Week 2: Ray’s Rampage Falls Short as Tammy Leonard Claims VictoryWeek 2
Week 2 of the Elite Tampa Bay Poker League delivered non-stop action and a thrilling heads-up battle that came down to the wire. When the chips settled, Tammy Leonard stood atop the leaderboard, outlasting a field that included a dominant performance from runner-up Ray Mancini.
A Special Guest at the Final Table
The league welcomed guest blogger Juan Rodriguez to the final table, who provided colorful real-time commentary as the drama unfolded. His presence added an extra layer of excitement to an already electric evening, and we’re grateful he stuck around to document every pivotal moment. Thanks again, Juan!
John Coleman <Karl Man
John 9th
Juan: “Curly hair Evan busted 8th
Don’t know his last name
He always has a beer in his hand and talks a lot of shit”
(That would be a Evan Vancavage<Evan Pantano)
Maribeth Hilliard 7th vs Ray Mancini
Tammy Leonard won the league this week, Ray Mancini 2nd
Ray Mancini’s Elimination Spree
If there was a Player of the Night award for eliminations, it would go to Ray Mancini without question. Ray went on an absolute tear through the field, single-handedly sending multiple players to the rail in quick succession.
Ray knocked out Maribeth Hilliard in 7th place, then turned his attention to Saif Keshwani, eliminating him in 5th to further consolidate his chip lead. But Ray wasn’t done. He busted Evan Pantano in 6th place (Karl Man delivering that knockout blow), then sent Bryan Fuchs packing in 3rd place to set up a heads-up showdown with Tammy Leonard.
Coming into heads-up play, Ray held a commanding chip advantage. Victory seemed inevitable.
The Epic Comeback
But Tammy Leonard had other plans. After scoring a massive double-up against Jack Bittker earlier in the final table, she carried that momentum all the way to heads-up play. Despite being short-stacked, Tammy battled back, grinding Ray down chip by chip.
In one of Juan’s memorable observations, “Curly hair Evan busted 8th” (referring to Evan VanCavage), the table was thinning quickly, but Tammy remained focused and patient.
The heads-up battle turned when Tammy earned another crucial double-up, pulling nearly even with Ray. From there, the match became a back-and-forth chess match until Tammy finally sealed the victory.
The final table in order of finish was:
1/15/26 league
1.Tammy Leonard
2.Ray Mancini
3.Brian Fuchs
4.Karl Man
5.Saif Keshwani
6.Evan Pantano
7.Maribeth Hilliard
8.Evan VanCavage
9.John Coleman
