Galen Hall wins PCA Main Event

Galen Hall pocketed first prize at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event for a massive $2.3m this weekend (January 15).

Thousands of poker’s biggest names flocked to this year’s $10,000 PCA Main Event, but it was new kid Hall who took down the tournament after he beat long-time chip leader Chris Oliver heads-up for the title.

Oliver started the final day holding a whopping 42% of all the chips in play and he retained that lead until heads-up play, his 33.4m stack dwarfing Hall’s 13.1m. But after bleeding chips, Oliver’s grasp on the title loosened when Hall played two big double-up hands to crush the 21-year-old’s hopes.

The final hand came soon after when Hall shoved with Ac 8c preflop and was insta-called by Oliver holding pocket Queens. The flop came As Kd 8s, with Hall flopping top pair, and Oliver’s Queens failed to catch up on the next two streets.

Since turning pro last year Hall’s success has mainly been online, where he finished $200,000 in profit in 2010. The 24-year-old made the money in WSOP events in 2009 and 2010, coming 208th and 155th, respectively but the PCA finish marks his first major tournament win. In an interview after the game, Hall said he was going to go back to school next year to study Business.

The PCA, held at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas annually, attracted more than 1,500 players including 2003 WSOP champion Chris Moneymaker, who placed 13th and the latest pro to join the PokerStars team Viktor Blom (aka Isildur1) who was knocked out on the first day.