The last time Michael Monaghan played an Ante Up Poker Tour Main Event at Pearl River Resort, he lost three big hands at the final table, went out eighth and watched as the final seven played chopped.
This time was better.
Monaghan came into Day 2 of the Pearl River Poker Open Main Event as the chipleader, and ended the tournament the same way, besting Trace Henderson in a short heads-up match to win $25,000, plus a $1,650 seat in the 2018 Ante Up World Championship Main Event, his photo on the cover of Ante Up Magazine and a personalized champion’s jacket.
“When I get chips, I can run over a table. I play a lot of hands,” said Monaghan, a regular in tournaments and games in Tunica, Biloxi and New Orleans.
Pocket queens shortly after the second break on Day 1 helped set Monaghan up with the chips he needed to run over tables, doubling his stack to 80,000 when an opponent committed all of his with pocket 10s.
“After that, I just ran good,” he said. “On one big hand, I had pocket 4s, I turned a 4 on a board of 3-4-5-8 with three clubs. The button made it 13,000 and I shoved.”
Dallas Pirman of Jackson, Miss., who final-tabled Event #1, was the chipleader when the final table began, with 1 million in chips, almost 40 percent more than Monaghan, who was second in chips. Monaghan methodically worked his way through the field, showing almost no emotion along the way. A deal with the final four altered the pay schedule, guaranteeing each player at least $16,247.
“I used to play a lot of tournaments on the Internet,” he said. “It’s hard to tilt me. I’ve been beat every way I can be beat. It would have to be something big to tilt me.”
Bryne Wilson of Tuscaloosa, Ala.,who won this event a year ago, made the final table, bowing out in sixth after his pocket 6s and didn’t improve against Dustin Stewart’s pocket 10s.
The Pearl River Poker Open kicked off with a $340 buy-in multi-flight event that attracted 407 entries, easily shattering the $100,000 prize pool guarantee. The other events featured a variety of twists on no-limit hold’em, including a seniors event, a “Mini Main” event and, new this year, a “Double Up” event that let cashers taking double their winnings in non-negotiable casino chips instead of cash. Every player at the final table of the Main Event also received $500 in non-negotiable casino chips.
Jerry Giroir won Event #4 and Event #9 and cashed in the Main Event.
The series played out in the upscale Time Out Lounge, which features 12 TVs so players didn’t miss any of the college football or NFL 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.
PEARL RIVER POKER OPEN – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl RIver Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
MAIN EVENT
Buy-in: $800
Entries: 210
Prize pool: $150,180
Michael Monaghan, Jackson, Miss., $25,000
Trace Henderson, Gulfport, Miss. $21,000
Dustin Stewart, Biloxi, Miss., $19,000
Dallas Pirman, Jackson, Miss., $16,247
Timothy Moore, Tuscaloosa, Ala., $9,762
Bryne Wilson, Tuscaloosa, Ala., $8,260
Jeter Brock, Birmingham, Ala., $6,758
8. Jonathan Hart, Byram, Miss., $5,256
9. Leo Boothe, Ferriday, La., $3,755
10. Lester Milligan, Brighton, Ala., $2,853
11. James Allen, $2,853
12. James Arnold, $2,853
13. B.J. McBrayer, $2,403
14. Joshua Lewis, $2,403
15. Paul Boutwell, $2,403
16. Jerry Giror, $1,952
17. Justin Hunt, $1,952
18. Curtis Barnette, $1,952
19. Corey Harrison, $1,502
20. Alva Williams, $1,502
21. Jordan Phillips, $1,502
22. Jack Joyner, $1,502
23. William Phillips, $1,502
24. Michael Rack, $1,502
25. Tara Snow, $1,502
26. Joseph Borden, $1,502
27. Bruce Soileau, $1,502
PEARL RIVER POKER OPEN – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
EVENT #1 – No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-in: $340
Entries: 407
Prize pool: $118,030
1. Danielle Umberton Lees Summit, MO $26,447
2. Justin Kelley Mathiston, MS $14,164
3. Dallas Pierman Moss Point, MS $9,442
4. Oren Zweig Ocean Springs, MS $8,262
5. Johnathan Gilham Pinson, AL $7,082
6. Michael Horchoff Harahan, LA $5,902
7. Jeremy Gaubert Baton Rouge, LA $4,721
8. Morton Davis Pensacola, FL $3,541
9. Donald Dove New Orleans, LA $2,361
10. Chad Chisolm Collinsville, MS $1,770
11. Daniel Howard Boguechitto, MS $1,770
12. Jordan Phillips Trussville, AL $1,770
13. Joesph Boutwell Kosciusko, MS $1,534
14. Tammy Talley Northport, AL $1,534
15. William Stanford Moureville, MS $1,534
16. William Olivera Brandon, MS $1,298
17. Robert Veazey Carencro, LA $1,298
18. Harold Kizzire Birmingham, AL $1,298
19. Tommy Bishop Pearl MS $1,062
20. Jimmy Milsaps N/A $1,062
21. William Griffin Philadelphis, MS $1,062
22. David Cook Madison, AL $1,062
23. Grover Faulkner Tuscalousa, AL $1,062
24. Thomas Morgan Sturgis,MS $1,062
25. Jerry Girior Lafayette, LA $1,062
26. Rodney Shows Purvis, MS $1,062
27. Hal Moncrief Clinton, MS $1,062
28. Bradley Pollard Albertville, AL $826
29. John Humphries Tayorsville, GA $826
30. James B Allen Walker, LA $826
31. Chad Marsh Starksville, MS $826
32. Yousef Saleh Meridian, MS $826
33. Robert Parnell Florence, AL $826
34. David Hays Clinton, MS $826
35. Matthew Robert Denham Springs, LA $826
36. Mark Rouss Hoover, AL $826
37. Paul Leggett Braswell, GA $590
38. Matthew McCord Marion, MO $590
39. Dustin Stewart Biloxi, MS $590
40. Amber Douglas Prarieville, LA $590
41. Edward Brown N/A $590
42. Craig Johnson Mooresville, NC $590
43. Robert Henderson Madison, TX $590
44. Christopher Locklear Newbern, AL $590
45. Jennifer Germany Jonesboro, GA $590
PEARL RIVER POKER OPEN – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
EVENT #2 – No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-in: $390
Entries: 62
Prize Pool: $25,000
1. Thomas Bak Sheffield, AL $7,750
2. Tara Snow Tuscaloosa, LA $4,500
3. Jennifer Germany Jonesboro, GA $3,000
4. Scott Lyons Birmingham, AL $2,250
5. Robert Burton Madison, MS $2,000
6. Bradford Grant Jonesboro, GA $1,750
7. David Nicholson Perkinston, MS $1,500
8. Noah Waits Temple, GA $1,250
9. Dustin Stewart Biloxi,MS $1,000
EVENT #3 CANCELED
PEARL RIVER POKER OPEN – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
EVENT #4 – No-Limit Hold’em Seniors
Buy-in: $290
Entries: 64
Prize Pool: $20,000
1. Jerry Giroir Lafayette, LA $6,200
2. Scotty Lee Canton, GA $3,600
3. David Garrett Athens, AL $2,400
4. Christopher Oberle Festus, MO $1,800
5. John Humphries Taylorsville, GA $1,600
6. Jerry Venable Green Bay, WI $1,400
7. Charles Griffin Florence, MS $1,200
8. Thomas Bell Carlroe, TX $1,000
9. Thomas Bak Sheffield, AL $800
EVENT #5 CANCELED
PEARL RIVER POKER OPEN – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
EVENT #6 – No-Limit Hold’em Double Up
Buy-in: 190
Entries: 31
Prize pool: $4,960
1. Alton Peterson Clinton, MS $1,985
2. James Davis Jackson, TN $1,190
3. James King Madison, AL $843
4. Donald Kelly Alexander City, AL $595
5. Keith Collins Holly Springs, GA $347
PEARL RIVER POKER OPEN – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
EVENT #8 – No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack
Buy-in: $230
Entries: 39
Prize pool: $7,527
1. Christopher Williams Meridian, MS $3,011
2. James Thompson Decatur, AL $1,806
3. Bruce Soileau Lafayette, LA $1,280
4. Michael Farlow Tuscaloosa, OH $903
5. Stanley Williams Carrollton, GA $527
PEARL RIVER POKER OPEN – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
EVENT #9 – No-Limit Hold’em Double Deep Monster Stack
Buy-in: $340
Entries: 90
Prize pool: $26,100
1. Jerry Giroir Lafayette, LA $8,091
2. James Kortenber Hernando, MS $4,698
3. Bruce Soileau Lafayette, LA $3,132
4. Tara Snow Borden Springs, AL $2,349
5. Bradley Warrington Madison, MS $2,088
6. Robert Lemke Forrest City, AR $1,827
7. Joe Mahan Lacey Springs, AL $1,566
8. Herman Shumaker Brandon, MS $1,305
9. William Graydon Moody, AL $1,044
PEARL RIVER POKER OPEN – Ante Up Poker Tour
Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, Miss.
EVENT #11 – No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack
Buy-in: $190
Entries: 38
Prize pool: $6,080
1st Joshua Lewis Baton Rouge, LA
2nd Thomas Bak Sheffield AL
3rd Richard Jentzsch Norris, TN
4th David Hayes Clinton, MS
5th Gladys Corbin Sylacauga, AL
6th Duplyon Rhodes New Orlean, LA
