Summer is over, the pencils are sharpened, and on Friday, September 11th, 32 players returned to the classroom for the WGA Poker Group’s Back-to-School Tournament. No homework required. No dress code enforced. Just no-limit Texas Hold’em, a table full of overachievers, and one very coveted championship mug waiting at the head of the class. 🏆

As any seasoned student knows, showing up is only half the battle. Let’s see who did their homework and who showed up to the first day of school still wearing their summer vacation. 📚

Just like book reports in school, you can either read the full text for all the details or just watch the movie adaptation below. I promise not to tell your teachers.  

Andrew Hill Newman vs. Brandon DeLany – The Reigning Champ Makes His Presence Known
At blinds of 8k-16k, Andrew Hill Newman found himself automatically all-in from the small blind for his last 7k. In other words, the poker equivalent of showing up to class five minutes late and hoping the teacher doesn’t notice. Reigning WGA Poker Group Champion Brandon DeLany cleared the field with a raise to 32k from middle position, tabling K♣️️J♣️️. Andrew flipped over K♦️️Q♥️️ for a dominating lead.

The flop: 7♥️️2♥️️5♣️️. Andrew was still ahead. The turn: J♥️️! Brandon paired his jack to take the lead, putting Andrew on track to flunk out just as the school year began. A heart or a queen would keep him enrolled. The river: 4♣️️. Andrew Hill Newman, a longtime student of the game, was sent home in 9th place. Class dismissed. 👋 WATCH🎦

Maggie Friedman vs. Chip Chinery – High Cards are for Losers
At blinds of 10k-20k, Maggie Friedman shoved her last 25k from the hijack with 9♦️️8♦️️. It’s a connected hand with potential, like every freshman on orientation day. Chip called from the big blind with T♦️️5♥️️, the kind of hand a sophomore throws together the night before it’s due.

The board ran J♣️️4♥️️3♣️️K♦️️J♦️️. Neither player connected with much of anything, but Chip’s ten-high outranked Maggie’s nine-high in the most ridiculous result of the evening. Whether you studied all week or just marked “C” down the entire scantron, all that matters is the result. And thus, Maggie was sent back to the dorms in 8th place. WATCH🎦

Zach Robbins vs. Clay Lapari – Dominated on Day One
At blinds of 10k-20k, Zach Robbins shoved all-in from the button for 80k with A♣️️4♥️️ — a classic “I need to make a move” play that every tournament player knows well. Newcomer Clay Lapari looked down at A♥️️K♦️️ in the big blind and made the easy call. Zach was dominated from the jump, like a transfer student who showed up to the wrong campus.

The board ran 6♣️️6♥️️2♦️️T♥️️A♠️️. An ace on the river gave both players a pair, but Clay’s king kicker won the battle decisively. Zach Robbins was eliminated in 7th place. Better luck next semester, big guy. WATCH🎦

Mike Carreon vs. Brandon DeLany – He Could Go All.. The… Way!
This one had all the drama of an NCAA championship game. At blinds of 10k-20k, Clay raised to 60k from the hijack, and Brandon called from the small blind. Mike Carreon shoved all-in from the big blind, Clay called, and then Brandon re-raised all-in for over 200k total… a three-bet shove so large it sent Clay sprinting off the field. Smart fold, as it turns out.

Brandon tabled A♠️️A♥️️. Mike tabled A♣️️9♣️️. The flop: Q♥️️J♣️️3♣️️, giving Mike a flush draw to keep things interesting. The turn: 5♠️️. The river: 6♦️️. No flush. No miracle. Mike Carreon, one of the most beloved athletes in the division, was sent to the locker room in 6th place. No Heisman Trophy for you. WATCH🎦

Kornelia Takacs vs. Clay Lapari – So Close to Graduation
At blinds of 15k-30k, action folded to Clay, who limped from the small blind, followed by a check from Kornelia Takacs in the big blind. The flop: 7♠️️9♠️️5♦️️. Clay open-shoved for Kornelia’s remaining 37k. Kornelia called, tabling 5♣️️4♥️️ for bottom pair. Clay held K♣️️7♦️️ for middle pair and the lead.

The turn: 3♥️️. A gutshot straight draw for Kornelia! The student section was on their feet. 📣The river: 3♣️️. Paired the board, helped nobody, and sent Kornelia home in 5th place just one card shy of pulling off the upset of the night. She walked out with her head held high and her diploma just out of reach. WATCH🎦

Grant Taylor vs. Chip Chinery – The Cruelest Prank in School History
Two-time WGA Poker Group Champion Grant Taylor arrived at this hand as one of the most decorated alumni this poker group has ever produced. The man has a championship banner in the rafters. Two of them, in fact. 📣 At blinds of 15k-30k, Grant shoved his last 100k from first position. Chip moved all-in over the top from the small blind to isolate. Grant tabled A♣️️2♦️️. Chip showed 4♥️️4♠️️.

The flop: 3♣️️6♦️️J♣️️. Backdoor outs for Chip. The turn: A♥️️. Grant hit top pair and leapt to a massive lead! 🙌 The homecoming crowd went wild. All he needed was to fade two outs, and the legend would live on.

The river: 4♦️️!!! 😱

Oof… the only card in the deck that could send the two-time champion packing, and it showed up like a rival school crashing your victory party. Chip made a miracle set of fours, and Grant Taylor was retired in 4th place. A river four to decide fourth place. How fitting. 💔 WATCH🎦

Chip Chinery vs. Clay Lapari – The Transfer of Power
Riding the high of his miracle river card, Chip came out swinging at blinds of 15k-30k. He min-raised on the button and Clay called from the big blind. The flop: 4♥️️6♦️️3♣️️. Clay open-shoved his mountain of 243k into the middle — a bold play from a player who had the confidence of a freshman who just hooked up with his hot professor and suddenly thinks he runs the school. 😏

Chip snap-called, putting himself at risk, tabling the best hand in poker: A♥️️A♦️️. Clay showed J♣️️4♠️️ for middle pair and immediately realized he was the one about to get schooled. The turn: 9♦️️. The river: 2♥️️. Aces held for a giant double-up. A massive transfer of wealth left Clay on academic probation while Chip assumed the chip lead. Can he stay atop the dean’s list? WATCH🎦

Clay Lapari vs. Brandon DeLany – Finals Week
After that cooler, Clay found himself automatically all-in in the big blind for his last 15k. Chip folded on the button, leaving Brandon in the small blind to call. Clay revealed J♠️️2♥️️. Brandon held A♦️️5♥️️. Live cards for Clay, at least. It’s the kind of long shot every super senior roots for. 🤞

The flop: 2♠️️T♦️️9♦️️. Clay paired his deuce and took the lead! The turn: 6♠️️. Still ahead! The comeback was alive. Time to finally unwrap your cap and gown… The river: 5♣️️!!! Oh no, Brandon paired his five to overtake Clay’s pair of deuces. 😩 And just like that, Clay Lapari’s diploma was revoked in 3rd place. Time to switch majors… WATCH🎦

Chip Chinery vs. Brandon DeLany – Graduation Day
Two players. One mug. The main event.🏆

On one side: Chip Chinery, who had just pulled off one of the most dramatic river cards in recent memory and was playing with the energy of a senior on the last day of school. On the other: reigning champion Brandon DeLany, composed and calculating, the kind of player who doesn’t panic when the game is on the line because he’s been here before and he knows exactly what it takes to win.

At blinds of 30k-60k, Chip limped from the button. Brandon shoved from the big blind for an additional 135k. Chip called. Brandon tabled Q♣️️4♦️️. Chip flipped over K♦️️J♣️️ — a clear advantage as the cards hit the felt.

The flop came J♠️️A♦️️7♠️️. Chip improved to a pair of jacks. Brandon was now in desperate need of a date to the school dance in the form of a queen or his college days were over. The turn: 6♦️️. Nope, not that time. One more shot… The river: 4♠️️. Rejected again! Brandon paired his four, but it wasn’t enough. The defending champion would have to settle for 2nd place.

I guess the yearbook was right to predict him “Most Likely To Succeed” because Chip Chinery is your newest WGA Poker Group Champion! 🏆🎓

Chip played a flawless tournament from start to finish by surviving tough spots, making the right calls, landing miracles when needed, and closing out heads-up like a graduate drowning in student loans with no back-up plan. Failure was not an option. Congratulations, Chip. The mug is yours, and it was very well earned. 🍺 WATCH🎦

Here is a summary of the tournament results. Congrats to all our finalists! 🎉

1st – Chip Chinery 👑
2nd – Brandon “2nd Place” DeLany
3rd – Clay Lapari
4th – Grant “Gugliacci” Taylor
5th – Kornelia “Korne3lia” Takacs
6th – Mike “Nacho Plissken” Carreon
7th – Zach “Big Boy Popcorn Face” Robbins
8th – Maggie “Magoo” Friedman
9th – Andrew Hill Newman

Special thanks to Alasdair Thornton for all his help running the tournament — a true dean of operations. Thank you as well to Jay Moriarty and the Burbank Moose Lodge for once again opening their doors and keeping this institution running. And as always, a standing ovation for our incredible dealers — Jeff Meyers, Miller Tai, Tyler Wong, and Henry Harper — the faculty that keeps this classroom from descending into total chaos. We couldn’t do it without you. 🙏

Please stay tuned for updates via Facebook and the e-newsletter, and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Our next tournament is set for Friday, November 13th (Ooh, Friday the 13th… spooooooky! 👻). Keep an eye out for the official invite. Until then, enjoy the photos below and start prepping for the next school reunion!

P.S. The survey revealed that on the Friday night before finals week:
– 1 person would be “Going to sleep early, I’ve got this already.” 😴
– 1 person would “Break into the dining hall at 4 am and chug the froyo from the machine.” 🍦😂
– 4 people would “Hit up a party and practice their keg stands.” 🍻🤮
– 6 people would “Study like your future depends on it, because it might.” 📖😰
– 6 people would “Get HIGH on life and discuss philosophy with other like-minded souls.” 🌿🤔
– 17 people would “Play poker, of course. Tuition ain’t cheap.” ♦️️♣️️❤️♠️️

Honestly, I’m not surprised by these results. Such degens, all of you!  

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