On Monday, after a lot of ups and downs and proving all the predictions false, Tommy Vedes patiently made his day by winning the World Poker Tour (WPT) Seminole Hard Rock Showdown, earning $779,520, and a $25,500 seat in the WPT World Championship. He came back strongly from a serious heads-up chip deficit to win this battle.
Tommy Vedes had heads-up play against John Dolan who happens to be the member of the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine. He knew that he has targeted at an uphill while he was trailing 6.3 million chips to 2.535 million. Although, he had 40,000/80,000/10,000 combination of blinds and antes, but he kept his cool, measured all his options cautiously and waited for the right opportunity to make a call. After having his chip stack slip to 1.8 million, he made a spot to pick up chips finally in the 19th hand of the heads-up play. Then he made a raise call of 180,000 pre-flop and the flop fell down to 9d-8d-2d. Further, Vedes checked and forced Dolan to make a call for a continuation bet of 240,000, and then 530,000. That signaled both the players to get their all the chips in the middle of the table. Dolan had As-9h for top pair whereas Vedes showed Qd-3d for a flopped flush.
His double-up move took his chip stack to 3.66 million and helped him achieve the runner position just behind the 5.035 million of Dolan. Later after 12 hands, Vedes found another spot. When Dolan again raised to 200,000 pre-flop, Vedes made the call and the two had a flop of 7s-5c-5c. Further, Dolan moved to 215,000, Vedes again raised to 585,000 and very soon Dolan laid the rest of his chips into the middle of the table. Vedes desperately waiting for the opportunity didn’t take long and made his call. That gave Vedes double-up advantage and then for the first time he got the chip lead of 5.68 million to 3.015 million. Later, within just next eight hands, Vedes confirmed his second World Poker Tour title. The final calls both the players had at the end were: Vedes: Ad-TD; Dolan: Kd-6d
The turn card Qs brought fortune to Vedes and then his move turned the tables which eventually gave him a Broadway straight. Further, the 4c on the river worked for Tommy Vedes and he was the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown champion.
As a result, John Dolan finished as runner up for $459,360, while Tommy Vedes became the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown champion and took home the $779,520 first-place prize and a seat in the $25,000 WPT Championship at the end of the season.
World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Showdown – Final Table Results
1. Tommy Vedes - $779,520
2. John Dolan - $459,360
3. Joe Serock - $306,240
4. Craig Bergeron - $212,976
5. Sharon Levin - $158,688
6. Kyle Bowker - $122,496
