Taft Love Wins Spring 2005 Hickory Poker Showdown

With a pair of aces, Taft Love knocked out Mike diStefano to win the Spring 2005

Hickory Poker Showdown on Saturday, March 5th.  They were the last of twenty-six

participants who played No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em in a charity fundraiser for Junior

Achievement.  On the final hand, Mr. diStefano went “all-in” as the clock approached

midnight, only to find Mr. Love with the best possible starting hand in Texas Hold ‘Em.

Mr. Love was one of six members of his family to play; three made the final table.

The final table consisted of:

Taft Love – Grand Champion

Mike diStefano – First Runner-Up

Dustin Otterberg – Second Runner-Up

Neil Reece – Fourth Place

Bill Love – Fifth Place

Robin Love – Sixth Place

Dee Gonet – Seventh Place

In addition to the trophies and bragging rights, participants also won prizes donated by

area merchants, including the Olde Hickory Tap Room, Café Gouda, Bistro 29, Bath and

Body Works, and Victoria’s Secret.  Prizes were awarded in a raffle in compliance with

North Carolina’s gaming laws.

Other notables in the tournament include Mayor Rudy Wright, who played to support

Junior Achievement.  Mayor Wright won a prize in the raffle, but donated it back to the

charity.

Also winning were students in Catawba County.  Players in the tournament contributed

over $3000 to support Catawba County Junior Achievement.

Carrie Regan (far right) was the dealer for this table at the start of the tournament.

Mayor Rudy Wright is at her right; eventual Grand Champion Taft Love is at the far left.

Dustin Otterberg (to the Mayor's right) finished in third place.

Marsha Diamonti deals to her table, including Bill Love (front left), who
finished fifth overall, and Mike diStefano (far left), the First Runner-Up.

Diane Bradshaw (in white, right of center) deals.

Robin Love (left of center) made the final table.

David Hartman (far right) was the runner-up in the tournament last fall.

After consolidating tables, Diane Bradshaw (in white at far right) deals.

Dee Gonet (right, also in white) also made it to the final table.

After busting out of the main tournament, several of the players started a side game.

Ethan Hamby became the bully of the side game.

He’s shown here with his imposing wall of chips.

Clay Johnson smiles after winning a big pot.

Jonathan McGinnis did well in the tournament and also won a nice prize from
Bath & Body Works.

With all of her chips in the pot, Dee Gonet takes a sip and waits for the turn card.

Last fall’s runner-up David Hartman ran out of luck in this tournament.  Here,

he demonstrates the emptiness of his pockets.

The final table is set:  Dealer and Tournament Director Andrew Priddy (in white shirt

and black armband) shuffles the cards.  From Andrew’s left are Robin Love,

Mike diStefano, Taft Love, Bill Love, Dustin Otterberg, Dee Gonet

and Neil Reece.

Dee Gonet ran into Mike diStefano’s ace-high flush and finished in seventh place.

Tournament Director Andrew Priddy awards her a plaque for making

the final table.

Mr. diStefano’s flush also took a big chunk out of Robin Love’s large chip stack.

She’s shown here accepting her award for sixth place.

Bill Love finished in fifth place.

Neil Reece finished in fourth place.  It was Dr. Reece’s second consecutive

trip to the final table; he finished in third place in the Fall 2004 Showdown.

Dustin Otterberg was our Second Runner-Up.

Mike diStefano outlasted all but one other player.  It took the best hand in

Texas Hold ‘Em – a pair of aces – to end the tournament.

Taft Love with the Grand Champion’s trophy and the pair of aces that
won him all of the chips.