The majority of events on this year's SCOOP docket are two-day events. Mike 'goleafsgoeh' Leah ended Day 1 Event #36-L Limit Hold'em as the chip leader with 30 remaining. On Day 2, he didn't quite pull off an unstoppable wire-to-wire victory because one of those pesky Brazilians threw a roadblock and challenged him for the lead when action dwindled down to the final two tables. However, Mike 'goleafsgoeh' Leah regained his footing and recaptured the lead heading into the final table.
Sitting atop a mountain of chips at the final table, Mike 'goleafsgoeh' Leah didn't look back. He picked off manokippa2 in third place to prevent another Brazilian advance into the winner's circle. goleafsgoeh also kept the stupendous Ari 'BodogAri' Engel in check at the final table. Granted, goleafsgoeh held a massive edge when heads-up against BodogAri began, but he did not give BodogAri any wiggle room. Mike 'goleafsgoeh' Leah put away BodogAri in under 50 hands, and he officially won his first-career SCOOP title. Mike 'goleafsgoeh' Leah won two previous WCOOP bracelets, so now he has 3 COOP crowns.
The low version of SCOOP Event #36-L $27 6-Max Limit Hold'em attracted 1,202 original runners, who fired an additional 356 bullets for a total of 1,558 entrants. They boosted the prize pool to $38,248.90. The top 204 places paid out with $6,312.00 set aside to the champion.
Day 1 for this two-day limit tournament ended with 30 players remaining. Mike 'goleafsgoeh' Leah bagged up the most chips at the end of the day with 1.5M and only one other person (hanafi9) had at least 1M. Early on Day 2, it took less than 20 minute to trim the field from five tables to four. The pace held up and another tables was liquidated inside another 20 minutes. During that span, the legendary Donald busted in 17th place, and goleafsgoeh tumbled out of the top spot and was replaced by robinu666 and BodogAri, who were both closing in on 2M stacks.
By the first break of Day 2, EPT London champ Sebastian 'Pauli elTopo' Pauli busted in 14th place, and they were down to 12 on the final two tables. BodogAri way ahead an closing in on 3M with a 2.9M stack. With nine to go, BodogAri slipped and the lone Brazilian manokipp2 seized the chip lead.
On the final table bubble, goleafsgoeh surged to the top with 6M. With action hand-for-hand, robinu666 attempted to make a comeback with [Ad][Jh] but ran into manokippa2's [Ts][Td]. manokippa2 flopped a set and rivered a full house to win the pot. Canada's robinu666 bubbled off the final table in seventh place and 6-max final table was set.
SCOOP-36-L - Final Table Chip Counts:
Seat 1: manokippa2 (4,149,228)
Seat 2: JoeHeaton (541,909)
Seat 3: goleafsgoeh (5,632,033)
Seat 4: BodogAri (3,723,998)
Seat 5: flyy1220 (1,473,676)
Seat 6: hanafi9 (59,156)
The final table commenced during Level 36 with stakes at 80K/160K. Mike Leah a.k.a. goleafsgoeh held onto the lead with 5.6M and Brazilian manokippa2 was second with 4.2M. Norway's hanafi9 was the shorty with 59K.
Ari Engel is better known as BodogAri. Most recently, he shipped the Aussie Millions Main Event. He's one of those hybrid players who crushing online and live poker with equal dominance. Engel won his first SCOOP in 2014.
Mike 'goleafsgoeh' Leah shipped a pair of WCOOPs including a Badugi win in 2011 and a PLO WCOOP in 2015. He also took third in the 2011 WCOOP Main Event. Leah missed his first SCOOP title with a runner-up finish in 2012 SCOOP Triple Stud. He also final tabled two previous SCOOP events this year.
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LOW-SPARK OF HIGH-HEELED BOYS: hanafi9 eliminated in 6th place
Five hands. That's how long it took before someone busted. The final table did not play out a full orbit before short-stacked hanafi9 hit the bricks. On the second hand, hanafi9 woke up with [Ac][Qc] and doubled through manokippa2's [Kc][Qd] to stave off an elimination. A couple of hands hanafi9 tried to double up again, but this time monokipp2 wasn't going to lose that battle. hanafi9 opened to 160,000, manokippa2 raised to 240,000, and hanafi9 called all-in for 17,468. hanafi9 trailed with [6s][5s] against [Qs][Js]. The board ran out [Qd][Jh][7h][7s][3h]. hanafi9 became the first player to bust at this final table. Sixth place paid out $956.22.
HIDDEN TREASURE: flyy1220 eliminated in 5th place
Only 18 hands later, we got treated with another shootout and more fireworks. Betting got capped preflop between shorty flyy1220 and biggie goleafsgoeh. The flop was [Qd][Qs][7s]. flyy1220 bet 100,000, goleafsgoeh raised to 200,000, flyy1220 raised all-in for 273,676, and goleafsgoeh called.
flyy1220: [Ac][Tc]
goleafsgoeh: [Ad][Qc]
flyy1220 missed the flop and ran into trip Queens. The [Ks] on the turn and [Kd] on the river did not help flyy1220. goleafsgoeh dragged the pot. flyy1220 was knocked out in fifth place, which paid out $1,529.95.
With four to go, goleafsgoeh passe 10M in chips and JoeHeaton was the shorty with 396K.
MANY A MILE TO FREEDOM: JoeHeaton eliminated in 4th place
On the very next hand....JoeHeaton got liquidated. JoeHeaton raised preflop and BodogAri defended his big blind. JoeHeaton bombed it all-in on the flop of [7d][6h][4d] after BodogAri fired out 100,000, JoeHeaton raised all-in for 145,727 with [Ad][9h] and BodogAri called with [Qh][6s]. The turn was the [4c] and the river was the [Ts]. JoeHeaton never improved and lost to BodogAri's two pair. For a fourth-place finish, JoeHeaton earned $2,294.93.
With three to go... goleafsgoeh led with 10.4M, followed by manokippa2's 3M, and BodogAri's 2.1M.
RAINMAKER: manokippa2 eliminated in 3rd place
Brazil will have to wait another day to win their 16th bracelet because manokippa2 bowed out in third place. manokippa2 raised to 240,000 from the button, goleafsgoeh and BodogAri both called from the blinds. The flop was [Qd][9c][5c]. Action checked to manokippa2 who fired out 120,000, goleafsgoeh check-raised to 240,000, BodogAri bailed, and manokippa2 called all-in for 77,962. Heads-up. goleafsgoeh flopped a pair of nines with [9s][7s] to take the lead against manokippa2's [Kc][7d]. The turn was the [2d] and the river was the [5d]. Neither cards helped manokippa2, who hit the virtual rail in third place. Brazil's manokippa2 took home a payday worth $3,442.40.
HEADS-UP: BodogAri (Canada) vs. goleafsgoeh (Canada)
Seat 3: goleafsgoeh (13,673,671)
Seat 4: BodogAri (1,906,329)
With two to go, goleafsgoeh held a ginormous lead. Only one person stood in his way of his third COOP and first SCOOP. Meanwhile, BodogAri knew he'd have to ascend a beast of a mountain if he wanted to come back and win his second SCOOP title.
LIGHT UP OR LEAVE ME ALONE: BodogAri eliminated in 2nd place; goleafsgoeh wins first SCOOP and third COOP!
BodogAri could not orchestrate a coup. He simply didn't have enough bullets to compete. He lost a 3.2M pot late that nearly decimated his entire stack. goleafsgoeh dragged the pot with [7h][3c] for two pair. He had flopped a pair of sevens and just called after BodogAri check-raised him. goleafsgoeh rivered the trey and won the pot. BodogAri mucked his hand. He was left with only 346,329. BodogAri doubled up on the next hand with [Js][8c] against goleafsgoeh's [6c][4h]. But that pot was a mere band-aid on a gaping wound. He'd bust two hands later.
On the fateful hand... BodogAri opened to 320,000, goleafsgoeh raised to 480,000, and BodogAri called all-in for 52,658. BodogAri took a stronger weapon into battle with [Kh][9h] against goleafsgoeh's [Js][2s]. However, goleafsgoeh turned a pair of Jacks to clinch the win when the board ran out [Ah][Tc][5c][Jc][7c]. BodogAri never improved and was dunzo.
BodogAri earned a runner-up payday worth $4,723.73. He'll have to wait another day to win his second SCOOP.
Congrats to Mike 'goleafsgoeh' for winning Event #36-L. First place paid out $6,312.00 in addition to a Movado's commemorative champion's watch. This marked his first-ever SCOOP win, but his third overall COOP.
SCOOP-36-L ($27 FL Hold'em [6-Max]) results
Entrants: 1,558 (1202 entries, 356 re-entries)
Total prize pool: $38,248.90
Places paid: 204
1. Mike 'goleafsgoeh' Leah (Canada) $6,312.00
2. Ari 'BodogAri' Engel (Canada) $4,723.73
3. manokippa2 (Brazil) $3,442.40
4. JoeHeaton (United Kingdom) $2,294.93
5. flyy1220 (Canada) $1,529.95
6. hanafi9 (Norway) $956.22
Visit the SCOOP homepage for a schedule of remaining events. While you are there, find out who is leading for Player of the Series.
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Pauly McGuire is the author of "Lost Vegas" and a freelance contributor to PokerStars Blog.
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