CONGRATULATIONS TRAVIS HART !!!
The Atlanta Poker Club would like to congratulate Travis Hart for his dominating win in the Season 12 Grand Championship. This is a very prestigious event that is held at the end of every season and a title only a select few hold.
We sat down and talked with Travis about the tournament and his win and here is what he had to say:
” I was pretty much on edge the entire day. I lost the first hand ( Around 1200 in chips ) when I had AK against Jim Burns‘ Aces and I flopped a King. Then I had AJ against Randy Orr’s KK about 8 hands later. The flop came AK4, but I only lost 300 chips on that hand.
Another big hand I had early 150/300 was Raised from under the gun by big stacked Will Hinson to 1000 and an all in by JR. I looked at QQ on the button and folded. Will had AK and JR had 10’s, his 10’s held up. I still thought it was a good fold because I thought I was beat. Jim Burns had doubled me up a few hands before when I had QQ against AK and the flop came all low cards and I pushed in. Not much later after that I flopped a set of threes against Terri and she bet out and I raised and I just kept raising her. After that pot I think I had figured I now had an opportunity to win. I finally took a giant pot from Will and knocked him out when I raised on the button when it folded to me with A8s, and Will called and the Flop came A88. Will checked the flop and I checked the flop. Will went all in on the turn which was a blank and I called immediately. He had AJ. The river was a blank and now I was huge stacked, and about to go to 3 tables. I finally got to stop dealing(the Last Player Dealer).
At three tables I lost more big hands than I won and lost about fifty percent of my stack. There was one hand that sticks in my mind that happened with Jarome. I raised in pretty early position with JJ and Jarome just called with QQ. The flop came AA3 or something like that and turn king. Neither of us made another bet because the board shut down our action and we thought the other was trapping the whole hand. I lost the minimum on yet another hand. I survived though, and we went to two tables. Bill started dealing the table, and I started to lose faith because, as a dealer or a player, Bill always seems to river me. I picked up KQ with a couple of limpers in the pot, but I was so short stacked, I had to push all in and no one called and I doubled up without seeing a flop. Not soon after that Gerald Shafer pushed all in with 66 two behind the button and I was in the small blind and had AA. I called of course and won the pot. At this point I had around 40000. I raised a couple of times and picked up blinds to get to around 60000 before the final table started. Bill was good to me that day.
At the final table, I wanted to let some of the short stacks get knocked out first before I started do anything. I think two or three players got knocked out before I played a hand. Then I just started raising. I had AQ three times until Ian D called and was all in I think. My A high won the pot. At this point I think I had around 95000, and there were I think 6 players left. All this time Getty was building his stack. I took a few beats at the table and just kept on ticking. I had several players all in at the final table and I just couldn’t take them out. I pushed all in out of the small blind with JJ when it folded to me, and Steve C. looked and Called with A4 and flopped a wheel which was pretty sick. I also had 66 against Steve’s A7 and he hit a 7. This whole time I was wondering if I was going to be able to knock him out. I would lose those pots but I was maintaining my stack by raising and taking the blinds so much that it was really irritating Getty and Steve I think.”
” Then I knocked Chat out when he had KQ and I had A8 of hearts and hit an ace. I got Getty when he just lost a big pot to Jarome and he now knew he needed to make a move. He pushed all in under the gun trying to steal blinds and I looked down and had AA for the second time of the day he shows his Q2 and I knocked him out. Steve was not long after that. I raised enough to put him all in and he called with KQ and I had A3s. I flopped 2 pair and eventually hit a boat. At this point I had Jarome severely out chipped and I was going to raise every hand on the button until I got his chips in the pot, but it was over in like 5 hands. I pushed in with A 10 and and he called with A8. The flop came J22 and I thought Oh No! so many chop outs! The turn came a J, and I was pissed. Then the river came Ace and I still thought we were chopping, because I was away from the table and everyone said “your ten plays“. I had Aces and Jacks with a 10 kicker. At this point I was about as excited as anyone has ever seen me at the poker table. I wanted it so much and Finally got it despite all the times during the day I was thinking “here we go again”. I wanted it so bad last season! I was playing awesome and Dion busted my KK with her JJ. I thought I may never get this win and it would haunt me forever.” – Travis H.
Well Travis, thanks for talking with us. Sounds like you had your work cut out for you, but your persistence paid off. The APC would like to say ” Congrats Champ ” and we’re sure it may not be the last.
We also want to thank Kelly Hannon for the wonderful job TD’ing this event. You did a great job as always.
Also, thank you to all the dealers: Rachel, Gil, Juliette, Mike Duba, Nehme, Travis, Bill, Clint, George, Brad, and Alan Lovell
We really appreciate all your hard work.
Thanks to The Famous Pub , and the entire waitstaff for taking care of all the players.
It was a great event and we look forward to seeing if Travis can defend his title at the end of Season 13 or will it be you???
