Sunday the 30th of March saw the Tea Tree Gully Hotel host the largest poker tournament in South Australian, and NPL history, with 601 qualifiers turning up to compete for over $25,000 in cash and prizes.
The were 328 competitors in flight 1who all turned up bright and early in the morning to play some high quality poker, flight 2 saw 273 of loyal NPL country supporters turn up for four hours of poker in the afternoon. That was over 600 players filling Tea Tree Gully’s beer garden to capacity to create NPL's largest ever final!!
After each flight had played for almost four hours we had 46 and 42 players from flight 1 and 2 respectively progress to the combine. At 12.30am, after almost 13 hours since flight 1 started dealing up the cards, our final table was decided.
Final Table Positions:
NAME CHIPSTACK QUALIFYING VENUE
1. Michael Beenham $68,000 Highlander
2. Jay Duckford $24,000 Woodcroft
3. Nicole Torchio $424,000 Bremen
4. Steve Crotty $333,000 Savvy Bar
5. Ben Proctor $140,00 Strathmore
6. Ian Roy $54,000 Midway
7. Jessica Szpajchler $155,000 Parafield Gardens
8. Michael Altamura $476,000 Bremen
9. Mark McKenna $156,000 Seaford
Blinds are 30,000/60,000 and the first three hands are a non event. In hand four Ian Roy is all in on the Big Blind, all players fold around to Ben in the small blind who makes the call of $54,000. Ian shows Jh5h which is not far behind Ben’s Qc2h, unfortunately the board of As,3h,8c,8s,7c is no help for Ian and Ben takes the pot with AQ high. Ian is out in ninth position.
With the first hand of 40,000/80,000 Jay Duckford is all in on the Big Blind. Steve min raises from early positions and all players fold. Jay’s hand of Jd3c is a huge underdog to Steve’s AsJh and the board rolls out Qh,Qs,6h,Kh,8s and Jay is eliminated in 8th spot.
Two hands later we have another player eliminated when Michael Beenham moves all in from late position for $66,000, Steve in the BB receives his change form his $80,000 blind. Michael is the favourite with his Ah2h up against Steve’s 7s6h. The flop proves promising for Michael when he hits a deuce; Kd,2s,Js, but the turn proves devastating when the 7d falls and Steve takes the lead. Unfortunately the river comes a blank, 10s, and Michael is eliminated in 7th spot.
Jessica is eliminated in sixth position in hand 16 when Steve raises from early position to $200,000, Jessica is shortstacked and makes the call, Jessica’s hand of QsJh is only a three to two underdog to Steve’s As7s. In the end though she remains the underdog all the way to the river when the board falls rags of 6c,5d,4c,2d,7h.
In hand 18 we see a battle of the blinds with Steve moving all in from the SB and Ben all in with his call on the BB. It’s promising that both players will chop the pot when Steve roll over Qd5s and Ben opens to show Qh3c. Unfortunately the flop of Ts,5d,5h proves devastating and the turn and river of Kd,7d are no help and Ben Proctor is eliminated in 5th spot.
At this stage of the tournament Steve Crotty is proving to be the dominant force on the table, removing four of our final table players. But the next 20 hands prove not so lucky for Steve with some big river cards for his competitors and all stacks fluctuating in size greatly.
In hand 40 of the final table Mark McKenna moves all in from late position for 316,000 and Michael makes the call from the BB. Mark is dominated when he finds out that his QcJd is all in against Michael’s AcQs. The flop of 4s,Jc,7s proves a miracle for Mark, but the poker gods show their true colours when the turn and river of Ts,Kh bring a runner, runner straight for Michael and Mark is eliminated in 4th spot.
After 40 hands we are down to three players, chip counts are:
Seat 1. Steve Crotty $450,000
Seat 2. Michael Altamura $476,000
Seat 3. Nicole Torchio $575,000
With Blinds now capped at 50,000/100,000 we see Michael’s stack take a few early hits and in hand 57 Steve pushes all in from the SB and Michael calls off his remaining 150,000 in chips. Steve shows AcJd and Michael is hoping for a miracle when he rolls over 4d5c. The board rolls out Kd,3c,8c,Ad,Tc and Steve eliminates Michael in third position.
We are now down to heads up with blinds at 50,000/100,000. The next fifteen hands do not show much action until Steve raises from the button and forces Nicole to call of her remaining $50,000 in chips. Steve is in extremely good shape with Nicole’s 5c6s all in against his KhKs (cowboys). The flop of Jc,8s,Qs is no help for Nicole but the turn card of 7d adds some hope and gives her an up and down straight draw. Unfortunately the river of 3s is a blank for her and Steve is the NPL State Champion for Season 1, 2008.
Congratulations to Steve on being the Season 1, 2008 State Final champion, a big congratulations to Nicole on her runner up position. Well done to all of our contestants and to our final tableists for putting on such a great performance of poker skills. Again it was great to see the ladies represented on the final table and really proving to the boys how much of a dominant force the woman are establishing themselves to be.
I would also like to congratulate all of the State Finalists for qualifying and being so cooperative on the day. From all of us here at NPL we thank you for your continued support.
A big heartfelt thanks and congratulations go out to the staff for running such a great day of poker and really showing how dedicated you all are to providing the best poker experience possible to all of our players.
Position Prize Name Qualifying Venue/Region
1st $10,000 Steve Crotty Savvy Bar (CBD)
2nd $3,080 Nicole Torchio Bremen (Metro NE)
3rd $2,200 Michael Altamura Bremen (Metro NE)
4th $1,500 Mark McKenna Seaford (Metro S)
5th $1,200 Ben Proctor Strathmore (CBD)
6th $1,000 Jessica Szpajchler Parafield Gardens C.C (Metro NE)
7th $700 Michael Beenham Highlander (Metro NE)
8th $550 Jay Duckford Woodcroft (Metro S)
9th $420 Ian Roy Midway (Metro NE)
10th $300 Dzil Jaugietis Blue Gums (Metro Ne)
11th $300 Peter Williamson Holdfast (Metro SW)
12th $300 Ivan Kovacevic Emu (Metro S)
13th $300 Hayden Cope Coopers Ale House (Yorke Pen.)
14th $250 Bradley Serbert Wallaroo Hotel (Yorke Pen.)
15th $250 Michelle Foskett Parafield Gardens C.C (Metro NE)
16th $250 Cameron Ferguson Broken Hill Musicians (Riverland)
17th $250 Justin Hoad State Leaderboard Top 50
18th $250 Clint Wehrmann Willaston (Barossa Gawler)
19th $175 Jason Larcomb Somerset (Metro NE)
20th $175 Robert Lambert Cue Sports (Metro SW)
21st $175 Adam Burk Pastoral Hotel (Mid North)
22nd $175 Johnny Arbucci Athelstone F.C. (Metro E)
23rd $175 Ty Supple Royal Exchange (Yorke Pen.)
24th $175 Dion Barker Shenanigans (Metro SW)
25th $175 Dave Barber Grand Junction (Metro NW)
26th $175 Bernadette McCormick Blue Gums (Metro NE)
27th $125 Belinda Marshall Torrens Arms (Metro E)
28th $125 Adam Van Schie Strathmore (CBD)
29th $125 Rick Myers State Leaderboard Top 50
30th $125 Brad Harvey State Leaderboard Top 50
31st Prizes Craig Perso Roulettes (Metro NE)
32nd Prizes Jeremy Plawecki Bartley Tavern (Metro NW)
33rd Prizes Joseph Abiricha Marion (Metro SW)
34th Prizes Julie Christie Roxby Downs (Mid North)
35th Prizes Bill Kanakaris Barmera Hotel (Metro NE)
36th Prizes Sal Pansini Risdon Hotel (Mid North)
37th Prizes Nick Nelli Grand Junction (Metro NW)
38th Prizes Tim Bredl Renmark Club (Riverland)
39th Prizes David Murrin Studio 89 (CBD)
40th Prizes Melissa Jackson Hotel Eyre (Mid North)
41st Prizes Phil Tan Tonsley (Metro SW)
42nd Prizes Craig King Hahndorf (Metro E)
43rd Prizes Brenton Furler Somerset (Metro NE)
44th Prizes Michael Lenard Christies Beach (Metro S)
45th Prizes Judy Cowin South Eastern Hotel (SE)
46th Prizes Shane Cosenza Woodville (Metro NW)
47th Prizes Sean Lawrence Aces Bar (CBD)
48th Prizes Pete Atkinson-Crawford Studio 89 (CBD)
49th Prizes Malcolm Biggs Christies Beach (Metro S)
50th Prizes Jess Beattie Checkmates (CBD)
I would also like to personally thank the following staff members: Suzie K, Matty Norwood, Andre Tomic, Moose, Nathan Butler, Nick Cresswell, Dakota, Grant Pepper and Brock for putting in such a phenomenal effort, working 18+ hours.
I would also like to thank the other staff members that were there on the day for spectating, working and supporting staff and players in whichever way they could. Thank you.
And finally I would like to thank all the staff and especially the players who have approached me over the last several days and commented on my departure from this state. I sit here now a little dumbstruck by the heartfelt sentiments I have received over the last several days. I have to say thank you and been referred to as the father or grand father of NPL in SA and the sadness that some people have expressed in my departure have been very heart warming and do me a great amount of honour.
Thank you to all the players for making this job the best job in the world, thank you to the staff who have made my job so much easier by their dedication and loyalty.
I will miss you all but I will be back now and again. And yes there will be a party somewhere, I'm sure of it.
and 40 to frown 
