2009 Horseshoe Hammond
Event 8 - $200 Buy-in Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys. Final Results. 2009 Horseshoe Hammond WSOP Circuit Events.
| 2009 Horseshoe Hammond World Series of Poker Circuit Events Official Results |
2009 Horseshoe Hammond Event #8 Results
2009-2010 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Hammond
Oct. 20-21
Event #8
Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys
Buy-In: $200 + $35
Re-Buys: $100
Number of Entries: 117 with 464 Re-Buys
Total Prize Money: $63,898
Horseshoe Hammond
Oct. 20-21
Event #8
Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys
Buy-In: $200 + $35
Re-Buys: $100
Number of Entries: 117 with 464 Re-Buys
Total Prize Money: $63,898
| Jeff Boudreau |
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
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Jeff Boudreau
Eric Rindal
James Siple
Joe Magliera
Chris Viox
Jonathan Depa
Michael Piccillo
Jon Ulrich
Michael Foster
Thomas Vilet
Richard Batten
Michael Vangenderen
Curtis Green
James Neeva
Eric Rindal
James Siple
Joe Magliera
Chris Viox
Jonathan Depa
Michael Piccillo
Jon Ulrich
Michael Foster
Thomas Vilet
Richard Batten
Michael Vangenderen
Curtis Green
James Neeva
Evergreen Park, IL
Aurora, IL
Glendale Heights, IL
Evanston, IL
Glen Carbon, IL
Chicago, IL
Forty Fort, PA
Downers Grove, IL
Chicago, IL
Cortland, IL
Kilder, IL
Newton, IA
Itasca, IL
Zion, IL
Aurora, IL
Glendale Heights, IL
Evanston, IL
Glen Carbon, IL
Chicago, IL
Forty Fort, PA
Downers Grove, IL
Chicago, IL
Cortland, IL
Kilder, IL
Newton, IA
Itasca, IL
Zion, IL
$18,529
$11,502
$7,668
$5,559
$3,962
$3,131
$2,556
$2,173
$1,853
$1,597
$1,406
$1,406
$1,278
$1,278
$11,502
$7,668
$5,559
$3,962
$3,131
$2,556
$2,173
$1,853
$1,597
$1,406
$1,406
$1,278
$1,278
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Official Report
Event #8 Headlines
1. Jeff Boudreau Wins Pot-Limit Omaha Event at Chicago’s WSOP Circuit
2. Let’s Make a Deal: Three Top Finishers Agree to Deal, as Jeff Boudreau is Declared Pot-
Limit Omaha Winner
3. Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) Continues to Draw Big Fields – Attendance Up 15
Percent Over Last Year
Event #8 Champion (Jeff Boudreau)
The 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit champion of Event #5 held at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland) is Jeff Boudreau, from Evergreen Park, IL.
Evergreen Park is located on Chicago’s south side.
Boudreau is a 27-year-old professional poker player. He has been playing full-time for
about two years.
Boudreau is also attending a local community college. He hopes to save enough money via
poker to eventually start his own company or invest in a small business.
This was Boudreau’s first major tournament victory.
Boudreau normally favors cash games, and specializes in Limit Hold’em. He regularly plays
$100-200 Limit when in Las Vegas.
Boudreau is a regular player inside the Horseshoe Casino Poker Room. He often sits in $2-
5 blind No-Limit Hold’em games, about twice a week.
This was the first live Pot-Limit Omaha tournament Boudreau had played. He says he likes
to “take a shot” occasionally, and plays things other than Hold’em to change the routine.
Boudreau won the event after the three finalists agreed to a deal. Boudreau stated that
since he had relatively little Pot-Limit Omaha tournament experience, he thought making a
deal was the right thing to do.
Boudreau was declared the winner and officially collected $18,529 in prize money, plus the
coveted gold ring which is presented to all WSOP Circuit winners. This was Boudreau’s first
and only gold ring.
Boudreau has played in a total of five WSOP-related events. He has now cashed in three of
them – first place in this tournament, 28th in the Limit Hold’em Shootout at the WSOP in Las
Vegas, as well as cashing in the first event at this year’s Circuit in Chiacgo.
Winner Quotes (Jeff Boudreau)
On how he got started playing poker for a living: “A few years ago, I was messing around
online and won a seat to (a major tournament). I kind of picked it up from there.”
On what matters more – the glory of winning or the prize money: “Oh, the money –
definitely the money.”
On chopping up the prize money in this tournament and being declared the winner rather
than winning the tournament outright: “It would feel better if I had actually won it, of
course. But when we got down to three-handed I decided to go with a deal. I do not play
Pot-Limit Omaha very much. This was my first Pot-Limit Omaha tournament. I just started
playing it within the last two months. I play Limit Hold’em, which is my specialty.”
On Pot-Limit Omaha in Chicago: “The game is getting really popular here which is why I am
starting to pick it up. The players here are not very good. I mean, I see people making
mistakes. I make mistakes too, of course – but I am trying to learn.”
On what the prize money means to his bankroll: “I was playing Pot-Limit Omaha here (at
the Horseshoe Casino) the other night. I lost $17,000 – most of it in one pot. And I got it
in really good, too. So, now I am back to even.”
On his future plans and goals: “I would like to save up enough money through poker to
open up my own business.”
The Final Table / In-the-Money Finishers
When final table began, the chip leader was Eric Rindal, who ended up finishing in second
place. Rindal began play with 190,000 in chips. The eventual winner, Jeff Boudreau, began
play with 100,000 in chips, which put him in fifth place when the action started on Day Two.
The only former WSOP Circuit gold ring winner in the final group of nine was Mike Foster,
who won last year’s $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland) and collected more than $40,000.
The ninth-place finisher was Mike Foster, from Chicago, IL. He is a former options clerk-
turned poker pro. Foster was bidding for his second gold ring, but was short-stacked and
went out a short time after taking his seat at the final table. Ninth place paid $1,853.
The eighth-place finisher was Jon Ulrich, from Downers Grove, IL. He is a 26-year-old
financial analyst. Ulrich collected $2,173.
The seventh-place finisher was Michael Piccillo, from Forty Fort, PA. The native New Yorker
is a 23-year-old student. His cash prize amounted to $2,556.
The sixth-place finisher was Jonathan Depa, from Chicago, IL. He is a 27-year-old pro poker
player. Depa made it to a final table at the WSOP and added $3,131 to his poker bankroll.
The fifth-place finisher was Chris Viox, from Glen Carbon, IL. He is a 33-year-old poker
player and investor. Viox has an impressive tournament record, with two final tables at the
WSOP in Las Vegas. He also won a World Championship of Online Poker event last month.
Fifth place paid $3,962.
The fourth-place finisher was Joe Magiera, from Evanston, IL. Magiera was thrilled with his
showing, which marked his first final table appearance ever at a major tournament. The
AT&T project manager certainly got the most for his investment in this event. Unlike most of
his rivals who made multiple re-buys and invested considerably more money, Magiera
invested only $235 (his buy in) and received nearly 25 times that amount back in prize
money – which came to $5,559.
When play became three-handed, the survivors stopped play and agreed to a deal. The
financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Jeff Boudreau, who held the chip lead at the
time, was declared the winner.
The third-place finisher was Jim Siple, from Glendale Heights, IL. He is a 47-year-old
teacher. Siple has previously coached baseball. His official payout amounted to $7,668.
The runner up was Eric Rindal, from Aurora, IL. He is a 26-year-old college student. Rindal
was officially paid $11,502.
The winner was Jeff Boudreau, who officially collected $18,529 and his first WSOP Circuit
gold ring.
The Tournament
This was the eighth tournament of the new WSOP Circuit season and the eighth of 13
events scheduled in Chicago. This tournament (Event #8) attracted 117 entries. There
were also 464 re-buys.
The average player made about 4 re-buys, which amounted to a total investment of about
$635 per player.
Through the first eight events of the 2009 WSOP Circuit series at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland), attendance is up 15 percent over last year. Through the first eight events:
2008 – 2,943 total entrants
2009 – 3,372 total entrants
Through the first eight events of the 2009 WSOP Circuit series at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland), prize money is up 11 percent over last year. Through the first eight events:
2008 – $1,176,688 in total prize money
2009 – $1,310,187 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
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 #8 Headlines
1. Jeff Boudreau Wins Pot-Limit Omaha Event at Chicago’s WSOP Circuit
2. Let’s Make a Deal: Three Top Finishers Agree to Deal, as Jeff Boudreau is Declared Pot-
Limit Omaha Winner
3. Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) Continues to Draw Big Fields – Attendance Up 15
Percent Over Last Year
Event #8 Champion (Jeff Boudreau)
The 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit champion of Event #5 held at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland) is Jeff Boudreau, from Evergreen Park, IL.
Evergreen Park is located on Chicago’s south side.
Boudreau is a 27-year-old professional poker player. He has been playing full-time for
about two years.
Boudreau is also attending a local community college. He hopes to save enough money via
poker to eventually start his own company or invest in a small business.
This was Boudreau’s first major tournament victory.
Boudreau normally favors cash games, and specializes in Limit Hold’em. He regularly plays
$100-200 Limit when in Las Vegas.
Boudreau is a regular player inside the Horseshoe Casino Poker Room. He often sits in $2-
5 blind No-Limit Hold’em games, about twice a week.
This was the first live Pot-Limit Omaha tournament Boudreau had played. He says he likes
to “take a shot” occasionally, and plays things other than Hold’em to change the routine.
Boudreau won the event after the three finalists agreed to a deal. Boudreau stated that
since he had relatively little Pot-Limit Omaha tournament experience, he thought making a
deal was the right thing to do.
Boudreau was declared the winner and officially collected $18,529 in prize money, plus the
coveted gold ring which is presented to all WSOP Circuit winners. This was Boudreau’s first
and only gold ring.
Boudreau has played in a total of five WSOP-related events. He has now cashed in three of
them – first place in this tournament, 28th in the Limit Hold’em Shootout at the WSOP in Las
Vegas, as well as cashing in the first event at this year’s Circuit in Chiacgo.
Winner Quotes (Jeff Boudreau)
On how he got started playing poker for a living: “A few years ago, I was messing around
online and won a seat to (a major tournament). I kind of picked it up from there.”
On what matters more – the glory of winning or the prize money: “Oh, the money –
definitely the money.”
On chopping up the prize money in this tournament and being declared the winner rather
than winning the tournament outright: “It would feel better if I had actually won it, of
course. But when we got down to three-handed I decided to go with a deal. I do not play
Pot-Limit Omaha very much. This was my first Pot-Limit Omaha tournament. I just started
playing it within the last two months. I play Limit Hold’em, which is my specialty.”
On Pot-Limit Omaha in Chicago: “The game is getting really popular here which is why I am
starting to pick it up. The players here are not very good. I mean, I see people making
mistakes. I make mistakes too, of course – but I am trying to learn.”
On what the prize money means to his bankroll: “I was playing Pot-Limit Omaha here (at
the Horseshoe Casino) the other night. I lost $17,000 – most of it in one pot. And I got it
in really good, too. So, now I am back to even.”
On his future plans and goals: “I would like to save up enough money through poker to
open up my own business.”
The Final Table / In-the-Money Finishers
When final table began, the chip leader was Eric Rindal, who ended up finishing in second
place. Rindal began play with 190,000 in chips. The eventual winner, Jeff Boudreau, began
play with 100,000 in chips, which put him in fifth place when the action started on Day Two.
The only former WSOP Circuit gold ring winner in the final group of nine was Mike Foster,
who won last year’s $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland) and collected more than $40,000.
The ninth-place finisher was Mike Foster, from Chicago, IL. He is a former options clerk-
turned poker pro. Foster was bidding for his second gold ring, but was short-stacked and
went out a short time after taking his seat at the final table. Ninth place paid $1,853.
The eighth-place finisher was Jon Ulrich, from Downers Grove, IL. He is a 26-year-old
financial analyst. Ulrich collected $2,173.
The seventh-place finisher was Michael Piccillo, from Forty Fort, PA. The native New Yorker
is a 23-year-old student. His cash prize amounted to $2,556.
The sixth-place finisher was Jonathan Depa, from Chicago, IL. He is a 27-year-old pro poker
player. Depa made it to a final table at the WSOP and added $3,131 to his poker bankroll.
The fifth-place finisher was Chris Viox, from Glen Carbon, IL. He is a 33-year-old poker
player and investor. Viox has an impressive tournament record, with two final tables at the
WSOP in Las Vegas. He also won a World Championship of Online Poker event last month.
Fifth place paid $3,962.
The fourth-place finisher was Joe Magiera, from Evanston, IL. Magiera was thrilled with his
showing, which marked his first final table appearance ever at a major tournament. The
AT&T project manager certainly got the most for his investment in this event. Unlike most of
his rivals who made multiple re-buys and invested considerably more money, Magiera
invested only $235 (his buy in) and received nearly 25 times that amount back in prize
money – which came to $5,559.
When play became three-handed, the survivors stopped play and agreed to a deal. The
financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Jeff Boudreau, who held the chip lead at the
time, was declared the winner.
The third-place finisher was Jim Siple, from Glendale Heights, IL. He is a 47-year-old
teacher. Siple has previously coached baseball. His official payout amounted to $7,668.
The runner up was Eric Rindal, from Aurora, IL. He is a 26-year-old college student. Rindal
was officially paid $11,502.
The winner was Jeff Boudreau, who officially collected $18,529 and his first WSOP Circuit
gold ring.
The Tournament
This was the eighth tournament of the new WSOP Circuit season and the eighth of 13
events scheduled in Chicago. This tournament (Event #8) attracted 117 entries. There
were also 464 re-buys.
The average player made about 4 re-buys, which amounted to a total investment of about
$635 per player.
Through the first eight events of the 2009 WSOP Circuit series at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland), attendance is up 15 percent over last year. Through the first eight events:
2008 – 2,943 total entrants
2009 – 3,372 total entrants
Through the first eight events of the 2009 WSOP Circuit series at the Horseshoe Casino
(Chicagoland), prize money is up 11 percent over last year. Through the first eight events:
2008 – $1,176,688 in total prize money
2009 – $1,310,187 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
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
