400 slot machines, 59 table games and a 14-table poker room, as well as the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, Geyser Falls Water Theme Park and numerous dining and entertainment options.
“We were pleased to see many Southern poker notables at the Pearl River Spring Poker Open,” said tournament director Paul Dutsch. “As word leaks out about this property, their free tableside food service, incredible hotel rates, comps for tournament entry and guaranteed events, it’s hard not to get excited. Both of the $100,000 guaranteed events exceeded our expectations.”
The Ante Up Poker Tour will return to Pearl River Resort for the Pearl River Poker Open Oct. 25-Nov. 4.
PEARL RIVER SPRING POKER CLASSIC
Pearl River Resort – Ante Up Poker Tour
Main Event
Buy-in: $800
Entries: 179
Prize pool: $127,767
1. Jake Seale, Lumberton, TX, $27,000
2. Kenneth Parker, Birmingham, AL, $22,193
3. Wil Bean, Montrose, MS, $11,499
4. William Stanford, Tupelo, MS, $10,221
5. LaDarren Banks, Tuscaloosa, AL, $8,944
6. Chris Lane, Madison, MS, $7,666
7. David Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, AL, $6,388
8. Leo Boothe, Feriday, LA, $5,111
9. Adam Cotant, Birmingham, AL, $3,833
10. Carl Masters, Clarksville, TN, $3,066
11. Jamie Kizer, $3,066
12. Michael Monaghan, $3,066
13. Yousef Saleh, $2,683
14. David, Nicholson, $2,683
15. B.J. McBrayer, $2,683
16. Darius Moorer, $2,555
17. David Bradshaw, $2,555
18. Theodore Toney, $2,555
PEARL RIVER SPRING POKER CLASSIC
Ante Up Poker Tour – Pearl River Resort
Event #1 – No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-in: $350
Entries: 350
Prize pool: $101,500
1. Stephen Bierman New Orleans, LA $18,766
2. Chase Turner Birmingham, AL $14,757
3. Michael Sullivan Fulton, MS $11,490
4. David Nicholson Biloxi, MS $7,410
5. Marcrino Trelles Baton Rouge, LA $6,395
6. Tommy Bishop Pearl, MS $5,380
7. Robert Henderson N/A $4,365
8. Chris Davis Bessemer, AL $3,350
9. Adam Cotant Birmingham, AL $2,335
10. BJ McBrayer Tuscaloosa, AL $1,624
11. Joshua Lewis Baton Rouge, LA $1,624
12. William Kent Greenwood, MS $1,624
13. Robert Donald Brandon, MS $1,421
14. Robert Harper Pell City, AL $1,421
15. Johnathan Pansano New Orleans, LA $1,421
16. Mike Monaghan Jackson, MS $1,167
17. Christopher Lane Madison, MS $1,167
18. Kevin Jenkins Pelham, AL $1,167
19. Jordan Russell Pontotoc, MS $964
20. Gerald Inman Vestavia Hills, AL $964
21. Harvey Brooks Tupelo, MS $964
22. Chad Marsh Starkville, MS $964
23. Ronnie Scott Byram, MS $964
24. Nolan Burton Pleasant Grove, AL $964
25. Jordan Phillips Trussville, AL $964
26. Russell Boyette Brandon, MS $964
27. William Brock Birmingham, AL $964
28. David Lee Memphis, TN $660
29. Gary Bass Memphis, TN $660
30. William Phillips New Orleans, LA $660
31. Phillip Smith Oxford, AL $660
32. Thomas Pullens Picayune, MS $660
33. Jessie Baldwin Jackson, MS $660
34. Joseph Warriner Gardendale, AL $660
35. Clifford Chisolm Collinsville, MS $660
36. Robert Parnell Florence, AL $660
PEARL RIVER SPRING POKER CLASSIC
Ante Up Poker Tour – Pearl River Resort
EVENT #2 – No-Limit Hold’em One-Day Mini-Main
Buy-in: $400
Entries: 66
Prize pool: $25,000
1. William Stanford Mooreville, MS $7,350
2. David McClore Huntsville, AL $4,500
3. Gates Harris Westpoint, MS $3,000
4. Thuy Djedjos Brandon, MS $2,250
5. Dustin Stewart Biloxi,MS $2,000
6. Hiep Doan New Orleans, LA $1,750
7. Antonio Vallandary Centerpoint, AL $1,500
8. Mary Roy New Orleans, LA $1,250
9. Ghanshyan Bulchandan Flowood, MS $1,000
10. Lee Breeland Canton, MS $400
PEARL RIVER SPRING POKER CLASSIC
Pearl River Resort – Ante Up Poker Tour
EVENT #3 – No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack
Buy-in: $300
Entries: 20
Prize Pool: $5,020
1. Tara Snow Tuscaloosa, AL $1,470
2. Harold Kizzire Birmingham, AL $1,204
3. James Davis Jackson, TN $1,020
4. Stanley Williams Carrolton, GA $749
5. Clyde Fields Tuscaloosa, AL $577
PEARL RIVER SPRING POKER CLASSIC
Pearl River Resort – Ante Up Poker Tour
EVENT #4 – No-Limit Hold’em Bounty
Buy-in: $250
Entries: 23
Prize pool: $3,611
1. Timothy Maxwell Naples, FL $903
2. Mary Roy New Orleans, LA $903
3. Freddie Gladney Oneida, AR $903
4. John Littich Brandon, MS $902
PEARL RIVER SPRING POKER CLASSIC
Pearl River Resort – Ante Up Poker Tour
EVENT #5 – Seniors No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-in: $300
Entries: 31
Prize pool: $9,287
1. Lee Breeland Canton, MS $1,600
2. Ernest Williams Steens, MS $1,600
3. Stephen Hastings Houma, LA $1,218
4. Patrick McNamarra Jefferson, LA $1,218
5. Don Black Moundville, AL $1,217
6. Curtis Barnette Tuscaloosa, AL $1,217
7. Joseph Vilhaurer Crossville, TN $1,217
PEARL RIVER SPRING POKER CLASSIC
Pearl River Resort – Ante Up Poker Tour
EVENT #6 – No-Limit Hold’em Double Deep Monster Stack
Buy-in: $350
Entries: 70
Prize pool: $20,300
1. Grover Faulkner Tuscaloosa, AL $2,374
2. William Fitzgerald Germantown, TN $2,374
3. Carl Masters Clarksville, TN $2,374
4. Dante Prado N/A $2,374
5. Christopher Winguard Collierville, TN $2,373
6. Chase Turner Birmingham, AL $2,373
7. Santiago Mauricio Kenner, LA $2,373
8. John Gilbert Huntsville, AL $2,373
9. Byron Lowe Byram, MS $812
10. Wayne Neyland Denham Springs, LA $500
PEARL RIVER SPRING POKER CLASSIC
Pearl River Resort – Ante Up Poker Tour
EVENT #8 – No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack
Buy-in: $200
Entries: 37
Prize pool: $5,920
1. Charles Stalfort Atlanta, GA $1,8000
2. Jerry Girior Lafayette, LA $1,030
3. William Phillips New Orleans, LA $1,030
4. Rene McDaniel Gordo, AL $1,030
5. Corey Harrison Birmingham, AL $1,030
