2009 Horseshoe Hammond
Event 10 - $500 Buy-in H.O.R.S.E. Final Results. 2009 Horseshoe Hammond WSOP Circuit Events.
| 2009 Horseshoe Hammond World Series of Poker Circuit Events Official Results |
2009 Horseshoe Hammond Event #10 Results
2009-2010 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Hammond
Oct. 21-22
Event #10
H.O.R.S.E.
Buy-In: $500 + $55
Number of Entries: 119
Total Prize Money: $52,515
Horseshoe Hammond
Oct. 21-22
Event #10
H.O.R.S.E.
Buy-In: $500 + $55
Number of Entries: 119
Total Prize Money: $52,515
| Eric Crain |
Final Results:
Place
Name
Hometown
Prize
To view the complete schedule and results for the 2009 Horseshoe Hammond WSOP Circuit Events, click on the link below:
2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Hammond Schedule and Results
2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Hammond Schedule and Results
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Eric Crain
Mark Dimberg
John Klawitter
Joseph Kunst
Bradley Libson
Michael Komarek
Matthew Rosen
Kevin McClayton
Jonathan Rogers
Renan Sugarman
Derek Boundy
Steven Hensley
Scott Brooks
Charles Bransford
Shawn Greenwald
Keith Uchima
Mark Dimberg
John Klawitter
Joseph Kunst
Bradley Libson
Michael Komarek
Matthew Rosen
Kevin McClayton
Jonathan Rogers
Renan Sugarman
Derek Boundy
Steven Hensley
Scott Brooks
Charles Bransford
Shawn Greenwald
Keith Uchima
Murphysboro, IL
Exanston, IL
Chicago, IL
Willa Springs, IL
Annapolis, MD
Plainfield, IL
Des Plaines, IL
Winnetka, IL
Osceola, IN
Lincolnwood, IL
Lake Zurich, IL
Mishawaka, IN
Lincolnwood, IL
Des Plaines, IL
Grays Lake, IL
Chicago, IL
Exanston, IL
Chicago, IL
Willa Springs, IL
Annapolis, MD
Plainfield, IL
Des Plaines, IL
Winnetka, IL
Osceola, IN
Lincolnwood, IL
Lake Zurich, IL
Mishawaka, IN
Lincolnwood, IL
Des Plaines, IL
Grays Lake, IL
Chicago, IL
$14,703
$9,089
$6,016
$4,247
$3,186
$2,530
$2,120
$1,870
$1,427
$1,427
$1,147
$1,147
$963
$963
$840
$840
$9,089
$6,016
$4,247
$3,186
$2,530
$2,120
$1,870
$1,427
$1,427
$1,147
$1,147
$963
$963
$840
$840
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Official Report
Event #10 Headlines
1. Poker Pro Eric Crain Wins H.O.R.S.E. Event at Chicago’s WSOP Circuit
2. Crain Wins His Second WSOP Gold Ring – Previous Win Was Three Years Ago in Tunica
3. Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) Continues to Draw Big Fields – Attendance Up 11
Percent Over Last Year, Through First Ten Events
Event #10 Champion (Eric Crain)
The 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit champion of Event #10 held at the Horseshoe
Casino (Chicagoland) is Jeff Eric Crain, from Murphysboro, IL.
Crain is a 25-year-old professional poker player.
Crain has been playing professionally for about five years. He mostly plays online.
Crain says he travels to approximately four major tournaments a year, including most of the
summer in Las Vegas at the WSOP.
This was Crain’s second WSOP Circuit victory. He previously won the $300 buy-in No-Limit
Hold’em event held at the Tunica Grand, in January 2007. Crain now has five WSOP Circuit
cashes, and three final table appearances. He has also cashed four times at the WSOP in
Las Vegas, including a sixth-place finish in the $2,000 buy-on Mixed Games event held
earlier this year.
Crain’s prize money winnings in WSOP-related events total $80,841 in WSO play and
$88,537 in WSOP Circuit.
Crain attended college, but opted to play poker instead. He once studied journalism.
For his victory, Crain won $14,703 in prize money, plus the coveted gold ring which is
presented to all WSOP Circuit winners.
Crain’s hometown of Murphysboro is located in southern Illinois, and is within easy driving
distance of five WSOP Circuit events to be held this season – including Chicago/Hammond,
Tunica, Council Bluffs, Southern Indiana, and St. Louis.
Winner Quotes (Eric Crain)
On how things are going as a poker pro: (Laughing) “It depends on which month you ask
me.”
On what winning a WSOP Circuit gold ring means, particularly victory number two: “It’s
neat because when I won my first ring, I obsessed for a while over winning something
significant. I had done well in cash games at that time but had never done anything in
tournaments. So, when I won that event (back in 2007) I did not realize now until three
years later how really hard it is to win a major tournament. Yeah, it’s really nice.”
On his goals in poker: “I want to get better at a lot of the H.O.R.S.E. games. Oddly, I feel I
am really weak in a lot of the Stud games. I have been working with some players who
play some high-stakes stud and they taught me a lot. I was basically doing everything
wrong, so that really helped me out.”
On poker advice for those who might be thinking about poker either professionally or semi-
professionally: “Keep grinding and do not play too ridiculously big. Try to keep a level head
and keep building slowly.”
On those who helped him improve his game: “Brad Libson (who finished fifth in this event)
really helped me a lot. In fact, I busted him. Some others were Brett Ritchie, Tony Rivera,
Scott, Tom and a few others – they really helped me a lot with my game.”
On his plans for the near future: “I will surely be coming here more in the future. Plus
there is Tunica. And there is a WSOP Circuit event coming to St. Louis for the first time,
which is next spring. I will be playing more for sure.”
On whom he is cheering for at this year’s WSOP November Nine, to be played in two
weeks: “I think if Ivey wins he will bring a lot of good things to the game. Poker will
continue to grow if Ivey wins, and I think that will really be good for the sport. A big name
pro winning gives everyone someone to look up to, and that would be a great thing for
poker.”
The Final Table / In-the-Money Finishers
When final table began, the chip leader was Eric Crain. He maintained his advantage
throughout the three-hour finale. Crain was only seriously threatened when play became
heads-up with Mark Dimberg. At one point, the two players were about even in chips. But
Crain ultimately prevailed.
There was only one former WSOP Circuit gold ring winner in the final group of eight – Eric
Crain.
The eighth-place finisher was Kevin McClayton. He received $1,870.
The seventh-place finisher was Matt Rosen. He received $2,120.
The sixth-place finisher was Michael Komarek, from Plainfield, IL. He received $2,530.
The fifth-place finisher was Bradley Libson, from Vail, CO. He is a 27-year-old poker pro.
Libson previously make it to the final table of the Deuce-to-Seven championship at the
WSOP. This time he settled for a fifth-place payout totaling $3,186.
The fourth-place finisher was Joe Kunst, from Willow Springs, IL. He is a 55-year-old
salesman. Kunst collected $4,247.
The third-place finisher was John Klawitter, from Chicago, IL. He is a dentist. Klawitter
drilled into the prize pool and filled his poker bankroll to the tune of $6,016.
When heads-up play began, Eric Crain enjoyed a slight chip advantage over Mark Dimberg.
The two players were close in chips at one point, but Crain ultimately prevailed. The heads-
up match lasted about 45 minutes.
The runner up was Mark Dimberg, from Evanston, IL. He received $9,089.
The winner was Eric Crain, who collected $14,703 and his second WSOP Circuit gold ring.
The Tournament
H.O.R.S.E. is an acronym for the five most popular poker games played inside American
cardrooms today. H.O.R.S.E. tournaments include a rotation of the following games --
Hold'em, Omaha High-Low Split, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, and Seven-Card Stud High-Low
Split (also called Eight-or-Better). Many purists consider H.O.R.S.E. to be the ultimate test
of poker skill, since it requires that players play all games well in order to win. This claim
was perhaps best illustrated at the 2006 World Series of Poker, where H.O.R.S.E. returned
to the tournament schedule after a long hiatus. For more than two decades, the late poker
legend Chip Reese had been widely regarded as the best all-around player in the world.
Appropriately, he won the inaugural tournament which cost $50,000 to enter and became
the first H.O.R.S.E. world champion. Due in part to the increasing popularity of H.O.R.S.E. at
the WSOP in Las Vegas, some WSOP Circuits now include at least one such tournament.
The rotation of games in this tournament lasts eight hands. In other words – following
eight dealt hands of Hold'em, there are eight hands of Omaha High-Low followed by eight
hands of Razz, and so forth.
This was the tenth tournament of the new WSOP Circuit season and the tenth of 13 events
scheduled for this Circuit in Chicago. This tournament (Event #10) attracted 119 entries.
This was the largest H.O.R.S.E. tournament ever held in the Chicago region. Last year’s H.
O.R.S.E. tournament had a $300 buy-in, which created a smaller prize pool. The largest H.O.
R.S.E. prize pool in WSOP Circuit history was held in 2006 when the Tunica Grand $3,000
buy-in H.O.R.S.E. competition had a $145,500 prize pool.
Through the first ten events of the 2009 WSOP Circuit series at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland), attendance is up 11 percent over last year. Through the first ten events,
the comparisons are as follows:
2008 – 3,198 total entrants
2009 – 3,597 total entrants
Through the first ten events of the 2009 WSOP Circuit series at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland), prize money is up 10 percent over last year. Through the first ten events,
the comparisons are as follows:
2008 – $1,419,091 in total prize money
2009 – $1,563,142 in total prize money
The game played was Pot-Limit Omaha with re-buys. The buy-in was $300 (+45). The total
prize pool amounted to $63,898. The top 14 finishers collected prize money.
The tournament began at noon on October 20th and was played over two days. The entire
duration of the tournament lasted about 16 hours.
World Series of Poker Circuits (History)
The World Series of Poker Circuits began in January 2005. WSOP Circuits were designed to
bring the excitement of the world’s largest and most prestigious poker series to more
players and fans in various regions throughout the United States. Over the past five years,
WSOP Circuits have taken place at Harrah’s Entertainment properties in the following
locations:
Las Vegas, NV (Caesars Palace, Harrah’s, and Bally’s/Paris)
Lake Tahoe, NV (Harvey’s Lake Tahoe)
San Diego, CA (Rincon)
New Orleans, LA (Harrah’s)
Tunica, MS (Tunica Grand)
Council Bluffs, IA (Harrah’s)
Elizabeth, IN/Louisville, KY (Horseshoe Southern Indiana)
Hammond, IN/Chicago, IL (Horseshoe Casino)
Atlantic City (Caesars, Harrah’s, Showboat)
This begins WSOP Circuit season number six. This season officially began on October 16,
2009 at the Horseshoe Casino (Chicago) and will conclude seven months later on May 19,
2010 at Harrah’s New Orleans. This year, there are 11 WSOP Circuit stops held at the
following locations:
Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland)
Horseshoe Southern Indiana
Harvey’s Lake Tahoe
Harrah’s Atlantic City
Tunica Grand
Harrah’s Council Bluffs
Caesars Atlantic City
Harrah’s Rincon
Harrah’s St. Louis (new location)
Caesars Palace Las Vegas
Harrah’s New Orleans
Only three locations have hosted WSOP Circuits during all six seasons. They are:
Harrah’s Atlantic City
Harrah’s New Orleans
Harvey’s Lake Tahoe
WSOP Circuit stops typically include 10-15 tournaments played over a two-week period
(some of the more popular events run longer and include as many as 23 events). Buy-ins
range from $200 for the lower tournaments up to $5,000 for championship events. During
the first two years of WSOP Circuits, all championship events had a $10,000 buy-in. This
has been reduced to a $5,000 buy-in since the 2006-2007 season began.
WSOP Circuits consistently attract large fields and payout impressive prize money. Here
are the ten largest poker events in WSOP Circuit history:
1,412 -- Horseshoe Casino (Chicago), Oct. 16-17, 2009 -- Event #1
1,345 -- Tunica Grand (Mississippi), Jan. 7-8, 2006 – Event #3
1,187 -- Horseshoe Casino (Chicago), Oct. 24-25, 2008 – Event #1
1,181 – Harrah’s Atlantic City, Dec. 5-6, 2008 – Event #1
1,106 -- Caesars Atlantic City, Mar. 5-6, 2007 – Event #1
1,056 -- Caesars Atlantic City, Mar. 5-6, 2008 – Event #1
1,050 -- Caesars Atlantic City, Mar. 7-8, 2008 – Event #3
983 -- Caesars Atlantic City, Mar. 6-7, 2009 – Event #3
954 – Caesars Indiana, Oct. 20, 2005 – Event #1
940 -- Tunica Grand (Mississippi) Jan. 5-6, 2006 – Event #1
Winners of WSOP Circuit tournaments receive a gold ring as the token of their
achievement. This prize is patterned after the coveted gold bracelet, which is awarded to
all winners of WSOP events in Las Vegas.
The player who has won the most WSOP Circuit gold rings is Men “the Master” Nguyen,
with four victories. Nguyen also has 12 WSOP Circuit career cashes.
The player who has won the most WSOP Circuit championship events is Chris “Jesus”
Ferguson, with three Main Event victories. Ferguson won Main Events at Harrah’s Rincon
(2005), Harrah’s Las Vegas (2005), and Harvey’s Lake Tahoe (2007).
The player with the most prize money winnings in WSOP Circuit history is Chris “Jesus”
Ferguson. His combined career earnings currently total $1,359,143. Ferguson has cashed
six times.
World Series of Poker Circuit at Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland)
This is the 51st WSOP Circuit tournament series played since January 2005.
What is now the Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) originally opened up as the Empress
Casino, back in 1993. The casino has since been sold twice and has undergone both
expansion and renovation. It is now the largest casino (measured by number of tables and
gaming devices) in the greater Chicago area. The current Horseshoe Casino configuration
has more than 100 live table games, 3,200 electronic gaming devices, and a 34-table poker
room, making it one of the largest casinos in the Midwest.
Poker pioneer Jack Binion bought and took over the Empress Casino in 2001. He renamed
the property as the “Horseshoe Casino.” It became officially known as “Horseshoe
Hammond,” since it is actually located in Hammond, IN. Harrah’s Entertainment purchased
the casino from Binion in 2004, and retained the name. However, in an effort to align itself
with the Chicago area, the casino is now known as the Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland).
The Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) underwent a $500 million renovation, which was
completed last year. On August 8, 2008 (8-8-08) entertainment diva Bette Midler hosted
and performed at the grand re-opening.
The Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) is the closest gaming facility in proximity to downtown
Chicago, which is just 16 miles away. In fact, the downtown skyline can be seen from many
parts of the casino, which is located along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
A large marina is adjacent to the casino, which holds many water craft. The casino is a
popular destination for boats which come to the resort from all over the region, especially
during summer months.
The casino is located less than a mile from the Indiana-Illinois border. The closest major
airport is Midway, on Chicago’s south side. Chicago’s O’Hare Airport is about an hour
away. The casino offers shuttle service to many parts of Chicago and the region.
The Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) draws visitors predominately from the Chicago area.
However, the WSOP Circuit attracts many players from all over Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, and Ohio.
This marks the second year that the Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) has hosted a WSOP
Circuit stop. Last year’s field came close to setting attendance records. A big turnout is
also expected this year, and the first event of the new 2009-2010 season did not
disappoint. The Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) has now hosted two of the three largest
WSOP Circuit tournaments in history.
The Horseshoe Casino poker room regularly holds 34 tables. However, the WSOP Circuit
took over the special events center called “The Venue.” This additional floor space holds 78
more poker tables. This means the Horseshoe Casino holds up to 112 poker tables
combined, making it the largest capacity facility of any WSOP Circuit event.
“The Venue” is regularly used for shows and attracts many of the biggest names in music
and entertainment. The Venue holds up to 3,000 people. But most of the theatre seating
was moved aside for nearly two weeks in favor of poker tables, all packed with players.
This is one of two major poker tournaments held annually at the Horseshoe Casino. In
addition to the WSOP Circuit, the casino will be hosting the “Chicago Poker Classic,” to be
held February 26 through March 7, 2010. This tournament is expected to offer nine major
events, plus several second chance tournaments. Attractions include $350,000 in added
prize money, plus a brand new Porsche Cayman luxury car as the grand prize. A complete
schedule of the 2010 Chicago Poker Classic will be forwarded to media at the completion of
this year’s WSOP Circuit events.
__________________________________
HORSESHOE CASINO (CHICAGO)
Horseshoe Casino Senior Vice President and General Manager: Dan Nita
Director of Table Games: Jose Lebron
Poker Room Manager: Jason Newman
Special Events Manager: Amie Hill
Tournament Director: Charlie Ciresi
Co-Tournament Director: Steve Frezer
WORLD SERIES OF POKER
World Series of Poker President and Commissioner – Jeffrey Pollack
WSOP Vice President -- Ty Stewart
Director of Communications – Seth Palansky
Regional Vice President of Specialty Gaming -- Howard Greenbaum
WSOP Events Manager -- Angele Marshall
WSOP Marketing Manager – Elizabeth Anne Hill
WSOP Tournament Director – Jack Effel
WSOP Media Director – Nolan Dalla
Event #10 Headlines
1. Poker Pro Eric Crain Wins H.O.R.S.E. Event at Chicago’s WSOP Circuit
2. Crain Wins His Second WSOP Gold Ring – Previous Win Was Three Years Ago in Tunica
3. Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) Continues to Draw Big Fields – Attendance Up 11
Percent Over Last Year, Through First Ten Events
Event #10 Champion (Eric Crain)
The 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit champion of Event #10 held at the Horseshoe
Casino (Chicagoland) is Jeff Eric Crain, from Murphysboro, IL.
Crain is a 25-year-old professional poker player.
Crain has been playing professionally for about five years. He mostly plays online.
Crain says he travels to approximately four major tournaments a year, including most of the
summer in Las Vegas at the WSOP.
This was Crain’s second WSOP Circuit victory. He previously won the $300 buy-in No-Limit
Hold’em event held at the Tunica Grand, in January 2007. Crain now has five WSOP Circuit
cashes, and three final table appearances. He has also cashed four times at the WSOP in
Las Vegas, including a sixth-place finish in the $2,000 buy-on Mixed Games event held
earlier this year.
Crain’s prize money winnings in WSOP-related events total $80,841 in WSO play and
$88,537 in WSOP Circuit.
Crain attended college, but opted to play poker instead. He once studied journalism.
For his victory, Crain won $14,703 in prize money, plus the coveted gold ring which is
presented to all WSOP Circuit winners.
Crain’s hometown of Murphysboro is located in southern Illinois, and is within easy driving
distance of five WSOP Circuit events to be held this season – including Chicago/Hammond,
Tunica, Council Bluffs, Southern Indiana, and St. Louis.
Winner Quotes (Eric Crain)
On how things are going as a poker pro: (Laughing) “It depends on which month you ask
me.”
On what winning a WSOP Circuit gold ring means, particularly victory number two: “It’s
neat because when I won my first ring, I obsessed for a while over winning something
significant. I had done well in cash games at that time but had never done anything in
tournaments. So, when I won that event (back in 2007) I did not realize now until three
years later how really hard it is to win a major tournament. Yeah, it’s really nice.”
On his goals in poker: “I want to get better at a lot of the H.O.R.S.E. games. Oddly, I feel I
am really weak in a lot of the Stud games. I have been working with some players who
play some high-stakes stud and they taught me a lot. I was basically doing everything
wrong, so that really helped me out.”
On poker advice for those who might be thinking about poker either professionally or semi-
professionally: “Keep grinding and do not play too ridiculously big. Try to keep a level head
and keep building slowly.”
On those who helped him improve his game: “Brad Libson (who finished fifth in this event)
really helped me a lot. In fact, I busted him. Some others were Brett Ritchie, Tony Rivera,
Scott, Tom and a few others – they really helped me a lot with my game.”
On his plans for the near future: “I will surely be coming here more in the future. Plus
there is Tunica. And there is a WSOP Circuit event coming to St. Louis for the first time,
which is next spring. I will be playing more for sure.”
On whom he is cheering for at this year’s WSOP November Nine, to be played in two
weeks: “I think if Ivey wins he will bring a lot of good things to the game. Poker will
continue to grow if Ivey wins, and I think that will really be good for the sport. A big name
pro winning gives everyone someone to look up to, and that would be a great thing for
poker.”
The Final Table / In-the-Money Finishers
When final table began, the chip leader was Eric Crain. He maintained his advantage
throughout the three-hour finale. Crain was only seriously threatened when play became
heads-up with Mark Dimberg. At one point, the two players were about even in chips. But
Crain ultimately prevailed.
There was only one former WSOP Circuit gold ring winner in the final group of eight – Eric
Crain.
The eighth-place finisher was Kevin McClayton. He received $1,870.
The seventh-place finisher was Matt Rosen. He received $2,120.
The sixth-place finisher was Michael Komarek, from Plainfield, IL. He received $2,530.
The fifth-place finisher was Bradley Libson, from Vail, CO. He is a 27-year-old poker pro.
Libson previously make it to the final table of the Deuce-to-Seven championship at the
WSOP. This time he settled for a fifth-place payout totaling $3,186.
The fourth-place finisher was Joe Kunst, from Willow Springs, IL. He is a 55-year-old
salesman. Kunst collected $4,247.
The third-place finisher was John Klawitter, from Chicago, IL. He is a dentist. Klawitter
drilled into the prize pool and filled his poker bankroll to the tune of $6,016.
When heads-up play began, Eric Crain enjoyed a slight chip advantage over Mark Dimberg.
The two players were close in chips at one point, but Crain ultimately prevailed. The heads-
up match lasted about 45 minutes.
The runner up was Mark Dimberg, from Evanston, IL. He received $9,089.
The winner was Eric Crain, who collected $14,703 and his second WSOP Circuit gold ring.
The Tournament
H.O.R.S.E. is an acronym for the five most popular poker games played inside American
cardrooms today. H.O.R.S.E. tournaments include a rotation of the following games --
Hold'em, Omaha High-Low Split, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, and Seven-Card Stud High-Low
Split (also called Eight-or-Better). Many purists consider H.O.R.S.E. to be the ultimate test
of poker skill, since it requires that players play all games well in order to win. This claim
was perhaps best illustrated at the 2006 World Series of Poker, where H.O.R.S.E. returned
to the tournament schedule after a long hiatus. For more than two decades, the late poker
legend Chip Reese had been widely regarded as the best all-around player in the world.
Appropriately, he won the inaugural tournament which cost $50,000 to enter and became
the first H.O.R.S.E. world champion. Due in part to the increasing popularity of H.O.R.S.E. at
the WSOP in Las Vegas, some WSOP Circuits now include at least one such tournament.
The rotation of games in this tournament lasts eight hands. In other words – following
eight dealt hands of Hold'em, there are eight hands of Omaha High-Low followed by eight
hands of Razz, and so forth.
This was the tenth tournament of the new WSOP Circuit season and the tenth of 13 events
scheduled for this Circuit in Chicago. This tournament (Event #10) attracted 119 entries.
This was the largest H.O.R.S.E. tournament ever held in the Chicago region. Last year’s H.
O.R.S.E. tournament had a $300 buy-in, which created a smaller prize pool. The largest H.O.
R.S.E. prize pool in WSOP Circuit history was held in 2006 when the Tunica Grand $3,000
buy-in H.O.R.S.E. competition had a $145,500 prize pool.
Through the first ten events of the 2009 WSOP Circuit series at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland), attendance is up 11 percent over last year. Through the first ten events,
the comparisons are as follows:
2008 – 3,198 total entrants
2009 – 3,597 total entrants
Through the first ten events of the 2009 WSOP Circuit series at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland), prize money is up 10 percent over last year. Through the first ten events,
the comparisons are as follows:
2008 – $1,419,091 in total prize money
2009 – $1,563,142 in total prize money
The game played was Pot-Limit Omaha with re-buys. The buy-in was $300 (+45). The total
prize pool amounted to $63,898. The top 14 finishers collected prize money.
The tournament began at noon on October 20th and was played over two days. The entire
duration of the tournament lasted about 16 hours.
World Series of Poker Circuits (History)
The World Series of Poker Circuits began in January 2005. WSOP Circuits were designed to
bring the excitement of the world’s largest and most prestigious poker series to more
players and fans in various regions throughout the United States. Over the past five years,
WSOP Circuits have taken place at Harrah’s Entertainment properties in the following
locations:
Las Vegas, NV (Caesars Palace, Harrah’s, and Bally’s/Paris)
Lake Tahoe, NV (Harvey’s Lake Tahoe)
San Diego, CA (Rincon)
New Orleans, LA (Harrah’s)
Tunica, MS (Tunica Grand)
Council Bluffs, IA (Harrah’s)
Elizabeth, IN/Louisville, KY (Horseshoe Southern Indiana)
Hammond, IN/Chicago, IL (Horseshoe Casino)
Atlantic City (Caesars, Harrah’s, Showboat)
This begins WSOP Circuit season number six. This season officially began on October 16,
2009 at the Horseshoe Casino (Chicago) and will conclude seven months later on May 19,
2010 at Harrah’s New Orleans. This year, there are 11 WSOP Circuit stops held at the
following locations:
Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland)
Horseshoe Southern Indiana
Harvey’s Lake Tahoe
Harrah’s Atlantic City
Tunica Grand
Harrah’s Council Bluffs
Caesars Atlantic City
Harrah’s Rincon
Harrah’s St. Louis (new location)
Caesars Palace Las Vegas
Harrah’s New Orleans
Only three locations have hosted WSOP Circuits during all six seasons. They are:
Harrah’s Atlantic City
Harrah’s New Orleans
Harvey’s Lake Tahoe
WSOP Circuit stops typically include 10-15 tournaments played over a two-week period
(some of the more popular events run longer and include as many as 23 events). Buy-ins
range from $200 for the lower tournaments up to $5,000 for championship events. During
the first two years of WSOP Circuits, all championship events had a $10,000 buy-in. This
has been reduced to a $5,000 buy-in since the 2006-2007 season began.
WSOP Circuits consistently attract large fields and payout impressive prize money. Here
are the ten largest poker events in WSOP Circuit history:
1,412 -- Horseshoe Casino (Chicago), Oct. 16-17, 2009 -- Event #1
1,345 -- Tunica Grand (Mississippi), Jan. 7-8, 2006 – Event #3
1,187 -- Horseshoe Casino (Chicago), Oct. 24-25, 2008 – Event #1
1,181 – Harrah’s Atlantic City, Dec. 5-6, 2008 – Event #1
1,106 -- Caesars Atlantic City, Mar. 5-6, 2007 – Event #1
1,056 -- Caesars Atlantic City, Mar. 5-6, 2008 – Event #1
1,050 -- Caesars Atlantic City, Mar. 7-8, 2008 – Event #3
983 -- Caesars Atlantic City, Mar. 6-7, 2009 – Event #3
954 – Caesars Indiana, Oct. 20, 2005 – Event #1
940 -- Tunica Grand (Mississippi) Jan. 5-6, 2006 – Event #1
Winners of WSOP Circuit tournaments receive a gold ring as the token of their
achievement. This prize is patterned after the coveted gold bracelet, which is awarded to
all winners of WSOP events in Las Vegas.
The player who has won the most WSOP Circuit gold rings is Men “the Master” Nguyen,
with four victories. Nguyen also has 12 WSOP Circuit career cashes.
The player who has won the most WSOP Circuit championship events is Chris “Jesus”
Ferguson, with three Main Event victories. Ferguson won Main Events at Harrah’s Rincon
(2005), Harrah’s Las Vegas (2005), and Harvey’s Lake Tahoe (2007).
The player with the most prize money winnings in WSOP Circuit history is Chris “Jesus”
Ferguson. His combined career earnings currently total $1,359,143. Ferguson has cashed
six times.
World Series of Poker Circuit at Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland)
This is the 51st WSOP Circuit tournament series played since January 2005.
What is now the Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) originally opened up as the Empress
Casino, back in 1993. The casino has since been sold twice and has undergone both
expansion and renovation. It is now the largest casino (measured by number of tables and
gaming devices) in the greater Chicago area. The current Horseshoe Casino configuration
has more than 100 live table games, 3,200 electronic gaming devices, and a 34-table poker
room, making it one of the largest casinos in the Midwest.
Poker pioneer Jack Binion bought and took over the Empress Casino in 2001. He renamed
the property as the “Horseshoe Casino.” It became officially known as “Horseshoe
Hammond,” since it is actually located in Hammond, IN. Harrah’s Entertainment purchased
the casino from Binion in 2004, and retained the name. However, in an effort to align itself
with the Chicago area, the casino is now known as the Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland).
The Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) underwent a $500 million renovation, which was
completed last year. On August 8, 2008 (8-8-08) entertainment diva Bette Midler hosted
and performed at the grand re-opening.
The Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) is the closest gaming facility in proximity to downtown
Chicago, which is just 16 miles away. In fact, the downtown skyline can be seen from many
parts of the casino, which is located along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
A large marina is adjacent to the casino, which holds many water craft. The casino is a
popular destination for boats which come to the resort from all over the region, especially
during summer months.
The casino is located less than a mile from the Indiana-Illinois border. The closest major
airport is Midway, on Chicago’s south side. Chicago’s O’Hare Airport is about an hour
away. The casino offers shuttle service to many parts of Chicago and the region.
The Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) draws visitors predominately from the Chicago area.
However, the WSOP Circuit attracts many players from all over Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, and Ohio.
This marks the second year that the Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) has hosted a WSOP
Circuit stop. Last year’s field came close to setting attendance records. A big turnout is
also expected this year, and the first event of the new 2009-2010 season did not
disappoint. The Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) has now hosted two of the three largest
WSOP Circuit tournaments in history.
The Horseshoe Casino poker room regularly holds 34 tables. However, the WSOP Circuit
took over the special events center called “The Venue.” This additional floor space holds 78
more poker tables. This means the Horseshoe Casino holds up to 112 poker tables
combined, making it the largest capacity facility of any WSOP Circuit event.
“The Venue” is regularly used for shows and attracts many of the biggest names in music
and entertainment. The Venue holds up to 3,000 people. But most of the theatre seating
was moved aside for nearly two weeks in favor of poker tables, all packed with players.
This is one of two major poker tournaments held annually at the Horseshoe Casino. In
addition to the WSOP Circuit, the casino will be hosting the “Chicago Poker Classic,” to be
held February 26 through March 7, 2010. This tournament is expected to offer nine major
events, plus several second chance tournaments. Attractions include $350,000 in added
prize money, plus a brand new Porsche Cayman luxury car as the grand prize. A complete
schedule of the 2010 Chicago Poker Classic will be forwarded to media at the completion of
this year’s WSOP Circuit events.
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HORSESHOE CASINO (CHICAGO)
Horseshoe Casino Senior Vice President and General Manager: Dan Nita
Director of Table Games: Jose Lebron
Poker Room Manager: Jason Newman
Special Events Manager: Amie Hill
Tournament Director: Charlie Ciresi
Co-Tournament Director: Steve Frezer
WORLD SERIES OF POKER
World Series of Poker President and Commissioner – Jeffrey Pollack
WSOP Vice President -- Ty Stewart
Director of Communications – Seth Palansky
Regional Vice President of Specialty Gaming -- Howard Greenbaum
WSOP Events Manager -- Angele Marshall
WSOP Marketing Manager – Elizabeth Anne Hill
WSOP Tournament Director – Jack Effel
WSOP Media Director – Nolan Dalla
