By Dave Lemmon
The field was narrowed to six players in the main event of the Isle Casino’s Florida State Poker Championship and discussions of a chop had begun. Five of the six players agreed to a deal, but that sixth player was Tommy Vedes, the reigning World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Showdown champion. He had tweeted “I own this town,” earlier in the tournament.
“If he feels like every time he plays in South Florida he wins, then I guess I can understand it, but it just didn’t seem right,” said local pro and 2011 Ante Up Player of the Year Darryll Fish, who later became the first of the six eliminated.“Probably cost me $50K.”
The big winner was Brandon Barnes of Taylor, Mich., known as CompleteDonk online.Though the remaining prize pool was chopped four ways with Vedes, Adam Levy and Hans Winzeler according to chip count, Barnes was awarded the trophy and the biggest portion, about $212K. Vedes, apparently with a diminishing stack and an evaporating opportunity to win the event, finally agreed to the chop and was awarded the smallest amount of the four players, about $94K.
The field of 188 in the $5,300 event generated a $940K prize pool.
Florida State Poker Championship, Isle Casino, Pompano Park
July 8-30
Event 1 • $225 Ladies
Entries: 26 • Pool: $5,200
Yakima Palmero, $2,080*
Event 2 • $340 Seniors
Entries: 75 • Pool: $22,500
John Than, $4,973*
Event 3 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 144 • Pool: $43,200
Jason Rapp, $14,282
Event 4 • $230 PLO
Entries: 134 • Pool: $26,800
Ryan Gelsomino, $5K*
Event 5 • $330 NLHE
Entries: 1,186 • Pool: $355,800
Hagai Stein, $30,844*
Event 6 • $550 NLHE
Entries: 116 • Pool: $58K
Robert Orr, $12K*
Event 7 • $200 PLO w/rb
Entries: 70 • Pool: $39K
Dominic La Rocca, $14,430
Event 8 • $330 NLHE
Entries: 174 • Pool: $
Matthew Smith, $9,300*
Event 9 • $200 NLHE w/rb
Entries: 77 • Pool: $31,260
Bryan Morton, $7,355*
Event 10 • $550 NLHE
Entries: 476 • Pool: $238K
Jacob Viccellio, $34,435*
Event 11 • $350 Bounty
Entries: 144 • Pool: $43,200
Carlos Rivarola, $8K
Event 12 • $340 NLHE
Entries: 185 • Pool: $57,350
Jacob Schindler, $15,500
Event 13 • $1,600 Bounty
Entries: 121 • Pool: $181,500
Joe Urgo, $37,904*
Event 14 • $2,200 6-Max
Entries: 42 • Pool: $84K
Barry Hutter, $34,400
$5,300 Main Event
Entries: 188 • Pool: $940K
Brandon Barnes, $212,500*
* Denotes chop or deal
