What an incredible night to cap off a season of highs, lows, and poker drama! The Tournament of Champions (TOC) was the finale we all dreamed of, and then some. It all kicked off with the Donkey Last Chance Game, where 11 players fought for two coveted seats in the TOC. In the end, it was NOLA Bridge and Wheel who claimed the spots—but, despite their valiant efforts, neither made it to the final table at the TOC. We tip our hats to their fight, though!

The tournament crowd gathered around, watching the last hands of the satellite game before enjoying an amazing dinner, generously hosted by the TOC. With our bellies full, the Road to the TOC was officially underway, and this year, the opening ritual was none other than a classic Ro-Sham-Bo showdown. JMAC took home the prestigious title, securing his place in history.

Then, it was time to dive into the main event. The field was packed, with the Player of the Year (POTY) race still wide open. Rambo sat atop the leaderboard, but poker is a cruel mistress, and just five hands into the tournament, Rambo found himself in a bad spot. After getting 4-bet, he pushed all-in with pocket Aces, only to have NOLA Bridge call with pocket 10s. The river came down and… BAM! A 10 hit, chopping the legs out from under Rambo. A few chips left in his stack, and he tried to make a stand with A-K, but it wasn’t meant to be. He was the first casualty of the night, and suddenly, the race for POTY was up for grabs.

The action kept heating up, and before we even hit the final table, AK took down the Best Hand of the Night with Aces full of 9s, winning a hefty $480. As we reached the final table, the drama intensified: 4 players were automatic qualifiers, and 5 more fought their way through the gauntlet.

The tournament then reached the Double Bubble phase, with Scotty Lob holding a commanding chip lead, seemingly locking up his POTY title. But poker, like life, has a way of surprising us. With AK and JMAC both short-stacked, the clock stopped for a deal, and the players agreed to pay out $100 to the double bubble ($50 each from 1st and 2nd) and $1000 for bubble ($400 each from 1st and 2nd and $200 from 3rd). AK Busted in Double Bubble and collected his $100.  JMAC found the bubble and collected $1000 + the bubble boy prize to win upto $2,000,000.   At the ceremony, we anxiously awaited to see if we had a millionaire amongst up.  He locked up $50 on his scratchy.

As the final three players continued their battle, Black Kat eventually fell in 3rd place, taking home $2530 (minus the chop). Heads-up play was intense, with Scotty Lob and Shooter battling for the title. At the break, Shooter had $71K in chips to Lob’s $110K, but the momentum was shifting. After a lengthy duel, all the chips went in, and Shooter fell just short, securing 2nd place and a $5045 payday (minus his chop).

But the night belonged to Scotty Lob, who not only took home the TOC Championship but also snagged a $1500-paid seat to the WSOP, $500 in POTY points, and $200 in bounties. His performance this season was nothing short of legendary—three bracelets in one year, two regular season wins, and now, the 2024 TOC Championship. Total cashes: an astonishing $9225.

In addition to Scotty Lob’s dominance, bounties were dished out left and right: $50 for AK, JMAC, Black Kat, and NOLA Bridge, with Black Cover snagging the $100 bounty.

And that’s a wrap on the Tournament of Champions 2024. With Scotty Lob now officially in the Hall of Fame, it’s clear this season will be one for the history books.

Congrats to all the players who made it to the TOC, and a massive round of applause to Scotty Lob—the TOC Champion, the Player of the Year, and a name etched in poker immortality!

Until next time, poker warriors. We’ll see you at the tables!