Event #3: $365 No-Limit Hold'em (30 minute levels)

Local construction manager snags a gold ring and a career-best score in NOLA

Scott Adams scored one for the home team early Saturday morning. The recreational player from New Orleans outlasted a field of 322 entries in a $365 no-limit hold’em event, winning his first WSOP Circuit ring and the top prize of $22,705.

Adams is a 57-year-old construction manager for a local school system. “Basically, I build schools,” he said. “And I love it.” Born and raised in Dallas, Adams has been a resident of New Orleans since 1993, and he’s proud of both the city and the local poker community of which he’s a part.

“This is our home turf,” he began. “New Orleans is really developing some good poker players here. I don’t know if I consider myself in that group, but I try to be.”

Adams’ performance on Friday makes a good case for his inclusion in that list of talented locals.

It took more than 12 hours of play to shrink the starting field down to one table, and, after a double elimination, Adams entered the eight-handed final table with a commanding chip lead. He and Randy Andrews were responsible for five of the next six eliminations, so it’s little surprise they found themselves heads-up for the title in the wee hours of the morning. Adams would get the last knockout, though.

After making a comment about getting sleepy, Adams apparently found a source of energy as the clock ticked toward 3 a.m. “I was getting tired, but I put on Chet Atkins and started jamming out for about 30 minutes,” he said. “That gave me enough energy to come through.”

Atkins once famously said, “Everything I’ve ever done was out of fear of being mediocre,” and Adams was in no danger of a mediocre finish in this event. He and Andrews traded few big punches during the heads-up match, but Adams ultimately prevailed as the advancing blinds turned the duel into a push/fold match.

After nearly 16 hours of play, Adams was hard pressed to articulate his emotions in the postgame interview. “I won…” he said from behind tired eyes. “It hasn’t sunk in yet. I felt like I really played well, and that’s what I felt good about.”

Although it’s his largest cash on record, Adams sees this result as just another step in the growth of his game. “I’m not sure that I look at it as an end-all accomplishment,” he said. “Everyone wants to win a bracelet, and this is stepping stone. I’m building up every time. This year, I’ve really done the work, so it’s really satisfying.”

When asked what his end-all accomplishment would be, Adams was quick with the correct answer: “Win the WSOP Main Event,” he said, matter-of-fact. It sounds like he believes in his chances, too. “You’re not going have a Friday duffer going out and winning the U.S. Open,” he said. “It’s just not gonna happen. But that’s what’s great about poker. Everybody has a chance.”

Randy Andrews quickly turned the tables on Scott Adams, moving into the lead and proceeding to whittle his opponent down into the danger zone. Adams will not go quietly, though, and Andrews has so far been unable to put him away.

In the most recent hand, Andrews opens the button to 125,000 (2.5x), and Adams three-bet shoves for 830,000 in the big blind. Andrews calls instantly, putting Adams at risk.

Andrews:   
Adams:   

The board runs out      , and Adams doubles up with aces up.

Scott Adams - 1,670,000 (33 bb)
Randy Andrews - 1,550,000 (31 bb)

With the big blind at 24,000, Benjamin Salpietra gets his last 331,000 chips into the middle preflop against Randy Andrews.

Salpietra:   
Andrews:   

The board runs out      , and Andrews comes from behind to win the pot with aces up. Salpietra is eliminated in third place.

Randy Andrews - 1,100,000 (46 bb)
Benjamin Salpietra - Eliminated

Action folds around to the blinds where Jason Bullock (pictured) moves all in for about 170,000 (~7 bb) in the small and Randy Andrews calls in the big to put Bullock at risk.

Bullock:   
Andrews:   

The board runs out      , and Andrews wins the pot with a pair of jacks. Bullock is eliminated in sixth place.

Randy Andrews - 675,000 (28 bb)
Jason Bullock - Eliminated

Wayne Lovell (pictured) moves all in for 20,000 in middle position, Austin Peck three-bets to 49,000 next to act, and Scott Adams calls in the big blind to create side action.

The two live players check it all the way down as the board runs out      . "I can't win with that board," Lovell laments as all three players table their hands.

Lovell:   
Peck:   
Adams:   

Adams wins the pot with aces up, and Lovell is eliminated in eighth place.

Scott Adams - 1,025,000 (64 bb)
Wayne Lovell - Eliminated

The field was recently reduced to 33 players, bursting the bubble and guaranteeing those remaining a return on their investment this evening. Right near the tail end of Level 18, the field is further trimmed to 27, and they're drawing for seats around the final three tables.

Five of the remaining players are ladies, including Denise Pratt, and points contenders Dennis Phillips and Austin Peck are also among those still in contention.

Blinds are 2,500/5,000 with a 500 ante for a few more minutes, putting the average stack just shy of 25 big blinds.

Level 8 is ticking off the clock, and this level represents the last chance to join (or re-join) the Day 1A field. There is a break following this level, after which registration will close for this flight. There are more than 300 entries so far.

Event #3 is under way.