The Annual · 1st Denny Poker Tournament

Dan Myers Takes Out Seven of Eight

Nine players, one table, six and a half hours — and one man responsible for nearly every chair that emptied.

Eight players had to go out. Dan Myers sent seven of them home himself. The first Denny Poker Tournament ran six hours and thirty-six minutes, and for most of that time it was one man steadily emptying the table. He takes the trophy and $225.

Seven of eight is a share of the night nobody is likely to match. Only one elimination all afternoon and evening had nothing to do with him, and it was the very first one.

The man who lasted longest against him did it without a single knockout of his own. Chris Dixon outlived seven players by staying out of trouble rather than making it, got heads-up, and lost it in three minutes and forty-five seconds. Second pays $135. Joe Johnson took the last of the money, $90 for third.

Where the money went

The undercard

With three paid from nine, the bubble was a crowded place. Eric Denny, who hosts the thing, and Rick Mazza shared fourth — and Mazza owns the one knockout of the night that was not the winner’s. Brian Schrameyer, Mandy Denny and Mike Short shared sixth, all three of them sent home by Dan within a few minutes of one another.

Lee Ugarte was the first man out, after six hours and thirteen minutes. On any other night that would be a deep run; here it was ninth of nine, which tells you how long nine people can sit at one table before anything gives.

The bigger picture

One tournament, one trophy, and no history to measure it against — this is the first of these. Nine players put up $450 between them and played most of a day for it, and the man whose name is on the tournament finished fourth in his own front room.

Whether this becomes an annual habit is up to the nine of them. On the evidence of six and a half hours, nobody was in a hurry to leave.

The 1st Annual Denny Poker Tournament — Saturday, May 19, 2007. 9 entrants, no rebuys, three paid from a $450 prize pool.