The game of poker, especially tournament poker, requires a lot of patience. As much as one might want action, a player can’t just throw out bets willy-nilly and hope to win. It often requires orbit after orbit of waiting for the right moment and the ability to take advantage of that moment to win a tournament. That is just what Tommy Vedes did Monday night, coming back from a serious heads-up chip deficit to win the World Poker Tour (WPT) Seminole Hard Rock Showdown, $779,520, and a $25,500 seat in the WPT World Championship.
Going into heads-up play against 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine member John Dolan, Vedes was staring at an uphill climb as he was trailing 6.3 million chips to 2.535 million. The blinds and antes were just 40,000/80,000/10,000, so while he had to find a spot to make a move, he didn’t have to go crazy too soon. Vedes was patient, carefully measuring his options on each hand, waiting for the right opportunity. He had let his chip stack slip to about 1.8 million when on the 19th hand of heads-up play, he finally found a spot to pick up chips. He called a raise to 180,000 pre-flop and the flop came down 9d-8d-2d. Vedes checked, Dolan made a continuation bet of 240,000, and then Vedes raised him up to 530,000. That was the sign that it was time to go – both men got all of their chips in the middle. Dolan showed As-9h for top pair, but Vedes had Qd-3d for a flopped flush. Barring an incredible runner-runner, Vedes was going to double-up. And double-up he did, taking his stack to 3.66 million, still behind the 5.035 million of Dolan.
Vedes took his foot off the gas again, content to win a few chips here and lose a few chips there, until he found another spot about 12 hands later. Dolan raised to 200,000 pre-flop, Vedes called, and the two saw a flop of 7s-5c-3c. Dolan led out for 215,000, Vedes raised to 585,000, and after a minute or so of thought, Dolan shipped the rest of his chips into the middle of the table. It didn’t take long for Vedes to make the call, risking his tournament life with Jc-7d, good for top pair. Dolan had top pair as well, but with just 7h-4h, he had a weaker kicker (a gutshot draw was also in play). The turn 10c was good for Vedes, giving him a flush draw, which eliminated a couple of Dolan’s outs. The river was the 8d, helping nobody, and giving Vedes the double-up. He now held the chip lead for the first time in heads-up play, 5.68 million to 3.015 million.
It took just eight more hands for Vedes to clinch his second World Poker Tour title. On the championship hand, Dolan raised pre-flop to 250,000 only to see Vedes re-raise him to 620,000. At that, Dolan went in the tank. After a couple minutes, he finally moved all-in, prompting an insta-call from Vedes. The hands:
Vedes: Ad-Td
Dolan: Kd-6d
The flop was exactly what Dolan needed: Kh-Jc-6h, giving him two pair and the lead. The turn card Qs, though, appropriately “turned” the tables, giving Vedes a Broadway straight. The 4c on the river was a total brick and Tommy Vedes was the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown champion.
World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Showdown – Final Table Results
1. Tommy Vedes – $779,520
2. John Dolan – $459,360
3. Joe Serock – $306,240
4. Craig Bergeron – $212,976
5. Sharon Levin – $158,688
6. Kyle Bowker – $122,496