Andy Press, Dennis Kim, Ken Tramiel, Jan Klimala, Gordo, Rod Flora, Ilya Matyukhin, and Syd Shaber gathered around the final table.
Andy, Dennis, and Ken were gone first. Five players remained. Three would win coveted Piranha points. It was not yet the bubble, or so we thought….
Jan, Gordo, and Syd got all their chips into the pot.
Jan holding KQ suited in clubs. Gordo holding ace clubs and ten of hearts. (The Piranha nuts) and finally Syd in the catbird seat with QQ. The queens hold. Syd busts two at a time. The bubble is burst.
Rod goes out in third place when his all in push holding A9 ran into Syd’s AK. He picked up 12 points.
Syd and Ilya are heads up. The heads up match lasts one hand. Syd is dealt pocket aces and Ilya is holding A3 off suit. The board runs out 2, 9, J, A, J. On the turn Ilya pushes all in expecting a reasonable fight since he holds aces and jacks with a 9. Syd tables his hand, a set of aces. Just like that the tournament is over at level 8.
I cannot remember a Piranha tournament ending by 4:30. Yet it is not so surprising when you consider that, Syd had more than half the chips in play when he moved to the final table and at least 95% of the chips by the time he was heads up.