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

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

Buy-In $200 (+30)
Game Pot-Limit Hold’em
Number of Entries 91
Net Prize Pool $17,654
First Place Prize $4,414
Places Paid 9

Official Results

1 Edward House Soldotna, AK $4,414
2 Ming Kwok Torrance, CA
3 Rip Fritzer San Diego, CA
4 Mark Thomas San Clemente
5 Salomon Cohen Caracas, CA
6 Dave Para San Diego, CA
7 Rick Barbaria Ontario, CA
8 Josh Mok San Diego, CA
9 Alexander Huynk Piedmont, CA

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Event #3
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $500 (+50)
Total Entries: 215
Total Prize Pool: $104,275
March 21-22, 2009

Final Results:

1 “Albert W” El Cajon, CA $26,066
2 John “All-In Finn” Finnigan Portland, OR 16,684
3 Orlando Osorio San Diego, CA 10,428
4 Christopher Black San Diego, CA 8,759
5 Natalio Pereira Tustin, CA 7,299
6 Erhart “David” Edquist San Diego, CA 6,257
7 Cary Katz Poway, CA 5,214
8 Jason Schwartz Bozeman, MT 4,171
9 Ray Blodgett Riverside, CA 3,128
10 Alex Andru Masek San Diego, CA 2,086
11 Jack Converse Yorba Linda, CA 2,086
12 Lance Ku Hermosa Beach, CA 2,086
13 Matthew Simila Poway, CA 1,773
14 Eli Veach Oceanside, CA 1,773
15 Khang Pham Santa Ana, CA 1,773
16 Keith Dunlap Dana Point, CA 1,564
17 Greg Schuster Kernersville, NC 1,564
18 Kelly Kiser S. Bloomfield, OH 1,564

From Pool Hustler to Poker Shark

WSOP Circuit Tournament at Harrah’s Rincon Attracts Another Sizable Crowd

Harrah’s Rincon (March 22, 2009) – Torrential mountain rains could not dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of poker players who flooded into the Harrah’s Rincon Casino and Resort for a full weekend of heavy poker action. The World Series of Poker Circuit continued today as the third of 14 “gold ring” tournament events was completed. The No-Limit Hold’em tournament with a $500 entry fee attracted 215 entries, which generated $104,275 in prize money. The top 18 players collected payouts. All of the action took place over a two-day period inside Rincon Pavilion Showroom.

The winner was mystery man, “Albert” from San Diego, CA. “I go by ‘Albert,” the crusty poker champion insisted, immediately following his first-ever poker tournament victory. “Just put ‘Albert’ in the report. All my friends know me by that.”

“Albert,” we later learned is a former pool hustler, originally from Ohio. “I used to hustle pool games back around Toledo and Detroit back in the 1950s,” Albert said. “I’ve been hustling since I was only 13 years old!”

After 206 players were eliminated on the first day of competition, the nine survivors took seats at the final table – with eventual winner Albert starting off in fourth place. Orlando Osorio arrived with a marginal chip lead over his two closest rivals, Christopher Black and Natalio Pereira. The remaining players all with shorter stacks were at a disadvantage. But no player was severely low on chips, which provided a victory opportunity for everyone. The top nine finishers were:

9th Place – Ray Blodgett was eliminated about 15 minutes into play. Down to about 60,000 in chips, he moved all-in with pocket nines. The player to his immediate left was Cary Katz. He re-raised all-in with pocket tens. Blodgett knew he was in trouble and failed to improve his hand. The retiree from Riverside, CA collected a poker pension of $3,128 for ninth place.

8th Place – The eight finalists battled for an hour before the next bust out. That moment came when Jason Schwartz got involved in a four-way pot. Schwartz was dealt A-9 and flopped an ace, presumably the best hand at the time. But Christopher Black ended up making a club flush on the turn and dragged both the main and side pots. Schwartz was left to ponder what might have been had he been able to quadruple up and was forced to settle for eighth-place. The general contractor from Montana, who plays mostly in cash games, nailed down $4,171 in prize money.

7th Place – Next, Cary Katz took a tough beat when he was all-in with top pair (9-6) on a board showing 6-5-3. Orlando Osorio had his opponent well-covered, but needed improvement and got precisely that when a five rolled form the deck on the turn, making Osorio trip-fives. Katz was down to just two outs, but missed which meant the CEO from Poway, CA was discharged as the seventh-place finisher. Katz clawed into the prize pool for $5,214.

6th Place – A few hands later, David Edquist got involved in the classic Hold’em “coin flip” situation holding the slightly better side of the prop with pocket queens against Christopher Black’s A-K. But an ace flopped for Black which managed to eliminate the tax consultant from San Diego. As the sixth-place finisher, the accountant added $6,257 to his poker bankroll just in time for next month’s tax filing deadline.

5th Place – Black took his first major hit of the tournament when he lost a big pot to John Finnigan, a.k.a. “All-In Finn.” The hand was arguably the most dramatic of the final table as Black was dealt pocket jacks and flopped trips. But “All-In Finn,” true to his name, had his tournament life on the line with K-Q and watched with delight as the flop showed J-10-9. Black needed the board to pair. But two blanks fell on the turn and river, giving Finn the big pot. With five players still alive, it was anyone’s to win.

All-In Finn’s good fortune continued. He seized the chip lead when he won another big hand, with pocket nines against Orlando Osorio’s pocket fives. That gave Finn about a 3 to 2 chip lead over his closest rival. On the other end of the spectrum was Natalio Pereiro, who took a tough beat and went out in fifth place. Pereiro was all-in with A-J, and flopped a jack which was top pair. But a king came on the river, giving opponent “Albert” a higher pair of kings with his K-J. Pereiro, an attorney from Tustin, CA negotiated a settlement worth $7,299 for his time. A skilled gamesman as a chess and backgammon player, he previously won tournaments at other casinos, including Pechanga and the Bicycle Club.

4th Place – Christopher’s Black miserable last hour at the final table came to a disappointing conclusion when he made a spade flush, which lost to a higher flush. Black and “Finn” both flopped flush draws on the hand. The key card for both players came on the river, knocking Black out in fourth place. Considering his early domination in the finale, Black was dissatisfied with the outcome. But the teacher from San Diego got high marks and a payout worth $8,759. Two years ago, Black made it to the final table of a WSOP event in Las Vegas. He stated that he plans to spend some of his winnings on a honeymoon after he gets married this summer.

3rd Place – The early chip leader had been Orlando Osorio. But his momentum faded in the later stages of the tournament and he was short on chips. At first glance, it appeared that Osorio might rebound and get back into contention when he moved all-win, got an instant call, and tabled pocket kings. But on the other side of the table sat bully “All-In Finn,” smiling confidently with good reason. He showed pocket aces in what turned out to be a nightmare for Osorio. The aces held up, disconnecting the telecommunications specialist from San Diego. Osorio received $10,428.

2nd Place – Only Albert remained as “All-In Finn’s” final obstacle to victory. The finalists battled for nearly an hour, during which Finn chipped away at his adversary’s stack, one hand at a time. It was a painstaking process. There were no stand-out hands, just a ceaseless barrage of well-time decisions which allowed Finn to outmuscle Albert with his bigger stack.
But everything came to a screeching halt when Albert put a horrible beat on Finn and instantly took over the chip lead. The hand changed everything. Just one card away from victory, Finn held J-10 for a pair of jacks against Albert’s king-high (with no pair). But a king tumbled down on the river, derailing Finn’s from the prize.

Shaken by the beat, and suddenly down by a 6 to 1 margin, Finn decided to move all-in with K-4, hoping to seal the antes. But Albert made the call with A-6. The final board showed A-Q-2-4-A, giving Albert trip aces and his much anticipated, long-awaited tournament victory. Meanwhile, John “All-In Finn” Finnigan, a small business owner from Portland, OR, finished as the runner up. The former comedian, who once opened up for comedy legend Sam Kinison and wrote jokes for Jay Leno, collected $16,684 for a fine performance.

1st Place – The tournament winner “Albert” is a former Marine. He spent many years traveling, many of them spent in pool halls in the Midwest and later in cardrooms in southern California. He later owned a used car lot and now lives in El Cajon, CA. Albert was visibly moved following his victory. He revealed that he finished second six times in previous poker tournaments, each and every time just missing achieving the top prize. After receiving $26,066 in prize money, as he was being photographed for his champion portrait, Albert confided, “I’ve been waiting for this picture a long time.” Trouble is — the world still doesn’t know his last name. Just call him “Albert.”

With three events now completed at Harrah’s Rincon, the tournament has now attracted 1,714 total entries and has awarded nearly $400,000 in total prize money. Still to come are 10 more gold ring events and four 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 – 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)
Special Event Daily Double

Buy-In $200 (+30)
Game Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em
Number of Entries 152
Net Prize Pool $29,682
First Place Prize $7,420
Places Paid 18

Official Results

Place Name Hometown Payout

1 David Demanski San Diego, CA $7,420.00
2 Tom Batros Los Angeles, CA 4,749
3 Geramy Dickerson Chula Vista, CA 2,968
4 Rick Barbaria Ontario, CA 2,493
5 Steve Crockett Costa Mesa, CA 2,078
6 Kimberly Touchette Houston, TX 1,781
7 Chris Oribello San Diego, CA 1,484
8 Mark Antis San Diego, CA 1,187
9 Laura Wakeland Cedar Glen, CA 890
10 Marvin Hyde La Mesa, CA 594
11 Scott Hamilton San Diego, CA 594
12 Beau Towers San Diego, CA 594
13 Dabid Boyett Vista, CA 505
14 Robert Daniel San Diego, CA 505
15 Robert Wright Fallbrook, CA 505
16 Randy Meyers Chino Hills, CA 445
17 Ning Kwok Torrance, CA 445
18 Monte Young Livermore, CA 445

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Special Event Daily Double
March 19, 2009

Buy-In $200 (+30)
Game Limit Hold’em
Number of Entries 93
Net Prize Pool $18,042
First Place Prize $6,315
Places Paid 9

Official Results

Place Name Hometown Payout

1 Thomas Brettner Menifee, CA $4,511.00
2 Matt Schultz San Diego, CA 3,608
3 Dwyte Pilgrim Brooklyn, NY 2,706
4 Hoang Le San Diego, CA 1,804
5 Fred Galardo San Diego, CA 1,443
6 Mike Heintschel Escondido, CA 1,263
7 Joy Adams Alta Loma, CA 1,083
8 Perry Ernest Chicago, IL 902
9 Michael Horton Ranco Cucomonga, CA 722

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit
Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego)
Event #1
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $200 (+30)
Total Entries: 646
Total Prize Pool: $125,324
March 19-20, 2009

Final Results:

1 Michael Robinson San Diego, CA $31,328.00
2 Clayton Gerow Elmira, NY 15,666
3 Michael Clarner San Diego, CA 8,146
4 Troy Rickertsen San Diego, CA 4,386
5 Shaun Davis El Cajon, CA 3,760
6 R.W. Kuehn Menifee, CA 3,446
7 Tony “TNT” Nasr Whittier, CA 3,133
8 Steven Sladky Newport Beach, CA 2,506
9 Bill O’Gorman San Diego, CA 2,193
10 Louis Lo Lake Oswego, OR 1,755
11 Fares Bader Lake Elsinore, CA 1,755
12 Mike Shin Milwaukee, WI 1,755
13 Hau Nguyen San Diego, CA 1,755
14 Shayne Oceanside, CA 1,755
15 Omar Ochan Fallbrook, CA 1,755
16 Jay Dagnencia Murrieta, CA 1,755
17 Sylbert Reid Vista, CA 1,755
18 Mike Harkins Alpine, CA 1,755
19 Jason Dousharm Victorville, CA 1,253
20 Matt Burley Oceanside, CA 1,253
21 Tony Waterman El Cajon, CA 1,253
22 David Worthham Hemet, CA 1,253
23 Conrad Monica Hemet, CA 1,253
24 Thuan Nguyen Temecula, CA 1,253
25 Andy Farnsworth San Diego, CA 1,253
26 Carlos Gutierrez Napa, CA 1,253
27 Randy Paguio San Diego, CA 1,253
28 Alex Masek San Diego, CA 940
29 Michael Directo San Jacinto, CA 940
30 Jacob Bohart San Diego, CA 940
31 Edward Geyer Oak Park, CA 940
32 Ming an Escondido, CA 940
33 Dustin Fox Porterville, CA 940
34 Hector Gutierrez Chula Vista, CA 940
35 Keith Strebe Palm Desert, CA 940
36 Dantram Huynh San Diego, CA 940
37 Mark Stafford Norwalk, CA 689
38 Jeff Mohr San Diego, CA 689
39 Julius Madrid San Diego, CA 689
40 Wilson Barrett Corona, CA 689
41 Erica Fessia San Diego, CA 689
42 David Duong Rosemeade, CA 689
43 Jonathan Lampkin Camarillo, CA 689
44 Cheney Deniz San Diego, CA 689
45 Charlie Deets Oceanside, CA 689
46 Fernando Bolanos Vista, CA 564
47 Andrew Fornoff Escondido, CA 564
48 Jimmy Dioquino Chula Vista, CA 564
49 Jimmy Nguyen Wichita, KS 564
50 William S. Quinlan San Diego, CA 564
51 William Shultz San Diego, CA 564
52 Kyle Kottas San Diego, CA 564
53 James Schultz Perris, CA 564
54 Malcomb Cheek Tampa, FL 564
55 Gary Dearwester Temecula, CA 439
56 Ian Mallari Irvine, CA 439
57 Supreme Mayo San Diego, CA 439
58 William Purcell Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 439
59 Tony Wetzel Coronado, CA 439
60 Scott Morgan San Diego, CA 439
61 Pernell Swahili San Diego, CA 439
62 James Richard San Diego, CA 439
63 Harvey Doncev San Diego, CA 439

Here’s to You, Mr. Robinson!

Harrah’s Rincon Ties Attendance Record for San Diego’s Largest Poker Tournament Ever!

Harrah’s Rincon (March 20, 2009) – For the fifth consecutive year, Harrah’s Rincon Casino and Resort is hosting the world’s largest and most prestigious poker tournament series. Once again, the World Series of Poker Circuit has returned to the luxurious coastal mountain resort, with breath-taking views of the Palomar Mountain Range and the scenic valleys below. Located within an hour’s drive of San Diego and two hours of Los Angeles, Harrah’s Rincon is the eighth of ten tour stops on the 2008-2009 season circuit.

This year’s inaugural event tied the record for the largest poker tournament ever to be held in San Diego. With 646 entries, the number of participants in Event #1 matched the previous mark set in February 2007 at Harrah’s Rincon. Hundreds of players and spectators jammed into the Rincon Pavilion. The tournament turnout was so large that additional tables were used in both the poker room and sports bar area, called “The Pit.”

The tournament winner was Michael Robinson, from San Diego. He is a 21-year-old pre-med student. Robinson is completing his junior year of college at UC-San Diego. Robinson’s victory was impressive both for his relatively young age and for the manner in which he captured his first tournament victory. During the later stages of the tournament, Robinson staged a fantastic comeback which dazed just about everyone in the crowd, not the least of which was the shocked and disappointed second-place finisher. Robinson was down to being one card away from elimination at one point, but roared back and won the $31,328 cash prize, the official payout for first place. Robinson was also presented with a gold ring by Tournament Director Jimmy Sommerfeld. The gold ring is the ultimate token of achievement for WSOP Circuit events.

The $200 buy-in two-day No-Limit Hold’em tournament generated $125,324 in prize money. The top 63 players collected payouts. After most of the field was eliminated on the first day, the final table started in the afternoon on day two. Michael Robinson and Michael Clarner were neck-a-neck in chips when final table action began, with Clayton Gerow in third place. The triumvirate would end up in the top three money spots.

The finale lasted a quick 2 hours and 45 minutes. The top nine finishers were as follows:

9th Place – About 20 minutes into play, Bill O’Gorman got involved in a three-way pot that left him broke and busted. He clearly had pot odds to move all-in with A-K of hearts after the flop came with two hearts. Troy Rickertsen was also all-in holding pocket queens. Clayton Gerow had both of his opponents covered with pocket eights. The flop showed 7-5-4. The turn and river brought a seven and a jack, but no heart. Rickertsen’s pair of ladies dragged the main pot, while Gerow scooped the side pot, and O’Gorman took the consolation prize as the ninth-place finisher. Bill O’Gorman, a mold inspector from San Diego was making his first final table appearance ever in a major poker tournament. He received $2,193.

8th Place – Steven Sladky arrived with a healthy stack (slightly above average in chips) but ran miserably cold during his hour-long stay under the final table spotlight. He moved all-in pre-flop holding pocket eights. He raise was called by Clayton Gerow, with pocket jacks. The higher pair held up, which put Sladky out in eighth place. The health and safety manager from Newport Beach who used to work on Navy submarines collected $2,506. Sladky has only been playing poker for about a year, so this was a notable accomplishment.

7th Place – Tony “TNT” Nasr is sure to liven up any final table. With his constant talk and banter, TNT is one of tournament poker’s most combustible personalities. TNT finally fizzled out in seventh place when he moved all-in holding pocket fives. He lost to Troy Rickertsen’s A-J after a jack flopped. Nasr, the Lebanese-born poker pro who now lives in Whittier, CA, earned $3,133. He has four WSOP in-the-money finishes and numerous final table appearances over the past decade.

6th Place – A few hands later, R.W. Kuehn was dealt A-K. He moved all-in and was called by Clayton Gerow, who tabled pocket sixes. Kuehn failed to improve which meant the middle pair let Gerow add to his emerging chip castle. He held a decisive chip advantage at that point. Meanwhile, R.W. Kuehn was forced to accept a sixth-place finish. The 67-year-old retiree who was making his first WSOP-related final table appearance received a payout totaling $3,446.

5th Place – Shaun Davis departed a short time later. Desperately low on chips, the plumber from El Cajon, CA moved all-in with a weak hand which failed to connect. Davis ended up losing to a pair of jacks. He collected an official payout of $3,760 – quite impressive given that he arrived at the final table as the player lowest in chips.

4th Place – Troy Rickertsen fought for about two hours before busting out in fourth place. He was dealt Q-J and made a pair, but lost to a Broadway straight. As a top four finisher, the accountant from San Diego balanced his tournament ledger $4,386 in the black. This was Rickertsen’s second time to cash in a WSOP-related event.

3rd Place – Down to three players, Michael Clarner went out next when his A-K was chopped down by Clayton Gerow’s Q-J. A jack flopped, suddenly putting Gerow in the lead. His pair of jacks held up which meant a third-place finish for Clarner. The 22-year-old poker player from San Diego earned $8,146 as his official share of the prize pool.

2nd Place – When heads-up play began, Clayton Gerow held about a 6 to 1 edge over Michael Robinson. Over the next twenty minutes, Robinson clawed and scratched his way back to the point where he was about even in chips with his rival. The tournament appeared over when Gerow had A-10 and flopped a ten versus Robison’s pocket eights. But the board ran runner-runner to make Robinson a straight, which gave him new life. It would all be over within five minutes.

Stunned by the reversal of fortune, half a dozen hands later Gerow got all his chips in with the worst of it holding K-7 on what turned out to be the final hand of the tournament. Robinson was dealt K-J. The final board showed J-10-7-A-9 giving both players a pair. But the jacks scooped the final pot of the night. As the runner up, Gerow received $15,666. The 54-year-old poker player from upstate New York quietly accepted is finish as the runner up and congratulated the winner.

1st Place – The winner of the first WSOP Circuit gold ring presented in San Diego this year is Michael Robinson. This marked his first-recorded major tournament in-the-money finish. At one point late at the final table when he was his battling back after near-certain elimination, Robinson faced one of several all-in situations. Standing up from his chair and turning away from the table unable to watch, he called out to no one in particular, “How many more coin flips can I win?” After yet another fortuitous flop where he caught his desired card, Robinson reacted by saying, “I can’t believe this. I did it again.” That pretty much summed up the tournament for Michael Robinson.

Still to come are 13 more WSOP Circuit gold bracelet events. The 2009 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