Eight Deuce · Tournament #48

Forty-Three Minutes Heads-Up, and Eric Denny Wins His Twentieth

The first repeat winner of the season, and he takes a ninety-point lead with him.

Seven tournaments had produced seven different winners. The eighth produced the first repeat: Eric Denny made five knockouts, played forty-three minutes heads-up and won $405 after five hours and forty-two minutes at the table.

It is his sixth Eight Deuce win and the twentieth of his career across the two leagues, more than anyone has. He won in May, was second in June, bubbled in July and has now won again.

Juan Lopez made four knockouts and took $260 for second, his second cash in three tournaments. Warren Mervin was third for $180 without a knockout, and Mike Conner fourth for $135 with three — his first cash since April of last year.

Where the money went

The undercard

Paul Coffman made three knockouts and bubbled in fifth, the second time in four tournaments he has come fifth. Justin Vaughn, who won in June, went eleventh.

Steve McLean was the first player out after two and a half hours.

The bigger picture

Fifteen players and three rebuys made $980, the first tournament under $1,000 all season and the smallest pool since last October. Even so, eight tournaments have now produced $9,500 — within twenty dollars of the most any complete season has ever paid out, with two still to play.

Eric Denny leads on 352.21, seventy-nine ahead of Lee Ugarte. He has played all eight; the men behind him have played six and seven, which means their totals can still climb without dropping anything.

Eight Deuce #48 — Friday, August 8, 2025. 15 entrants, 3 rebuys, four paid from a $980 prize pool. Player of the Year counts each player’s best eight scores.