A team of Silks Poker Room regulars won the first Ante Up Cards & Bars Team Tournament at Tampa Bay Downs on Tuesday over a sold-out field with alternates.
Mike Chapman won the final match, securing the title for his team that included Danny Lobato, Kim Zobrist and Micky Mazzatta. The entire team won an Ante Up Poker Cruise package and Chapman claimed the trophy sponsored by Tampa Bay Downs.
The team tournament featured teams of four separated into two simultaneous multi-table tournaments. The final eight players in each of the tournaments completed a 16-player heads-up bracket, with each of the players playing for their entire team. The event was open to all teams, but was marketed heavily to bars and bar leagues, who brought out a number of teams. Treasure Chest Poker had two teams in the Final Four. Other leagues who sponsored teams included Nutz Poker League, Players Choice Poker Tour and Club Poker League. The Poker Players Alliance also fielded a team.
Swag bounties were put on the heads of Team Ante Up members, which included publishers Chris Cosenza and Scott Long and columnists Dr. Frank Toscano and John Lanier. Cosenza made it to the heads-up round of 16, while Long was the first player eliminated from the tournament.
Ante Up and Tampa Bay Downs will explore making the event a regular one.
