Ken Donarski Claims Second Ring After Coming Up Short In Event #1
While PokerNews is here offering live updates from the Main Event, we��d be remiss if we didn��t tell you about the full schedule of side events that have been playing out over the past week at the World Series of Poker Circuit Potawatomi.
In Event #5: $400 NLH Turbo, 155 runners created a $55,155 prize pool that was paid out to the top 24 players. Among those to cash but fall short of the official final table were Thai Dinh (10th- $915), Jason Alonzo (13th - $787), Gerald Heath (14th - $787), James Pupillo (18th - $699) and Cole Sudeck (23rd - $604).
In the end, it was Illinois native Ken Donarski who collected every chip in play to win his second gold ring along with a $13,127 payday.
The one-day event was moving fast-paced as most turbo events are and bodies kept flying to the payout desk even after the final table was reached. It wasn��t until three players were remaining until chips were evened out and play slowed down.
Once Donarski eliminated Jeff Halcomb in third place, he took a sizable chip advantage into the heads-up match against Gordie Jones.
The heads-up battle lasted didn��t look like it was going to last very long as all the chips were in the middle the very first hand. Donarski flopped top-pair and was ahead until Jones turned his open-ended straight leveling the playing field.
The back-and-forth battle continued to a point where Jones took the commanding chip lead and the two players were all in once again. It was a race for Donarski��s tournament life as he held big slick while Jones held a made hand of nines. Jones was looking good to secure the title until an ace fell on the river giving Donarski the double-up and turning the tides once more in his favor.
The heads-up match continued with one more all in where Jones got his stack in on the turn holding two-pair while Donarski flopped his ace. Jones got his money in good once more, but it was like he was in a bad dream playing over as Donarski rivered a third ace to send Jones out the door in second place.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ken Donarski | Willow Brook, IL | $13,127 |
| 2 | Goride Jones | Nekoosa, WI | $8,114 |
| 3 | Jeffrey Halcomb | Chicago, IL | $5,649 |
| 4 | David Tyler | Oconomowoc, WI | $4,030 |
| 5 | Jeremy Johnson | Green Bay, WI | $2,947 |
| 6 | Joseph Reiman | Waukesha, WI | $2,210 |
| 7 | David Watters | Neenah, WI | $1,701 |
| 8 | Fredrick Bailey | N/A | $1,346 |
| 9 | Kyungmin Park | Northbrook, IL | $1,094 |