Friday, 29th March 2024 15:14
Home / Uncategorized / SCOOP 2017: _TheJds_ denies James ‘Andy McLEOD’ Obst a 5th SCOOP; wins Event #20-H ($2,100 PLO Heads-Up)

Sometimes you have to defeat a legend in dramatic fashion to make history of your own. _TheJds_from Finland thwarted Andy McLEOD’s daring attempt at his fifth SCOOP title and seventh overall COOP in Event #20-H $2,100 Heads-up PLO. In a pugnacious bout that lasted ten frantic levels, _TheJds_delivered the crushing knockout blow to step into the winner’s circle and stone-cold deny Andy McLEOD his fifth title.

The legendary Andy McLEOD made history in 2014 with a rare feat when he won a Triple COOP. Andy McLEOD, otherwise known as James Obst in the “real world”, won titles in WCOOP, TCOOP, and SCOOP. In all, he won six COOPs with four different SCOOP victories. The brilliant pro from Australia admitted has never held down a day job, because he never had to.

2017 SCOOP Event #20-H $2,100 PLO Heads-Up attracted 121 maddening PLO enthusiasts. The total prize pool, worth $242,000, eclipsed the initial $200K Guarantee. Only the top 16 places paid out with $72,600 set aside to the champ, and $43,560 for the runner-up. Simple format with 10K in chips with 10 minute levels. The first day featured three rounds to slice and dice the field down to the Sweet 16.

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SCOOP #5 just out of reach for James ‘Andy McLEOD’ Obst

ROUND 4: SWEET 16

_TheJds_ defeated calculer_
Aku1206 defeated anonymstruts
ova dawg defeated SHiiPTHATiSH
goodeh99 defeated Cashcid Linc
Sasuke234 defeated St1ckman
Naza114 defeated cmontopdeck
Andy McLEOD defeated UhhMee
HighRoller35 defeated Lateski

Day 2 began with all 16 remaining players in the money. No matter what, everyone min-cashed for at least $4,840. During Round 4 or the Sweet 16, two players — calculer_ and anonymstruts — busted quickly within the first two levels. _TheJds_ became the first player to move onto the Elite 8, followed by Aku1206, on dawg, and Ireland’s goodeh99.

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ROUND 5: ELITE 8

Sasuke234 defeated ova dawg
_TheJds_ defeated Aku1206
Andy McLEOD defeated goodeh99
HighRoller35 defeated Naza114

The winners advanced to the Final Four. The losers were guaranteed a payday worth $9,680.

KEEPERS: ova dawg eliminated in 8th place

Quickie match. ova dawg never made it out of Level 2. Flush versus straight. All the money went in on the river with the board reading A♠ 2♣ 6♣ 4♠ 3♣ . ova dawg flopped a straight, but Sasuke234 won the pot with a Queen-high flush and became the first player to advance to the Final Four.

IT’S NO USE: Aku1206 eliminated in 7th place

During Level 5, short-stacked Aku1206 made a final stand with A♦ 10â™  9♥ 6♦ and whiffed against _TheJds_’s K♥ 9♦ 8♦ 6â™  . _TheJds_ flopped an eight and that’s all she wrote. Aku1206 took home $9,680.00 for seventh place. _TheJds_ moved onto the semi-finals.

MY FUNNY VALENTINE: goodeh99 eliminated in 6th place

During Level 5, goodeh99 and Andy McLEOD rumbled. Andy McLEOD came out ahead with a straight and A♦ J♥ 10♦ 5♦ against goodeh99’s two pair and J♦ 6♦ 4♣ 3♣ . Andy McLEOD turned the Wheel, which held up. He advanced to the next round, and Ireland’s goodeh99 was knocked out in sixth place. goodeh99 earned $9,680.00 for the deep run.

IT TAKES A LOT TO LAUGH, IT TAKES A TRAIN TO CRY: Naza114 eliminated in 5th place

Highroller35 played the longest match of the round… once again. Highroller35 had Naza114 slugged it out until Level 11. Naza114 trailed 3-1 in chips and got it all in with A♣ Q♦ J♦ 10♥ against 9♦ 9♣ 8â™  3â™  . Highroller35 flopped a set and rivered a full house to win the pot against Naza114s trips. Naza114 headed to the virtual rail in fifth place, winning $9,680.00. After a pair of grueling matches, Highroller35 advanced to the semi-finals.


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ROUND 6: FINAL FOUR

Andy McLEOD defeated Sasuke234
_TheJds_ vs. HighRoller35

POSITIVELY FOURTH STREET: Sasuke234 eliminated in 4th place

The heavyweight match! Two of the biggest online sharks squared off against each other. Andy McLEOD vs. Sasuke234. The Swede took second place in Event 6-H and had a couple SCOOP runner-ups. Sasuke234 never could close the deal…and got a tough draw with Andy McLEOD… who was on a mission to win his fifth SCOOP. Toward the end of Level 4, Sasuke234 got into the hole 3-1 in chips. Andy McLEOD smelled blood in the water. The Aussie found a spot and went in for the kill. He whiffed on his flush draw with K♣ Q♦ 6â™  3♣ , but back doored two pair to beat Sasuke234’s queens and Q♥ Q♣ 10♣ 5♦ . Sasuke234 was knocked out in fourth place, which paid out $24,200.00. Andy McLEOD advanced to the finals and awaited the winner of _TheJds_ vs. Highroller35. Only one more match stood between Andy McLEOD and the finish line.

THAT’S ALL RIGHT MAMA: Highroller35 eliminated in 3rd place

Once again, Highroller35 played the longest match of the round. This time, the Hungarian would be on the losing end of an arduous affair. Stuck in the depths of Level 10, Highroller35 trailed 3-1 in chips and made a final stand with A♠ K♣ Q♦ Q♣ and a pair of Queens. _TheJds_ turned a flush with K♠ Q♥ 10♠ 6♥ to win the pot. _TheJds_ advanced to the finals to face an Aussie shark, while Highroller35 busted in third place. For a third-place finish, Highroller35 earned $24,200.00.

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ROUND 7 – PLO HU FINALS: Andy McLEOD (Australia) vs _TheJds_ (Finland)
Seat 1: Andy McLEOD (10,000)
Seat 2: _TheJds_ (10,000)

If Andy McLEOD could win his fourth-straight final table of Day 2, he’d win his 5th SCOOP and his 7th overall COOP title. On the flip side, _TheJds_ had a shot at a first SCOOP title, but only one had to face a bona fide COOP closer.

THE HARDER THEY COME: Andy McLEOD eliminated in 2nd place; _TheJds_ wins Event #20-H!

For eight levels, these two battled nonstop. PLO bombardment. Constant siege. They threw down and dirty and were both so OG gangsta, that they even gave up break time to keep on fighting! The lead swapped hands too man times to count. Both had each other on the proverbial ropes multiples times… yet could never drop a kill shot.

They appeared to be back to square one… until _TheJds_ won the two biggest pots of the tournament. The first hand was worth 7K when _TheJds_ flopped a set of Aces with Aâ™  Ac]K♥ 4♣ . The next hand would be deadly.

Going into the final hand, _TheJds_ led 14.2K to 5.8K. Andy McLEOD check-raised all-in on a flop of Q♣ 6♣ 2♦ . Thermo-nukes ensued.

_TheJds_: J♦ J♥ 6♠ 6♥
Andy McLEOD: K♥ Q♦ 9♠ 8♥

Andy McLEOD flopped top pair, but _TheJds_ flopped a set of sixes. The 3♥ hit the turn and the 10♥ fell on the river. Andy McLEOD’s pair of Queens were no good. _TheJds_ won the pot and the tournament.

For a second-place finish, Andy McLEOD earned $43,560.00. He’d have to wait another day to win his 5th SCOOP.

_TheJds_ rallied to a magnificent victory. First place paid out $72,600.00.

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SCOOP-20-H ($2,100 PLO [Heads-Up]) results
Total entries: 121
Prize pool: $242,000
Places paid: 16

1. _TheJds_  (Finland) $72,600.00
2. James ‘Andy McLEOD’ Obst (Australia) $43,560.00
3. Highroller35 (Hungary) $24,200.00
4. Sasuke234 (Sweden) $24,200.00

Visit the SCOOP home page for a complete schedule and check out the cool stats to see who was in contention Player of the Series.


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Pauly McGuire is a freelance contributor to PokerStars. Final table recap album of the day: “Live at Keystone 1973” by Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia.

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