Poker Enthusiasts Stunned by Heads-Up Tournament Concession
Unusual turn of events in the Potomac Winter Poker Open at MGM National Harbor, Maryland. William Pinkerton, a participant in a $400 buy-in tournament, was in a tough spot, trailing Jacob Mitich by a significant margin with only a few big blinds left. Instead of risking it all and fighting till the end, Pinkerton, a reported flight school student known to play for fun, decided to throw in the towel and pocket a pre-set $13,582 second-place prize money.
Intriguingly, Pinkerton did not even negotiate for an agreement, which could have fetched him extra cash. According to pokernews.com, Pinkerton gave no reason for his decision to withdraw, other than being content with his second-place finish. This move earned Pinkerton a payday that was nearly $9K less than what he might have gotten had he fought his way to victory.
Jacob Mitich, the victor, found this move unusual, stating "Yeah, I definitely haven’t had that happen before. It was extremely odd."
Poker Community Stirs Up a Fuss
When the news broke, fellow players in the broader poker community reacted in a dramatic fashion.
"What the actual hell did I just read? The guy got to heads-up and just gave up? No deal?" Tweeted @TheAwwbrey.
The question on everyone's mind: Has anyone ever heard of someone giving up in a tournament heads-up? Ever?" tweeted poker player Gene Engle, who suggested Pinkerton might have had a reason to avoid the spotlight, such as discomfort with post-match interviews or public images. "Winner takes photos, talks with staff, interviews, etc. 2nd gets cash quick and leaves. People have many reasons to use aliases. Banned, owe debts, etc."
"Maybe he had somewhere to be, or a flight to catch?" added @yaboiijimothy. "There are only a few acceptable reasons why I could see someone giving up when head’s up."
The RiskTakers Know Better
Tournament poker players are well aware that the game isn’t over until the last chip is lost. For example, a 2021 heads-up match for $100K in PokerGO’s ‘High Stakes Duel’ saw Phil Hellmuth rally to victory over Daniel Negreanu, who was leading 96K-4K.
Importantly, Pinkerton had essentially nothing to lose by continuing to play Mitich until the bitter end. Even if he had lost all his chips, Pinkerton would still have received the same second-place prize money, as tournament winnings are predetermined. Pinkerton surrendered immediately after hitting a straight from A-7, which eliminated Brett Butz (all-in with a pair of 9s) and left Mitich with the top prize of $22,298, a new record for Mitich's live poker earnings.
Mitich has had his fair share of unusual luck in life. On Aug. 26, 2018, he was among a dozen victims wounded by gunshots when David Katz, 24, opened fire after losing a Madden NFL tournament game in Jacksonville, Florida. Two other competitors were killed in the shooting.
