MPT 2009 #2 - Bally's AC (7/3/2009)

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - Playing in only his third MPT event, Janek13 made his first cash in series history a memorable one. After winning a huge pot in the early stages he put his opponents to tough decisions throughout the tournament, playing and unpredictable mix of starting hands and keeping his more experienced opponents off guard. However, Janek13 never relinquished the chip lead until the late stages of the tournament, and then quickly put himself back into a lead the he would never give up again.

Sass, playing her first tournament after dropping the Mrs. Betdponies moniker, stepped out of her husband's shadow by earning her second consecutive cash of the 2009 season. She played patiently during the early stages of the tournament, then increased her aggressiveness in the late stages, while also recognizing when her opponents lessened their starting hand requirements to make some astute calls when the money was on the line.

The play of Sass and Janek13 helped frustrate multiple MPT champion TSS777, who put himself in position to win in the late stages, but was unable to close out the tournament. His third place finish marked his first MPT cash in which he did not win. Despite his disappointment with this finish, it did prove that TSS777 continues to be a force to be reckoned with in MPT events.

Finishing out of the money for the first time since the tournament during last year's Fourth of July weekend was MPT 2009 Event #1 champion Bigfus, who ended a MPT record streak of six consecutive cashes. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, MPT 2008 Event #1 champion RowanB extended his streak of out of the money finishes to six, breaking a tie with Harv29 and Betdponies for the most consecutive MPT events without a cash. The aforementioned Harv29 and Betdponies also continued their early season struggles, while Mrs. TSS777 became the ninth different player to finish last place in a MPT event.


The participants:

• Betdponies - trying to win a regular season event for the first time since March, 2007
  
• Bigfus - looking to follow up on her first series win and extend her streak of cashes
  
• Harv29 - hoping for a good result to put himself back in contention to defend his Player of the Year title
  
• Janek13 - returns to the MPT after a year absence; in search of his first MPT cash
  
• Mrs. TSS777 - making her MPT debut and hoping to beat her husband
  
• RowanB - looking to avoid the longest streak of futility in MPT history
  
• Sass (formerly Mrs. Betdponies) - trying for her third cash in her last four events
  
• TSS777 - looking to rebound after two out of the money finishes; hoping to tie Betdponies for the most wins in series history
  

The results:

• Janek13
  
• Sass
• TSS777
  
• Bigfus
• RowanB
• Betdponies
• Harv29
• Mrs. TSS777