In the $5,000 buy-in Main Event of the Fallsview Poker Classic, Simon pokerbrat13 Charette emerged victorious and earned $270,000. In a top-heavy structure at the final table, runner-up Van Binh Pham received $140,000, third place finisher Dominic Staniscia took $68,000, fourth place finisher Gavin Smith banked $43,000, John Moore earned $32,000 for fifth place, and Peter Topos pocketed $23,000 for sixth place. The Main Event drew 156 players and, days after its conclusion in Canada, PocketFives.com sat down with the Ontario native to recap his run.PocketFives.com: Congratulations on winning the Main Event of the Fallsview Poker Classic. Tell us about the final table payout structure.
Simon Charette: I was complaining the night before the final table while drinking with Gavin Smith and the tournament directors. As soon as the tournament was over, I told them how amazing it was.
PocketFives.com: We understand that you came to the tournament directly from the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) in the Bahamas.Simon Charette: I flew back from the PCA and was able to get into my apartment for an hour and a half until Grant grant18 Ven drove a half hour to get me and another hour and 20 minutes to Niagara Falls. I was jetlagged and on no sleep for a long time. I knew the event would be the softest field ever and I made sure I'd make it just in time. Sure enough, it was soft. The structure was also excellent.
PocketFives.com: Why would the Fallsview Main Event have such a soft field?
Simon Charette: I knew no one else would fly back from PCA in time to make it. Fallsview also runs a lot of satellites to its events. The only other quality online player I saw in the field was Jem87, a $25-$50 regular. Sure enough, he came into the final table with the chip lead.
PocketFives.com: What hands do you remember?
Simon Charette: I lost a series of giant races nine-handed, but still came into the final table with a very workable number of chips. The key hand for me was with about four tables left at 1,200-2,400 blinds. With 86,000 on the button, I made it 6,000 with A-5 offsuit. An older gentleman in the small blind re-raised to 17,000 with about 75,000 to start and I moved in on him. He tanked forever and folded, claiming he had 9-9; I believed him. People were so easy to push around that it was insane.
After that, I had everyone at the table trying to re-pop me and go nuts against me, which is what led to this hand. I can’t recall the stack sizes exactly, but I raised to 6,000 under the gun with 180,000 behind me with A-4 of spades. The chip leader, who was on the button with a stack of 260,000, called. The big blind flatted and the flop came so gorgeous: 4-4-3 rainbow. I bet half-pot and the button called. The turn was an eight, I bet half-pot again, and was called. The river was a nine. I bet 80% of my chips and got the call. He mucked, but I’m sure that he had jacks or better.
PocketFives.com: Was it tough being up against someone as accomplished as Full Tilt Poker pro Gavin Smith (pictured at right)?Simon Charette: No, not at all. I've actually talked to Gavin before and he’s a really cool guy. I only played with him from two tables down and never felt intimidated at all. We played a ton of all-in pots against each other where I sucked out on him and he sucked out on me back.
I also shipped a last longer bet with him from the night before. I spent all night telling him that I was going to win. He offered me $1,000 against my $2,500. I had 580,000 going into final table and he had 140,000. I pretty much told everyone that I'd win, so it was one of those power of positive thinking things.
PocketFives.com: Tell us what it felt like to win a high-dollar poker tournament in your home nation of Canada.
Simon Charette: There's no better feeling in the world than winning a tournament. To do it live in Canada with no chop - I can't even describe it, especially with the prize pool being so top-heavy. It's surreal and it hasn’t sunk in yet.
PocketFives.com: How did you get started playing poker?
Simon Charette: I started playing $5 home games with friends before I quickly learned that you could play cash games online. I grinded $0.50/$1 games online and $1/$2 No Limit at Casino Niagara when I could find a ride up. I was doing well for the stakes, as the games were very soft even though I was terrible. Then, I found out about MTTs and turning a small risk into a huge reward. I was immediately addicted to 180-mans. I grinded every MTT $50 or below and every 180-man I could.
That’s how I met Dylan ImaLucSac Linde and Kevin ImaLuckSac MacPhee (pictured at left). They were doing the same thing, but much more successfully. I went out to Las Vegas just to hang out with those guys and Steven PiKappRaider Burkholder, Jaroslaw YanniYankievich Jaskiewicz, and Carter Gill with a $9,000 bankroll. I chopped the Sunday Million for $138,000 a few months later with about $5,000 at the time; the rest was just hard work.PocketFives.com: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Simon Charette: Shout outs to everyone I met at the PCA. I had a blast. There were quality online guys I got to hang out with like Mike timex McDonald, Mike SirWatts Watson, and Matt ch0ppy Kay, but they all went out early.
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