THE MAIN EVEN WINNER IS DECLARED, his name is SHAN JING!
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| 1st Place: Shan Jing wins $135,981* ($175,786) |
Mo Fathipour, The Bicycle Casino Tournament Director,
shakes hand with the newest Card Player Poker Tour Main Event Champion,
Shan Jing!
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| Raising the Winner's Championship Cup! |
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| All smiles! |
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| Behinds the scenes interview between Card Player Poker Tour director, Diana Cox & producer, Erick Fast, and Shan |
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| Sharing his biggest hand that turned the tides in the tournament (Ace-Five) pair of Aces versus second pair for a monster pot three handed! |
The Card Player Poker Tour Bicycle Casino main event came down to Los Angeles regular
Shan “Pacman” Jing and former online multi-table tournament super star
Amit Makhija.
After outlasting a field of 527 players, the two made an even chop for
the money and were dealt a regular hand to determine the winner of the
CPPT trophy and title.
With $175,786 on the line for first and $96,175 for second, Jing will
took home $135,981 and Makhija recieved just one dollar less.
“He played very well and I tried not to play against him during the
tournament,” Jing said of Makhija. “He is a very good player and I
respect him a lot. Over the last few days playing with him I think he is
a very, very nice guy. He played extremely well, but the most important
thing is he is a gentleman. He is a classy guy, he has very good table
manners and this has just been a pleasant experience to play with him.”
Amit Makhija
Three former
CPPT
champions took a run at a second title – something which has yet to be
accomplished in nearly two seasons of tournaments. Most notably was
Allyn Shulman,
who won the Venetian main event during the summer of 2013 for over
$293,000. Former Bicycle main event winner Thomas Beckstead and Erkut
Yilmaz, who won the Atlantis Casino Resort main event in Reno just a few
months, ago also showed up to try for title number two. Becksted failed
to reach the money, Shulman was eliminated in 17th for $5,770 and
Yilmaz went out in 16th for $6,700.
The Quantum Reload format, allowed players to buy directly into day 2
at a higher price point to receive an average stack, drew 56 players
and increased by the prize pool by 47 percent.
“I got lucky and I played just one session on Sunday,” Jing said.
“But earlier this year I played a couple of Quantum Reload tournaments
where I bought in on day 2. I feel this is a very, very good concept.”
The first elimination of the day happened when Tim Cramer moved all
in for his last 793,000 from the hijack seat and Adam Volen called from
the cutoff. Cramer held K
J
against Volen’s A
Q
and found no help on a 7
5
4
8
Q
board.
Next to go was John Apikian who, facing a pre-flop raise from Jing
and a re-raise from Makhija, moved all-in on the button with A
J
. Jing got out of they way but Makhija quickly called with K
K
. Mahkija’s kings held on a Q
8
4
9
J
board and Apikian was eliminated as the eighth place finisher.
Not long after Apikian left the table, Cody Shedd followed as the
seventh place finisher. Shedd raised to 185,000 from the hijack seat and
Makhija re-raised to 460,000 from the big blind. Shedd then put his
tournament life on the line by moving all in for 3.1 million with A
K
. Makhija quickly called and showed J
J
. Makhija picked up a set after a J
8
4
flop and Shedd found himself drawing dead after the 6
opened on the turn. By the time the meaningless 8
fell on the river, Shedd had already made his exit.
Douglas Suyemoto quickly followed as the sixth place finisher when he
moved all in for his last 300,000 and received a call from Volen in the
big blind. Suyemoto was ahead with J
5
against Volen’s 8
3
, and while a flop of J
10
7
gave him a pair of jacks, Volen picked up a straight draw. The 9
on the turn left Suyemoto drawing dead before the irrelevant K
turned up on the river.
Josh Hale
After
about two-and-a-half-hours of five-handed play, former World Poker Tour
Champion Josh Hale- who won the Legends of Poker at the Bike in 2012
for a cool $500,000- ended up as the fifth place finisher. Hale moved
all-in for 1.6 million holding J
10
and Jing snap-called with A
K
.
Hale looked good for a double-up after flopping a pair of tens, but an
ace on the turn put Jing in the lead. Hale’s hand failed to take over on
the river and his exit marked the end of his deep run.
After beginning the final table with the chip lead, Volen was unable
to ride it all the way through to the end and followed Hale out the
door. Volen raised to 400,000 from under the gun and Makhija moved
all-in from the big blind. With about 2.6 million left, Volen called and
tabled 9
9
. Makhija rolled over Q
J
.
Makhija paired his jack on the flop and picked up another on the turn,
leaving Volen in search of a nine to stay alive. But instead of a nine,
the river was the 6
and Volen saw his tournament come to an end.
Zaher Samaan was no stranger to the
CPPT
Bicycle main event final table having finished eighth in the same event
over one year ago for $9,050. Samaan was able to improve on his
previous finish and made his exit as the third place finisher when he
tangled with Makhija. Makhija raised to 450,000 from the button and
Samaan announced he was all-in for 1.9 million from the small blind.
Makhija called and the hands were tabled with Samaan holding A
7
against Makhija’s Q
J
. The board ran out K
5
3
5
J
to pair Makhija’s jack and send Samaan home.
Final Table Results
| Place |
Player |
Earnings (USD) |
POY Points |
| 1 |
Shan Jing |
$135,981 |
840 |
| 2 |
Amit Makhija |
$135,980 |
700 |
| 3 |
Zaher Samaan |
$56,510 |
560 |
| 4 |
Adam Volen |
$43,115 |
420 |
| 5 |
Joshua Hale |
$35,765 |
350 |
| 6 |
Douglas Suyemoto |
$25,535 |
280 |
| 7 |
Cody Shedd |
$19,900 |
210 |
| 8 |
John Apikian |
$15,455 |
140 |
| 9 |
Tim Cramer |
$11,610 |
70 |
