PCA 2014
Final Day Highlighted By Million Dollar Paydays
Four 7-figure scores at the PCA comes to a close.
The final day of the 2014 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure saw two of poker’s most talented, high profile players chasing both history and massive amounts of money. Mike “Timex” McDonald looked to become the first player ever to win two EPT Main Event titles while the red hot Vanessa Selbst took her shot at winning back-to-back championships in the PCA $25k High Roller.
In what turned out to be a marathon Main Event final table, Mike McDonald would have to wait for another day to make history as stoic Polish professional Dominik Panka would go on to defeat “Timex” heads up to take home over $1.4 million and the title of 2014 PCA Main Event Champion.
McDonald would have to settle for 2nd place, but he too would walk with a 7-figure payday thanks to a dead of night deal made between him, Panka and one time #1 online player on the planet, Issac “WestmenloAA” Baron. When the field narrowed to three, McDonald, negotiated a deal that guaranteed his short stack a $1.09 million dollar prize while Baron, who was sitting 2nd in chips, accepted an over $1.2 million dollar score.
The trio left $100k and the title on the table to play for as McDonald chased history, but after 16 hours it came to pass that the record books would have to wait.
On another table, in another tournament – the $25k High Roller – Vanessa Selbst was pursuing history of her own. Already having logged one of the best PCA’s ever by an individual player, she set her sights on the title of back-to-back High Roller Champion.
With a stacked table in front of her, including 2012 World Series of Poker Champion Greg Merson, Selbst came up just shy of her intended goal falling in 3rd place (her second 3rd place finish of the PCA) and had to watch Jacob Schindler trump Merson in heads up play from the rail.
Schindler would become the 4th millionaire of the day taking home, according to the Global Poker Index, $1.19 million in a chop with Merson that had him walk with a cool million of his own.
With the conclusion of the PCA Main Event Final Table the European Poker Tour turns its attention to EPT Deauville which kicks off on January 22.
Doyle Brunson Will Retire From Poker After Last WSOP Outing This Summer
*Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson has announced his retirement from poker so that he can spend more time with his wife, who is in failing health.
Brunson has amassed 10 WSOP bracelets, a WPT title along with being a fixture in the high-stakes cash games run in the famous “Bobby’s Room” over the decades.
Talking to Poker Central ahead of his last WSOP foray Brunson said: “I’m planning on retiring after the summer. My wife is not in very good health, and I will stay with her for the duration of either her life or mine.”
You can read more on Brunson’s decision to retire from the game over on Poker Central.
Currently Brunson and his son Todd have cashed in the $10,000 No Limit 2-7 Single Draw — where play continues today — in what could be the last hurrah from the poker godfather.
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You need to see it to believe it!
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