2009 Horseshoe Hammond
Event 3 - $1,000 Buy-in No Limit Holdem Final Results. 2009 Horseshoe Hammond WSOP Circuit Events.
| 2009 Horseshoe Hammond World Series of Poker Circuit Events Official Results |
2009 Horseshoe Hammond Event #3 Results
2009-2010 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Hammond
Oct. 18-19
Event #4
No Limit Holdem
Buy-In: $1,000 + $100
Number of Entries: 223
Total Prize Money: $211,110
Horseshoe Hammond
Oct. 18-19
Event #4
No Limit Holdem
Buy-In: $1,000 + $100
Number of Entries: 223
Total Prize Money: $211,110
| Justin "Fluffdog" Filtz |
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
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Justin Filtz
Brian Zimcosky
Drew Youngblood
Shawn M. Reed
Matthew Humphrey
Mike Picardi
Chris McMillian
Michael "MJ" Bernstein
Eric Matulis
Phillip Knierim
Younan Beddaoui
Yury Shapiro
Joshua Blakemorebaig
Kurt Jewell
Max Nutkowitz
Kenny Nguyen
John Kapovich
Drazen Ilich
Peter Panos
James Guidi
Michael Kasten
David McDermott
Joseph Pace
Vineet Pahuja
Jack Torcolese
Yossi Azulay
Nghi Tran
Brian Zimcosky
Drew Youngblood
Shawn M. Reed
Matthew Humphrey
Mike Picardi
Chris McMillian
Michael "MJ" Bernstein
Eric Matulis
Phillip Knierim
Younan Beddaoui
Yury Shapiro
Joshua Blakemorebaig
Kurt Jewell
Max Nutkowitz
Kenny Nguyen
John Kapovich
Drazen Ilich
Peter Panos
James Guidi
Michael Kasten
David McDermott
Joseph Pace
Vineet Pahuja
Jack Torcolese
Yossi Azulay
Nghi Tran
Stevens Point, WI
Ann Arbor, MI
Dearborn, MI
Chicago, IL
Avon, IN
Darien, IL
Huntington, WV
Chicago, IL
Shorewood, IL
Wheaton, IL
Ann Arbor, MI
Dearborn, MI
Chicago, IL
Avon, IN
Darien, IL
Huntington, WV
Chicago, IL
Shorewood, IL
Wheaton, IL
$51,727
$31,962
$21,195
$14,997
$11,301
$9,019
$7,602
$6,751
$6,300
$4,708
$4,708
$4,708
$3,519
$3,519
$3,519
$2,630
$2,630
$2,630
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$31,962
$21,195
$14,997
$11,301
$9,019
$7,602
$6,751
$6,300
$4,708
$4,708
$4,708
$3,519
$3,519
$3,519
$2,630
$2,630
$2,630
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
$1,965
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Official Report
Event #3 Headlines
1. What a Comeback! Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz Overcomes 18 to 1 Heads-Up Chip
Disadvantage and Wins Second WSOP Gold Ring
2. Wisconsin Poker Pro “Fluffdog” Becomes First Player with Two Wins at Chicago’s WSOP
Circuit
3. Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) Continues to Draw Huge Fields -- Attendance Up 17
Percent Over Last Year
Event #3 Champion (Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz)
The 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit winner of Event #3 held at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland) is Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz, from Stevens Point, WI.
Stevens Point is located in central Wisconsin.
Filtz is a 22-year-old professional poker player.
Filtz was born in Tucson, AZ.
Filtz’s nickname is “Fluffdog,” which he uses as a screen name when playing online. He was
tagged with the nickname while in high school because of his “fluffy” hair style.
Filtz won last year’s $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event held at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland). The thus becomes the first player in history with two major wins in Chicago.
Filtz has been playing professionally since he turned age 18. He mostly played online for
three years. Then, when he turned 21, Filtz started playing in more live games and
tournaments. He attended the WSOP in Las Vegas in 2008.
Filtz already has an impressive record in WSOP-related tournaments. He not only has won
two gold rings with this victory, he also cashed three times at the WSOP in Las Vegas.
Most notably, Filtz finished third in the Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em championship ($2,500
buy in) in 2008.
Filtz now has $286,668 in WSOP winnings.
Filtz collected $51,727 for this win, plus a seat in the WSOP Circuit Main Event (Chicago)
later this week.
Winner Quotes (Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz)
On making a great comeback victory: “I knew when I was down that I was going to get it
in 60-40 or 40-60 and had to win that. He wins that, and it’s over. But I won the first one,
and then another.”
On drawing out against his opponent at one point on a key hand when he made a straight
versus pocket aces: “Yeah, that was pretty sick.”
On his expectations coming into this WSOP Circuit: “I came here to play in most of the
events, plus the Main Event. Last year, I got a free entry into the Main Event (with my win),
but I caught food poisoning. I ate the night before and it was really bad. I am not going to
do that this year. I’ll be ready to play my best.”
The Final Table / In-the-Money Finishers
The chip leader when final table began was Brian Zimcosky, who started out play with
875,000 in chips. He enjoyed a slight chip lead over rival Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz, with
796,000. The remaining seven players were all outchipped by at least a 2 to 1 margin.
Fittingly, Zimcosky and Filtz would maintain their advantages and ended up playing heads-
up for the title.
Three of the nine finalists were former WSOP Circuit gold ring winners, including Chris
McMillian, Matthew Humphrey, and Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz.
Finalist Chris McMillian was shooting for his third WSOP Circuit gold ring. He previously won
events at Horseshoe Southern Indiana in 2007 and 2008.
The ninth-place finisher was Eric Matulis, from Shorewood, IL. He is a 34-year-old poker
player. Matulis had previously cashed in some major online tournaments as well as making
a Heartland Poker Tour final table, where he finished seventh. Ninth place paid $6,300.
The eighth-place finisher was Michael “MJ” Bernstein, from Chicago, IL. He is perhaps best
known for his blog at the website PokerPages.com. Bernstein had previously made it to
final tables, with his biggest win taking place at the Borgata in Atlantic City earlier this year
in a $1,000 buy-in event where he won $160,000. The 28-year-old poker pro originally
from Long Island pocketed $6,751 for eighth place in this tournament.
The seventh-place finisher was Chris McMillian, from Huntington, WV. He runs a landscaping
business. McMillian has enjoyed great tournament success in the past, with eight cashes in
WSOP Circuit events alone. He won two gold rings, in addition to a second-place finish.
This marked McMillian’s fourth WSOP Circuit final table – all at events held in Indiana. For
seventh place, McMillian received $7,602.
The sixth-place finisher was Mike Picardi, from Darien, IL. He is a 33-year-old business
manager. Picardi collected $9,019 in prize money.
The fifth-place finisher was Matthew Humphrey, from Avon, IN. He is a 26-year-old
professional poker player. Humphrey previously won a gold ring at the WSOP Circuit event
held at Harrah’s New Orleans in 2007. Humphrey now has seven Circuit cashes and three
final table appearances. He added $11,301 to his poker bankroll.
The fourth-place finisher was Shawn M. Reed, from Chicago, IL. He is a 35-year-old financial
advisor. Like many of his rivals at this final table, Reed had several previous cashes in
major tournaments. Reed cashed twice at the WSOP in Las Vegas, as well. Fourth place
paid $14,997.
The third-place finisher was Drew Youngblood, from Dearborn, MI. He is a 26-year-old
poker pro. Youngblood made the final table at a WSOP event earlier this year, finishing
sixth. He also has three total cashes in WSOP play. Youngblood collected a very
respectable $21,195 for finishing third.
When heads-up play began, Brian Zimcosky enjoyed a slight chip advantage over Justin
“Fluffdog” Filtz. The two finalists battled for about 45 minutes, during which Zimcosky
dominated play and amassed better than a 10 to 1 chip lead. Zimcosky continued to apply
pressure and led by an 18.5 to 1 margin at one point.
Filtz managed to double up twice before the turning point took place. The key hand was
when Filtz had 10-8 and was all-in on the turn with a pair of tens, along with an outside
straight draw. Zimcosky had played his opponent perfectly and showed pocket aces. Filtz
was a dog and had 10 outs to survive. Filtz managed to catch a seven, which made a
straight. That hand put the former WSOP Circuit winner close to even in chips. It took
another hour for Filtz to complete his memorable comeback.
The runner up was Brian Zimcosky, from Ann Arbor, MI. He is a 21-year-old student
currently attending the University of Michigan. Zimcosky, a heads-up specialist, recently
won an online tournament for more than six figures. Predictably, he was both shocked and
distressed to lose his chip lead in this event and had to settle for $31,962 for second place.
The winner was Justin “Fulffdog” Filtz, who earned $51,727 plus an entry valued at $5,000
into the WSOP Circuit championship here in Chicago.
The Tournament
This was the third tournament of the new WSOP Circuit season. The first event, held three
days earlier, attracted the largest field in WSOP history -- with 1,412 entrants. This
tournament (Event #3) attracted 223 entries, which is up from last year’s attendance -- 162
players.
Through the first three events of the 2009 WSOP Circuit series at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland), attendance is up 17 percent over last year. The combined number of entries
total 2,185 players through three completed events. Last year’s first three events totaled
1,865 entrants at this same point.
The tournament was No-Limit Hold’em. The buy-in was $1,000 (+100). The total prize pool
amounted to $211,110. The top 27 finishers collected prize money.
The tournament started at noon on October 18th and was played over two days. The
entire duration of the tournament lasted about 26 hours.
After Day One, six tables returned for Day Two. Play resumed at 2 pm and played down to
the final nine, which occurred at about 10 pm. The final table was completed in about five
hours, ending at 3:10 am in front of a nearly empty room.
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. In
just the last 14 months, The Venue has hosted the following performers:
Paul Anka
The Bee Gees
Lewis Black
Cedric the Entertainer
Alice Cooper
Bill Cosby
Robert Cray
Melissa Etheridge
Aretha Franklin
John Fogerty
Brad Garrett
Vince Gill
Eddie Griffin
Chris Isaak
Alicia Keys
B.B. King
Korn
Gladys Knight
Howie Mandel
Moody Blues
Liza Minelli
Wayne Newton
Don Rickles
Kenny Rogers
Seal
Sarah Silverman
Stone Temple Pilots
Hank Williams, Jr.
In addition, many other acts and top international stars have performed at The Venue.
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
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 #3 Headlines
1. What a Comeback! Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz Overcomes 18 to 1 Heads-Up Chip
Disadvantage and Wins Second WSOP Gold Ring
2. Wisconsin Poker Pro “Fluffdog” Becomes First Player with Two Wins at Chicago’s WSOP
Circuit
3. Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) Continues to Draw Huge Fields -- Attendance Up 17
Percent Over Last Year
Event #3 Champion (Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz)
The 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit winner of Event #3 held at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland) is Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz, from Stevens Point, WI.
Stevens Point is located in central Wisconsin.
Filtz is a 22-year-old professional poker player.
Filtz was born in Tucson, AZ.
Filtz’s nickname is “Fluffdog,” which he uses as a screen name when playing online. He was
tagged with the nickname while in high school because of his “fluffy” hair style.
Filtz won last year’s $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event held at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland). The thus becomes the first player in history with two major wins in Chicago.
Filtz has been playing professionally since he turned age 18. He mostly played online for
three years. Then, when he turned 21, Filtz started playing in more live games and
tournaments. He attended the WSOP in Las Vegas in 2008.
Filtz already has an impressive record in WSOP-related tournaments. He not only has won
two gold rings with this victory, he also cashed three times at the WSOP in Las Vegas.
Most notably, Filtz finished third in the Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em championship ($2,500
buy in) in 2008.
Filtz now has $286,668 in WSOP winnings.
Filtz collected $51,727 for this win, plus a seat in the WSOP Circuit Main Event (Chicago)
later this week.
Winner Quotes (Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz)
On making a great comeback victory: “I knew when I was down that I was going to get it
in 60-40 or 40-60 and had to win that. He wins that, and it’s over. But I won the first one,
and then another.”
On drawing out against his opponent at one point on a key hand when he made a straight
versus pocket aces: “Yeah, that was pretty sick.”
On his expectations coming into this WSOP Circuit: “I came here to play in most of the
events, plus the Main Event. Last year, I got a free entry into the Main Event (with my win),
but I caught food poisoning. I ate the night before and it was really bad. I am not going to
do that this year. I’ll be ready to play my best.”
The Final Table / In-the-Money Finishers
The chip leader when final table began was Brian Zimcosky, who started out play with
875,000 in chips. He enjoyed a slight chip lead over rival Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz, with
796,000. The remaining seven players were all outchipped by at least a 2 to 1 margin.
Fittingly, Zimcosky and Filtz would maintain their advantages and ended up playing heads-
up for the title.
Three of the nine finalists were former WSOP Circuit gold ring winners, including Chris
McMillian, Matthew Humphrey, and Justin “Fluffdog” Filtz.
Finalist Chris McMillian was shooting for his third WSOP Circuit gold ring. He previously won
events at Horseshoe Southern Indiana in 2007 and 2008.
The ninth-place finisher was Eric Matulis, from Shorewood, IL. He is a 34-year-old poker
player. Matulis had previously cashed in some major online tournaments as well as making
a Heartland Poker Tour final table, where he finished seventh. Ninth place paid $6,300.
The eighth-place finisher was Michael “MJ” Bernstein, from Chicago, IL. He is perhaps best
known for his blog at the website PokerPages.com. Bernstein had previously made it to
final tables, with his biggest win taking place at the Borgata in Atlantic City earlier this year
in a $1,000 buy-in event where he won $160,000. The 28-year-old poker pro originally
from Long Island pocketed $6,751 for eighth place in this tournament.
The seventh-place finisher was Chris McMillian, from Huntington, WV. He runs a landscaping
business. McMillian has enjoyed great tournament success in the past, with eight cashes in
WSOP Circuit events alone. He won two gold rings, in addition to a second-place finish.
This marked McMillian’s fourth WSOP Circuit final table – all at events held in Indiana. For
seventh place, McMillian received $7,602.
The sixth-place finisher was Mike Picardi, from Darien, IL. He is a 33-year-old business
manager. Picardi collected $9,019 in prize money.
The fifth-place finisher was Matthew Humphrey, from Avon, IN. He is a 26-year-old
professional poker player. Humphrey previously won a gold ring at the WSOP Circuit event
held at Harrah’s New Orleans in 2007. Humphrey now has seven Circuit cashes and three
final table appearances. He added $11,301 to his poker bankroll.
The fourth-place finisher was Shawn M. Reed, from Chicago, IL. He is a 35-year-old financial
advisor. Like many of his rivals at this final table, Reed had several previous cashes in
major tournaments. Reed cashed twice at the WSOP in Las Vegas, as well. Fourth place
paid $14,997.
The third-place finisher was Drew Youngblood, from Dearborn, MI. He is a 26-year-old
poker pro. Youngblood made the final table at a WSOP event earlier this year, finishing
sixth. He also has three total cashes in WSOP play. Youngblood collected a very
respectable $21,195 for finishing third.
When heads-up play began, Brian Zimcosky enjoyed a slight chip advantage over Justin
“Fluffdog” Filtz. The two finalists battled for about 45 minutes, during which Zimcosky
dominated play and amassed better than a 10 to 1 chip lead. Zimcosky continued to apply
pressure and led by an 18.5 to 1 margin at one point.
Filtz managed to double up twice before the turning point took place. The key hand was
when Filtz had 10-8 and was all-in on the turn with a pair of tens, along with an outside
straight draw. Zimcosky had played his opponent perfectly and showed pocket aces. Filtz
was a dog and had 10 outs to survive. Filtz managed to catch a seven, which made a
straight. That hand put the former WSOP Circuit winner close to even in chips. It took
another hour for Filtz to complete his memorable comeback.
The runner up was Brian Zimcosky, from Ann Arbor, MI. He is a 21-year-old student
currently attending the University of Michigan. Zimcosky, a heads-up specialist, recently
won an online tournament for more than six figures. Predictably, he was both shocked and
distressed to lose his chip lead in this event and had to settle for $31,962 for second place.
The winner was Justin “Fulffdog” Filtz, who earned $51,727 plus an entry valued at $5,000
into the WSOP Circuit championship here in Chicago.
The Tournament
This was the third tournament of the new WSOP Circuit season. The first event, held three
days earlier, attracted the largest field in WSOP history -- with 1,412 entrants. This
tournament (Event #3) attracted 223 entries, which is up from last year’s attendance -- 162
players.
Through the first three events of the 2009 WSOP Circuit series at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland), attendance is up 17 percent over last year. The combined number of entries
total 2,185 players through three completed events. Last year’s first three events totaled
1,865 entrants at this same point.
The tournament was No-Limit Hold’em. The buy-in was $1,000 (+100). The total prize pool
amounted to $211,110. The top 27 finishers collected prize money.
The tournament started at noon on October 18th and was played over two days. The
entire duration of the tournament lasted about 26 hours.
After Day One, six tables returned for Day Two. Play resumed at 2 pm and played down to
the final nine, which occurred at about 10 pm. The final table was completed in about five
hours, ending at 3:10 am in front of a nearly empty room.
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. In
just the last 14 months, The Venue has hosted the following performers:
Paul Anka
The Bee Gees
Lewis Black
Cedric the Entertainer
Alice Cooper
Bill Cosby
Robert Cray
Melissa Etheridge
Aretha Franklin
John Fogerty
Brad Garrett
Vince Gill
Eddie Griffin
Chris Isaak
Alicia Keys
B.B. King
Korn
Gladys Knight
Howie Mandel
Moody Blues
Liza Minelli
Wayne Newton
Don Rickles
Kenny Rogers
Seal
Sarah Silverman
Stone Temple Pilots
Hank Williams, Jr.
In addition, many other acts and top international stars have performed at The Venue.
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
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
