Dave “Fishy Fish” Backstrom captured the $250 deepstack event July 6 in New Lenox, Ill., the state’s first televised poker tournament hosted by a veterans organization.
Backstrom earned a package of cash and prizes worth $4,500 in an event that featured 30K chips and began at American Legion Post 615 in Tinley Park on June 22-24, attracting 82 players.
Stephen Kidder, Harry Mohebbi, Gary Carr, Mike Kleinstub and Ryan Hickey joined Backstrom at the TV final table.
Famed movie critic Richard Roeper also attended, along with Ante Up Magazine’s sponsored player Jayme Becerra, whose brother Mike served two tours in the Middle East.
The final-table broadcast begins Aug. 12 on networks across the nation, including Comcast SportsNet affiliates. Check local listings for dates and times or catch the episode online along with a broadcast schedule at windycitypokerchampionship.com .
Also, July 8 was the Ante Up Magazine Chicago Summer Championship. First place went to Fadi “Freddy” Hamad, who bested a tough field that included four of the six players from the televised main event. David McDermott Jr., the reigning December 2012 champ, finished fourth. Hamad earned a $1,700 prize package.
• The Horseshoe Hammond Casino’s $1K buy-in, $100K guarantee NLHE tournament is Aug. 25. Go to horseshoehammond.com for more information.
— “Chicago” Joe Giertuga is Ante Up’s Chicagoland Ambassador. Email him at chicago.joe@comcast.net. Jason Finn and Kirk Fallah contributed to this report.
