2014 Western New York Poker Challenge

$100,000 Guaranteed Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2014 Western New York Poker Challenge

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
109
Prize
$37,061
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$176,595
Entries
183
Level Info
Level
24
Blinds
15,000 / 30,000
Ante
3,000

Off to the Races

Level 24 : 15,000/30,000, 3,000 ante

Andre Smith opened for 65,000 from the button and Nicholas Walker called him from the small blind. Louis Aquilina then three-bet all in from the big blind for 299,000 more, Smith called him, and Walker got out of the way.

Aquilina: {4-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}
Smith: {a-Clubs}{q-Diamonds}

The board ran out {10-Spades}{7-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}{6-Clubs}{9-Diamonds} and Aquilina doubled on the hand.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Andre Smith
Andre Smith
1,250,000
-450,000
-450,000
Profile photo of Louis Aquilina
Louis Aquilina
800,000
200,000
200,000

Tags: Louis AquilinaAndre Smith

Level: 24

Blinds: 15,000/30,000

Ante: 3,000

Walker Put to the Test and Passes

Level 23 : 12,000/24,000, 3,000 ante

A massive pot just went down in the last hand before the break.

With around 125,000 in the pot and a flop of {6-Spades}{3-Hearts}{j-Hearts}, Nicholas Walker led out for 65,000 from the under-the-gun position and Louis Aquilina popped it to 140,000. Walker responded by three-betting to 395,000, and Aquilina four-bet all in.

Walker sighed and hit the tank. He agonized over the spot and eventually asked, "You flopped a set, didn't you?"

Aquilina didn't respond.

"If you didn't I think I'm ahead," Walker added. Eventually he called off and suddenly there were 2 million in chips at stake.

Aquilina: {j-Clubs}{10-Clubs}
Walker: {a-Spades}{j-Spades}

"Good call," Aquilina complimented. Walker clapped his hands together in excitement. It was clearly a defining moment for the young pro. What's more, he was rewarded for the tough call when the {5-Diamonds} safely landed on the turn followed by the {5-Hearts} river.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Nicholas Walker us
Nicholas Walker
2,000,000
1,100,000
1,100,000
Profile photo of Louis Aquilina
Louis Aquilina
600,000
-720,000
-720,000

Tags: Louis AquilinaNicholas Walker

Bob De Wolfe Eliminated in 5th Place ($11,125)

Level 23 : 12,000/24,000, 3,000 ante
Bob De Wolf
Bob De Wolf

Action exploded on a {q-Spades}{9-Clubs}{9-Hearts} flop between Bob De Wolfe and Andre Smith that resulted in the former player getting his sizable stack in the middle.

De Wolfe: {q-Diamonds}{8-Spades}
Smith: {9-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}

De Wolfe had flopped two pair, but it was no good as Smith hit trips. Neither the {5-Spades} turn nor {A-Hearts} river had any bearing on the hand, and De Wolfe had to settle for fifth place and $11,125.

"You were quite the character," someone at the table said. Indeed he was.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Andre Smith
Andre Smith
1,900,000
420,000
420,000
Profile photo of Bob De Wolfe
Bob De Wolfe
Busted

Tags: Bob De WolfeAndre Smith

Travell Thomas Eliminated in 6th Place ($8,653)

Level 23 : 12,000/24,000, 3,000 ante
Travell Thomas - 6th Place
Travell Thomas - 6th Place

After Bob De Wolfe limped from the hijack, a short-stacked Travell Thomas moved all in for 194,000 from the cutoff. Louis Aquilina called from the button, the blinds folded, and De Wolfe got out of the way.

Aquilina: {k-Spades}{q-Spades}
Thomas: {a-Spades}{10-Diamonds}

Thomas seemed shocked that his opponent called him with the hand that he did, but there was nothing that could be done about it now. Needless to say, the {10-Spades}{8-Spades}{k-Hearts} flop didn't sit too well with Thomas as Aquilina paired his king to take the lead, not to mention his flush draw.

Thomas, who finished eighth in this very event last year, was up out of his seat and didn't even notice the {10-Hearts} turn gave him back the lead with trips. Before he could, the {7-Spades} spiked on the river to give Aquilina the flush. Thomas was lamenting the defeat when he noticed the second ten.

"I didn't even see it," he said. "I knew my demise would be to some shit like that."

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Louis Aquilina
Louis Aquilina
1,320,000
430,000
430,000
Profile photo of Travell Thomas
Travell Thomas
Busted

Tags: Travell ThomasLouis Aquilina

De Wolfe Gives It Up

Level 23 : 12,000/24,000, 3,000 ante

Louis Aquilina opened for 50,000 under the gun and Bob De Wolfe looked him up from the small blind. De Wolfe then led out for 60,000 on the {q-Diamonds}{k-Clubs}{10-Hearts} flop, Aquilina min-raised to 60,000, and De Wolfe called, which brought about the {3-Clubs} turn.

De Wolfe led out for another 60,000, but this time he folded when Aquilina raised all in.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Louis Aquilina
Louis Aquilina
890,000
359,000
359,000
Profile photo of Bob De Wolfe
Bob De Wolfe
550,000
-150,000
-150,000

Tags: Louis AquilinaBob De Wolfe

Level: 23

Blinds: 12,000/24,000

Ante: 3,000

Walker vs. Gay

Level 22 : 10,000/20,000, 2,000 ante

Kyle Gray opened for 45,000 from the cutoff and received a call from Andre Smith on the button. Nicholas Walker then three-bet to 114,000 from the small blind, Gay moved all in for 204,000 more, and Smith got out of the way. Walker hit the tank for a bit, during which time he tried to coax some information from Gay, and then wound up making the call.

Gray: {k-Spades}{k-Clubs}
Walker: {k-Hearts}{q-Hearts}

Even had they not gotten it in preflop, we're guessing they would have on the {q-Diamonds}{j-Spades}{k-Diamonds} flop. Walker flopped top two pair, but of course it was behind the top set of Gay. The {J-Hearts} turn left Walker drawing dead, and after the {9-Hearts} was put out on the river, Gay was pushed the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Nicholas Walker us
Nicholas Walker
900,000
-350,000
-350,000
Profile photo of Kyle Gay
Kyle Gay
700,000
350,000
350,000

Tags: Nicholas WalkerKyle Gay

Trading Chips

Level 22 : 10,000/20,000, 2,000 ante

Action has been fairly slow as of late.

In the latest hand, Bob De Wolfe raised to 46,000 under the gun and Nicholas Walker called from the big blind. Walker then led out for 40,000 on the {a-Clubs}{a-Hearts}{j-Hearts} flop, De Wolfe called, and both players checked the {5-Hearts} turn. When the {8-Hearts} river put four hearts out on the board, Walker bet 50,000 and De Wolfe folded.