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Horseshoe Council Bluffs 2009 WSOP Circuit – Event #18 Final Results

Friday, February 27th, 2009

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #18
Feb. 24, 2009
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 + $45
Number of Entries: 74
Total Prize Money: $21,534

Final Results:

1. John Thelen Meridew, KS $7,752
2. Jonas Wexler Philadelphia, PA $4,307
3. Drew Woodke Omaha, NE $2,369
4. Matt Ferguson Omaha, NE $1,723
5. Joel Merwick Lincoln, NE $1,507
6. Jason Vargas Omaha, NE $1,292
7. Bob Treffert Racine, WI $1,077
8. Wallace Dawkins Lincoln, NE $861
9. Brian French Omaha, NE $646

John Thelen Wins #18, $300 No-Limit, After Final Four Players Make a Deal

John Thelan 2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #18 Winner

Council Bluffs, IA–The 18th event of the WSOP Circuit at Horseshoe Council Bluffs ended in a four-way deal. It had become a one-day tournament, and with the time approaching 2:30 a.m., the remaining players decided to call it a night. Holding the most chips and declared the winner was John Thelen, a restaurant owner from Meridew, Kansas who is mostly a cash game player, but will once in a while try a tournament when it’s held here. Last November he won a “Fat Stacked” tournament at Council Bluffs.

First place in this $300 no-limit event paid an official $7,752. Thelen, who is 44, has been playing poker 20 years.

Final table action began with blinds of 1,500-3,000 and 400 antes. With 80,000 chips, Joel Merwick had a very big lead.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. John Thelen 32,000
Seat 2. Drew Woodke 38,400
Seat 3. Joel Merwick 80,000
Seat 4. Brian French 30,000
Seat 5. Matt Ferguson 8,700
Seat 6. Wallace Dawkins 7,600
Seat 7. Jason Vargas 20,200
Seat 8. Bob Treffert 31,200
Seat 9. Jonas Wexler 44,000

Ninth Place, $646. Brian “Frenchie” French was first out when he moved in with A-7. Wallace “Dawk” Dawkins called with J-10 and flopped a winning jack. French is 29 and owns a soccer store in Omaha. He’s played seriously for eight years and is a consistent winner in cash games.

Eighth Place, $861. Next to go was Dawkins when his A-Q couldn’t catch Jonas “Plumber” Wexler’s pocket kings. Dawkins, 26, is a media account executive from Lincoln,, Nebraska.

Seventh Place, $1,077 With blinds now at 3,000-6,000, the plumber drained another player, this time Bob Treffert. Treffert, 27, is a bartender from Racine, Wisconsin who’s only played two or three years

Sixth Place, $1,292. Soon after, John “The Bomb” Vargas got bombed out in sixth place when Joel “Tango” Merwick bombed him with a set of deuces. Vargas, 37, is a project manager from Omaha who started playing seven years ago.

Fifth Place, $1,507, “Tango” Merwick had his last dance and went out fifth when, short-chipped, he was all in with 9-2 and lost to Drew Woodke’s A-10.. Merwick is 28 and an entrepreneur from Lincoln, NE. He has a $40,000 cash in the 2005 WSOP main event, finishing 189th out of 5,600 players.

After negotiating for a while, the four finalists made their deal, and this event was over. Here’s how the other three ended up:

Fourth Place, $1,723. Matt Ferguson took fourth. Ferguson, playing four years, is a teacher from Omaha. He’s won two tournaments at Council Bluffs, along with four seconds and three thirds.

Third Place, $2,369. Third went to Woodke, a real estate agent from Omaha who started playing 10 years ago.

Second Place, $4,307. And Wexler got second. Wexler is 30, a plumber, and lives in Philadelphia. He’s been playing five years and his poker highlight is one time hitting a two-outer.

–Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

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2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs $5,000 Championship Event Results

Friday, February 27th, 2009

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #16
Feb. 23-25, 2009
Championship, Final Day
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $5,000 + $150
Number of Entries: 67
Total Prize Money: $313,950

Payouts:

1. Jesse Hale Houston, TX $113,020
2. Dennis Meierotto Kansas City, MO $62,790
3. John McDonald Marshall, MN $34,535
4. Evan Panesis Overland Park, KS $25,116
5. Joaquin Sosa Chicago, IL $21,977
6. Alan Engel Las Vegas, NV $18,837
7. Jeff Banghart Bennington, NE $15,698
8. Jeff Bryan Fort Calhoun, NE $12,558
9. Jeff Daubs Plattsburgh, NY $9,419

Skydiver Jesse Hale Floats to Win in Council Bluffs Circuit Championship

Jesse Hale 2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Championship Event Winner

Council Bluffs, IA–Jesse Hale, a 35-year-old professional skydiving coach and instructor from Houston, Texas, and as upbeat a guy as you would ever hope to find, sang, joked and talked his way into a win in the $5,150 championship event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs. A deal had been made when the three finalists were pretty even, but his win was worth an official $113,020 along with the gold and diamond trophy ring and a buy-in to the WSOP $10,000 main event.

Strangely, he really didn’t want that seat, which is non-transferable, because the WSOP championship event starts two days after the expected birth of his first child (daughter Kayla), and he offered a public apology to his wife. You see, he really came here to play blackjack, badly beat up the tables, and at the last minute decided to use some of the money to play a couple of tournaments. He came in second in the pot-limit Omaha event, and was diving back and forth as he played that event and day one of this main event simultaneously.

Victory tonight did not come easy to Hale. With three players left, at one point he was down to 125,000 after taking a bad beat, and would have been out on the next hand if he didn’t outdraw his opponent on the turn. The final heads-up match with Dennis Meierotto was no cakewalk, either. It lasted 78 hands. Hale rated him a very tough and conservative player, but was able to play off that conservatism with continuation bets that got Meierotto to fold as Hale slowly ate up his chips.

Hale has been playing poker a bit over three years and is mostly a cash-game player. He prefers pot-limit Omaha and hold’em because he feels pot-limit favors the better player. He has a Circuit cash at New Orleans and a few other small tournament pay-outs.

Hale first started skydiving from planes 13 years ago, and has some 4,000.jumps to his credit. He’s been instructing for eight years. He is also a pilot and snow and water skier.

Action on this final day started at 2 p.m. at level 12 with blinds of 2,000-4,000 and 500 antes, 52 minutes left in the 90-minute round. Jeff “Mr Rain” Banghart, winner of the opening event, began day two as chip leader but was overtaken in the late stages by John McDonald, who now was in front with 439,500 chips.

Here were the final day starting chip counts:

Seat 1: John McDonald 439,500
Seat 2: Dennis Meierotto 387,500
Seat 3: Evan Panesis 203,000
Seat 4: Alan Engel 92,000
Seat 5: Joaquin Sosa 60,000
Seat 6: Jeff Bryan 27,500
Seat 7: Jeff Banghart 52,000
Seat 8: Jesse Hale 77,000
Seat 9: Jeff Daubs 34,500

Ninth Place, $9,419. It didn’t take long to see action. On the first hand, Hale tried to raise with pocket aces, but before he could announce how much, Jeff Daubs did the job for him, pushing in for 34,000 with pocket jacks. The board came 4-5-8-K-3 and Daubs was first to leave. Daubs is 49, from Plattsburgh, New York, and is a software test engineer. He started playing three years ago.

Eighth Place, $12,558. Thirty minutes later, Jeff Bryan, who started lowest-chipped, moved in from late position with his last 6,000 holding Q-J. He had three callers. On a flop of 2-5-K, Dennis Meierotto bet out and the other two callers folded. Meierotto turned up K-4. When a 5 turned, Bryan, now drawing dead, stood up and watched as a river king give Meierotto a full house. Bryan, 51, is from Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, and works as a sales manager for a concrete equipment company. He’s been playing since age 9. He has over a half-million in tournament cashes in three years, including nine Circuits. His two cashes in WSOP main events include $333,490 for 27th in 2007. He also has a WSOP money finish in pot-limit Omaha. He and his wife Donna (who also played in this main event but went out on day one) have five children and three grandkids.

Seventh Place, $15,698. After a break, play continued with blinds of 3,000-6,000. Now virtually tied for the lead with about 430,000 each were McDonald and Meierotto. Ten minutes into the level, Banghart moved in. As McDonald hesitated, Banghart told him he really wanted a call so he could double up. Finally, McDonald obliged and turned up A-8 to Banghart’s 10d-7d. The board came 6-9-K-9-5, and Banghart, failing to catch anything, had talked himself out of the tournament. He is 47 and from Bennington, Nebraska where he owns a lawn sprinkler company. He’s played poker since age 12. Besides winning the opening event here, Banghart also placed fifth in event 14. Other major payouts include $237,000 for 41st in the 2007 WSOP main event and $54,000 for fourth in the Council Bluffs Circuit main event that same year.

Sixth Place, $18,837. Next out was Alan “Ari” Engel, one of two pros at the table. He was all in with K-J against Hale’s A-J, and busted out after the board came A-5-2-8-Q. Engel, 25, is a full-time player originally from Toronto, Canada now living in Vegas. His biggest cash was $120,125 for a third in a $2,000 no-limit Borgata Deep Stack event last year.

Fifth Place, $21,977. Joaquin Sosa, who hadn’t seen much action thus far, now looked down at pocket kings and made a small raise of 20,000. Hale re-raised to 50,000 and Sosa moved in, only to see Hale turn up pocket aces. The board of 5-3-7-Q-2 was irrelevant, and Sosa, 49, a lab technician from Chicago who started poker five years ago, was out. This was his poker highlight

A hand later, Evan :”MacDaddy” Panesis, the other poker player at the table, had a close call. He had K-9 against McDonald’s J-10. McDonald flopped two pair, but then Panesis caught two miracle kings to escape and double up. As play continued, Meierotto took down a monster pot. Hale bet 50,000 on a board of 2-5-Q-4 and Meierotto, with a set of ladies, raised to 100,000, then won a few more chips with a river bet.

Fourth Place, $25,116. Blinds moved to 4,000-8,000 with 1,000 antes. Meierotto now had the lead with 640,000 followed by McDonald, 336,000; Hale, 321,000; and Panesis, 89,000. On the second hand of the new level, Panesis committed his last chips with K-7, a small underdog to MacDonald’s pocket treys. He couldn’t find anything when the board came 8-6-A-Q-A, and went out fourth. Panesis is a college student turned online cash-game player from Overland Park, Kansas. He’s played five years and this is only his third live tournament.

Play now tightened considerably with relatively small bets and no confrontations. Hale, meanwhile, was enjoying himself immensely, putting out a constant stream of commentary, patter, sound effects, singing, clapping and banging on the table on almost every card dealt. Along the way he played and talked his way into the chip lead.

The level dragged on and new blinds of 6,000-12,000 with 2,000 antes kicked in. Then at Hale’s suggestion, the three pre-ordered from the Jack Binion Steakhouse, ready to take a break when the steaks were ready. A few minutes into the new level, the pot of the night thus far came down. Pre-flop, Hale bet 100,000 and McDonald called. The flop came 3-4-2 and Hale moved in for 375,000 with pocket queens. “Either way, I’ll buy dinner,” he offered. McDonald accepted and called with A-10. An 8 turned and then a river 5 gave McDonald a wheel, leaving Hale with just 125,000 chips. “How could you call? What did you think I had?” he kept asking. McDonald wasn’t really sure, just didn’t think that Hale had anything much.

Hale nearly busted immediately after, all in with A-J against McDonald’s 8d-7d after an 8 flopped. Then a jack turned, Hale doubled up, and kept adding to his stacks after that. “Laugh is good,” he said. “I’m thankful for everything.” But he also said that McDonald now had to pay for dinner. Thirty minutes into the level the three went off to eat. By now it was a race, with Hale climbing back to 429,000 to 471,000 for Meierotto and 462,000 for McDonald. While they were out, they agreed to do a deal and play for the ring.

Third Place, $34,535. Five minutes into the level, with Hale now in front, the flop came Q-8-6. Holding pocket aces, McDonald bet 80,000 and Hale, with 8-6 for two pair, moved in, filling when a 6 turned, knocking McDonald out in third place. McDonald, 38, is a real estate investor from Marshall, Minnesota playing five years. He has some cashes in small events, but this is his first big tournament. He’s also still looking for a nickname.

Heads-up, Hale had about a million chips to around 450,000 for Meierotto. Poker room manager Gary Margetsen now brought in the trophy ring and a silver tray loaded with cash as the two prepared to do battle. Fifty hands and an hour later, Hale had picked up about another 75,000 chips, and blinds were now 8,000-16,000 with 2,000 antes. On and on and on the contest went. In all this time there had been nothing close to a major bet, much less an all-in.

As play went on, Hale gradually took more chips away as Meierotto, would fold when Hale bet.. Finally, on the 78th deal heads-up, the board came J-A-6. Holding A-7, Hale slow-played it. When a king turned, Meierotto, holding 6-5 for a pair of 6s, moved in for his last 136,000. Hale called, hit a second pair with a river 7, and the skydiver landed in first place.

Second Place, $62,790. Meierotto is a coin dealer from Kansas City, Missouri who has been playing three years. His nickname is Denny “D”: Dealer.

–Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

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Horeshoe Council Bluffs Event #17 Results – 2009 WSOP Circuit Tour

Friday, February 27th, 2009

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #17
Feb. 23, 2009
Pot-Limit Omaha
Buy-In: $300 + $45
Number of Entries: 31
Total Prize Money: $9,021

Payouts:

1. $4,511

2. $2,706

3. $1,804

Playing Only Second PLO Tournament, Charles Casavant Wins Circuit Event #17

Charles Casavant III 2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #17 Winner

Council Bluffs, IA–This was only the second pot-limit Omaha tournament that Charles Casavant III has ever played. But his instinct, his experience in numerous other tournaments, and his sudden liking for the game was sufficient to bring him victory in this 17th event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs. The win in the short field was worth $4,511. This is the third final table in this series for Casavant, who is 42 and from Avilla, Indiana where he owns a True Value Hardware store. His two prior final tables here were in the $1,000 no-limit and the H.O.R.S.E. event, where he finished sixth.

The Omaha portion of that tournament intrigued him. “It’s not like no-limit, where you can be out in two hands,” he said. “I could have played for hours in this event, and I feel it’s a game where the better players are more likely to come to the top. And it’s an interesting game where you can play a lot more hands.”

Casavant, 42, has been playing poker 10 years. He plans to include a lot more Omaha in his future schedule.

This event was changed to a one-day affair. It was midnight when the three in-the-money players started, with blinds now at 600-1,200 and limits of 1,200-2,400, 30 minutes left. With 86,500, Casavant III had the most chips.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. Frank Dukich ` 51,000
Seat 2. Charles Casavant III 86,500
Seat 3. Jesse Hale 60,000

This final table was not exactly a marathon. It was over in about 25 minutes. First to go was Frank Dukich. The board showed 9-3-J-2-7. Holding J-5-2-2, he had a set of deuces and went all in. But Casavant, holding A-6-8-10, had made a straight. Third paid $1,804. Dakich, 64, is a retired newspaper pressman from Carter Lake, IA who started playing about 10 years ago. In 2008 he won a local poker tournament..

One hand later it was all over when Jesse Hale, a professional sky diver, had a crash landing. He had A-4-6-7 and was all in when a board of J-K-9-6-4 gave him two pair, 6s and 4s. . He was outmatched by Casavant, who held K-K-J-J for a set of kings (and a set of jacks as well). Second place was worth $2,706.

Hale is a 35-year-old skydiver from Houston, Texas, playing a bit over three years. He had been diving all over tonight, playing in the main event as well (which’s he’s still in), jumping from table to table. He has also sky-dived with his wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and several aunts and cousins. (All at the same time?), 4,000 jumps altogether, and he survived each time, though he did have to open his reserve chute about 15 times. Unfortunately, there are no reserve chutes in poker tournaments.

–Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

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2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #15 Results

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #15
Feb. 21-22, 2009
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $500 + $55
Number of Entries: 220
Total Prize Money: $106,700

Payouts:

1. Joe Rechtfertig Newton, IA $34,146
2. Clint Landman Birmingham, AL $18,779
3. Dave Word Pierre, SD $9,603
4. Chad Hancock Chillicothe, IL $7,469
5. Isaah Wright Iowa City, IA $6,402
6. Paul White Liberty, MO $5,335
7. Eric Grave Tea, SD $4,268
8. Mark Mueller Columbia, MO $3,201
9. Jim Scheibler Bennington, KS $2,134
10.Craig Steinacher $1,289
11.Shawn Meyer $1,280
12.Michael Book $1,280
13.Daniel Holverson $1,067
14.Austin McCormick $1,067
15.Duane Gerleman $1,067
16.Mark Eddelman $1,067
17.Curtis Milstead $854
18.Larry Nichols $854
19.Troy Ethridge $640
20.Douglas Margita $640
21.Benjamin Hock $640
22.Daniel Bruch $640
23.Paul Passerrello $640
24.Kenny Sousa $640
25.Jan Post $640
26.Paul Cameron $640
27.Tod Robering $640

Joe Rechtfertig 2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #15 Winner

Council Bluffs, IA — Playing for just fun and a ring after an even-money chop, Joe Rechtfertig and Clint Landman nevertheless battled it out for two hours with the chip lead going back and forth. Finally the key hand came down when Rechtfertig spiked a third 6 on the river to gain a huge chip advantage, and soon after claimed victory in event 15 of the WSOP Circuit at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $500 no-limit hold’em. This was the final event before the championship tomorrow. Victory for Rechtfertig was worth an official $34,146 along with the keepsake ring.

Rechtfertig, 30, is from Newton, Iowa, and is employed as an area supervisor for nine restaurant franchisees. He is married with one daughter and another child on the way. He’s been playing only three years and enters just a couple of live tournaments a year. He had a cash in the Latin American Poker Tour in Costa Rica last May, and three years ago won a satellite into the WSOP main event, but did not get in the money. Heads-up tonight, he noticed that Landman liked to limp and then come over the top when he raised, so he played him very selectively, going in with only strong hands.

After two players went out at the same time on day one, the next day’s final table began with 4,000-8,000 blinds and 1,000 antes, 43:43 left. Rechtfertig had the lead with 299,000 chips.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. Dave Word 266,000
Seat 2. Mark Mueller 104,000
Seat 3. Joe Rechtfertig 299,000
Seat 4. Paul White 214,000
Seat 5. Eric Grave 156,000
Seat 6. Jim Scheibler 64,000
Seat 7. Isaah Wright 167,000
Seat 8. Clint Landman 278,000
Seat 9. Chad Hancock 192,000

Ninth Place, $2,134. Jim Scheibler, lowest in chips with 64,000, was first out in early action. He was all in with pocket treys and lost to Clint Landman’s A-10 after a 10 flopped. Scheibler is a 68-year-old farmer from Bennington, Kansas who’s been playing seven years. This is his first Circuit. He’s married with two daughters.

Eighth Place, $3,201. For the second time in a row, a player went out by being outdrawn when a 10 flopped to pair his opponent. This time it was Mark Mueller who took the beat. He was all in with Ac-8c against Eric Grave, who held 10-7. The flop was 8-5-10, and that was all that Grave needed after a 4 and 9 came. Mueller, 53, owns a foundation repair company in Columbia, Missouri. He has been playing five years and is mostly a cash game player. He is married with three children.

The level ended, and blinds moved up to 6,000-12,000 with 2,000 antes.

Seventh Place, $4,268. Tens seem to be working overtime here, as they proceeded to knock out the third player in a row. After Eric Grave moved in with pocket 9s, Joe Rechtfertig called with pocket 10s. They held up and did the job after the board came 4-Q-3-5-J. Grave, 31, lives in Tea, South Dakota where he’s a sales manager for a building construction company. He’s mostly a cash game player, and this is his first Circuit try.

Sixth Place, $18,779. The knockout requirements increased. This time kings did the job. After Rechtfertig pushed in with the cowboys, Paul White decided to call with A-6. The board changed nothing, and four were gone. White, 48, is a real estate investor from Kansas City, Missouri. He has cashes at the Scotty Nguyen Poker Challenge and the Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza. He is married with a son and daughter.

Fifth Place, $9,603. Isaah Wright finished fifth. Holding Qh-Jh, he bet into a board of Q-5-7 and Rechtfertig moved in. After some thought, Wright called for his last chips and saw Rechtfertig turn up pocket 5s for a set. After a 10 and deuce came, Wright checked out. He is 24, from Iowa City, Iowa, and works in Internet advertising while being a part-time student as well. He’s played four years and has a few final tales in second chance events.

After a break, players returned, playing with blinds of 10,000-20,000 and 3,000 antes. By now, Rechtfertig had a very big lead with about 1 million chips, followed by Dave Word, 231,000; Landman, 183,000; and Chad Hancock, 112,000.

Fourth Place, $7,469. Soon after, a spectacular, made-for-television hand came down, similar to the stunning hand that opened yesterday’s event. First, Hancock moved in. Then Word moved in, and then both Rechtfertig and Landman called. The flop came A-7-3. Rechtfertig moved in and Landman folded. The cards were turned up. Rechtfertig and Hancock both had A-9 while Word had Q-J. Word appeared ready to be carved up by his two opponents, each of whom had paired his ace. Instead, a 10 turned and then a river king gave Word a runner-runner Broadway straight, just as happened yesterday when William Burdick’s runner-runner straight outran pocket aces and a set of kings. Word’s straight tripled him up while Hancock departed in fourth spot. Hancock, 34, is an investment manager from Peoria, Illinois who’s played poker five years. He has two $100,000 online wins along with a cash in a $2,000 WSOP event in 2007.

Third Place, $6,402. About 45 minutes of cautious play went by, and everyone was left when level 18 brought blinds of 15,000-30,000 and 4,000 antes. Finally, with five minutes left in the level, a surprising development. Word moved in with just 8-2, the second-worst starting hand in hold’em, and was called by Landman with A-K. Word’s nickname is “The Suck-Out King,” but he couldn’t suck out this time as Landman blew him out of the water when a board of 9-Q-K-J-10 gave him a straight. “It’s the only junk cards I’ve played all night,” Word lamented. “He just called, so I figured I could get away with it.” Word, 48, is from Pierre, South Dakota where he owns a construction company. In 30 years of play, this is his first time playing a Circuit. He is married with two sons.

Landman, aided by his lucky “Incredible Hulk” card cover, had now pulled into a virtual dead-even tie with Rechtfertig, and the two agreed to chop and play for the ring. Two hands later they took a break, preparing to play with blinds of 20,000-40,000 and 5,000 antes. After 30 minutes of play, the two were still very close to even. Then Rechtfertig pulled way ahead until the final hand when Landman flopped a straight, doubled up and closed the gap once again.

Blinds were now 30,000-60,000. Landman pulled ahead, and then came the big hand. The flop was K-10-6. Landman had 10d-8d to Rechtfertig’s 6-5. He was in the lead and would have won the event had not a river 6 given Rechtfertig trips and a big lead again.

Second Place, $5,335. Right after that the final hand came down. Landman was all in with K-9 against Rechtfertig’s A-Q and went out in second place after the board came 8-3-7-7-2. Landman is a 39-year-old accounting executive from Birmingham, Alabama who’s been playing five years. He has three cashes, including a fifth at a Circuit event at Tunica this year.

–Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

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Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #14 Results – 2009 WSOP Circuit Tour

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #14
Feb.20-21, 2009
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 + $45
Number of Entries: 314
Total Prize Money: $91,374

Payouts:
1. William Burdick Palmetto, FL $28,334.
2. John Nohr Spearfish, SD $14,620
3. Jeff Bryan Fort Calhoun, NE $14,620
4. James Yockey Smithland, IA $7,310
5. Jeff Banghart Bennington, NE $5,482
6. Joe Geisler Manhattan, KS $4,569
7. Scott Standridge Fort Smith, AR $3,655
8. Kaven Wood Rock Port, MO $2,741
9. Ken Oldenborg Lake Crystal, MN $1,827
10. Daniel McGuire $1,096
11. Duane Gerleman $1,096
12. Garon Keuten $1,096
13. Timothy Vansant $914
14. Matthew Manderfeld $914
15. Troy Williams $914
16. Patrick Kellogg $731
17. Patrick McGrane $731
18. Frederick Smith $731
19. Kyle Golden $548
20. Melissa Verrett $548
21.Anthony Pleuskas $548
22.Wesley Snow $548
23.Dale Hanke $548
24.Timothy McReynolds $548
25.Mark Ogle $548
26.Stephen Puleiu $548
27.Jimmy Blevins $548
28.Timothy Ohnoutka $365
29.Craig Melvin $365
30.Brad Stomer $365
31.Kenny Sousa $365
32.Jeffrey Elseman $365
33.William Drumm $365
34.Kyle Clarkson $365
35.Ramon Ruiz $365
36.Scott Beck $365

Amazing First Hand is Key as William Burdick Wins Event 13 in 90 Minutes

William Burdick 2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #14 Winner

Council Bluffs, IA — It’s a sure bet that no tournament in history every started off as dramatically as the 14th event of the WSOP Circuit at Horseshoe Council Bluffs. The very first hand started with the only three all-ins in this series. First, Ken Oldenborg moved in with pocket kings. Next, Scott Standridge pushed in with pocket aces. Then, Burdick, after going in the tank for a very long time, finally called with pocket jacks, which he later admitted was a bad call. (“I was about to fold, but ‘all in’ came out of my mouth,” he said afterwards.) A flop of K-8-9 put Oldenborg in the lead with a set of kings as he outran the aces. A queen turned. And then the river brought a 10. Burdick’s call turned out not so bad after all because it gave him a winning straight as he knocked out one player, crippled another and zoomed up from 248,000 to over 600,000 chips, about a third of those in play. He kept building his big lead, and, as bang-bang action continued, won this $500 no-limit event in just over 90 minutes. His victory was worth $28,334, along with the coveted diamond-and-gold trophy ring.

Burdick who listed his occupation as “father,: but is actually a pro, is 37 and from Palmetto, Florida. He started playing full time in 2003 after quitting his job as a municipal bond stockbroker. He swings around the country playing tournaments at the WSOP, the Wynn, the Borgata, various Circuit sites and elsewhere, with the full support and encouragement, he said, of his wife Robin and 15-month-old daughter, Payton. He has about $200,000 in tournament cashes, his best being $57,000 for a third at the Foxwoods Poker Classic. He also has a final table at a $1,500 Circuit event here. On his bio, he called himself “Mr. Modesty,” described his existence as “basically a life of mediocrity,” but also wrote that he is “a very tough player, as opponents will tell you.” His style, he said, is just to play a lot of hands.

This event drew 314 players who made a prize pool of $91,374. Final-table play commenced at level 16 with blinds of 10,000-20,000 and 3,000 antes, a full hour left in the round. Leading with 394,000 chips was Jeff Banghart, winner of the opening event here.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. James Yockey 266,000
Seat 2. Scott Standridge 284,000
Seat 3. Jeff Bryan 108,000
Seat 4. Jeff Banghart 394,000
Seat 5. William Burdick 248,000
Seat 6. Ken Oldenborg 98,000
Seat 7. John Nohr 112,000
Seat 8. Joe Geisler 202,000
Seat 9. Kaven Wood 193,000

After the incredible opening hand, Oldenborg cashed ninth for $1,827 while Standridge was left with just 22,000. Oldenborg, 45, is a farmer from Lake Crystal, Minnesota. He’s had some local cashes but this is his first Circuit final table. He has two boys, ages 17 and 20..

Standridge, meanwhile, stayed alive by flopping a set of 8s on the next hand, then, right after, escaping with K-Q against a pair of 9s when a straight hit the board to give him a chop.

Fast action continued. A few hands later, Kaven Wood pushed in with A-10 and busted out when Jeff Bryan called with Ks-Qs, winning with a pair when the board came K-2-5-4-7, Wood is 36, lives in Rock Port, Missouri and is a manufacturing supervisor. He’s played five years and this is his first final table. He has three sons.

Once more Standridge had another all-in, this time his last. He had K-9 against James Yockey’s pocket queens. The ladies did the job when the board came A-3-6-6-A, and three were gone very quickly. Standridge, earning $3,655 for seventh, is from Fort Smith, Arkansas. He’s self-employed as a locksmith, has played five years and his big achievement was winning the Scotty Nguyen V main event which brought him $98,941. He also has a second in a $200 Circuit event at Tunica..

Action did not slow. Five minutes later, another player was knocked out, the fourth in just 35 minutes. This time it was Joe Geisler. He pushed in with As-10s and got a call from John Nohr, who had Kh-Qh. A board of Q-6-7-K and two spades gave Nohr two pair and Geisler a flush draw. Geisler’s hopes were dashed when an offsuit 6 came, and he collected $4,569 for sixth. Geisler 24, is from Manhattan, Kansas and has been playing four years. He’s currently an electrician but plans to move to Vegas and turn pro.

There were more all ins, but all five players were left when blinds went to 15,000-30,000. It then didn’t take long to lose another player. Banghart moved in with pocket7s. Burdick called with pocket 10s and filled when the board came 4-4-Q-J-10. Banghart got $5,482 for fifth. He is 47, from Bennington, Nebraska, and owns a lawn sprinkler business. Hence his nickname of “MrRain.” He won $30,127 for his victory in the first event here, where he also started the final table with the chip lead. He’s been playing since age 12. His biggest cash was $238,000 for 41st in the 2007 WSOP main event. That same year he collected $55,000 for finishing fourth in the Circuit $5,000 main event here.

Burdick now had a huge lead with about 1.2 million of the 1.9 million in play. Right after that, he picked up even more chips by knocking out the next player. Yockey was all in with Q-J against Burdick’s A-3. Nothing came for him, and he took out $6,396 for fourth.. Yockey, 34, is a FedEx driver from Smithland, Iowa who’s played 15 years. He’s married with four children and has won a few small tournaments.

Going out in third place was Jeff Bryan. He was all in with A-8 against Burdick’s A-9, losing when the board showed K-J-6-3-9. Bryan, 36, lives in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska. where he is a sales manager for a concrete equipment company. This is his eighth final table. He has about a half-million in tournament cashes, his largest being $333,400 for finishing 27th in the 2007 WSOP main event. He also won $61,374 for a third in the Scotty Nguyen Poker Challenge in 2006. Bryan started playing at age nine and tournaments three years ago. He now has five children and 2 grandchildren.

Burdick’s final match-up with Nohr only lasted a few hands. On the final deal he had pocket 10s to Nohr’s A-7, and the pair held up after a board of Q-2-5-8-6. Nohr, 32, is from Spearfish, South Dakota and is self-employed. His various tournament cashes include a 12th in a $500 event here in 2007. –Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

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2009 Horseshoe Council Bluffs WSOP Circuit – Event #13 Results

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #13
Feb. 19-20
Six-handed No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 + $45
Number of Entries: 112
Total Prize Money: $32,592

Payouts:
1. Brian Scobee Bennington, NE $10,268
2. Drew Woodke Omaha, NE $6,355
3. Austin McCormick Kansas City, MO $4,074
4. Jay Carstens Omaha, NE $2,770
5. Tobin King Brunswick, NE $1,874
6. Joe Ritter Omaha, NE $1,385
7. Joshua Mancuso $1,059
8. William Castillo $1,059
9. Shawn Marley $978
10. Sean Kebbekus $978
11. Jonathan Hanner $896
12.Wilbur Futhey $896

Brian Scobee Outlasts Long and Wild Final Table in #13, 6-Handed No-Limit

Brian Scobee 2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #13 Winner

Council Bluffs, IA — Even with only six players at the final table, the 13th event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs raged on for close to five hours, with lots of chip lead changes in what all participants agreed was a tough table. In the end it was Brian Scobee, a 35-year-old nurse recruiter for INA Healthcare, who ended up first. When it got two-handed, he led with about 185,000 chips to Drew Woodke’s 150,000, and the two agreed to a deal ending the action. Scobee was declared the winner, taking out an official $10,268. The key hand for him in late action when he took the chip lead after his pocket queens held up against pocket 8s.

Scobee, 35, is a health care nurse recruiter from Bennington, Nebraska playing for four years who earlier won $2,400 in a three-way chop in a second-chance event.

Scobee plays mostly tournaments and sometimes small no-limit cash games. His style is selective-aggressive. “I like to put the pressure on,” he says. He came to the final table second in chips but had an up-and-down ride all the way through until finally grabbing the chip lead. Scobee is the father of two girls and a month-old baby boy.

Final-table action began with 1,500-3,000 blinds and in three minutes went to 400 antes and 2,000-4,000 blinds with 400 antes. Leading with 275,300 chips was Drew Woodke.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. Joe Ritter 29,600
Seat 2. Drew Woodke 275,300
Seat 3. Tobin King 49,100
Seat 4. Jay Carstens 39,800
Seat 5. Brian Scobee 137,200
Seat 6. Austin McCormick 130,000

First out, in sixth place, was Joe Ritter. He was all in with K-Q and lost to Jay “Bis Slick” Carsten’s A-J after the board came 7-8-7-2-6. Sixth paid $1,385. Ritter, 40, is a software programmer from Omaha who has played for 25 years, and this is his first final table.

Next to go was Tobin King. He pushed in his entire 76,000 with A-K and got a call from Austin McCormick with pocket 8s. “Eight ball in the corner pocket,” McCormick called out, and sure enough the dealer obliged by putting out a flop of 8-6-7. King, now drawing dead, cashed fifth for $1,874. King, 36, is a business owner from Brunswick, Nebraska. He’s been playing four years and has two cashes out of three Circuit tries.

Blinds now were 3,00-6,000 with 500 antes, and all players remained when blinds went to 4,000-8,000. It took a long time to lose our third player, but finally it was Carstens who cashed fourth for $2,770. He moved in with A-3 and was called by McCormick holding Q-J. Carstens paired his trey on a flop of 3-7-6, only to see McCormick pair his jack on the turn. A river deuce didn’t help and after three hours, half the field of six was gone. Carstens is 43 and an area sales manager from Denison, Iowa

Chips moved back and forth for a long time between the three remaining players. An hour later, McCormick had A-K and was up against Woodke’s pocket 8s in a big pot. In earlier action, McCormick knocked out a player who had A-K by flopping a set of 8s Now, ironically, the tables were turned. McCormick’s A-K went nowhere after Woodke was the one to flop a set of 8s. McCormick now was left with just a few chips. He doubled through once, but on the next hand was all in again with J-2 against Scobee’s A-10. An ace flopped, and that was more than enough to leave McCormick in third place, which paid $2,770. McCormick is 21-year-old student turned pro from Kansas City, Missouri. This is his second final table. He had a fourth in the prior $500 no-limit event.

Heads-up, Scobee led with about 185,000 chips to 150,000 for Woodke. They now took a break, talked deal, came to an agreement and the tournament was over. Second paid an official $6,355. Woodke, 27, is a real estate agent from Omaha playing 10 years. His multiple cashes include a sixth in last year’s $500 event where he achieved the additional glory of knocking out Amarillo Slim.

–Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

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2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #12 Results

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #12
Feb. 19-20
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $500 + $55
Number of Entries: 151
Total Prize Money: $73,235

Payouts:

1. David Grandstaff Des Moines, IA $23,727
2. Corey Rasmussen Cedar Falls, IA $12,450
3. Chris Drew Omaha, NE $7,324
4. Nouk Sengchan Sioux City, Iowa $5,859
5. Nathan Rowan Jefferson City, MO $4,394
6. Adam Sleper Omaha, NE $3,662
7. Lou Salamone St. Louis, MO $2,929
8. Chris Hovey Omaha, NE $2,197
9. David Dicken Waterloo, IA $1,465
10. Timothy Soscoe $1,172
11. Scott Buller $1,172
12. Frank Patti $1,172
13. Steven Verrett $1,025
14. Drazen Ilich $1,025
15. Daniel Thomas $1,025
16. Brandon Mifsud $879
17.Mark Kroon $879
18. Scott Burch $879
David Grandstaff, 65, Overcomes Lack Of Sleep to Win Event 12, $500 No-Limit

David Grandstaff 2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #12 Winner

Council Bluffs, IA–David “Governor” Grandstaff, a retired paint contractor from Des Moines, Iowa, turns 66 next week. He’s been here since Sunday and trying to get by on two to three hours sleep a night. It caused him some confusion leading to a few bad plays along the way. Fortunately, he didn’t make any major errors tonight as he ended up winning the 12th event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $500 no-limit hold’em. He did, however, admittedly get very lucky on the last hand, which he said he overplayed, when he caught a second pair on the river to outrun his final opponent’s higher pair. The win was worth $23,727 along with his first trophy ring.

Grandstaff, who has been playing poker “too long to remember,” divides his time between playing small $100 tournaments about once a week and $30-$60 and $40-$80 limit hold’em cash games. His best prior tournament cash was $9,630 for a second in a Gold Strike $500 event here last year. He also has a fourth at a Bellagio weekly event and another cash at Fiesta al Lago. He moved back to Iowa three years ago, after living in California and spending a lot of time playing at Bay 101 in San Jose.

There were two minutes left on the clock when players returned on day two, playing with 2,000-4,000 blinds. Way in the lead with 264,000 chips was Corey Rasmussen.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. Nathan Rowan 103,500
Seat 2. Chris Drew 248,000
Seat 3. David Dickin 105,000
Seat 4. Adam Sleper 33,000
Seat 5. Corey Rasmussen 264,000
Seat 6. David Grandstaff 146,500
Seat 7. Chris Hovey 80,000
Seat 8. Nouk Sengchan 144,000
Seat 9. Lou Salamone 57,500

Blinds now were 3,000-6,000 with 500 antes. It took halfway through the level before there was a second all-in and call. David Dicken went all in with pocket 6s, and Rasmussen crushed him with pocket kings. Ninth paid $1,465. Dicken, 33, is a pro from Waterloo, Iowa playing six years He has a two seconds, one here in a $1,500 event, another in a $5,000 event at the Bellagio. He’s also played in three WSOP main events, never making it past the first day.

With blinds at 4,000-8,000, a second player exited. Chris Hovey was all in with A-4, up against David Grandstaff’s Q-J. When the board came J-8-6-4-3, Grandstaff’s paired jack left Hovey in eighth place, which paid $2,197. Hovey, 35 is from Omaha and owns a concrete flatwork company owner. He’s played six years.

In rapid-fire action, Lou “Bowhunter” Salamone was next out.when his pocket aces were cracked in a bad beat. Nouk “Nouky” Sengchan had 8-7, flopped a second eight, and hit a third 8 on the turn. Salamone, 47, taking home $2,929 for seventh, is a retired fireman from St. Louis who’s a veteran of more than 30 years of poker. He won the Chris Moneymaker Playboy event in St. Louis last year and has two final tables at the Venetian Deep Stack. He’s a bowhunter and an operator of Suburban Bowhunters whose members have killed over 400 “nuisance” deer, with Salamone accounting for over 100 since 2001.

Soon after, Adam “Sleepydude” Sleper went out sixth when his K-9 fell to Sengchan’s A-3 after a board of Q-2-7-A-9. Sleper, 35, is a published, technical writer from Omaha with a master’s degree in literature who’s just completed his first novel. He’s proud to say he’s never watched Fox Sports News’ Best Damn Poker Show.

On a roll, Sengchan quickly knocked out his third player in a row (:unintentionally,” he innocently claimed). This time, with the board showing 8-6-7, Nathan “Uberdonk” Rowan moved in for 61,000. “On a draw?” Sengchan probed. He finally called, holding 7-6 for two pair as Rowan turned up 10-8 for top two. Well in the lead, Sengchan finished Rowan off by catching a 7 on the river for a full house. Rowan, 30, was paid $4,394 for fifth. He is a bar manager/semi-pro from Jefferson City, Missouri who’s been playing four years. This event is his first “quasi-big live tournament.” His poker highlight was spending 36 straight hours in the same chair in a $2-$5 no-limit cash game (must have been a good game).

After a break, blinds went to 6,000-12,000 with 2,,000 antes. Soon after, Chris Drew had a narrow escape when he was all in with A-7 against Grandstaff’s pocket 6s. Grandstaff moved way in front when a flop of 5-6-2 gave him a set. But then a 3 turned and a 4 hit the river. That made a six-high straight on board, with Drew’s 7 giving him a higher one.

The next big hand pitted Grandstaff’s pocket aces against Sengchan’s pocket 6s. The aces were good enough, but Grandstaff also made a nut flush when four spades hit the board. Down to 15,000 Sengchan doubled up on the next hand, but then went out on the one after when his K-3 couldn’t overcome Chris Drew’s A-Q after all small cards boarded. For fourth, he cashed for $5,859.:”Nouky,” who had been the liveliest, most talkative player at the table, is originally from Laos and now lives in Sioux City, Iowa. He is employed as a casino supervisor and has played for 15 years.

Blinds became 10,000-20,000 with 3,000 antes. Midway through, the tournament got heads-up when Drew made a jack-high straight but lost to Rasmussen’s queen-high straight. Drew is 28, and works as a bartender in Omaha. He’s been playing six years. He’s had several prior WSOP Circuit cashes, and this is his second final table

The heads-up match didn’t last very long. On the final hand, both players limped pre-flop. Grandstaff had the button. The flop came 9-4-J. Rasmussen bet 60,000 holding Q-9 and Grandstaff`moved in with 10c-4c. Rasmussen was in the lead with 9s to Grandstaff’s 4s, but then a river 10 gave Grandstaff two pair and the win. Rasmussen, 29, is from Cedar Falls, Iowa.

–Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

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2009 WSOP Circuit – Horseshoe Council Bluffs Casino – Event #11 Official Results

Friday, February 20th, 2009

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #11
Feb. 18-19
Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 + $45
Number of Entries: 46
Total Prize Money: $13,386

Payouts:

1. Kelly Vande Mheen Sioux City, IA $6,033
2. Michael Schwarcz Chicago, IL $3,347
3. Brent Carter Oak Park, IL $2,008
4. Khanh Nguyen Omaha, NE $1,339
5. James Tolbert Norman, OK $669
.

Suited Connectors Suit Kelly Vande Mheen Fine as He Wins Circuit #11, Limit Hold’em

Kelly Vande Mheen 2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #11 Winner

Council Bluffs, IA–Kelly Vande Mheen, a 46-year-old small business owner selling licensed sports merchandise, was the winner of the 11th event at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $300 limit hold’em, in a wire-to-wire victory. He came to the final table with a very big lead and went steadily up after that.

He credited his unusual style of play for his win. He says he likes to raise with small suited connectors in limit hold’em because if he connects, he can’t be put on a hand, and if an ace or king comes, players will be afraid that he now has a big hand. This strategy is especially effective when he has a big stack, he added, as happened in this event. The win brought him $6,033 and a nice trophy, but far short of his one major cash-out when he won $96,000 for a fifth in a WSOP 6-handed no-limit event. He also has a final table in a second-chance event at the WSOP, but no other major cashes.

Vande Mheen, who’s been playing seriously since 2006, describes his style as selective-aggressive, but says he also depends on getting lucky. He was also playing simultaneously in the event #12, a $500 no-limit ring tournament that started an hour before the limit final table began, and he quickly went back to his game, where he was being blinded off.

Only five players were in the money in this event, and second-day play resumed with blinds of 2,000-4,000 and 4,000-8,000 limits, 16 minutes left. Starting with a very big lead with 125,000 chips more than twice as much anyone else, was Vande Mheen.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. James Tolbert 54,000
Seat 2. Kelly Vande Mheen 125,000
Seat 3. Michael Schwarcz 26,000
Seat 4. Khanh Nguyen 30,000
Seat 5. Brent Carter 42,000

First out was James Tolbert, all in for his last 4,000 with Q-10. He got called by Khanh Nguyen and then Brent Carter. When the board came 4-7-2-A, Nguyen, holding 5-3, had a wheel, and Tolbert, finishing fifth, was paid $669. Tolbert is a 27-year-old pro from Norman, Oklahoma who before that was a medical equipment/hardware rep for spine surgery. His biggest cash in live tournaments was $30,000 in a $1,000 Venetian Deep Stack event.

Next out was a short-stacked Nguyen, all in with A-2 on a flop of 9-10-3. He had calls from Vande Mheen and Michael Schwarcz. When an 8 tuned it gave Schwarcz, holding 7-6, an inside straight, and Nguyen left with $1,339 for fourth. Nguyen, 46, originally from Vietnam, now lives in Omaha where he is a small business owner. He’s been playing 12 years and has a third in a Circuit event two years ago.

Brent, Carter, meanwhile, making his second final table in a row, had been playing short-chipped for a long time and hanging on. He finally went all in for the last time, holding A-Q and three-betting a flop of Q-J-5. He was in bad shape because Vande Mheen had a set of jacks, and then, for good measure, made quads. (“I didn’t need it, just showing off,” he said.) Third paid $2,008. Carter, 60, formerly a harness race driver, is from Oak Park, Illinois and has been playing professionally for 25 years. He has won over $3 million in tournaments, and his scores of cashes include 48 at the WSOP (with bracelets in Omaha and no-limit hold’em), along with 11 Omaha final tables. He finished third in the WSOP main event, cashing for $302,750, his biggest payday ever.

Heads-up, Vande Mheen enjoyed a big lead, and the match did not last long. On the final hand, Schwarcz was all in with 10-9 to K-6 for Vande Mheen. The board came 4-4-K-Q-10, and the paired king was more than enough to give Vande Mheen the win.

Schwarcz, who played tonight with lots of patience, is a podiatrist from Chicago. His wife was at the sidelines cheering him on. -

-Max Shapiro

Vande Mheen, 46, is a small business owner from Omaha who’s been playing since high school. In 2007 he won $96,000 for a fifth in a the WSOP.

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

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Horseshoe Council Bluffs – 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit – Event #10 Results

Friday, February 20th, 2009

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #10
Feb. 18-19, 2009
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 + $45
Number of Entries: 237
Total Prize Money: $68,967

Payouts:
1. Leroy Patitz Hastings, NE $22,065
2. William Searle Colorado Springs, CO $12,138
3. William Drumm III De Pere, WI $6,207
4. Aaron Loftin Omaha, NE $4,828
5. Jerry Kuhl Bennington, NE $4,138
6. Chad Wiedenhoeft Whitewater, WI $3,448
7. Michael Dreiger Omaha, NE $2,759
8. Arnold Rogel Bellevue, NE $2,069
9. Randy Belmont Omaha, NE $1,379
10.Steven Federspiel $828
11.Brett Booth $828
12.Timothy McReynolds $828
13..Brett Schwertley $690
14.Allen Youngblade $690
15.Kenneth Oldenborg $690
16.Timothy Ohnoutka $552
17.Mark Fink $552
18.Rndy Dusich $552
19.Wade Woelfel $414
20.Tyson Bodlak $414
21.Frank Dukich $414
22.Lou Salammone $414
23.Michael Kroll $414
24..Daniel Collier $414
25.Richard Thousand $414
26.Jeffrey Bryan $414
27.. Raymond Clark $207 (tie)
28.Zachary. Fronterhouse $207 (tie)

‘Far From a Pro,’ But Leroy Patitz, 72, Still Wins Circuit #10, $300 No-Limit
Leroy Patitz 2009 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #10 Winner

Council Bluffs, IA–”If I’d known it would be this much fun I’d have gotten old a long time ago,” Leroy “Lee” Patitz cracked after winning the 10th event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $300 no-limit hold’em. After a back-and forth battle with his final opponent, William “Big Willy” Searle, the 72-year-old power plant operator from Hastings, Nebraska, took home $22,065 along with his keepsake trophy ring.

Patitz says he’s as far away from being a pro as you could ever hope to find. Until this series, he never had any Circuit cashes, but he already has three here, including a sixth in the $1,000 event ring He’s been playing poker 30 years, but casino tournaments only three. His experience comes mainly from fun no-cash bar games, and later from “getting beat up by \pros” in tournaments. His strength, he says, comes from playing “so dumb that nobody can figure me out. I just play off the top of my head.” In this event he said he had a couple of scrapes, but mostly was in good shape throughout.

This event drew 237 players and the prize pool was $68,967. Day two play began at level 13 with blinds of 3,000-6,000 with 500 antes, 18:16 minutes remaining. Leading with 271,000 chips was Searle.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. Michael Dreiger 115,000
Seat 2. William Searle 271,500
Seat 3. Chad Wiedenhoeft 86,500
Seat 4. Leroy Patitz 225,000
Seat 5. William Drumm III 270,000
Seat 6. Aaron Loftin 60,000
Seat 7. Jerry Kuhl 201,000
Seat 8. Randy Belmont 49,000
Seat 9. Arnold Rogel 167,000

The only all-in confrontation at this level resulted in a split pot when both players turned up A-2. Blinds were now 4,000-8,000 with 1,000 antes. Randy Belmont went out early in this level when he moved in with A-2d and found himself up against Aaron Loftin’s A-Q. The board came 4-5-J-A-8, and he cashed for $1,379. Belmont, 48, is a bar manager from Omaha who’s been playing 10 years and until this final table had “nothing worth mentioning.”

The third all-in and call produced a second instance of duplicate hands, this time A-10. Amazingly, a couple of hands later brought the fourth all-in-call and another similar holding, this time Q-10. What a bunch of copycats!

At last, two different hands. Michael “Doc” Dreiger raised with pocket kings and Arnold Rogel moved in with A-10. A board of 9-5-6-2-7 didn’t help Rogel much, and he cashed eighth for $2,069. Rogel, 23, is in sales and lives in Bellevue, Nebraska, This is his fifth year of poker and only his first tournament.

Loftin got short-chipped when an all-in Chad Wiedenhoeft hit a 10 to his A-10 to outrun Loftin’s A-Q, but as play went on Loftin managed to go all in and double up twice.

After a break, play continued with blinds of 6,000-12,000 and 2,000 antes. Dreiger was all in in a three-way pot, but survived. A hand later, however, he was all in again, holding A-8. He was up against Patitz, with pocket 4s. The pair held up when the board came 9-7-5-3-2, and Dreiger, finishing seventh, took out $2,759. Dreiger is 56 and a programmer from Omaha who’s had a few small live cashes. He is married with two children.

Wiedenhoeft finished sixth after he went all in with A-5 on a flop of 9-9-7. He was pretty much dead because William Drumm III, holding 10-9, had trips. Wiedenhoeft couldn’t play catch-up after a 6 and jack came and ended up sixth, which paid $3,448. Wiedenhoeft, 27, is a heat treater from Whitewater, Wisconsin making his second final table in this series. He earlier finished sixth in a $400 no-limit event.

Action continued at a fast pace as Jerry Kuhl quickly followed Wiedenhoeft out. In a monster pot, he was all in with K-Q against Searle’s A-Q. All small cards hit the board, and Kuhl took out $4,138 for fifth. Kuhl, 33 is from Bennington, Nebraska and is a construction project manager. This is his first Circuit try. He has a five-year-old daughter with another child on the way.

Not long after, Loftin moved in with A-7 and got a call from Patitz with Ah-2h.. When the board showed 5-9-9-3, Patitz called for the board to pair, hoping for a split. He wasn’t aiming high enough. Instead, a 4 hit the turn, giving him a wheel and he knocked Loftin out in fourth place, which paid $4,328. Loftin, 30, is a 30-year-old safety manage from Omaha who’s been playing four years. His poker highlight was winning a satellite to play in the Doyle Bronson Five Diamond Classic last year. He went on to tie for last!

Drumm ended up third He was all in with pocket jacks. Patitz had K-6 and flopped two kings. Drumm is 26 and is a truck driver from De Pere, Wisconsin. He’s been playing five yeas and has a win in a $500 no-limit Circuit event here in 2007 along with a fourth in the 2007 Spring Heartland Tour.

Heads-up, after a number of hands, Patitz had built a big lead, but then Searle took the lead in a turnaround hand when he was all in with A-J and turned an ace to outrun Patitz’s pocket jacks. Then Patitz moved in front again when he had pocket aces and made a flush when four clubs came. On the final hand he had A-9 to Searle’s A-7, and the win was his when Searle couldn’t catch.

For second, Searle took home $12,138. Searle 25, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is an Army veteran with two long tours of duty in Iraq who currently works as an office manager for Loomis, a security guard company.. He’s been playing seven years and this is his second WSOP Circuit try and first cash.

–Max Shapiro

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

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Horseshoe Council Bluffs – 2009 WSOP Circuit – Event #9 Official Results

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Event #9
Feb. 17-18, 2009
H.O.R.S.E
Buy-In: $300 + $45
Number of Entries: 87
Total Prize Money: $25,317

Payouts:

1. Bill Short Abilene, KS $9,243
2. C.J. Mavroudis Winnipeg, Canada $4,987
3. Matt Harder Lincoln, NE $3,392
4. Mike Lisanti Winnipeg, Canada $2,405
5. Charles Casavant Avilla, IN $1,848
6. Shawn Marley Council Bluffs, IA $1,468
7. Robert Cox Omaha, NE $1,139
8. Brent Carter Oak Park, IL $835

Dr. Bill Short Performs Chipectomy and Has Easy Win in in 9th Circuit, H.O.R.S.E.

Bill Short 2009 WSOP Circuit Event Horseshoe Council Bluffs Event #9 Winner

Council Bluffs, IA–The ninth event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $300 H.O.R.S.E., proved to be a simple operation for Bill “Doc” Short, a family physician from Abilene, Kansas. He had the chip lead all the way until the final table, then held onto it until the end, coasting to an easy victory. When he got heads-up with C.J. Mavroudis, his final opponent had come close to catching him in chips, and the two agreed to a deal without playing any hands. For his victory, Dr. Short won an official $9,243 and a handsome trophy.

Short has been playing poker for six years, but only has time to play a couple of tournaments a year. He likes all games, especially Omaha hi-lo, which he favors because of the action, and which is why H.O.R.S.E. suited him so well. He has a third-place finish in a Circuit event here last year, along with a WPT cash on a cruise. His style of play is selective-aggressive, and he found the players at the final table pretty solid.

Short came up here with some buddies from Kansas, and they haven’t been doing badly either. One cashed second in the Omaha event yesterday, another took a third in the $1,500 event.

H.O.R.S.E., consisting of rounds of hold’em, Omaha hi-lo, razz, stud and stud eight-or-better, is generally considered to be the ultimate test of all-around poker skill and is becoming an increasingly popular tournament game. Eight players made it to the money in this event, and those finalists returned on day two, starting play in a hold’em round, with blinds of 1,000-2,000 and 2,000-4,000 limits, 24:30 left on the clock. Short led with 80,500 chips.

Here were the starting chip counts:

Seat 1. Shawn Marley 42,800
Seat 2. Brent Carter 23,100
Seat 3. Bill Short 80,500
Seat 4. Matt Harder 37,500
Seat 5. C.J. Mavroudis 27,100
Seat 6. Mike Lisanti 43,000
Seat 7. Charles Casavant III 71,900
Seat 8. Robert Cox 23,199

Sitting next to each other were C.T. Mavroudis and Mike Lisanti, friends who both live in Winnipeg, Canada and who came up here together.

Brent Carter was by far the best-known player at the final table. But he started lowest in chips and busted out first in an Omaha round after Mavroudis flopped a wheel. Eighth paid $835. Carter, 60, formerly a harness race driver, is from Oak Park, Illinois and has been playing professionally for 25 years. He has won over $3 million in tournaments, and his scores of cashes include 48 at the WSOP (with bracelets in Omaha and no-limit hold’em), along with 11 Omaha final tables. However, he is perhaps best known for putting a terrible beat on Barbara Enright — many feel it’s the worst in WSOP history — in 1995 when she became the only woman to make the final table in the main event. With five players left, she moved in with pocket 8s. Carter called with 6-3 suited, flopped two pair and knocked her out. He finished third in that event, cashing for $302,750, his biggest payday ever.

At age 82, Robert Cox became the most senior player to make a final table here thus far. He went out seventh in a round of stud when he went all in on fourth street with a pair of 4s. He couldn’t improve, and Shawn Marley, starting with (9-6)8-9, beat him after making two pair. Cox, from Omaha, is retired, started playing 10 years ago, and this first final table is his poker highlight. He is the proud father of four children, five grandchildren and three great-grandkids. Today he earned $1,139 for seventh.

A very big pot developed in the next hold’em hand. Marley had pocket kings and made kings-full when the board came A-8-8-K, but he was way behind Matt Harder, who had pocket aces and flopped aces full.

After a break, players returned to blinds of 1,500-3,000 and 3,000-6,000 limits. In an Omaha round, Marley went out sixth. He was all in with A-2-7-8 against A-4-J-Q held by Mavroudis. A board of K-Q-2-64 counterfeited Marley’s low and paired his deuce, while giving Mavroudis a nut low and a pair of queens. Marley, 29, is from Council Bluffs He has a second in pot-limit Omaha in the Horseshoe Classic last year, along with a 15th in Omaha hi-lo yesterday.

The next player out departed in a stud eight-or-better round. Down to the cloth, Charles Casavant went all in holding (J-4)J. Mavroudis had (5-2)5, caught a third 5 on fourth street, and made his third knockout as Casavant went out with $1,848 for fifth. Casavant is 42, from Avilla, IN, and owns a True Value hardware store. He has multiple final tables and cashes and yesterday made the final table, finishing ninth in the $1,000 no-limit event.

Limits went to 4,000-8,000 and then to 6,000-12,000. Short still had the lead with about half of the 350,000 chips in play, while the two Canadian comrades were short-chipped. One of them went out in a round of stud. Lisanti had pocket 10s and a flush draw. He missed, lost to Short’s queens and deuces, and he was gone, earning $2.405 for fourth place. Lisanti, 48, works in marketing. He’s been playing about five years His highlight was making a TV table at the WSOP $2,000 no-limit event where he finished ninth, winning $50,705.

In the next round of stud hi-lo, the other Canadian survived. Mavroudis was against Short’s kings and nines, and then outdrew him by pairing a 6 on the turn for aces-up. As play went on, Mavroudis took a couple of pots from Harder in hold’em and Omaha, leaving him short-chipped, then finally knocked him out in a razz round by edging him with an 8-6 to Harder’s 8-7. Third paid $3,392. Harder, 23, is a business student at the University of Nebraska who started playing four years ago.

By now, Mavroudis had pulled fairly close to Short with roughly 165,000 chips to about 185,000 for Short, and play stopped while they talked deal at great length before finally coming to terms and ending this event.

Mavroudis picked up an official $4,987 for second. He is 36 and is employed as a tour operator. He’s been playing 15 years and has a couple of cashes in Canadian events and another in the Jack Binion World Poker Open.

World Series of Poker Commissioner: Jeffrey Pollack
Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s Entertainment: Jack Effel
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Poker Room Managers: Gary Margetsen
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs Tournament Director: Janis Sexton

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