Karl Bridgeman Wins the Fall 2006 Hickory Poker Showdown

With a King and a Four, Karl Bridgeman knocked out Nick Landry
to win the Fall 2006 Hickory Poker Showdown on Saturday, October 14th.
They were the last of twenty-four benefactors who played No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em
in a charity fundraiser for Junior Achievement and Rotary International. 

Mr. Bridgeman and Mr. Landry traded the chip lead back and forth several times
at the final table.  With three players left, Mr. Landry had the lead and an opportunity to
take out his final two opponents with pocket aces, but Mr. Bridgeman finished his
winning flush on the last card of the hand.

Mr. Bridgeman was the only player to return to the final table.  He finished in third
place in the Spring 2006 Showdown.  Former Grand Champion Andrea Miskell,
who won the Fall 2005 tournament and finished fifth in Spring 2006, barely
missed the final table this time and finished in ninth place.

In addition to trophies and bragging rights, participants also won prizes donated by
local merchants.  Prizes were awarded in a raffle in compliance with North Carolina’s
gaming laws.

Other notables in the tournament include Mayor Rudy Wright, whose luck ran out halfway
through the tournament when he went all-in and lost to Michael Blevins.

The final table consisted of:

Karl Bridgeman – Grand Champion

Nick Landry – First Runner-Up

John Queen – Second Runner-Up

John Lamb – Fourth Place

Brett Porter – Fifth Place

David Balke – Sixth Place

Bee Yang – Seventh Place

Also winning were local students.  Players in the tournament contributed over $2,500
to fund Junior Achievement classes and Rotary Scholarships in Catawba County.

Michael Blevins knocked out the Mayor and got the t-shirt.