WSOP & WPT Tournament Blog

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Daily Double Tournament (4 pm)

Buy-In $200 (+30)
Game H.O.R.S.E.
Number of Entries 124
Net Prize Pool $24,056
First Place Prize $6,255
Places Paid 8

Official Results

1 Keith Watkins San Diego, CA $6,255.00
2 Paramjit Gill Diamond Bar, CA 5,052
3 Diana Forman Temecula, CA 3,849
4 Sven Arntzen Las Vegas, NV 2,646
5 Karen Pezzuto Corona, CA 1,924
6 Merlita Newcomer Escondido, CA 1,684
7 Chuck McCormick Oceanside, CA 1,443
8 Terry Anderson Bayville, NJ 1,203

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Event #7
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 (+40)
Total Entries: 195
Total Prize Pool: $56,745
March 25-26, 2009

Final Results:

1 Adam Hannula San Diego, CA $14,185
2 Nicholas Manganaro Omaha, NE 9,079
3 Steven Monheim Pittsburgh, PA 5,675
4 Yasha Terlissi Toronto, ON (Canada) 4,767
5 Thomas Hover Blue Diamond, NV 3,972
6 David Kruger Salter, MO 3,405
7 Thao “Scratch” Thiem Minneapolis, MN 2,837
8 Stacy Kimbrel Omaha, NE 2,270
9 Michael Hook El Cajon, CA 1,702
10 Brett Schwertley Omaha, NE 1,135
11 Jonathan Bergstrom San Diego, CA 1,135
12 Robert Wilkinson Redonmdo Beach, CA 1,135
13 Sean Westra Laguna Beach, CA 965
14 Jerry Nelner Calgary, AB (Canada) 965
15 Ashley Souza San Diego, CA 965
16 Craig Brennan San Clemente, CA 851
17 Ray Blodgett Riverside, CA 851
18 Matthew Poucher Poway, CA 851

Adam Hannula – From Worst to First!

Hannula starts the final table lowest in chips, then wins WSOP Circuit gold ring

Harrah’s Rincon (March 26, 2009) – It’s intimidating enough to sit down at the final table of a major poker tournament and play for what amounts to thousands of dollars in prize money. But when the player is making his first-ever final table appearance in a World Series of Poker-related event, the pressure is even more so. Complicate matters by giving the player the lowest stack at the table and the task ahead might seem daunting, if not impossible.

But Adam Hannula wasn’t intimidated. He didn’t feel pressure. He wasn’t even concerned by having the fewest chips of any of the final nine players. Hannula simply played his best game, made wise strategic decisions, and then outlasted and ultimately pulled off the biggest upset of any player at this year’s WSOP Circuit series at Harrah’s Rincon. Hannula, a 26-year-old business owner booked a win worth $14,185. He was also presented with a gold ring, the ultimate prize given out on the WSOP Circuit.
The $300 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament won by Hannula attracted 195 entries, generating $56,754 in prize money. The top 18 players collected payouts. In an interesting anomaly, three of the top ten finishers were from Omaha, Nebraska. All had come to Rincon separately, yet managed to take three of the top money spots. All the action took place over a two-day period inside the Rincon Pavilion Showroom.

After 186 players were eliminated on the first day, nine survivors took their seats at the final table. David Kruger, visiting Rincon from his home in Missouri, started day two with the chip lead. The top nine finishers were:

9th Place – Just a few hands into action, Michael Hook busted out when he made top pair, but ended up losing to trip jacks. Hook was dealt Q-8. He moved all-in after the turn showed Q-J-2-J. But Nick Manganaro had J-8, good for three jacks – which scooped the sizable early pot. Hook, who works as a police sergeant in El Cajon, CA, was playing in his first WSOP event ever. He collected $1,702 for ninth place, a nice start to his poker tournament career.

8th Place – Three hands later, Stacy Kimbrel became the next tourney casualty when he moved his short-stack in with A-5 suited against Thomas Hover’s A-Q suited. Kimbrel’s hand was dominated from the start and failed to improve, which meant an eighth-place finish for the poker dealer from Omaha, NE. Kimbrel received a payout totaling $2,270.

7th Place – Five minutes later, Thao “Scratch” Thiem was scratched-off the final table faster than a losing lottery ticket when he lost two consecutive pots. First, Thiem lost much of his stack to Hannula. Then, he busted out holding K-4 against David Kruger’s K-Q when the higher hole cards played and scooped the pot. Thiem, who has made 12 final tables at various tournaments over the past year and has over $100,000 in prize money earnings, added $2,837 to his poker bankroll.

6th Place – David Kruger suffered a miserable hour at the final table. The early chip leader never seemed able to generate the momentum needed to close out victory. First, Kruger got trapped for most of his chips when he tried to steal a pot, which was snapped called by Yasha Terlissi — who just so happened to be sitting on the stone-cold nuts. Terlissi had A-Q of diamonds and could hardly contain his delight when three diamonds flopped. Joy turned to ecstasy when Kruger moved all-in hoping to steal the pot. Terlissi feasted on Kruger’s aggression like a starving wolf, which left the early chip leader with the lowest stack. He went out a few hands later. Kruger, who has made four previous WSOP Circuit final tables including a second-place finish earlier this year at Council Bluffs (Iowa), earned $3,405 for sixth place.

5th Place – Thomas Hover came to the final table with the most experience of any player. He seized the chip lead early but lost a heartbreaking race holding Q-Q against A-K (an ace flopped) which very likely ruined his chances for victory. Hover then went out holding A-5 against Hannula’s A-K. Hover, who has 30 cashes in major tournaments (all since 2006), including eight in-the-money finishes in WSOP-related events collected $3,972 for fifth place.

4th Place – Play tightened up considerably when play became four-handed. In fact, the quartet battled for an hour before the next elimination. That came when Yasha Terlissi moved all-win with A-Q suited and was called by Hannula, holding pocket nines. The middle pair held up, which knocked Terlissi out in fourth place. The project manager from Toronto, Ontario received $4,767.

3rd Place – Steven Monheim went out in third place when he moved all-in with K-Q against Hannula’s A-Q. Monheim’s hand was dominated and he failed to improve, which ended the tournament for the 24-year-old poker player. Monheim, from Pittsburgh, PA, received $5,675 in prize money.

2nd Place – When heads-up play began, Hannula enjoyed a 3 to 2 chip advantage over Manganaro. The players battled for about a dozen hands during which Manganaro seized the chip lead. Then, the most decisive hand of the tournament took place when Hannula got all his money in with pocket nines, against Manganaro’s pocket queens. It couldn’t get much better than that for Manganaro, holding a dominant overpair. But a nine on the flop was a dramatic reversal of fortune for both players. Hannula caught his magic card (good for trip nines), which left Manganaro low on chips.

The final hand of the tournament was even more brutal for Manganaro. He moved all-in with pocket jacks. Hannula called the raise and tabled Q-10. As though he could do no wrong in the finale, the final board showed K-10-8-7-A, giving Hannula a straight. The event was over and while Hannula received applause and congratulations from well-wishers, Manganaro walked the death plank to a disappointing second-place finish. The 27-year-old poker pro from America’s heartland in Omaha, NE received $9,079.

1st Place – The tournament winner was Adam Hannula, who lives in San Diego. He has previously cashed in a few small tournaments in the area. But this marked his biggest payday ever and his first victory. Hannula is a graduate on the University of San Diego, where he played both college football and basketball. In fact, he says he loves sports. While his alma mater continues to enjoyed mixed success on the court and the gridiron, Hannula ultimately won his own championship – playing poker.
With seven events now completed at Harrah’s Rincon, the tournament has now attracted more than 3,393 entries and has awarded in excess of 765,745 in total prize money. Still to come are six more events and three nightly daily double tournaments which begin at 4 pm. The WSOP Circuit at Harrah’s Rincon continues through April 1st.

Jeffrey Pollack – Commissioner, WSOP
Ty Stewart – Director, Sponsorship and Licensing, WSOP
Craig Abrahams – Director, Broadcasting and New Media, WSOP
Seth Palansky – Communications Director, WSOP

Executive Staff, World Series of Poker Circuit – Harrah’s Rincon

Janet Beronio – General Manager
Robert Livingston – Assistant General Manager and VP of Operations
Jill Barrett – VP of Finance
Lee Torres – Director of Marketing
John Sebastian – Director of Casino Operations
Michelle Becket – Table Games Supervisor
Elizabeth Liemandt – Public Relations Manager
Alexia Alsop – Poker Room Manager
Jimmy Sommerfeld – Tournament Director
Bill Bruce – Assistant Tournament Director

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Daily Double Tournament (4 pm)

Buy-In $200 (+30)
Game Pot-Limit Omaha With Re-Buys
Number of Entries 56
Number of Re-Buys 144 ($100)
Net Prize Pool $24,832
First Place Prize $6,208
Places Paid 9

Official Results

1 Michael Sofen Del Mar, CA $6,208.00
2 Sean Reyes San Deigo, CA 4,966
3 Michael Martin Arcata, CA 3,725
4 Tony Vidmer Nashville, TN 2,483
5 Dominic Bencivenga Murrieta, CA 1,987
6 William Shultz Ramona, CA 1,738
7 James Pechac Phoenix, AZ 1,490
8 Ilias Kellikidis N. Chicago, IL 1,242
9 Clint Miller Vista, CA 993

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Event #6
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 (+40)
Total Entries: 205
Total Prize Pool: $59,655
March 24-25, 2009

Final Results:

1 Jeremy Jennings Oceanside, CA $14,911
2 Dana Katzenmeier San Diego, CA 8,650
3 Bryan Connole Beaumont, CA 4,772
4 Cody Mashore Amarillo, TX 3,281
5 Srihari Mupparju San Diego, CA 2,983
6 Stevie “Donkey” Damicus Denver, CO 2,684
7 Cary Shultz Ramona, MD 2,386
8 Paul Tartaglio Corona, CA 2,088
9 Jeff Pfister San Diego, CA 1,790
10 James Brown Oceanside, CA 1,491
11 Herbert Kruppa Yucaipa, CA 1,491
12 Jack Converse Yorba Linda, CA 1,491
13 John Thursby Temecula, CA 1,193
14 Wayne DePalma Lakewood, CO 1,193
15 Mike Stanisch Ramona, CA 1,193
16 Chuck McCormick Oceanside, CA 895
17 Jonathan Wiggins Santa Clarita, CA 895
18 Edward House Soldotna, AK 895
19 Ronald Segni El Cajon, CA 597
20 Nicole Carroll Moreno Valley, CA 597
21 Mark Grayson San Diego, CA 597
22 Jason Schwartz Bozeman, MT 597
23 Leo Gianulis San Diego, CA 597
24 Rick Kesseler La Palma, CA 597
25 Jung Ngo Riverside, CA 597
26 Yumi Tsubouchi Mililani, HI 597
27 Barry Wenger Spring Valley, CA 597

Jeremy Jennings Annihilates the Competition at Harrah’s Rincon

It’s Jennings First Major Tournament Win

Harrah’s Rincon (March 25, 2009) – Picture this: You’re sitting at a WSOP Circuit final table playing for five figures in prize money, plus a gold ring. You sit down with the chip lead against eight opponents. Then, two hours go by and you’re no longer the chip leader. Victory seems to be slipping away. Midway through the competition, there are five players left and you are ranked fourth. Do you still like your chances?

Faced with adversity, many poker players give up. They mentally surrender. They make bad decisions, accelerating their elimination from the tournament. Then, they bust out on some dumb mistake, hastened by earlier misfortune. It happens all the time.

But it didn’t happen that way in the latest WSOP Circuit tournament held at the Harrah’s Rincon Casino and Resort. Jeremy Jennings could very well have self-destructed like many poker players do when things start going badly. Instead, Jennings continued to focus on playing well and was ultimately rewarded for his perseverance with his first major poker tournament victory. Jennings won $14,911 in prize money, plus the coveted gold ring awarded to all event winners at this year’s WSOP Circuit series at Rincon.

The $300 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament won by Jennings attracted 205 entries, generating $59,655 in prize money. The top 27 players collected payouts. All the action took place over a two-day period inside Rincon Pavilion Showroom.
After 196 players were eliminated on the first day, nine survivors took their seats at the final table, played to conclusion on day two. When play started, Jennings held a slight chip lead over Cary Shultz. But several players had decent stack sizes which prophesized an uncertain outcome. In the end after a three-hour struggle during which the chip lead changes several times, Jennings prevailed as the latest WSOP Circuit poker champion. The top nine finishers were as follows:

9th Place – Severely short-stacked Jeff Pfister managed to double up a few times early on. But he ultimately got rivered with a bad beat and was the first player to be eliminated. Pfister had about 70,000 in chips. He moved all-in with A-8. Steve Damicus called the modest raise and showed A-J. Pfister flopped and eight and momentarily took the lead. But a jack on the river gave Damicus a higher pair and the nearly 200,000 pot. Pfister, a yacht salesman from San Diego, sailed away with $1,790 in prize money.

8th Place – Players battled for 45 minutes before the next bust out. That came when two players got into a battle of the blinds. Paul Tartaglio (with J-10) moved all-win from the small blind, hoping to steal a round of antes. Cary Shultz (with Q-J) called. A queen on the flop all but ended Tartaglio’s hope of staging a comeback victory. He was eliminated in eighth place. The 23-year-old poker dealer, who finished high at two other tournaments recently including the California State Poker Championship and Larry Flynt’s Grand Slam Shootout, collected a payout totaling $2,088.

7th Place – Cary Shultz seemed very likely to make a deep run in the finale. But Shultz ran into major trouble when he moved all-in holding pocket jacks, which was called instantly by Srihari Mupparaju, who showed pocket aces. The pocket rockets held up and blasted Shultz off the table in seventh place. The poker player from Maryland collected $2,386.

6th Place – Steve “Donkey” Damicus was anything but his namesake for the way he played in this tournament. He called an all-in bet with the best hand and it appeared he would double up when there was still one card to come. Damicus held A-K against Bryan Connole’s Q-10. Four rags were on board, which meant Damicus had ace-high, which was the best hand. But Connole caught a ten on the river to make a pair, which knocked out Damicus. The poker player from Denver, CO received $2,684. A side note: Damicus is quite an inspiration. He suffered a severe brain injury years ago and had to learn how to walk and speak all over again. He made a full recovery and is now playing excellent poker.

5th Place – With five players still remaining, the final table appeared destined to play out for a few more hours. Then in a stunning series of events, the tournament was over in just ten minutes. Two back-to-back three-way hands did most of the carnage.

Srihari Mupparaju, a database administrator from San Diego was disconnected when he got involved in a three-way pot (with A-J). Jeremy Jennings (who had lost the chip lead by this point and was ranked fourth in chips with five players left) had A-9. Bryan Connole had 7-7. The final board showed K-5-3-Q-9, which gave Jennings the main pot with a pair of nines. Connole dragged the side pot with a pair of sevens. And Mupparaju was paid $2,983 for finishing in fifth place.

4th Place – The next hand, Jeremy Jennings made a raise with A-9 suited (diamonds). Cody Mashore sensed weakness and re-raised all-in from the button holding Q-10. The short-stacked Bryan Connole decided to make the call from the blind, holding A-6. After Jennings called the re-raise, the final board came 10-9-2 with two diamonds. Mashore flopped top pair, but Jennings had a flush draw. The queen of diamonds on the turn gave Mashore two pair, but also completed Jennings’ flush. A blank on the river gave Jennings the huge pot and eliminated two players.

Finishing in fourth place was Cody Mashore, a 73-year-old self-described cowboy from Amarillo, TX. The old poker veteran saddled up and rode away with $3,281 in prize money.

3rd Place – The big hand also resulted in the elimination of Bryan Connole. The poker floor supervisor from Beaumont, CA – who cashed twice in the 2006 WSOP in Las Vegas – earned a payout totaling $4,772.

2nd Place – When heads-up play began, Jeremy Jennings had a 6 to 1 chip lead over Dana Katzenmeier. It took just one hand for the tournament to end. Jennings moved all-in with J-8 suited. Katzenmeier called instantly and tabled A-7 suited. The flop was a mixed bag for both players, coming 7-5-4. Katzenmeier flopped top pair, but Jennings picked up more outs with an inside-straight draw. The turn and river were the final two mails in Katzenmeier’s coffin, sealing the victory for Jennings. First came a jack, good for a higher pair. Next came a 6, good for a straight. Bam! Bam! Katzenmeier was dead. Jennings was the winner.

Dana Katzenmeier, a retired financial advisor from San Diego finished as the runner up. Second place paid $86,50.

1st Place – The winner was Jeremy Jennings. He is 33-years-old and lives in Oceanside, CA. This marked his first time to ever cash in a major poker tournament. Jennings owns two small companies which both specialize in direct marketing – specifically mail order and Internet search engine optimization. They can be found at: newportsea.com and mailinglist.org. But following his impressive comeback win in a WSOP Circuit tournament, work was the last thing on his mind.

With six gold ring events now completed at Harrah’s Rincon, the tournament has now attracted more than 3,000 total entries and has awarded nearly $700,000 in prize money. Still to come are seven more events and three nightly (single-day) tournaments which begin at 4 pm. The WSOP Circuit at Harrah’s Rincon continues through April 1st.

Jeffrey Pollack – Commissioner, WSOP
Ty Stewart – Director, Sponsorship and Licensing, WSOP
Craig Abrahams – Director, Broadcasting and New Media, WSOP
Seth Palansky – Communications Director, WSOP

Executive Staff, World Series of Poker Circuit – Harrah’s Rincon

Janet Beronio – General Manager
Robert Livingston – Assistant General Manager and VP of Operations
Jill Barrett – VP of Finance
Lee Torres – Director of Marketing
John Sebastian – Director of Casino Operations
Michelle Becket – Table Games Supervisor
Elizabeth Liemandt – Public Relations Manager
Alexia Alsop – Poker Room Manager
Jimmy Sommerfeld – Tournament Director
Bill Bruce – Assistant Tournament Director

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Daily Double Tournament (4 pm)

Buy-In $200 (+30)
Game Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split
Number of Entries 62
Net Prize Pool $12,028
First Place Prize $3,128
Places Paid 9

Official Results

1 Burt Israel Poway, CA $3,128.00
2 Paul Hess Seattle WA 2,526
3 Robert Anaya San Marcos, CA 1,924
4 Al “the Falcon” Morris Pahrump, NV 1,323
5 Jack Eachus Brighton, CO 962
6 Rock Gurney Knoxville, TN 842
7 Bryan Jolly Houston, TX 722
8 Paul Vinci Costa Mesa, CA 601

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Special Event Daily Double

Buy-In $200 (+30)
Game Omaha High-Low Split
Number of Entries 168
Net Prize Pool $32,592
First Place Prize $8,146
Places Paid 18

Official Results

1 Patrick Wilmes Moreno Valley, CA $8,146.00
2 Kenneth Thomson Peoria, AZ 5,215
3 Ruben Vera Lake Elsinore, CA 3,259
4 Mitch Simon Temecula, CA 2,738
5 David Kim Los Angeles, CA 2,281
6 Al “the Flacon” Morris Pahrump, NV 1,956
7 Viet Hoang Temecula, CA 1,630
8 Ken Costanzo Spring Valley, CA 1,304
9 George Edwards Escondido, CA 978
10 Charles McCormick Oceanside, CA 652
11 Steve Lee San Diego, CA 652
12 Walter Milgroom Atlanta, GA 652
13 Richard Pilewicz Phoenix, AZ 554
14 Patrice Arundel Vista, CA 554
15 Paul Vinci Costa Mesa, CA 554
16 {hilip Tencer Del Mar, CA 489
17 Herb Kruppa Yuciapa, CA 489
18 Monroe Young Livermore, CA 489

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Event #5
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 (+40)
Total Entries: 189
Total Prize Pool: $54,999
March 23-24, 2009

Final Results:

1 Tyler Martinez Mukilteo, CA $13,749
2 Chuck Thompson Santa Cruz, CA 8,800
3 Pablo Lopez San Diego, CA 5,500
4 Phil Tramel San Diego, CA 4,620
5 Monte Hanson San Diego, CA 3,850
6 Clifton “the Hanger” Allen Camarillo, CA 3,300
7 Maxine Gregory Denver, CO 2,750
8 Justin “the Juiceman” Hagan Palm Desert, CA 2,200
9 Noel Huelsenbeck San Diego, CA 1,650
10 Jeff Johnson Carson, CA 1,100
11 Joseph Harmatz Aliso Viejo, CA 1,100
12 Jim Harper Placentia, CA 1,100
13 Eric Saikin Surprise, AZ 935
14 Jason Esteybar San Diego, CA 935
15 Thao Thiem Minneapolis, MN 935
16 Nick Annunziata Los Angeles, CA 825
17 Ken Horn Spicewood, TX 825
18 Titan Leard San Clemente, CA 825

Tyler Martinez Wins WSOP Circuit Gold Ring

WSOP Circuit Continues at Harrah’s Rincon with Another Nice Turnout

Harrah’s Rincon (March 24, 2009) – The heads-up match between Tyler Martinez and Chuck Thompson in the latest WSOP Circuit tournament was a striking contrast of style and personality. On one end of the table sat Thompson, the burley 69-year-old white-bearded poker veteran of decades of battles over the green felt. On the opposite end was Tyler Martinez, the 23-year-old online poker pro, who is relatively new to live tournaments. Indeed, with all due respect to Martinez – who has certainly put in massive hours playing on the Internet – his adversary Thompson was winning poker tournaments way back before the younger man was even born.

But none of that mattered. When the two players sat down face to face, Martinez’ skills and experiences were every bit as impressive as Thompson’s. As the hands played out with Martinez ultimately prevailing, one could arguably say another torch has now been passed to a new generation of poker talent. That sobering message is not necessarily new, with so many exceptionally-talented players in their 20s winning poker tournaments. But the way Martinez won, outfoxing the savvy vet with a mix of well-timed aggression and one exceptional trap play that worked to perfection was memorable. Martinez defeated Thompson and earned $13,749 in what was his first live poker tournament victory. He was also presented with a WSOP Circuit gold ring, the ultimate token of achievement for Circuit victories.

The $300 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament attracted 189 entries, creating a prize pool totaling $54,999. The top 18 finishers collected payouts. All of the action took place over a two-day period inside Rincon Pavilion Showroom.

After 180 players were eliminated on the first day, nine survivors took their seats at the final table which was played on the second day. Pablo Lopez, who works as a bartender in San Diego, sat down with a massive chip lead. His stack size contained perhaps the highest proportion of chips of any nine-handed final table at any major poker tournament played so far this year. Lopez had a whopping 41 percent of the chips on the table – an almost unheard of chip advantage for a major tournament. But his good fortune only carried him as far as third place. The top nine finishers were as follows:

9th Place – Noel Huelsenbeck was the first player to bust out. He was short-stacked but picked up a very playable A-K and moved all-in hoping to double up. Huelsenbeck got a caller, Tyler Martinez who tabled K-Q. It seemed the nearly/-perfect situation for Huelsenbeck. But a queen on the turn shattered the comeback hopes of the 41-year-old business owner from San Diego. Huelsenbeck collected $1,650 for ninth place.

8th Place – Next, Justin “the Juiceman” Hagan was squeezed. He won a WSOP Circuit gold ring at Harrah’s Rincon two years ago, but came up short this time in his attempt to become a multi-ring winner. On what turned out to be Hagan’s final hand, he moved all-in with pocket sevens. Clifton “the Hanger” Allen made the call and showed A-J. A jack flopped which left the Juiceman drawing slim. Hagan was eliminated and took eighth place, good for $2,200.

7th Place – Maxine Gregory was the first female to make a final table appearance at this year’s Rincon series. She doubled up early but busted out when she moved all-in with K-Q, which was called and dominated by Clifton Allen’s A-Q. The ace high played, which put the interior designed from Denver out in seventh place. Gregory, who is also an artist, earned a tournament commission worth $2,750.

6th Place – Clifton “the Hanger” Allen got hung up when he played A-J against Chuck Thompson’s A-Q. Allen was all-in and was certainly not happy to be left drawing with a dominated hand. Things went from bad to much worse when a queen flopped, then impossible when an ace fell on the river, giving Thompson the sizable pot and eliminating the health club owner from Camarillo, CA. Allen has several tournament cashes on his impressive resume, including placing 226th in last year’s WSOP Main Event. Sixth place paid $3,300.

5th Place – A few hands later, Monte Hanson looked to be in good shape to double up against Chuck Thompson when he re-raised all-in with K-J. Thompson, on a steal attempt was borderline pot-committed and decided to call with 9-3. Thompson ended up catching perfect cards to make a straight, which eliminated Hanson. The professional golfer and golf tournament host from San Diego finished in fifth place and caddied away $3,850 in prize money.

4th Place – Phil Tramel went out next. The 67-year-old retiree from San Deigo was getting desperately low on chips and defended his blind against a raise. Tramel had been card dead during much of the final table and was not happy to play 4-3 suited on his final hand. He faced Tyler Martinez who showed A-10. An ace on the flop pretty much ended the tournament for Tramel, who received $4,620 for fourth place.

3rd Place – Pablo Lopez seemed to take a wait and see approach to much of the early action. He let other players bust themselves and was determined to allow his big stack size to carry him to a heads-up situation. But he didn’t quite get that far, busting out in third place. Lopez was primed to succeed and get into a duel with Chuck Thompson. Lopez re-raised all-in pre-flop holding pocket tens. Tyler Martinez called and showed the A-K of diamonds. The flop came with two diamonds, essentially putting both players into a coin-flip situation. An ace on the turn rocketed Martinez into a decisive advantage with top pair and he dragged Lopez’s final chips. Pablo Lopez, the 60-year-old San Diego bartender went out on the rocks in third place, which paid $5,500.

2nd Place – When heads-up play began, Tyler Martinez enjoyed nearly a 2 to 1 chip lead over Chuck Thompson. But the longtime poker pro from Santa Cruz won a few big pots and drew close to even with his adversary. The players battled back and forth for about three dozen hands. Then, the final hand of the tournament took place when Thompson had 10-9 and made top pair (actually two pair, with one pair on board). The final board showed 9-6-5-5-3. But Martinez patiently waited and let Thompson trap himself by moving all-in. Martinez called and showed pocket aces, good for a higher two pair.

The second-place finish was bittersweet for Thompson, who has endured many final tables and in-the-money finishes during his impressive career. He was 6th in the WSOP Main Event in 1995. Thompson is also a member of the Seniors Hall of Fame. The Santa Cruz-based poker pro received $8,800.

1st Place – Tyler Martinez was cheered on by his grandparents and girlfriend, who watched the young poker pro earn his first victory. Later, when asked what he does for a living, Martinez spoke about playing poker online. He also said he is an entrepreneur interested in starting his own business. “Tell everyone I am an entrepreneur,” Martinez said. “If anyone wants to do a business together, tell them to call me.”

It’s possible that Martinez’ phone will ring. But given the current economic climate, he may be one of the few people who seriously may be better off, at least financially speaking, to continue pursuing a poker career.
With six gold ring events now completed at Harrah’s Rincon, the tournament has attracted more than 2,741 total entries and has awarded $619,487 in total prize money. Still to come are eight more events and three more daily double tournaments which begin at 4 pm. The WSOP Circuit at Harrah’s Rincon continues through April 1st.

Jeffrey Pollack – Commissioner, WSOP
Ty Stewart – Director, Sponsorship and Licensing, WSOP
Craig Abrahams – Director, Broadcasting and New Media, WSOP
Seth Palansky – Communications Director, WSOP

Executive Staff, World Series of Poker Circuit – Harrah’s Rincon

Janet Beronio – General Manager
Robert Livingston – Assistant General Manager and VP of Operations
Jill Barrett – VP of Finance
Lee Torres – Director of Marketing
John Sebastian – Director of Casino Operations
Michelle Becket – Table Games Supervisor
Elizabeth Liemandt – Public Relations Manager
Alexia Alsop – Poker Room Manager
Jimmy Sommerfeld – Tournament Director
Bill Bruce – Assistant Tournament Director

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Event #4
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 (+40)
Total Entries: 286
Total Prize Pool: $83,226
March 22-23, 2009

Final Results:

1 Bob Yamaguchi San Diego, CA $20,808
2 Jacob Amburgey Marina, CA 12,068
3 Ed Molloy El Cajon, CA 6,658
4 Mark McMillin San Diego, CA 4,577
5 Jeff Rine Henderson, NV 4,161
6 Richard Aluzzi Redondo Beach, CA 3,745
7 Sean “the Dog” Stewart Chino Hills, CA 3,329
8 Jay D’Agnenica Murrieta, CA 2,913
9 Les Steele Oceanside, CA 2,497
10 Jeff Johnson Carson, CA 2,081
11 Ulyson Ferguson San Diego, CA 2,081
12 Mark Sleet San Diego, CA 2,081
13 Tracy Byers Murrieta, CA 1,665
14 Nghia Nguyen Houston, TX 1,665
15 George Aposhian Vista, CA 1,665
16 Bruce Nunes Poway, CA 1,248
17 Lori Hauer Murrieta, CA 1,248
18 Michael Megison San Diego, CA 1,248
19 George Johnson Fallbrook, CA 832
20 Mike Morgan North Bend, WA 832
21 Donald Myers San Diego, CA 832
22 Alan Conrad Grand Terrace, CA 832
23 Alex Andru Masek San Diego, CA 832
24 Dean Dedes Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 832
25 Douglas Lewis San Diego, CA 832
26 Pernell Swahili San Diego, CA 832
27 Robert Threadgill Lodi, CA 832

Bob Yamaguchi Wins First Poker Tournament

Decisive Hand Late in Tournament Gives Yamaguchi the Victory Over Runner-Up Jacob Amburgey

Harrah’s Rincon (March 23, 2009) – The outcome of many poker tournaments often comes down to a single hand, and many times even a single card. Indeed, one key card at just the right (or wrong) moment can make the difference between a good day and a bad day, and can even propel the benefactor of the good fortune toward a major tournament victory.

In the final stages of the latest World Series of Poker Circuit tournament held at the Harrah’s Rincon Casino and Resort, Bob Yamaguchi was playing heads-up against Jacob Amburgey. Yamaguchi was on the verge of elimination. He was up against pocket queens and was staring at a flop of J-10-9. Yamaguchi had two hearts (Qh-7h) to match the two hearts on board, good for a flush draw. With the biggest pot of the tournament at stake, the next card which rolled from the deck essentially wrecked the dreams of one player and made a new poker champion out of the other. Yamaguchi caught his heart, completing the flush. Amburgey was left drawing dead and was instantly down to a few chips. If any card could bring serious pain, for Amburgey, the heart on the turn must have felt like a kick in the stomach.

But Yamaguchi was the joyful recipient of the biggest payoff of his poker career, at least up to this point, $20,808 in cash and the gold ring awarded to all winners of WSOP Circuit tournaments. The 38-year-old software engineer from San Diego won his first major poker tournament ever, after two previous cashes at the WSOP last year in Las Vegas.

The $300 (+40) buy-in two-day No-Limit Hold’em tournament attracted 286 entries, generating $83,226 in prize money. The top 27 players collected payouts. All the action took place over a two-day period inside Rincon Pavilion Showroom.

When final table play began on the second day, Mark McMillin enjoyed a decisive chip lead over the remaining players. In fact, he had about 25 percent of the chips on the table. Ranked seventh in chips when play began with only about 5 percent of the chips in play was Yamaguchi. Slightly over three hours later, every chip on the table would be his. The top nine finishers were as follows:

9th Place – Players battled for about a half hour before the first elimination. That came when Les Steele busted out in ninth place. The former Las Vegas poker player who now lives in Oceanside, CA and works as a director of operations, received $2,497 as a consolation prize for being the first to bust out.

8th Place – A few hands later, short-stacked Jay D’Agnenica went out holding K-J against Jacob Amburgey’s pocket tens. D’Agnenica’s two overcards failed to connect, which left the former restaurant manager from Murrieta, CA 86ed in eighth place, which paid $2,913. Nevertheless, D’Agnenica has played excellent poker lately. He has ten cashes and three tournament wins all within the past five months.

7th Place – Sean “the Dog” Stewart did some early barking at the table, but was later sent to the pound when he shoved all-in with A-2 in what turned out to be a three-way pot. Stewart picked up a straight draw on the flop, but missed while Bob Yamaguchi bit into Stewart’s remaining chips with a pair of threes. “The Dog,” who works as a liquor distributor in Chino Hills, CA was happy to cash in this event, since he finished on the bubble in a Rincon tournament held a few days ago. Sean “the Dog” Stewart received $3,329.

6th Place – Richard Aluzzi took a tough beat when he was all-in with a dominant hand but got rivered in the worst way. Aluzzi had J-10 against Bob Yamaguchi’s J-9. The board came with four clubs, and Yamaguchi was the only player holding a club. That gave the new chip leader a nice pot and knocked Aluzzi out in sixth place. Aluzzi, a controller from Redondo Beach, CA earned $3,745 for sixth place.

5th Place – Jeff Rine went out next when he was dealt Q-10 suited. He flopped a flush draw, but ended up losing to Jacob Amburgey’s A-J – which made a of jacks. Rine, a 33-year-old poker pro from Henderson, NV earned a payout totaling $4,161. Rine has enjoyed great success playing tournaments in recent years. He has over $500,000 in career winnings and finished as high as third place in a WSOP final table a few years ago playing Pot-Limit Omaha.

4th Place – Mark McMillin started the day with the chip lead, but watched helplessly as his advantage slipped away and he was left as the player lowest in chips with four players remaining. He decided to take a stand with A-4 and moved all-in, which was actually the right play considering he had the lead over Bob Yamaguchi when he tabled K-J. But a jack on the flop gave the chip leader more chips, and busted McMillin out in fourth place. The project manager from San Diego has many tournament in-the-money finishes.

3rd Place – Next, Ed Molloy went broke when he was low on chips and moved in with K-5, which lost to Jacob Amburgey’s pocket jacks. The big pair caught another jack, good for trips, which eliminated the business owner from El Cajon, CA. Molloy, a former race car driver and Vietnam veteran, collected a nice payout totaling $4,577.

2nd Place – Molloy’s elimination gave Jacob Amburgey’s the chip lead for the first time. When heads-up play began, he enjoyed about a 4 to 3 chip lead over Bob Yamaguchi. Then, on a hand which start out so innocently – Amburgey’s pocket queens versus Yamaguchi’s Q-7 – everything changed. Yamaguchi’s heart flush all but ended the tournament.

Amburgey was eliminated a few hands later when his A-5 was cracked by Yamaguchi’s 10-4. Normally, 10-4 is not much of a Hold’em hand. But when one player has such a big chip lead, he can call just about any raise. The final board of the last hand of the tournament showed Q-8-2-4-8, giving Yamaguchi a seemingly trivial pair of fours, which added up to a payout exceeding twenty grand. Meanwhile, Jacob Amburgey was left to ponder what might have been had he managed to avoid some misfortune. He ended up as the second-place finisher, which paid $12,068. Amburgey’s best previous finish was fifth place in the 2008 California State Poker Championship.

1st Place – Bob Yamaguchi took his victory in stride. The low-key software engineer finished in 81st place and 47th place in two WSOP events played at last year’s tournament in Las Vegas. Incredibly, those were Yamaguchi’s first two WSOP events ever. How many players can say they cashed in the first two WSOP events they entered? Certainly, not many. And now, Yamaguchi has added significantly to his short but impressive list of poker accomplishments with a WSOP Circuit gold ring at Harrah’s Rincon.
With five events now completed at Harrah’s Rincon, the tournament has now attracted 2,317 total entries and has awarded in excess of half a million in total prize money. Still to come are nine more noon events and three nightly (single-day) tournaments which begin at 4 pm. The WSOP Circuit at Harrah’s Rincon continues through April 1st.

Jeffrey Pollack – Commissioner, WSOP
Ty Stewart – Director, Sponsorship and Licensing, WSOP
Craig Abrahams – Director, Broadcasting and New Media, WSOP
Seth Palansky – Communications Director, WSOP

Executive Staff, World Series of Poker Circuit – Harrah’s Rincon

Janet Beronio – Gneral Manager
Robert Livingston – Assistant General Manager and VP of Operations
Jill Barrett – VP of Finance
Lee Torres – Director of Marketing
John Sebastian – Director of Casino Operations
Michelle Becket – Table Games Supervisor
Elizabeth Liemandt – Public Relations Manager
Alexia Alsop – Poker Room Manager
Jimmy Sommerfeld – Tournament Director
Bill Bruce – Assistant Tournament Director

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Seniors Championship March 22, 2009

Buy-In $200 (30)
Game Seniors No-Limit Hold’em
Number of Entries 192
Net Prize Pool $37,248
First Place Prize $9,312
Places Paid 18

Official Results

1 Scott Aurich Coronado, CA $9,312.00
2 David Linden Brent Las Vegas, NV 5,960
3 Jim Ray Fallbrook, CA 3,725
4 Ray “Mac the Knife” McCabe Anaheim Hills, CA 3,129
5 George Jura Brea, CA 2,607
6 Ernie Baluyot Valley Center, CA 2,235
7 B. Wilkes Poway, CA 1,862
8 Paul Watkins Temecula, CA 1,490
9 Michael O’Brien Poway, CA 1,117
10 Ronald Segni El Cajon, CA 745
11 Donald Rousseau Orlando, FL 745
12 John Paccione Torrance, CA 745
13 Ed Middlebrook Aliso Viejo, CA 633
14 Thomas White Poway, CA 633
15 Chris Wunderlich Gilbert, AZ 633
16 Farzad Adhami San Deigo, CA 559
17 Kenneth Reed Tucson, AZ 559
18 John Coleman San Deigo, CA 559