Level 2 (100/100/100)
Total Entrants: 61
It's not often you see a double-knockout in the first level, but Scott Mears tells us that's how he came to have 63,000 going into Level 2.
We missed the hand but Mears reconstructed it for us to share on the blog. Mears was in the big blind and a player in late position raised to 300. The small blind called and Mears called with TxTx. The dealer spread a flop of A♣J♦T♦, giving Mears bottom set.
Both blinds checked to the original raiser who bet 1,200. The small blind then check-raised to 3,600 and Mears jammed it all in for 19,700. Both opponents called the shove and Mears found himself up against KxQx for a flopped broadway straight, and Q♦9♦ for an open-ended straight-flush draw. Of course the straight-flush was only good to the flush outs, and chopping should a King come on the turn or river.
Meanwhile, Mears needed the board to pair to avoid being crippled. The turn brought the 6♣, which changed nothing. But the J♣ on the river paired the board to fill up Mears's boat.
Scott Mears - 62,800