Elena, from start to finish

The cards went out, and so did the egos. Here is what came of it.

Elena crossed the finish line first, on 134 points. In front from the last of the opening eights to the end, and nobody got close enough to worry about. At one stretch, 8 good hands in a row.

Payet finishes second, 13 points short of gold. Silver shines, but not quite the same. Payet got past Radu at the very last hand.

Radu rounds out the podium with 114 points. Bronze still counts as a medal. Radu was ahead of Payet right up to the last hand.

unf0rgettable finishes right in the middle — neither hot nor cold — 4th, with 103 points. In the last of the middle eights: unf0rgettable said 0, made 3, and the evening was ruined for Payet and Radu. Before the last eights, only 9 points off the podium — the pace just didn't hold.

Neither at the front nor at the back: Mihai in 5th, with 88 points. The comfort zone. 2 hands in a row: only Mihai slipped, while the rest said it and did it. The cards were kind to everyone but Mihai.

Ana closes out the table, with 88 points. "Last one buys the coffee" — as they say at the table. Level on points with Mihai, and behind only on the tie-break. In the first of the closing eights: Ana called 0, took 3, and Elena and unf0rgettable were left out in the cold.

Well played everyone — and especially Elena!