Jim Nelson (Silver Dollar, Mandan) ran over the final table on his way to capturing the title and a $10,000 seat to the Main Event of the World Series of Poker.  Midway Lanes in Mandan was the site of the League Championship tournament for the 10-week winter league that included 54 participating bars from across the state, a Dakota Poker League record.

The playing field consisted of 111 qualifiers, 98 of whom claimed their seats.  44 out of 54 bars were represented, with the largest showing from Playmakers Sports Bar & the Fargo Elks Lodge, sending 7 players each.  14 ladies were among the qualifiers.

The first all-in with a call happened fairly early between league champs Jim Nelson (Silver Dollar) and Phil Leitner (Captain's Pub).  Nelson's pocket Aces held up to Leitner's pocket Queens, leaving Leitner crippled and Nelson off to a good start in the tournament.
  

A little while later Nelson knocked out Barry Burchill (Hagge's) when he caught a straight on the turn to beat Burchill's 2-pair.  Nelson remained very active throughout the entire tournament.   

Kory Skoog (Elks Lodge-Fargo, pictured above right) was recognized as the overall points leader in the state after the 10-week regular season.  He got off to a good start, knocking out a player early with a better full house, Aces full of eights to Fours full of aces.

TJ Hansel (South Gate-Grand Forks, pictured above left) got off to an amazing start, hitting quads twice on his way to the early chip lead at the first break.  Two other South Gaters were among the chip leaders, including league champ Mike Anderson (South Gate-Grand Forks) and Bob Hull (South Gate-Grand Forks). 

Other players lurking among the chip leaders around the middle of the tournament were Mike Woodruff (Hagge's-Mapleton), Dale Raam (Crosby Moose Lodge) and Chris Keller (Midway Lanes-Mandan pictured right w/pitcher of beer), Arlene Froehlich (Lonesome Dove), and Wes Schmidt (Silver Dollar).  Randy Miller (Midway Lanes) made a huge move in the tournament when he busted Mike Woodruff.  Randy held 10-10 to Mike's A-9 to a board of 2-9-4.  All the money got in the pot after the turn card (a three).  Woodruff re-raised Miller all in and Miller made the call and raked in a $50k pot.

Another player making a big move was Rachelle Thompson (Playmakers-Fargo) who played a very steady tournament.  She seemed to always get her money in ahead.  A good example was when she eliminated Dave Hale (Captain's Pub-Valley City) with pocket Kings to Hale's pocket Queens to capture a $35k pot.  Mike Butts (Original Bar-Minot) doubled through TJ Hansel to gain some momentum when the blinds were at 600/1200.

We had 41 players still standing at the dinner break...The blinds were going up to 1000/2000 and the overall chip leader was Randy Miller, followed by TJ Hansel, Dale Raam, Bob Hull, and Rachelle Thompson...Calvin Mosbrucker (Bucks-Bismarck) held A-10 when he caught a straight on the turn against Chris Keller's 7-7.  Calvin went on to catch one heck of a heater and eventually became the chip leader to begin the final table.  Art Zieman (Midway Lanes-Mandan) Q-Q knocked out Dale Raam (A-K).  Dale flopped a King but Art rivered a queen for a miracle 2-outer.  Dale had a nice showing from the Crosby Moose Lodge and took the knockout in stride.  "That's poker," he said.

A huge hand of the tournament came with the blinds at 1500/3000 when we were down to 31 players between chip leaders TJ Hansel and Calvin Mosbrucker, as well as Wade Kaiser (Old 10 Saloon-Buffalo).  Wade was all-in preflop for 17k holding A-J.  TJ re-raised all-in for 67k with A-Q in late position.  The only stack that could hurt him was Calvin Mosbrucker, who contemplated a call holding K-K. "What the hell I call", he said after thinking it over a minute or so.  A good call it was, and TJ was crushed.  TJ's day came to a crashing end when Calvin's pocket Kings held up and made him the monster chip leader in the tournament. 

Down to 20 players, Calvin would AGAIN wake up to pocket Kings against two players holding A-Q (Jamie Kittelson-Stadium II & Howard Campbell-Elks Lodge Fargo).  Kings were good and Calvin raked a huge 132k pot.  Later, Calvin took out Scott Thompson in a wild hand.  Calvin held pocket aces but Scott held A-10 and had flopped a set when the board came 10-10-6.  Running spades gave Calvin yet another huge pot and ended Scott's day...

The three previous DPL champs (Derek Melicher, Ryan Koffler, & Michael Krein) all originated from Fargo.  We wondered if the new champ would come from the western half of the state and it became obvious as the tournament moved on that it was going to be very likely.  Midway Lanes, host of the championship, had an incredible showing with several players right in the hunt down the stretch and no less than three players making the final table (a DPL record).

The final table was reached when Corey Hammer (Lariat Lounge-Velva) busted in 11th at 8:15pm to Dick Olson (Proz End of the Line-Devils Lake).  The players took a 20 minute break before announcements and introductions to our final table:
 

Midway Lanes had 3 players make the final table.  Zach Zinnel (pictured left) doubled up early (2nd hand of final table) through Randy Miller when he flopped a straight holding K-J.  Jim Nelson then began his takeover of the final table.  He played the next three hands in a row, taking down the blinds the first two hands and then taking down a big pot against Arlene Froehlich after moving in on the flop.  Diana Cominghay came into the final table on the short stack and was looking to double up early.  Unfortunately for her it didn't work out and she was eliminated first by Mike Butts.  Dick Olson won a big pot with Jim Nelson and Randy Miller in the hand to rake a 72k pot, but was eliminated in the very next hand against Calvin Mosbrucker when he ran into Mosbrucker's A-K in the big blind holding K-Q.  Jim Nelson (A-Q) eliminated Mike Butts (A-4) in the 18th hand of the final table when both players flopped top pair but Mike was behind with his kicker and was drawing dead after the turn was a queen.  Jim continued his onslaught when he eliminated Randy Miller (A-Q) a couple hands later after limping in from the small blind with 10-8 and catching a straight on the turn.  Calvin lost a big pot to Arlene and lost his chip lead.

When we took a break, it was recognized that the chip lead had moved over to Arlene Froehlich (282k) and Jim Nelson (191k).  Rachelle Thompson (pictured right) played patiently and was getting short-stacked when she doubled through Jim Nelson to make a comeback.  Art Zieman doubled through Jim Nelson and then went on a tear to take down the blinds three hands in a row and become a force on the final table.  Zach caught a flush on the river to also double through Jim.  Jim moved all in preflop against Arlene in one hand and showed 7-5 offsuit, reinforcing his "bully" table image.  Shortly after that, Nelson moved in for 113k on the button holding K-5 offsuit and Calvin, looking frustrated, called with J-10 suited.  The flop was 9c-5d-7h, giving Jim the lead but Calvin picked up a gut-shot straight draw and still had 2 over cards.  The turn was 5 of spades and the river 3 of clubs, ending Calvin's day.  Jim picked up the blinds in 3 out of the following 7 hands, leading up to the defining hand.

Huge hand alert: with the blinds at 15k/30k, the pressure was on.  Zach raised the minimum to make it 60k to go in late position holding A-8 offsuit.  Arlene held 7-7 and made the call.  Jim was priced in with 8s-4s and called out of the big blind.  We had a nice pot of 180k to see a flop of 6s-4h-8d.  It had to look good for each player.  Arlene initiated the action, moving all in for her remaining 97k.  Jim re-raised all in, facing Zach with a tough decision.  After a few minutes of thinking, he called, making this the biggest pot of the tournament by far.  Jim had both players covered and was a 2 to 1 favorite to win the hand.  Arlene had 5 outs to steal the pot but did not catch a 5 or a 7.  Zach needed a 6, and Ace or a running pair on the turn and river to win the pot.  The turn was the Deuce of spades and the river was the Queen of spades, and Jim's big blind special held up, knocking out two players! 

Jim eliminated Rachelle a few hands later.  Rachelle (pictured left) played a great tournament but fell short.  That left Art Zieman and Jim Nelson to battle heads-up.  Jim had a commanding lead of 807.5k vs Art's 177k.  But with one double-up, anything could happen for Art.  It didn't take long to find out.  Art started out on the button (small blind) and raised to 70k, Jim moved in immediately and Art called.  Jim held A-5 offsuit and Art held J-9 offsuit.  The flop looked good for Art, but an Ace on the river made Jim the champion.

Final hand: 
Jim A-5
Art J-9
Board Jc-3h-Qs-Qh-Ad

Jim (pictured right) was humble in his acceptance of the win.  Art (pictured left) appeared devastated by the river card, but played a great tournament.  He accepted his consolation prizes: Ipod Nano, $200 DPT Buy In, Vikings Tix, plus other merchandise. 

Jim played a masterful tournament from start to finish.  We saw him make tough laydowns as well as gutsy plays to take him to the final table.  He absolutely took command of the final table and deserved the win.  Jim will represent the league quite well at the 2006 World Series of Poker and hopefully we will see him on TV!