WSOPC New Orleans Won By Jonathan Poche

Jonathan Poche has triumphed at the 2011 WSOPC New Orleans, after overcoming a field of 382 players over three days to lift the title, and collect the $121,017 first place prize.
On Day 3 of the $1,500 tournament, Lance Craig was eliminated in 10th place ($9,263) holding pocket kings to his opponent’s pocket aces, thus heralding in the official final table.
Not long after James McBride joined him on the rail in 9th ($11,441) when his pocket eights fell to A-Q, followed by Matt Waxman in 8th ($14,324) after shoving preflop with K-Q only for his opponent to call with pocket kings.
Jonathan Poche then scored his first elimination after being dealt pocket aces to Billie Payne’s pocket eights, who subsequently left in 7th ($18,185). Poche with pocket queens then dispatched Scott Zakheim with A-K to the rail in 5th ($30,595).
Next to go was the start of the day chip leader Todd Wood who was now getting low on chips and found himself all-in and badly dominated holding K-7 to the K-Q of Josh Evans. Wood collected $40,573 for his 4th place finish.
It then fell to Jonathan Poche to eliminate Josh Evans in 3rd after first winning an As-Ks versus J-J race before then finishing him off with A-2 versus 9-8. The board fell A-K-8-6-J to send Josh Evans to the rail but $54,644 richer.
As heads-up play got underway, Jonathan Poche held a 2 to 1 advantage over Bobby Toye who was never really able to get any traction in the final battle. Just half an hour later, Toye then pushed all-in from the button with J-8 only to be called by the pocket eights of Poche.
In keeping with the theme of the final table, the best hand held up and so Bobby Toye collected $74,783 for his runner-up finish, while Jonathan Poche was crowned the 2011 WSOPC New Orleans Champion. The $121,017 first place prize was also the biggest score of the 29-year-old’s poker career.