Feeling flush about ’07, eyeing great ’08

As I look back on 2007, some of my poker highlights were winning more than $400,000 in live and online tournaments, finishing 91st in the CardPlayer Player of the Year race and capturing my second career title in consecutive years. Overall, I am very pleased with my 2007 results.

Another person who should be very content with his 2007 campaign is Ryan Daut. He kicked off the year by winning the 2007 Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) for $1,535,255. In 2007, this event set a World Poker Tour (WPT) record with 937 players. This week, Daut returns to the site of his victory at the fifth annual PCA, this year as a European Poker Tour event.

During last year’s event, Daut was involved in a critical hand with eight players remaining that helped him capture the title.

With blinds at 12,000 and 24,000, antes 3,000, Daut was sitting in early position. Looking down at big slick (Ad-Kh), he raised to 75,000. As the subsequent players folded, the button decided to call the raise, sending them off to a two-handed flop - Kd-9s-4s.

Catching top pair with top kicker, Daut fired out 110,000 chips. However, Mr. Button did not surrender, instead surprising onlookers by raising to 300,000. Daut decided to just make the call.

The dealer turned the Kc, giving Daut three kings. Nevertheless, Daut decided to play it safe by checking. Mr. Button continued his aggression by betting 400,000. Holding top trips with top kicker, Daut made the call.

The river card - 5s - was a dangerous card for Daut, as it completed the spade flush. After both players checked, Mr. Button flipped over Ks-Jc. However Daut’s ace kicker won the huge hand, capturing critical chips en route to the title.

Since the 2007 PCA, Daut cashed in at five additional events, including making another WPT final table at the recent Five Diamond World Poker Classic. After joining the Cardrunners.com team as a guest poker pro, he finished the year with almost $1.8 million in earnings. Now, that’s a pretty good 2007.

Daut will be my guest this Tuesday night from 6-7 p.m. on “The Bernard Lee Poker Show” on 1510 AM.

Good luck to everyone at the tables in 2008.


By Bernard Lee / The Final Table

News Added: 06 January, 2008

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