Michael Pons the winner at Le Batard tournament
The second Dan Le Batard tournament drew more than 300 players again. I'm kind of rushed today: I'll do a longer update tomorrow (it was a long night). Meanwhile, here's my lazy way out, the release from the fronton:
Michael Pons felt generous. The 26 year-old Miami native had a big advantage over the remaining eight players left at the final table of the Dan Le Batard 790 The Ticket Poker Tournament last night at Dania Jai-Alai.After all, he had not only survived the “all-ins” of the other 315 players, but was the chip leader with over 200,000 units at close to midnight in the Cardroom of the Dania Beach fronton.
There had been a total of 316 avid Texas Hold’em poker players, most being huge Dan Le Batard fans enjoying the party atmosphere of this popular tournament, getting to mix with the station personalities, and the lure of over $12,000 in total prize money.
At the final table, players started talking “chop” (splitting up the prize money) and Pons, looking down at his huge stacks of chips, said, “Let’s do it.”Pons could have collected over $4,500 had he played it out and won. But, because of the decision to split it up, he and the second place finisher took a little larger share of the winnings, $1,460 each, while the other six players collected $1,265.
“I had a great time, I don’t get to play in many tournaments, but this was really a lot of fun,” said the champion who, also, received a beautiful crystal trophy from Le Batard.
Dania Jai-Alai’s Cardroom is open Sundays through Thursdays from noon to midnight, Friday and Saturdays from noon to 3 am (or later).
The fronton is located at 301 E. Dania Beach Blvd in Dania Beach.
NICK SORTAL began playing 3-card "gut" and "Indian poker" on high school band trips, moved on to "night baseball" and "pass the trash" during a Dr. Pepper-infused midnight game in the 1980s at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and now play in a regular neighborhood Hold 'Em game in Plantation. I have been given the assignment of writing about the gambling life in South Florida casinos for the Sun-Sentinel...which means sitting around watching poker on TV now counts as research.
