The second annual Sierra Poker Classic, an official World Series of Poker Satellite Event with lower buy-ins that appeals to almost all poker players, included 13 tournaments, including the first-ever Crazy Pineapple World Championship, won by Tom Christopher, from Las Vegas.
Several snowstorms in the area produced a modest turnout. But for those who trekked to Tahoe to ski and play poker, the conditions were ideal.
The Sierra Classic's $1,500 buy-in no-limit hold 'em championship attracted 55 entries, generating $80,025 in prize money. All the action took place over a two-day period inside the Harvey's Lake Tahoe poker room and the winner was Erkut "Eric" Yilmaz, a 32-year-old poker pro originally from Istanbul, Turkey and now lives in Sacramento, where he concentrates primarily on cash games. Yilmaz collected $28,449 in prize money.
When heads-up play began, Eric Yilmaz enjoyed a 3-to-2 chip lead over Gene Rindy, who ended up with two seconds and a first-place finish in this series.
Yilmaz held the chip lead from start to finish, and was clearly the most dominant player at the final table. "I'm the best poker player in Sacramento," he declared prior to sitting down at the table. Now with this victory, Yilmaz could add that he is-at least for now-the champion of Lake Tahoe, as well.
HARVEY'S LAKE TAHOE 2009 SIERRA POKER CLASSIC
EVENT #12 4/10/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM MAIN EVENT
BUY-IN $1,500 + $100
PLAYERS 55
PRIZE POOL $80,025
1. Erkut Yilmaz . . . . . $28,449
2. Gene Rindy . . . . . . . $15,205
3. David Rowan . . . . . . $10,643
4. Marc Danai . . . . . . . . $7,522
5. Mike Cooper . . . . . . . $5,762
6. Greg D. Alaways . . . . $4,561
7. Ed Miller . . . . . . . . . . $3,521
EVENT #13 4/11/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $300 + $40
PLAYERS 43
PRIZE POOL $12,513
1. Vincent Remmel . . . . $5,756
2. Tony Dedo . . . . . . . . . $3,253
3. Loren Cloninger . . . . $2,002
4. Eric Stovall . . . . . . . . $1,001
5. Mike Burchfield . . . . . .$501
EVENT #11 4/8/09
LIMIT CRAZY PINEAPPLE 8
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 35
PRIZE POOL $6,790
1. Tom Christopher . . . $3,124
2. Gene Rindy . . . . . . . . $1,765
3. Malik Alarab . . . . . . . $1,086
4. Gary Mick . . . . . . . . . . .$543
5. Alexander Clark . . . . . .$272
EVENT #10 4/8/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $300 + $40
PLAYERS 25
PRIZE POOL $7,275
1. Eric Stovall . . . . . . . . $3,637
2. David Housel . . . . . . . $2,183
3. Ned Masin . . . . . . . . . $1,455
EVENT #8 4/7/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $300 + $40
PLAYERS 35
PRIZE POOL $10,185
1. David Rowan . . . . . . . $4,685
2. Phi Tran . . . . . . . . . . $2,648
3. Kevin McGirk . . . . . . $1,630
4. Beth Hoffman . . . . . . . .$815
5. Jared LeBlanc . . . . . . . .$407
EVENT #7 4/6/09
LIMIT OMAHA HI-LO 8
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 54
PRIZE POOL $10,476
1. Gene Rindy . . . . . . . . $3,725
2. Don Armanasco . . . . $1,990
3. Tabitha Woodcock . . $1,393
4. Darin Honorof . . . . . . .$985
5. Paul Castillou . . . . . . . .$754
EVENT #6 4/6/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $300 + $40
PLAYERS 38
PRIZE POOL $11,058
1. David Lucchesi . . . . . $5,087
2. Trevor Pierce . . . . . . $2,875
3. Ned Masin . . . . . . . . . $1,769
4. Beth Hoffman . . . . . . . .$885
5. Dave Hood . . . . . . . . . . .$442
EVENT #5 4/5/09
LADIES-NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 29
PRIZE POOL $5,626
1. Kim A Rubin . . . . . . . $2,813
2. Marlo Snyder . . . . . . $1,688
3. Debra D. Gibbs . . . . . $1,125
EVENT #4 4/5/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $300 + $40
PLAYERS 62
PRIZE POOL $18,042
1. Andrew Miller . . . . . $6,414
2. Jeremy Chew . . . . . . $3,428
3. Steve Kristy . . . . . . . . $2,400
4. Thompson Phu . . . . . $1,696
5. Dan Temko . . . . . . . . . $1,299
6. Steven English . . . . . $1,028
7. Akiyoshi Nagatoishi . . .$794
8. Roy Peters . . . . . . . . . . .$577
9. Jacob Amburgey . . . . . .$406
EVENT #3 4/4/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $500 + $50
PLAYERS 72
PRIZE POOL $34,920
1. Greg Pincombe . . . . $12,416
2. Oscar Rodriguez . . . . $6,635
3. Richard Talerico . . . . $4,644
4. Ed Krumrei . . . . . . . . $3,282
5. Richard Frishman . . $2,514
6. Frank Adams . . . . . . $1,990
7. Robert Herman . . . . $1,536
EVENT #2 4/3/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $300 + $40
PLAYERS 78
PRIZE POOL $22,698
1. Ed Yang . . . . . . . . . . . $8,068
2. Erle Mankin . . . . . . . $4,313
3. Merwick J. Black . . . $3,019
4. Manh Tran . . . . . . . . $2,134
5. Jim Pistorio . . . . . . . . $1,634
6. Joanne Giannotti . . . $1,294
7. Tony Dedo . . . . . . . . . . .$999
EVENT #1 4/2/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 108
PRIZE POOL $20,952
1. James Trott . . . . . . . . $6,299
2. Mitch Malakien . . . . $3,688
3. David Washburn . . . $2,535
4. Terry Davis . . . . . . . . $1,760
5. Brian "Miami" Coursen $1,330
6. Michael Poses . . . . . . $1,027
7. Jim Gooch . . . . . . . . . . .$817
