CPPT Event 9: 2nd Place - Michael Guzzardi ($7,992)

Event 9

Level 30 (40,000/80,000/10,000)
Total Entrants: 195
Players Remaining: 1
Chip Average: 3,800,000

Michael Guzzardi (Branford, CT)

Michael Guzzardi came into this heads up battle with a significant chip disadvantage to over come and he almost did it, doubling up once through Tom Cady right before the break to almost get even in chips, but he couldn't find a second to take the chip lead as he'd be eliminated just a few hands after play resumed.

The action was picked up pre-flop with Cady raising the button and Guzzardi defending his big blind.

Guzzardi would then check the [Jh][10d][7d] flop and Cady would bet out 200,000.

Guzzardi would almost immediately go all-in and Cady would re-check his cards and then call, tabling [Jc][8d].

Guzzardi would need help as he held [10h][9h] for middle pair and a straight draw, needing Cady to improve to two pair to complete his draw while having to avoid improvement himself as Cady would make a straight if Guzzardi made a second pair.

Those straight draws wouldn't come on the turn or river, but the turn did put out an interesting card, as the [7h] gave Guzzardi outs to a flush.

He'd brick out on everything though as the [Qc] completed the board and would give Cady his first major tournament title.

This would mark the third time that Guzzardi has finished as a runner-up in major Foxwoods tournaments, notching 2nd place finishes in 2014 and 2011.

He couldn't complain though as when play was on the money bubble he was down to his final few blinds and managed to spin that up to a deep Final Table run and a $8,000 score, one of the biggest of his tournament careers.