Ryan Quail eliminated five opponents on his way to victory in the WPTDeepStacks Pittsburgh event. (WPT photo)

Exactly six months ago, Ryan Quail picked up his first career live cash when he finished 30th in the WPTDeepStacks Pittsburgh Main Event for almost double his buy-in back in what was his first-ever live score.

This weekend Quail returned to the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and won this version of the WPTDeepStacks Pittsburgh Main Event for $80,001. Quail started Monday’s final table as the chip leader and then eliminated his final five opponents on his way to the win.

Matthew Radcliffe was on the short side of the chip counts at the start of the final table and was the first one eliminated. After a flop of Ts8s7d and 300,000 in the pot, Radcliffe got the last of his stack in the middle holding 9h8h against William Reilly‘s QdQh. Neither the Ks turn or Kh river were any help and Radcliffe was eliminated in ninth.

Jaynesh Patel was one of four players who started the day with more than a million chips, but the opening hour of play didn’t go his way. Patel got his last 800,000 in the middle with AdQh after the 6c4s3c flop only to have Reilly call with 6h6s for a flopped set. The board ran out 4d9s to officially send Patel home in eighth place.

Another flopped set lead to the next elimination. With a board of JdTd6h, Mark Milburn shoved for 200,000 and Ryan Ashman called. Milbrun turned over QhTh but Ashman showed TcTs. The 9d turn and 7c were no help for Milburn and he was out in seventh.

The most high-profile player at the final table became Quail’s first victim of the night. Jared Jaffee, a WPT Champions Club member, was all in for 930,000 preflop with AhJs against Quail’s AcAs. The TcTs3cJc5s runout improved Jaffee’s hand but not enough to survive the hand and he was eliminated in sixth place.

Quail continued to apply pressure on his way to picking up another elimination. After a flop of 6s3c3d, Jamie Rotellini moved all in for 545,000 from the small blind and Quail called from the big blind. Rotellini showed 2d2c while Quail turned over 7c[7s. The Qh turn and 6h river made Rotellini’s fifth place elimination official.

Not longer after Rotellini left, Quail sent another player home. With the board showing QcQh6c, Stan Lee moved all in from the button and Quail called from the big blind. Quail was ahead with Kh6h against Lee’s club flush draw with Jc9c. The 3d turn was a complete blank and the 6d river gave Quail an unneeded full house to send Lee to the rail in fourth.

Quail’s run to the title claimed yet another victim before heads-up play got underway. Ryan Ashman moved all in for 1,800,000 on a 8h7s4h2d board and Quail called. Ashman held top pair with 8d3d but was dominated by Quail’s Ks8c. The Ac river completed the board sent Ashman out in third and Quail began heads-up play with 80% of the chips in play.

Despite the overwhelming lead, Quail wasn’t able to shake Reilly quickly. Reilly continued to pick up doubles up to stay alive, but after 3.5 hours of play, Quail finally found a way to finish things off. Quail checked his option after Reilly completed the small blind. The flop came 9h5d3c and both players checked. The turn was the 6h and Reilly checked. Quail bet 300,000 and then called Reilly’s all-in check-raise. Reilly turned over 6d5h for two pair but Quail showed 7s4h for a turned straight. The 8d river gave Quail an even better straight and eliminated Reilly in second place.

The $1,100 buy-in event drew 386 entries – up from the 316 that played in April – to create a total prize pool of $374,420. The event wrapped up as many poker players in the state are anticipating the launch of the first regulated PA online poker site in the coming weeks.

Final Table Payouts

  1. Ryan Quail – $80,001
  2. William Reilly – $53,919
  3. Ryan Ashman – $34,665
  4. Stan Lee – $22,917
  5. Jamie Rotellini – $17,642
  6. Jared Jaffee – $14,615
  7. Mark Milburn – $12,238
  8. Jaynesh Patel – $9,961
  9. Matthew Radcliffe – $7,700