Michael Paterson Wins US Title at Caesars Palace
The Amateur Poker Association & Tour held its first event in the United States with the APAT North American Amateur Championship, which was held at Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas on 19th & 20th November 2011.
Early play was brisk with chip leader Don Logan accounted for several opponents in the first three levels, before he was joined by Jeldon Fernandes at the head of affairs. Indeed throughout the day, with only the exceptions of Robert McMillan (Arizona) and Michael Murphy (Oregon) play was largely dominated by the fifty one APAT members who travelled from the United Kingdom and Ireland to the tournament.
In the mid-levels, former APAT World Championship of Amateur Poker HORSE Champion Andrew Tracey became chip leader, before he lost some ground late on doubling up Colin Wilson and Dawn Dineen, putting them both in contention.
Meanwhile Jack Prime and Glenn Laming clashed on several occasions, Prime eventually being in the ascendancy as Laming exited near the end of day one’s play.
Scotsman Neil Dawson moved through the gears and doubled up near the end through Jeldon Fernandes to end a fast and furious day’s play as the chip leader.
At the end of day one 15 players remained with the chip leaders as follows:-
Neil Dawson 93,600
Michael Murphy 88,400
Jack Prime 86,700
Dawn Dineen 85,700
Tod Wood 75,100
The action and exits continued quickly on day two and the final table; which was railed by a boisterous and good natured contingent of players from the UK, lined up as follows:-
1 Neil Dawson 27,600
2 Dawn Dineen 106,600
3 Steve Roderick 60,700
4 Tod Wood 156,700
5 Stuart Ward 40,600
6 Jeldon Fernandes 64,000
7 Andrew Tracey 153,000
8 Brian Harland 80,700
9 Michael Paterson 135,100
10 Michael Murphy 52,900
Andrew Tracey accounted for Jeldon Fernandes, the first exit at the final, Aces holding up against a flopped flush draw. Tracey was by now over 250,000 chips and a solid chip-leader.
Stuart Ward knocked out Brian Harland in ninth, pocket Kings against a short-stacked Ace-Eight. Ward then ran pocket Queens into Paterson’s Aces in a 200,000 pot. Left shortstacked, former European Amateur Champion Ward was then knocked out eighth when Steve Roderick with Queens defeated his King-Jack.
Welshman Roderick then knocked out Neil Dawson in seventh, calling a ten big blind shove with Ace Ten suited, flopping an Ace to beat the suited connectors of Dawson.
Michael Paterson then flopped two pair after button raising, and Dawn Dineen check raised all in on the flush draw. The American missed the draw and exited in sixth.
With five left Roderick, Paterson and Tracey vied for the chip lead ahead of shorter stacks Tod Wood and Michael Murphy.
Roderick then eliminated Wood in a blind on blind battle Ace-Ten calling a shove from King-Seven before Murphy’s short-stacked vigil ended unavoidably when four handed he ran pocket Tens into Paterson’s Pocket Jacks.
When Paterson then felted Roderick with pocket Eights against a suited Ace three handed, he was a commanding chip leader with over 500,000 of the 900,000 in play
Roderick then had Queens against the Pocket Jacks of Andrew Tracey, three handed. Sickeningly for Roderick a flopped Jack gave Tracey the pot and Roderick was eliminated in the Bronze medal postion.
Heads Up, Paterson began with a two to one chip lead which he maintained before, eventually, the all-in confrontation saw Paterson with pocket Eights beat Tracey with Ace-Queen to win the event and cap a superb US visit for the Scotsman and his wife.
So the winner of the 2011 APAT North American Amateur Poker Championship was Galashiels Michael Paterson who won $4,231, the APAT Championship trophy and Gold medal.
Paterson, a member of the Silver medal winning Scotland team at the APAT European Amateur Team Poker Championship in 2008 was lost for words when presented with the Championship trophy by Charles Nistler, a Director of Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino.
APAT now moves on to the APAT UK Open in Manchester in the first weekend of December. For all the details of how to enter this and future APAT events and free membership of APAT visit www.apat.com.
