2009 Bayou Poker Challenge Championship Won By Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler

Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler has won the 2009 Bayou Poker Challenge Championship, after defeating a field of 79 players to lift the title and collect the $70,796 first prize. The poker pro has now earned $1,335,758 from live tournament cashes since coming in 16th at the WSOP $5,000 Omaha hi-lo eight-or-better event in 2001.
The $3,000 NLHE main event reached its exciting conclusion on Sunday, Dec. 20 at the Harrah’s in New Orleans, as the last nine players took their seats at the final table. Kessler held a 2 to 1 chip lead over his closest opponent, and managed to maintain his lead throughout most of the the day’s play.
Phil Hall (61) was the first to exit the final table in ninth spot ($8,317), when half an hour into the match, his AK lost out to his opponent’s pocket 5’s. Will “The Monkey” Souther, followed soon after when he pushed pre-flop with pocket J’s, only to run into KK, and picked up $9,400 for his eighth place finish.
Seventh place and $11,000 went to Ben “The Destroyer” Mintz, when he ran his QJ into pocket Q’s.
Sixth place finisher and last year’s winner, Justin “Lockdowntex” Allen, has been enjoying a golden run at Harrah’s New Orleans having made three consecutive Main Event final tables, but there was to be no repeat of last year’s result as he took away $13,000 for his efforts.
Michael Schneider entered the final table as the short stack but managed to still secure for himself a fifth place finish for a $16,000 pay day, after which the competition continued for four hours before the players eventually decided to chop the remaining prize pool.
Officially, the payout went Jim McBride 4th ($19,262) , Moutray McLaren 3rd ($28,279), and Ed Corrado 2nd ($44,360). It was decided amongst the group, that Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler should be crowned the winner and receive the top payout, a gold ring, and a $10,000 seat in the WSOP main event.
Following his victory, a delighted Kessler said, “I really like supporting these events, these are great structures. It’s one of the best tournament structures I’ve seen for this buy-in amount.”