Game 5 – Sue S.

Can anyone stop the Buzzsaw?

We had another full game last night, as 27 players turned out for Game 5, a $60 buy-in no limit hold ’em tournament.

On the bubble, Dimitry and Sue S. saw a 9T3 flop. Dimitry bet out, was raised, and made the call. The rest of their chips went in on the jack turn. Dimitry flipped up T4 for second pair, but Sue showed QT for same pair, better kicker. When he was unable to pair his 4 on the 7 river, Dimitry was out on the bubble for the second time this season, just shy of the points and money.

Five-handed, Scotty Wayne shoved from the button with T5 and was met with a call from Nipun Java in the big blind holding a dominating A5. The flop of AK2 nearly eliminated all doubt, and it ran out an 8 on the turn and a 4 on the river to secure the bustout for Nipun. Scotty went out in fifth, taking home $108 and adding 27 points to his season total.

Soon afterward, Sue completed in the small blind with JT, only to have Ally Livendale shove from the big blind with A9. Sue figured she was behind but felt committed to make the call, and the two saw an 877 flop, bringing Sue gutshot outs and giving Ally a backdoor flush draw. The turn brought Ally one diamond closer to a flush…but unfortunately it was the ten of diamonds, pairing Sue and vaulting her into the lead. The offsuit king on the river changed nothing, and Ally was done in fourth place, locking up her first live EPL cash. She won $162 and earned 81 points for her efforts.

Next to go was Nipun, who pushed from the small blind with 44 and was called by Sue in the big blind holding AJ. The flips continued to favor Sue, as she nailed the A73 flop to take a huge lead. Neither the queen turn nor the 5 river were any help to Nipun and he followed up last week’s win with a third place finish here, good for $216 and 135 more standings points.

Sue began heads-up play with a little more than a 3-1 chip lead, and it wasn’t long before she finished the job. In the final hand, Allyson shoved with Q6 and was quickly called by Sue, who had woken up with AQ of clubs. The flop was a doozy – 542 with 2 clubs, giving Allyson additional straight outs, but taking away her club outs at the same time. Allyson made her straight on the 3 turn… but it was not the 3 she was looking for. Sue had made the nut flush, and Allyson was drawing dead when a meaningless 3 fell on the river. Her runner-up finish earned her $324 and 189 points, while Sue continued her incredible run, picking up $540 and 270 more points for the win.

1st – Sue S. ($540)

2nd – Allyson Haim ($324)

3rd – Nipun Java ($216)

4th – Ally Livendale ($162)

5th – Scotty Wayne ($108)

Sue has gotten off to the hottest start in EPL career history, cashing in all three of her first three EPL games, and winning two of them. While she has far from mathematically clinched a Championship seat, for all intents and purposes, she has secured one of them. Her league-leading 606 points would have easily been enough to qualify in any other season.

Nipun is also putting together a nice run, and he moves into second on the standings list by virtue of his third-place finish last night, edging just past Todd Ullman who sits in third overall.

Sue and Nipun also sit 1, 2 respectively on the Money List – Sue has already netted over $1,000 through just a few games.

Sue is also making it awfully tough for anyone to catch her in the Bustout race. She is AVERAGING 7 bustouts per tournament, and her 21 is way out ahead of Ernest Burnett, who has 11, and Nipun and Todd U., who have 9 each.

We are now a quarter of the way through the season. Here is who would qualify for a Championship seat if the season ended today:

1	Sue S.	606
2	Nipun Java	405
3	Todd Ullman	395
4	Derek	301
5	Amete Darvish	284
6	Scotty Wayne	209
7	Sonia Just	189
7	Ernest Burnett	189
7	Allyson Haim	189