A Night of High Stakes and Fierce Competition on the Felts

What a thrilling night of Texas Hold 'Em poker as Mavericks from far and wide gathered to solidify their standings—or shake things up—in the Free Poker Network’s Winter Season. A total of 22 players took their seats, including a fresh face to the felts, Neal Petermann, a newcomer in name but certainly not in reputation.

From the very first shuffle, the intensity was palpable. "Raisin’" Rick Hoag wasted no time setting the tone, bulldozing his way through Game One and making it clear that he came to dominate. Meanwhile, league points contender Lewis Iler proved just as formidable, dispatching all challengers at his own table with a calculated precision that left little room for error.

Game Two continued the electrifying action. Rick once again emerged victorious at his table, stacking his chips high and making it known that he was the man to beat. But it was the debutant, Neal Petermann, who turned heads and made an impact, conquering his table despite the extra challenge of a bounty placed on him.

As the final game loomed, tension mounted. With two decisive victories, "Raisin’" Rick held a slim two-point lead over Iler, while the rest of the field lagged behind, desperately hoping for a misstep from the frontrunners. Dale Pinson and Candace Sutter, both five points back, were in the hunt, but it would take nothing short of a major shake-up to prevent one of the top two from claiming the night.

And what a finale it was! Candace fought valiantly, finishing in second place in Game Three, but it wasn't quite enough to overtake the leaders. Meanwhile, the final table saw Mike Soper and Neal Petermann emerge victorious, closing out the night with emphatic wins.

When the points were tallied, it was Rick Hoag standing tall, securing the night’s top honors, with Lewis Iler narrowly edging out Candace Sutter for second place via tiebreaker. Neal Petermann, making an impressive debut, finished fourth, with Mike Soper rounding out the top five.

With just one more week remaining in the Winter Season, the race for the league points championship is anything but decided. Mike Soper, buoyed by his final-game triumph, clings to his lead, but a host of contenders—Lewis Iler, Jim Elwart, Candace Sutter, and James Ramsey—remain within striking distance. And with the final night featuring a high-stakes double points round, anything can happen.

Strap in, Mavericks. The grand finale is upon us, and it promises to be nothing short of epic. See you on the felts!