David Eliason Shortens the Structure in Event 5, Pockets $10,544 in 12 Hours

Event #5
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $360
Total Entries: 122
Prize Pool: $36,356 + three $2,000 seats
March 10, 2015

Michigan-based poker dealer finds success on the other side of the felt at the Chicago Poker Classic.

Hammond, Ind. (March 11, 2015) — The structure sheet for Event 5 at the Chicago Poker Classic, a $360 no-limit hold’em tournament, allowed for two days of play to decide its champion. With 122 players, the tournament, which began at noon Tuesday, narrowed to the unofficial final table by 9 p.m. and it was time for a player vote as to whether action would continue. As you could guess, they opted to play on and Michigan’s David Eliason earned his first career tournament victory a few hours later along with a $10,544 first prize and a seat in the CPC’s $2,000 Main Event.

“It’s a great feeling,” Eliason said of the win. “Words can’t describe it.”

Eliason began the unofficial final table second in the counts behind last November’s HPT Soaring Eagle Main Event champion David Gutfreund. Eliason, who was overheard at the table chatting with Gutfreund about his Main Event victory, eventually got the best of Gutfreund when play was three handed. According to Eliason, he picked up aces and ran them into Gutfruend’s queens. The hand busted Gutfreund third and left Eliason just one player away from a title.

“I ran my aces into queens a couple hours before that and got them cracked. I was shortstacked. It came full circle,” Eliason said of the event.

In all, Event 5 lasted roughly 12 hours with the final table taking up three of those. Joining Eliason in the money were Sam Moon (eighth) and Brad Sailor (14th).

Eliason is 24 years old and resides in nearby Niles, Mich. He deals poker at a charity room in his hometown, but says he can be considered a full-time poker professional. His Event 5 victory marks just his second tournament cash.

“The structure was great. It was wonderful,” the CPC’s newest winner said of Event 5.

Event five was the fifth of 10 numbered events on the 2015 Chicago Poker Classic Schedule. The $360 NLH tournament boasted a prize pool of $36,356 and paid the top 14 finishers. Additionally, the top three finishers received $2,000 CPC Main Event seats added to the prize pool courtesy of the Horseshoe.

The CPC is recognized as the largest non-branded poker tournament series in the United States. In its seven-year history, the event has been headlined most notably by 2013’s 5,165-entry opener – one of the largest tournaments ever to take place outside the confines of Las Vegas and the World Series of Poker.

This year’s series began March 5 and runs through March 16 with the $2,000 Main Event beginning March 13.

Event 5 final results:

1st: David Eliason – $10,544 + $2,000 seat
2nd: Thomas Ruzecki – $6,544 + $2,000 seat
3rd: David Gutfreund – $4,363 + $2,000 seat
4th: Joseph Pusateri – $3,163
5th: Giuseppe Borracci – $2,254
6th: Nick Choporis – $1,781
7th: Ninos Awraham – $1,454
8th: Samuel Moon – $1,236
9th: Mihail Karasoulis – $1,054
10th: John Schray – $909
11th: Steven Jungmann – $800
12th: Anthony Evers – $800
13th: Keith Lutz – $727
14th: Brad Sailor – $727

2014 Chicago Poker Classic results:

Event 1: $360 NLH Re-Entry – Zal Irani defeated 2,296 entries for $100,000
Event 2A/B: $250 NLH – TBD
Event 3: $500 PLO – David Arfa defeated 165 entries for $18,496
Event 4: $500 H2O – Shawn Rice defeated 76 entries for $10,127
Event 5: $360 NLH – David Eliason defeated 122 entries for $10,544
Event 6: $400 OE – TBD

2014 Chicago Poker Classic upcoming numbered events:

Event 7: $600 Deep Stack Six Max – Wednesday, March 11 at noon
Event 8A/B: $2,000 Main Event, Friday/Saturday, March 13/14 at noon
Event 9: $250 NLH – Saturday, March 14 at 3 and 6 p.m., Sunday, March 15 at noon, 3 and 6 p.m.
Event 10: $360 Turbo – Monday, March 16 at noon