JAY FERN IS YOUR 2019 BROOKTOWN WSOP CHAMPION

Post date: Dec 07, 2019 7:37:26 AM

Settle in boys as we put a wrap on 2019 and, as we do every December, make a little history.

At 7:08 we sat down around Uncle Bob’s poker table, among a delicious sausage, peppers and potatoes tray and a 6 foot (maybe it was 3 feet, size doesn’t matter) Italian sub. Jay Fern, the 2019 points champion, and 6 time runner up had seat 1, and around the table to Jays left was, Uncle Bob, Scottie D, Neil, Stan, Rich, Eddie P and T Brucato. Neil opened up with pocket Queens and easily took down the first hand, but the bigger question is, Who would win the Last hand?!?!?!?!?

Appropriately, 6 time runner up, and 2nd most punctual player in the league Jay Fern took hand 2, and we were off and running.

In what was possibly the toughest final table of all time, with 13 of the 14 past champions and 16 of the 28 Satellite winners, these players were used to this format and game, and the early rounds showed that. It was a fun, chatty, excellently behaved table and we went through the first 4 rounds with no eliminations and at the break the chip count was:

Neil 21,500

Jay 12,600

Eddie P 10,400

Stan 9,400

Bob 7,700

Scott 7,500

Rich 7,100

Tom 3,800

Neil and Jay playing very solid, while Tom is not a factor at all. Late in Round 6, 3 time Champion and All Time Win Leader, Rich Southard is all in and gets a call from Eddie P. Ed has him covered in chips and as we get to the river Eddie P is way ahead and Rich has only 5 outs and a 10% chance of surviving, but Rich catches the card he needed to double up, and cripple Eddie P’s chip stack and morale. A few hands later on the last hand of Round 6, Eddie P moves all in and gets 3 callers – Flop comes Q-J-5, Rich raises and everyone else folds, Rich shows K-Q to Ed’s A-9, and Eddie P does not get the miracle card Rich got a few hands earlier and our first elimination is Eddie P and we have 7 left.

Not a lot of movement through level 7, but with 1:11 to go in level 7 Rich goes all in and gets a call from Neil – Rich shows A-K but Neil shows A-A, and the 2 time Champion Martucci KOs 3 time Champ Rich Southard and we have 6 left.

Neil, with a dominating stack is rolling now and taking charge of the game – To Start level 8, Scott Davis goes all in, Neil calls, but Scott is able to survive elimination and double u, on the next hand Tom is all in for his tournament life and Neil calls, but again Neil is unable to KO a player and tom doubles up and survives. Neil decides to finally sit out a hand and the 2nd and 3rd stacks, Jay and Uncle Bob tangle in a big hand, Fern who was playing solid all night seems to lose focus on the hand, make a few weak calls and Uncle Bob ends up taking a big chunk of Jays chips and the frustration begins to show on Jay, could our perennial runner up be destined to finish out of the money this year, is Fern on tilt or can he rally? Well, Fern ends up playing the next 3 hands strong and masterfully, and gets back almost all the chips he lost to Bob from Scott, Neil and Tom without a singe hand even going to the turn as we hit 25 minutes to go in Round 8, Neil is still the chip leader, Jay is solid and has a big stack, Uncle Bob is sitting with an average size stack, and Scott, Stan and Tom, all have under 4,000 chips left and can be out at any moment. Well, one of those moments is about to occur as Stan, with less than 2,000 chips has no choice but to go all in on his Big blind, and is heads up with Tom. Stan shows 5-6, Tom KQ and with 24:41 to go in Round 8 Stan is out and we are now down to 4 past champions and Jay Fern.

As we played on into the night, and by the way, I have to, as always thank Bob for his hospitality, we would have no league without all of the guys who open their houses and kitchens (and bathroom) to all of us each month. Also the Sirius station that you selected was very fair and unbiased and I hope everyone enjoyed the music. But back to the finals – Scott Davis and Tom, both short stacked and trying to pick their spots to get back in the event end up heads up with Scott all in and Tom covering him by about 3,000 chips – Scott turns over J-9 and Tom K-10, with 8,500 chips in the pot and one of them will be back in business and able to grind and the other eliminated, in Scott’s case or very low in Tom’s case . The River is quiet, but on the turn comes Scott’s J and it holds up for Scott who is now back in business and Tom on the verge of elimination.

Blinds were getting large and with Jay and Neil playing very strong, very smart, and very aggressive, Scott Davis found himself all in to start level 9 with a K-4 and Uncle Bob called and showed J-5. Bob’s 5 came on the turn and defending champion Scott Davis was gone, we were down to 4 and either Neil would get his 3rd title, Tom or Bob would get a record setting 4th or Fern would finally get #1.

With about 10 minutes to go in level 9, Bob and Jay found themselves in a 22,000 chip pot with Bob eventually all in, and Jay calling. Bob happily showed his pocket Aces and Jay very unhappy with his K-9. Jay hit a K on the flop but the turn was empty and Bob now one card away from being in business, but much to Bob’s dismay, the same 9 that shocked Eddie P comes on the river, Fern’s 2 pair take down Bob’s pocket Aces, Fern takes over the chip lead and a term made famous 15 years ago saves Jay’s bacon as Uncle Bob was FERNED!!!!

We are now down to 3 players in the money and a chip count of approximately Jay 51,000 Neil 25,000, Tom 4,000.

With blinds at 1,000/2,000 it doesn’t take long before Tom is all in and called and his 10-6 is no match for Neil’s A-2 and for the 7th time in Brooktown History Jay Fern is Heads up against 2 time champ, and one of the toughest Heads Up Players in Brooktown History, Neil Martucci.

Heads up starting Chip Count

Jay 51,550

Neil 28,450

The 2 childhood buddies settled in for what was sure to be a grueling battle, Fern took a few chips quickly and before you knew it at 12:51am December 7, 2019 Fern was all in with K-7, it held up and Jay Fern completes the greatest single season in Brooktown History with his 1st Championship, 5th win of the year, 8th cash of the year, and shatters the single season money winning with $4,819 – the previous record was $3,227 by Scott Davis in 2014.

Well, that’s all I have boys, after 15 years I enjoy seeing all of you and playing each month more than ever, I look forward to what 2020 brings, hopefully, and most importantly it brings laughs and good stories and happy memories. I will miss the guys that no longer will be around each month but I am always here for any of you at any time, it’s a very special group we have created, and bond we have formed. We have grown a lot and come a long way, experienced plenty of joy and plenty of heartache in all our lives the last 15 years, but I hope our little 6 hours together each month is something that allows us to escape the ‘real world” once in a while and give you something to look forward to. I am sure I will speak to all of you in the upcoming weeks – thanks again for all of you and congrats to no longer the 2nd best Championship Player but the 2019 Brooktown WSOP Champion Jay Fern!

Opening Day is only 6 weeks away – keep an eye on your email for upcoming information and 2020 details.

Love you all, and good night.