12:45AM

Troy Mattson took the Vinson's big blind with an all in move on the first hand of heads up play.  Then, Troy doubled up with KQ vs 8-5 in the next hand, again, all in preflop.  Vinson made the right call given his chip lead and was not that big of a underdog given the situation…

However, the transfer of chips gives Troy some momentum.  He followed that hand up with another all in bet and took down the pot.  And then another.  Troy has now won every single hand of heads up play.  I sense Vinson is waiting for a hand to bust him with.  If he waits too long, Troy will take the lead.  

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12:30AM  HEADS UP!

Short 5 minute break.  These players needed a bathroom break.  And to collect their thoughts.

I can only imagine what these players are going through right now.  Too bad one of them is going away with $300 cash + merchandise vs. the opportunity of a lifetime…

Jerry (pictured right) busted in a big pot with, yep, you guessed it, Vinson.  All-in preflop, Vinson had Jerry dominated AQ vs A8.  The flop gave Jerry a gut-shot straight draw but missed.  We’re now heads-up and we now know who’s going to Las Vegas….

12:20AM

They’re at it again…Vinson vs. Jerry.  All in preflop after a raise and re-raise. 

Vinson A-8 vs. Jerry K-Q 

Board -> 6-3-10-A-Q

Pot is over 1 million.  Vinson has regained the chip lead!

12:00AM  GETTING LATE

It's been a long day.  Looking around at the tournament staff and the crowd, I see some tired faces.  To get everything ready for today's tournament, the staff had to be up early.  Some players had to travel quite a ways to get here and those who did not come and stay at the casino on Friday were probably up very early as well...

11:58PM VINSON DOUBLES UP 

Vinson doubled up with AA.   He played them well to trap Jerry holding middle pair. 

He followed that up by winning with King high in a checked down pot against Jerry.

11:52PM

Blind steals, no calls…Mitch says, “This is the tickle and grab-ass portion of the night.

Then, in a 3-way pot, with a board of 5-2-8-J, Lemke moved all in and Anenson called.

Lemke J-5, 2-pair

Anenson A-5, pair of fives with one over

No help on the river for Anenson.

11:42PM

3 way pot

Flop K-J-10

Anenson wins with a 250k bet.

The next hand he won vs. Jerry after betting 200k on the flop.  Vinson definitely has the momentum now.  The short stacks are losing ground fast.

11:37PM

Each player is taking a lot of time making decisions.  Can you blame them?  You definitely don’t want to bubble here!!!!

Jerry Lemke doubled through Vinson Anenson with K-Q vs. K-6.  Lemke moved in from the small blind and Anenson called after some thought.  Anenson has a huge chip lead and took a shot and busting Lemke but it resulted in a big double up for Lemke

11:30PM

Blinds are 30k/60k.  Anenson is the big chip leader.  Lemke is now short but still has over 145k…He moved in on the button and took the blinds

Here’s where we stand:

Vinson: 1000k

Troy: 400k

Jerry: 170k

Brothers Bar & Grill vs Rusty Nail vs Primetime

11:15PM -  "SORRY CAN’T ANSWER THE PHONE RIGHT NOW"

In a big showdown between Troy & Jerry, Troy check raised all in after Jerry bet 85k on a flop of Kc-6-Jc.  Jerry thought for a while then folded. 

While Jerry was in the tank, Troy’s phone rang.  Mitch quickly grabbed the phone and explained to the caller, “Troy can’t talk right now, he’s down to 3 players with 2 going to the WSOP and he just moved all in with a 85 thousand dollar raise in front of him.  He’s kind of busy right now but if you’ll hold I’ll let you listen to the action.”

Hilarious.

11:10PM

Another monster pot.  3 callers to see a flop, check around to the turn. 

The board reads 3-4-4-J.

Mattson leads out with 100k, Lemke calls, Anenson moves all in for a total of 265k.

Mattson can’t believe it and goes into the tank for a long time and finally folds.  YOU COULD CUT THE TENSION IN THE AIR WITH A KNIFE

Lemke goes into the tank. It’s hard to believe he can really call…Lemke is really struggling with the dilemma…The crowd is getting antsy and Mitch announces, “No help from the crowd please!”….Then, Lemke announced, “call” and a hush came over the crowd.  Anenson had A-4!  Vinson Anenson becomes the big chip leader.

Mattson folded Q-J.  Good fold.

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11:05PM - DOWN TO 3 PLAYERS - JAMIE WOODWARD BUSTED

Jamie was getting short and moved with 5-6 offsuit.  Troy Mattson called with A-7 clubs and a flop of 4-4-7-4-Q sealed it.

11:00PM - MONSTER POT

The pot of the tournament so far.  Richard Krivinchak moved all in after a raise from Jerry Lemke.  Richard started the final table with the chip lead but now Jerry had him covered.  After a visit to the tank, Jerry called, showing pocket 5’s to Richard’s A-K. 

NOW THAT’S A RACE!

Richard did not improve and just like that finished in 5^th place…

10:50PM - TIM MENK BUSTED 6TH

On the button, Tim made a move with J-9 suited to steal the blinds, but ran into Troy Mattson holding AQ. 

Troy flopped a queen, but Tim had a gut shot draw.  He missed.

10:45PM - HUGE HAND ALERT – JERRY LEMKE DOUBLES THROUGH TIM MENK

Tim Menk limps from the button and Troy Mattson calls from the small blind.  Jerry Lemke checks the option.

FLOP 7-5-6

Mattson leads out with a 50k bet.  Lemke announces raise, then says “all in”.  Tim goes into the tank and finally calls, Troy folds.  Tim Menk has a set of 5’s but Lemke flopped a straight holding the big blind special of 8-4 offsuit! 

Jerry Lemke’s chip stack is up there wth Richard’s and he might actually have the lead.

10:25PM - HUGE HAND ALERT

Vinson Anenson’s full house takes a 400k+ pot!

Vinson flopped top 2 pair and filled up on the river vs. Tim Menk.  Menk had A-9 with top pair, top kicker. 

10:20PM - JOEL SMITH & TRACY ULLAND & KIP CRABB BUSTED

Joel busted a couple hands after he was crippled.  Once again, he was ahead but his hand could not hold up to his opponent’s flush draw.  Tough luck on this final table for Joel, who continued his amazing run in the league. 

Tracy Ulland (8^th) and Kip Crabb (7^th) busted in back-to-back hands.  The blinds are at 15k/30k.  Obviously there is a lot of pressure on the short stacks.

10:05PM - JEREMY EVANS BUSTS

Jeremy Evans tripled up on the first hand of final table play.  Joel Smith lost a big side pot vs. Tim Menk.  Joel made a 40k bet on the flop and Tim called.  Joel held top pair and Tim had middle pair.  Joel moved in on the turn and Tim went into the tank.  Joel had Tim barely covered.  Tim called and Joel was surprised he was ahead in the hand.  However, the river brought a ace…Tim doubled up and Joel was crippled.   

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10:00PM - FINAL TABLE

This is an amazing final table.  We have 7 league champs plus 3 players who are returning for their 2^nd final table appearance…

This is the final 10

Kip Crabb - Park Rapids Eagles

Rhicard Krivinchak – Lost Isle Bar (pictured right)

Tracy Ulland – Kandi Bowl

Joel Smith – Playtime

Jeremy Evans – Trosky Treehouse

Vinson Anenson – Rusty Nail

Tim Menk – Hutchinson Elks

Jamie Woodward – VFW Moorhead

Troy Mattson – Primetime

Jeremy Lemke – Brothers Bar & Grill

Joel Smith, Troy Mattson and Jamie Woodward are playing at their 2^nd final table appearance in a league championship event. 

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8:50PM  LAST FEMALE STANDING

Trisha Ramey busted, the last remaining female player…she goes out in 17th

She had a chance to quadruple up in the end with jacks, but the board was not friendly to her, and the big blind player hit two pair and that was that…
 

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8:30PM  DOWN TO 2 TABLES

The chip leaders are Tracy Ulland, Joel Smith, and Tim Menk

Here are the final 20:

Tim Walsh – Brothers Bar & Grill, Rochester

Troy Mattson – Primetime, Breezy Point

Loren Guck – Playtime, Perham

Jim Deboer – Z103 Bar & Grill, Fergus Falls

Jeremy Evans – Trosky Treehouse, Trosky

Jerry Lemke – Brother’s Bar & Grill, Rochester

Marcus Holm – Champps, Eden Prairie

Tracy Ulland – Kandi Bowl, Willmar

Brad Donabauer – Courtney’s Comedy Club, Moorhead

Jamie Woodward – VFW, Moorhead

Tim Menk – Hutchinson Elks

Kip Crabb – Eagles Club, Park Rapids

Ron Ditsch – Patch Restaurant, Warroad

Trisha Ramey – Madden’s Dutch Room, Grand Rapids

Joel Smith – Playtime, Perham

Keith Graff – American Legion, Morris

Shawn Wetterling – American Legion, Wheaton

Steve Milsap – Patch Restaurant, Warroad

Vinson Anenson – Rusty Nail, Thief River Falls

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6:15PM - 5 LEAGUE CHAMPS ARE ROLLING

Tom Menk is busting players left and right.  Sitting at the “feature table” he busted 3 more players in less than 5 minutes back from the break.  He has been sitting in the same seat the entire tournament and has a monster chip lead at this point

Here are the big stacks:

Tim Menck – League Champ from Hutchinson Elks

Tracy Ulland – League Champ from Kandi Bowl, Willmar

Joel Smith – League Champ from Playtime, Perham

Shawn Wetterling – League Champ from Wheaton American Legion

Marcus Holm – League Champ from Champps Eden Prairie