Brian Lamkin Wins First WPTDeepStacks Title at WPTDS Black Hawk

Brian Lamkin (pictured) topped a field of 275 entries to win the Season 6 WPTDeepStacks Black Hawk Main Event on Monday at Golden Gates Casino. Lamkins has been playing tournament poker for years, and he has some big final-table finishes on his poker resume. Lamkin took home the first tournament title of his poker career worth $84,775, and that includes a $3,000 championship prize package. His career poker tournament earnings now stand at $406,947.

“It feels good, it was really nice. It was a great tournament. The staff here, and everybody here did a great job. It was fun, I haven’t played in a long time, so it was nice to come back and play good,” said Lamkin.

The father of two had this message to share with his two sons after the final table as well, “My two boys, they think it’s pretty cool. I’ve played in a lot of events and they always ask, ‘Did you win?’ Now I get to show them that trophy.”

Speaking of trophies, Lamkin also said that he had a special place picked out for his new hardware just down the road from here. “I just got a place out in the Vail Valley close Beaver Creek [Ski Resort] out in Arrowhead, so this will be going out there in the house, and that’s where it will stay,” said Lamkin.

“My style is small-ball, and I try to pick my spots. I think I was only all in one time the entire tournament. That’s kind of my style,” said Lamkin about his journey through the final table.

Season 6 WPTDeepStacks Black Hawk Final Table Results

1st: Brian Lamkin – $84,775*
2nd: David Blankenship – $57,610
3rd: Bruce Russell – $37,055
4th: Tracy Allgeier – $22,770
5th: Brent Roberts – $17,580
6th: Kyle Stickler – $14,565
7th: Steve Koerner – $12,245
8th: Wilber Hoffman – $10,235
9th: Stephen Decker – $8,180

* First-prize amount includes a prize package with the winner’s seat into the Season XVIII WPTDeepStacks Championship, which will be held in April at Thunder Valley Casino Resort near Sacramento, California.

The action started quickly with Stephen Decker hitting the rail in ninth place during the first level of play. The next level saw Wilber Hoffman exit in eighth place, and Steve Koerner left in seventh place. Kyle Stickler went out in sixth place, and then the five-handed battle proved to be the longest at the final table.

It took nearly three hours before former WPTDeepStacks champion Brent Roberts was eliminated in fifth place as multiple players doubled up along the way. The battle for fourth place then took less than 30 minutes before Tracy Allgeier was eliminated.

Bruce Russell busted in third place not too long thereafter, and that set up a final battle between Brian Lamkin (5,380,000) and David Blankenship (2,855,000). The first time the final two players got all of their chips into the middle proved to be the final hand of the tournament.

On the final hand, Blankenship raised to 210,000 on the small blind, and Lamkin reraised all in from the big blind. Blankenship called all in, and the two players tabled their cards.

Lamkin: 
Blankenship: 

Board: 

Blankenship was eliminated in second place, good for $84,775, and Lamkin took home the top prize worth $84,775 as the WPTDeepStacks Black Hawk champion. That included a $3,000 championship prize package. Lamkin also received the WPTDeepStacks trophy.

Congratulations to our new WPTDeepStacks champion – Brian Lamkin!

That concludes our coverage from WPTDeepStacks Black Hawk. Thanks to Golden Gates Casino for hosting another great stop on the tour.

Up Next for WPTDeepStacks in North America

The next stop for Season 6 on the WPTDeepStacks schedule in North America is WPTDeepStacks Pittsburgh. The Main Event runs from October 24-28 at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.