PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Kicks Off 2014 Tournament Circuit

For the first time in its 11-year history, the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) featured a guaranteed prize pool in 2014. This was not just some token guarantee, either: PokerStars insured that players in the $10,300 no-limit hold’em main event would be battling for their share of at least a $10 million prize pool at the Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

The PCA main event has consistently been one of the largest tournaments on the calendar, drawing more than 900 players every year since 2007, with a high point of 1,560 entrants in 2011. The 2013 running drew 987 players, so it seemed like a sure thing that the $10 million guarantee would be met this year.

And then winter storms and freezing cold swept across North America during the first week of the new year, with low temperature records broken across the U.S. and Canada, leading to business, school, and road closures. The weather caused massive flight delays and cancellations that left many players stranded at airports or stuck at home. Possibly as a result of those travel problems, Day 1A of the main event had a somewhat low turnout of 295 players. That meant that more than 705 players would have to play on Day 1B in order to avoid an overlay.

By the time registration closed, a total of 736 more players turned out, meaning that the guarantee was indeed surpassed. The final prize pool of $10,000,700 was the fifth largest in the event’s 11-year history.

After five full days of play, the field of 1,031 was narrowed until only eight players remained to battle it out for the title and the allotted first-place prize of $1,820,420.
The chip leader heading into the final table was 27-year-old Estonian poker pro Madis Muur with 6,205,000. Muur plays primarily online, only participating in his first few live main events on the EPT after qualifying online. Right behind him was Canadian poker pro Mike “Timex” McDonald with 5,605,000. The 24-year-old had prior live tournament earnings in excess of $5.8 million, with his largest score coming from his win in the 2008 EPT Dortmund main event for more than $1.3 million. As a result of that prior EPT title, McDonald was still in the running to become the first player in history to win two EPT main events, a feat that has never been achieved in more than nine and a half seasons.

McDonald was able to wrest the chip lead away after winning a number of big pots, including eliminating Argentina’s Fabian Ortiz in eighth place with Q Q versus Ortiz’s A K. From then on, three players took charge of the final table: 2007 Card Player Online Player of the Year Isaac Baron took out seventh-place finisher Pascal LeFrancois. Dominik Panka busted Shyam Srinivasan in sixth place. Daniel Gamez went out in fifth place and Madis Muur in fourth. At that point Panka, Baron, and McDonald took a break to discuss a deal, eventually agreeing to set $100,000 from the prize pool aside to play for, while agreeing that each would at least earn the following payouts:

Dominik Panka — $1,323,096
Isaac Baron — $1,207,599
Mike McDonald — $1,064,000

During three-handed play, Baron’s stack dwindled down to just 3.8 million in chips before his final hand arose. Panka raised to 325,000 on the button and Baron moved all-in. Panka made the call with the A 9 and was ahead of Baron’s K Q. All of the tension of the run-out was diffused after a flop of 10[[suit:spade] 7 3 left Baron drawing dead, with Panka’s flopped nut-flush securing him the giant pot and sending Baron to the rail in third place ($1,207,599).

With that, heads-up play began with Panka holding a slight lead over McDonald. That lead was quickly erased, and then McDonald was able to build a lead before the next key hand arose. Panka raised to 400,000 on the button and McDonald three-bet to 1.2 million. Panka moved all-in for roughly 13.1 million and, after a moment’s thought, McDonald called with the K J. Panka was ahead with the 9 9, and McDonald was not able to make a better hand after the board ran out 10 8 2 8 2.

As a result of that hand, Panka took the lead and from there was able to steadily increase his chip advantage until he had a lead of roughly 5-to-1 before the final hand arose.

Panka raised to 500,000 from the button and McDonald went all-in for 5.4 million. Panka made the call with the A 2, which was ahead of McDonald’s 7 4. The flop didn’t really change much as it brought the J 5 2, but the 7 on the turn put McDonald in the lead and made him a big favorite to double up and keep his dream of making EPT history alive. The A on the river dashed those hopes however, sending McDonald to the rail in second place ($1,064,865) and securing the title for Panka. The young Pole denied McDonald’s run at setting EPT history and simultaneously put him into the record books himself as the first-ever Polish player to win an EPT main event.

“There a lot of very good poker players from Poland and I was expecting somebody else to be the first,” said Panka after his win. “But I was able to bring the glory to Poland and I am very, very proud to do it.”

In addition to the title he also earned $1,423,096 in prize money (after the three-handed deal), the trophy and 2,400 Card Player Player of the Year points, enough to secure him the early lead in the POY race.

“When the hands were turned up, I was like, ‘If I win this pot, I win the tournament. If not, then we are going to battle once more.’ I was happy when the hand was over, but I didn’t feel particularly strong emotions during the hand,” said Panka of the final hand. “It is a little bit overwhelming. The amount of money and how large of a success this is, in a tournament like this, it has not hit me as of right now. But in a few days or few hours I will probably be like (screeches).” ♠