2 to try luck in Vegas
Published Saturday, June 7, 2008
Photo by Photo Provided
Dave Chaput, left, and Mark Moench, both of Fergus Falls, secured their spots in the World Series of poker tournaments after winning a Minnesota state competition in Fargo.
Two Fergus Falls Texas hold ‘em players are preparing to take on Vegas. Dave Chaput and Mark Moench have secured their spots and won packages worth $2500 to compete at national and world Texas hold ‘em tournaments in our nation’s gambling capital.
Chaput and Moench represented Mabel Murphy’s and Z103 bar in Fergus Falls at a state tournament held in Fargo on May 3 and 4. After two days of competition, they were among the top 10 in Minneosta to move on to the national and world tournaments as representatives of the Free Poker League.
All together, 218 people competed at the state tournament.
“It is pretty exciting for Mark and I to have the opportunity to go down there.” Chaput said.
The Free Poker Network exists in 11 different states and is made up of about 275 different leagues, three of which exist in Fergus Falls at Mabel Murphy’s and Z103 bar.
Chaput and Moench met every Tuesday at Z103 bar for 16 weeks with a group of 45 players. Their overall standing at the end of the 16 weeks determined whether or not they would qualify for the state tournament.
Chaput’s end of league score was high enough to immediately land him a spot at the state tournament, while Moench had to compete against 90 players at regionals in Fergus Falls to qualify for a trip to state.
Twenty-five players qualified for the Free Poker Network’s national tournament. Ten will represent Minnesota.
“It’s pretty amazing that we got two players out of Fergus Falls,” said Free Poker Network’s League Administrator, Pete Bushey.
Moench started playing in the league a year and a half ago. He never would have guessed that his hobby would lead him to such large tournaments.
“It was just strictly out of fun, to have something to do,” Moench said.
The winner of the Free Poker Network national tournament on July 2 will go on to compete with a $10,000 buy-in at the main event World Series of Poker (WSOP) Tournament televised on ESPN. That means one of the 25 qualifiers is guaranteed a spot in the lime light. First place prize for this event is expected to be around $8.25 million.
All 25 qualifiers will compete with a $1,500 buy-in for the WSOP event No. 52 tournament held on June 30. First place for that tournament is expected to top $1 million.
Moench will partake in the WSOP event No. 52 tournament but will not be present for the national tournament. For that reason, he plans on going big at the WSOP.
Chaput is heading down to the tournament with a winning attitude but said no matter what, he’ll be there to have fun.
“Whether I win or not, the experience of getting to go to Vegas and play in the WSOP will be gratifying enough,” Chaput said.
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