Mark Verbal Cardenas was in a tough spot going into Week 11. It was the last week of the 2010 Spring session, and he had not yet clinched a seat at the coveted CPL Tournament of Champions. To make it to the Dance...he not only needed to finish in the top half of the field, a feat he had only accomplished 3 times previously in the session, but had to also finish ahead of Blind Me Down. Obviously Blind Me Down had TOC on his mind as well....and the fireworks began.
In the first hour of play we saw Full House v Full House and Ace high Flush v King high Flush. Members who had secured a seat at the TOC were punishing Verbal and Blind Me Down knowing they had not yet clinched.
But the deck had found Verbal....and he woke up several times to take down big pots. But the hand of the night was after Blind Me Down had been knocked out and Verbal was on the point bubble...fate in his own hands and one spot away from the TOC. Verbal had a decent stack and was in good position to outlast one more player. Then Verbal looked down at AA. Ahead of him Comeback Kid who also had a decent amount of chips in front of him bet out 3X. Verbal thought and thought and announced All In. Shocked, Comeback Kid called and flipped over JJ. Blind Me Down went nuts with excitement!! The possibility of Blind Me Down making the TOC was back on the table! Then the Flop came J-5-K. A Set for Comeback! Verbal started to take in the cost of his actions....losing to Comeback would cripple his stack...and would cost him the TOC seat. It would be the first time Verbal had not made the TOC. Then the Turn brought a 10. More outs for Verbal. Then the River....a Queen! Verbal raised his arms in victory! Blind Me Down's hopes were dashed for the second time in the evening...and Comeback Kid left for the rail.
Verbal went on to heads up play versus Mark El Nino Wittig in a very spirited heads up match that went back and forth for quite a while! But in the end it was Verbal's night. The deck would not deny him and Verbal flopped two pair to El Nino's top pair to end the match.
Thanks to everyone for the great session! Good Luck to All in the TOC!
Final Leaderboard
Points Awarded During Week 11
CPL Tournament of Champions Chip Stacks and Seeds
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