Week 14: The Chop That Shook the Leaderboard: Smith Surges to Second as Final Four Weeks Loom
With just four weeks remaining in the Elite Tampa Bay Poker League season after this week, Week 14 delivered a seismic shift in the championship race. David Smith’s decision to chop first place with Nick Scholz wasn’t just a smart deal—it was a strategic masterstroke that catapulted him from fourth place to second, leapfrogging Ryan Harfouch (67 points) in the standings. Ray Mancini still commands the top spot with 87 points, but Smith’s surge to 70 points has completely reshaped the battle for at least eight $10,000 WSOP Main Event seats. The math is becoming unforgiving: players must compete in 4 of the final 5 weeks AND reach 15 total weeks to qualify, meaning every absence could be catastrophic and every final table appearance could vault players into contention—or knock them out entirely.
Final table!!
John Capitano’s AK >Roberto Cotto’s QQ
Roberto Cotto 9th
Chrissy dub thru Mo
Nick QT> K6 Mo
Mohamed Lahlou 8th
Nick S KJ> AJ John C
John Capitano 7th
David S A6>A3 Chrissy
Chrissy Holubeck 6th
Final table in order of finish was:
1.Nick Scholz / David Smith
2.Chop
3.Aaron Thivyanathan
4.James McKinnon
5.Steve Trizis
6.Chrissy Holubeck
7.John Capitano
8.Mohomed Lahlou
9.Rob Cotto
As we head into the final month of competition, the urgency is palpable and the requirements are non-negotiable. You must play or have a substitute for 4 of the last 5 weeks AND reach 15 weeks total to be eligible for a Main Event seat, regardless of where you stand in points. David Smith’s climb to second place proves that a single tournament can change everything, while James McKinnon’s fourth-place finish (61 points) and Steve Trizis’s fifth-place showing (62 points) demonstrate that the race for the top eight is far from decided. With $75,900 in the prize pool and dreams of Las Vegas on the line, there’s no margin for error and no room for complacency. Four weeks remain. Every hand matters. Every seat counts.
