MPT 2008 #8 - Main Event, Showboat AC (12/28/2008)

The third annual Mattress Poker Tour Main Event finished with a familiar face atop the standings. Despite a disappointing regular season, which did not include a single cash before the Main Event, Betdponies defended his Tournament of Champions victory last year and won his third straight MPT event held in December at the Showboat Atlantic City Hotel and Casino on Sunday, December 28, 2008.

The event featured one of the largest fields in MPT history, as ten players crowded the Orleans Tower room before the crowd was able to spill over into the adjoining room next door (after the tournament's co-host, RowanB, was finally able to check into the hotel). The tournament got off to a late start and was beset with delays, include the temporary loss of the Tournament Director software on the computer, but after a nearly three hours of play, and over five hours after the scheduled start time, a new champion was crowned.

The participants:

• Amazon - Trying for a record-setting third win of the season, while looking to secure the "Rising Star" award and looking to get out of the crowded hotel room and onto the casino floor.
  
• Baccarat King - Trying to regain the form that earned him his first MPT title last season
  
• Betdponies - Looking to salvage a miserable MPT season
  
• Bigfus - Seeking her fifth consecutive MPT cash and first career win
  
• Civicmon - Returning for his second MPT event on the season
  
• Harv29 - Hoping to secure the Player of the Year title and take home his second trophy of the season
  
• Mrs. Betdponies - Trying to finish ahead of her husband for the fifth time this season
  
• RowanB - Trying to rebound from a series of mediocre finishes following a promising start to the season
• RowanV - Seeking to prove her first MPT victory was no fluke and work her way back into "Rising Star" contention
  
• TSS777 - Looking to rebound from his worst finish in MPT history and claim his first Main Event title
  

The results:

• Betdponies
• Civicmon
• Bigfus
  
• Harv29
• Mrs. Betdponies
  
• RowanV
• RowanB
• Amazon
• TSS777
• Baccarat King
  

Play through the early rounds was mostly conservative, as most players tried to avoid busting during the early blind levels. Playing contrary to the rest of the field, was the typically aggressive Baccarat King as his loose call on the river with an AK after not improving on any street cost him all of his chips. Pre-tournament favorites TSS777 and RowanB each were eliminated from the tournament with pocket Aces, though in very different situations. TSS777 bet preflop and on the flop with the best hand, but was drawing to only two outs when he called RowanV's all-in on the turn after her pocket 7's improved to a set. RowanB busted with AA for the second time this season after trapping Betdponies with a preflop call of his raise to 200 during BB 100 Level and then making a small re-raise after Betdponies bet into a Q-Q-4 flop. RowanB, then called the all-in raise from Betdponies for his last 500 chips, only to fall victim to a runner-runner flush from 4-5 of spades. That hand catapulted the defending champion into excellent position to repeat.

Rising Star front-runner, Amazon, also suffered an early exit when she flopped top pair with A-10 and was all-in against Bigfus, who also flopped top pair, but her A-Q held up to give her a big chip stack in the early stages of the tournament. Bigfus was unable to capitalize on that early lead, but did hold on for her fifth straight cash of the season and 7th "in the money" finish in the eight events this year. Despite those gaudy numbers, Harv29 finished high enough in the final event while eliminating two players to win the Player of the Year trophy, which was presented after the Main Event concluded.

Civicmon patiently survived the experienced field of MPT veterans to earn his first career cash, though when heads-up play began he faced a significant chip deficit as was quickly eliminated, though he can take heart that his As 4c was in good shape against Betdponies' 10c 9c before the the 9h 5s 2s flop fell. Betdponies put himself into position to win the tournament by aggressively attacking the blinds and antes as the stakes were higher, while his opponents seemed content to wait for the perfect opportunity to play back at him. By the time they had that chance it was too late and Betdponies proved why he is the only four-time MPT champion.