The APC $10,000 Main Event Invitation Only Tournament took place on Saturday, June 10th and Sunday, June 11th. This event was a 2-Day Tournament, and gave away a $10,000 Seat into the World Series of Poker Event in Las Vegas!
To qualify you had to be a 1-year VIP Card Holder, and 195 players came out to play in the Main Event. The Grand Palais Banquet Hall in Lawrenceville was the perfect location to have such a large tournament!
Top 10:
10. Jennifer Lvovich
9. Curtis Fay
8. Al Davis
7. Steve Pavlichek
6. Huluka Abebe
5. Todd Brown
4. Ben Taylor
3. Mike Coco
2. Jeff Doran
and your winner –
T.J. MAUNDER
T.J. will play in the $10,000 Main Event in the World Series of Poker and has $1,000 in travel expenses! We all wish T.J. the best of luck! May his hands hold up, and may he have the best poker time of his life!
Inteview
How did it feel to win the $10,000 Main Event?
It was an absolute dream come true. Ever since I started playing poker, it has been a dream to play in the WSOP $10,000 Main Event in Las Vegas. Five years ago, I won a seat to the event, but came up short of making the money. Thanks to the APC, I have another opportunity to try to make it even further in the tournament this year. Who knows, maybe even the final table.
What was your impression of the APC $10,000 Main Event?
This is an outstanding tournament. The tournament structure is great and allows you to take some time to make better decisions. Having it take place over 2-days and having to bag your chips at the end of day one, makes it feel more like a WSOP event as well. The final table setup is unbelievable. Having the card readers, cameras, and live streaming really made it an awesome experience. My wife and kids were able to watch me playing at the final table, which was truly an honor for me.
How did you feel during the tournament at different levels?
At the beginning it was a bit of a grind. No one at our table could get very far ahead. Good players all around. As a side note, counting myself, three players from our initial table made the final table. Towards the end of Day 1, I was pretty confident that I could make it through to Day 2. On the last hand of the day, I was all in with KK against two players each holding QJ. J-J-x on the flop and I thought I was done for. K on the river and I was now in second place for chips in the tournament.
On Day 2, I was starting to get short on chips and I thought I would miss out on the final table. Right before the final table, I had another big hand with KK and it held up. The final table was crazy. Had a huge hand with AA versus KK that made me a big chip leader. When it got down to heads up, I was trying to be smart trying to finish off the tournament strong without making any mistakes. My opponent started gaining ground on me and I was starting to get worried that it might be slipping through my fingers. I kept pushing through and was able to get the win. What an awesome feeling!
What style would describe your game?
I would say that I tend to be more of a tight-aggressive type of player. It has served me well overall.
How long have you played poker?
I started playing Texas Hold'em in 1999 when I was introduced to it by my wife's brothers one night.
How long have you played with the APC?
I believe that I have been playing APC for about six years. Although I do not get the opportunity to play as much as I would like to the last couple years.
How have you changed your game over the years?
As I have gained more experience playing the game, I have tried to be more selective on the spots where I take big risks. I have been learning when to apply pressure in certain spots in order to induce other players to fold.
Do you continue to study the game?
I have been trying to study the game more the past couple of years through different poker books, webinars, etc. It has helped me to improve my game, better understand the odds in different situations, and leaned better how to read various situations that come up during a tournament or in a cash game.
Have you ever played in a WSOP circuit event other than your first $10,000 WSOP experience?
I have played in three or four of the WSOP circuit events at Harrah's Cherokee over the past couple years. I have not been able to push through to making the money in any of those tournaments, but I have learned a lot each time and have been making adjustments to my game that will get me there soon I hope.
What are you expecting at the WSOP $10,000 tournament in Las Vegas?
I am expecting a huge thrill just to be walking into the RIO again for this tournament. I am sure as Day 1 gets started, I will feel both nervous and excited. I remember from my last experience 5 years ago that I will need to pace myself mentally since the tournament is quite a grind each day. Playing poker in a high stakes and high stress environment for 12 hours a day can wear you out. I hope to stay mentally and physically fresh throughout the tournament. I am planning on being more careful than I was last time to keep from putting my tournament life at risk until I absolutely have to. The goal this time is to make it into the money and then try to finish as high as I can.
On a personal note, how long have you lived in Atlanta?
I have lived here for 14 years now.
Who are your favorite professional players?
Jonathon Little, Daniel Negraneau, Phil Helmuth, Phil Laak, and Antonio Esfandiari
T.J. is a great representative for the Atlanta Poker Club, and he leaves for Las Vegas on Sunday, and will start the WSOP $10,000 Main Event on Monday, July 10th. We will keep you updated on his progress! Good luck, T.J.!
