MPT 2009 #3 - Rio Las Vegas (8/2/2009)

LAS VEGAS, NV - A record setting field of sixteen players gathered for last weekend's Mattress Poker Tour Las Vegas Spectacular II and when all the cards were dealt, online poker star and Kill Everyone co-author Trojanrabbit emerged victorious. Trojanrabbit was one of seven players making their MPT debut during this event, as was second-place finisher Stan. Tournament Director, Harv29, became the only player to cash in both Las Vegas MPT events with a third place finish.

The tournament got off to a fast start for Trojanrabbit, when he caught veteran poker player and MPT rookie, hammah, attempting to resteal and his A-K held up to put him into the early chip lead. By the first break, all of the chip leaders were at the satellite table 2, while play was more steady at the feature mattress, particularly after Noahcat's aggressive play in the early stages did not pay off. Defending MPT champion, Janek13, also busted early in the tournament, helping Stan hold the chip lead with over 5,100 chips at the break. Trojanrabbit and dorianmac also had added substantially to their chip stacks, while Harv29 and Sass were dominated the early action on the mattress, before Sass moved to table 2.

As the tournament continued, the poker author showed a textbook example of how to bully players with a big stack. While he admittedly "ran good" and had strong enough hands to call a few times when re-raised, he kept pressure on his opponents throughout the tournament, steadily accumlating chips while carefully avoiding confrontations that could have put a big dent in his stack. Trojanrabbit took a commanding lead in the tournament, one that he would never relinquish, while playing 6-handed when MPT veteran RowanB moved all-in preflop against a short-stacked Sass in the big blind, only to be called by 'rabbit's pocket aces. The rockets held up and knocked both Sass and RowanB out, while bursting the bubble.

Sionow, returning for his second MPT after playing in last year's Las Vegas event, played a patiently aggressive tournament, catching his opponents attempting to steal blinds on a few occasions and lasting long enough to earn his first MPT cash. The MPT host and defending season champion, Harv29, earned his first cash of 2009 after chipping up early and hanging around to finish third. Stan, who built a big early chip stack and continued to accumulate chips when he moved to the more passive feature mattress, took some hits at the final table that put him far behind when heads up play began, but prooved he was no novice in his first MPT outing. Still, the night belonged to Stan's brother-in-law, who taught the MPT field how to play like a pro.


The participants:

• Betdponies - Three-time Main Event Champion, in search of his first regular season MPT cash since March, 2007
  
• Bigfus - The most successful player in series history, but coming off a rare out of the money finish following her breakthrough win in June
  
• Dorianmac - Returning for his second MPT and looking to improve on last year's early exit
  
• Hammah - World Series of Poker veteran and California cash game specialist, making her MPT debut
  
• Harv29 - Tournament Director and defending Sealy Cup champion, in search of his first cash of the 2009 season
  
• Janek13 - Winner of the last MPT event
  
• JTinLV - Las Vegas local and cash game specialist; also supplied the chips for this event
  
• Judykq - Video Poker star, making her MPT debut
  
• NMchop - Actually awake for this year's Las Vegas event, making him sure to improve on last year's finish (or non-start)
  
• Noahcat - A true wildcard in the field, moving on the MPT stage after practicing in local cash games and during her last trip to Las Vegas
  
• RowanB - A Sealy Cup leader at one point during last season, who has fallen into a record-setting slump for failing to cash
  
• Sass - One of the most consistent players in recent events, but feeling the pressure of most MPT starts without a win
  
• Sionow - Professional vacationer, taking time during his 55 days away from home to join the festivities
  
• Stan - A late addition to the tournament roster, accompanying Trojanrabbit to the event
  
• Tennis_bum - Long-time Las Vegas Advisor forum contributor and veteran poker player who is finally available to buy into a MPT event
  
• Trojanrabbit - Online poker pro and co-author of Kill Everyone: Advanced Strategies for No-Limit Hold 'Em Poker Tournaments and Sit-n-Go's, meeting some of the folks from the Kill Phill online forum that he contributes to
  

The results:

• Trojanrabbit
• Stan
• Harv29
  
• Sionow
• RowanB
• Sass
• Tennis_bum
• NMchop
• Dorianmac
• Judykq
• Bigfus
• Betdponies
• JTinLV
• Janek13
• noahcat
• hammah