WSOP & WPT Tournament Blog

2009/2010 World Series of Poker Circuit Events
Event #4
Buy In: $340
Game: No Limit Hold’em
Date: 1/24/2010
Number of Entries: 800
Net Prize Pool: $272,000
First Place Prize: $47,321
Total Spots Paid Out: 81

Final Results:

Finish Name City State Country Prize
1 David Arthur Johnson Bonaire GA USA $47,321
2 Peter Sullivan Roscoe IL USA $26,879
3 Brian Roberts Ridgeville IN USA $16,782
4 Kenneth Piel Robinsonville MS USA $13,508
5 Radwan Khuri Memphis TN USA $10,892
6 David Brown Dallas TX USA $8,255
7 Adam Stein Mount Juliet TN USA $5,458
8 Daniel Gordon Marietta GA USA $4,321
9 Dustin Gardner Sikeston MO USA $3,729
10 Tommy Riley Memphis TN USA $3,184
11 Kenny Thompson Huntsville AL USA $3,184
12 John Kelsey Memphis TN USA $3,184
13 Jason Aken Carterville IL USA $2,592
14 Carey Gower Chapel Hill NC USA $2,592
15 Reginald Roberts Ozark MO USA $2,592
16 Marquis Paschal Atlanta GA USA $2,160
17 Ralph Macdonald Atlanta GA USA $2,160
18 Stephen Gilliam Harrison AR USA $2,160
19 James Kirk Atlanta GA USA $1,887
20 Gary Huggins Pinckneyville IL USA $1,887
22 Matthew Green Birmingham AL USA $1,683
23 Keenan Ballo Chicago IL USA $1,683
24 Timothy Williams Dallas GA USA $1,683
25 David Hackman Hernando MS USA $1,524
26 Mark Jackson Athens TN USA $1,524
27 James Dark Spring Arbor MI USA $1,524
28 Michael Beaty Columbus KS USA $1,387
29 Richard Levy Chicago IL USA $1,387
30 Johnny Ogle White GA USA $1,387
31 John Smith Jasper AL USA $1,296
32 Dennis Hogue Tuscombia MO USA $1,296
33 Robert Rector Marshall NC USA $1,296
34 William Crust Harrisonville MO USA $1,205
35 Kevin Johnson Hermitage TN USA $1,205
36 James Harper Parattsville AR USA $1,205
37 James Quick Decatur TN USA $1,160
38 Michael Jamell Alexander AR USA $1,160
39 Marcus Marzette Nashville TN USA $1,160
40 Walter Luse Muskogee OK USA $1,160
41 Lynn Leake St. Louis MO USA $1,160
42 Luther Lewis Goodlettsville TN USA $1,160
43 Aphideth Nakhoneinh Tampa FL USA $1,160
44 Della Jones Sands Springs OK USA $1,160
45 Preneth Floyd Lexington TN USA $1,160
46 Gilbert Henry Paduccah KY USA $978
47 Chad Folse Little Rock AR USA $978
48 Kevin Mcdade Jackson TN USA $978
49 Robert Warner Codova TN USA $978
50 Jesse Jones Ringo GA USA $978
51 Shane Barnard Memphis TN USA $978
52 Timothy Harbin Haeyville AL USA $978
53 Jon Goskolka Sherrils Ford NC USA $978
54 Timothy Kramp Olive Branch MS USA $978
55 Andrew Harris Little Rock Ar USA $841
56 Bobbie Talbot Hernando MS USA $841
57 Marvin Blair Dirberville AR USA $841
58 Stephen Guidos Nashville TN USA $841
59 Mark Brown Memphis TN USA $841
60 Ronald Thomason Ft. Smith AR USA $841
61 Thomas Rosenthal St. Louis MO USA $841
62 John Burage Nashville TN USA $841
63 Lewis Clarke Memphis TN USA $841
64 Danny Haddon Winchester TN USA $705
65 Eric Roberts Paragould AR USA $705
66 Philip Ardire Kingsport TN USA $705
67 Mason Kevin Brown Athens AL USA $705
68 Michael Ashar Vermilion OH USA $705
69 Kevin Praytor Argo AL USA $705
70 Kerry Rowden Vienna MO USA $705
71 Brian Thouvenot St. Louis MO USA $705
72 Richard Dupree Oxford GA USA $705
73 Rex Rigdon Twins City GA USA $705
74 Jerry Stein Austin TX USA $705
75 Alan Wells Ft. Payne AL USA $705
76 Austin Stidham Flowood MS USA $705
77 Jon Sexton Memphis TN USA $705
78 Robert Bedford Lawrenceburg TN USA $705
79 Ronnie Furr Concord NC USA $705
80 Joshua Gray Godfrey IL USA $705
81 Benjamine Henley Kelso MO USA $705

Battle at Tunica

Johnson down to barely over two blinds at one point during final table

TUNICA, MS – David Johnson is the winner of Event # 4 of the World Series of Poker Circuit Events at Harrah’s Tunica. A 17-year member of the U.S. armed forces and veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Johnson emerged victorious in the 800-player tournament.

The $340 buy-in no limit hold’em Saturday event drew the largest turnout so far in the Tunica Circuit, concluding in the early morning hours of Monday, January 25th.

Johnson fought an uphill battle to make his way through the massive field to the final table.

Name Hometown Seat Chip Count

Adam Stein Nashville, TN 1 400,000

Kenny “Badhat” Piel Tunica, MS 2 765,000

David Brown Wichita, KS 3 1,100,000

Pete Sullivan Roscoe, IL 4 480,000

Radwan Khuri Memphis, TN 5 880,000

Dustin Gardner Sikeston, MO 6 950,000

David Johnson Bonaire, GA 7 355,000

Brian Roberts Ridgeville, IN 8 1,980,000

Dan Gordon Marietta, GA 9 790,000

Ninth Place
The final nine players began play at about 9:18 pm with blinds and antes at 12,000/24,000/4,000. After a few rounds of play, Dustin Gardner raised 200k pre-flop from middle position and Brown moved all-in from the button. Gardner made the call with As-Jh while Brown showed Ac-2c.

Brown picked up an inside straight draw after a flop of 5d-10s-3h which was completed by a 4 on the turn, ending Gardner’s tournament run. Gardner, a 32-year-old machine operator from Sikeston, MO, collected $3,729

Eighth Place
Former Bluff Magazine managing editor, Dan Gordon, was the next player to be escorted to the payout table after re-raising Brian Roberts all-in from middle position for his remaining 250,000. Roberts was behind, having made the call with 9s-9d vs. Gordon’s pocket queens. However, nines on the flop and turn resulted in quads for Roberts and an eighth place finish for Gordon. Eighth paid $4,321

Seventh Place
Adam Stein moved all-in from the cutoff for 445,000 with A-4 suited and Kenny “Badhat” Piel made the call from the small blind with pockets 8′s. A four on the board was not enough for Stein to catch up and he was eliminated in seventh. The 43-year old MRI Technician earned $5,458

Sixth Place
After taking a few hits to his stack, Brown moved his remaining chips all-in with 5h-6h. Sullivan called with pocket tens. No help on the board for Brown meant the end of his tournament run. The 33-year old pediatric dentist from Wichita was paid $8,255 for sixth.

Fifth Place
A little while after the final five players negotiated a deal that flattened out the remaining prize pool, Radwan “Doc” Khuri and Roberts were involved in a hand that saw both players all-in on a board of 4-10-Q-9. Roberts flopped the set with 4c-4s, but allowed Khuri to complete his straight on the turn with pocket K-J.

“10!” demanded Roberts as the river was dealt. And there it was…

A ten on the river filled the boat for Roberts, sending Khuri to the rail. Khuri, a psychiatrist from Memphis, was left probably needing a bit of therapy of his own after taking the beat. He earned $10,892 for his efforts.

Fourth Place
Down to four players, Piel was the next to be escorted to the payout table. All-in pre-flop with K-6 suited against Pete Sullivan’s pocket nines, Piel was unable to improve on the board, ending his ring bid. Piel, a professional poker player and former golf pro whose stylish trademark hats and card protectors are available on his website, www.badhatpoker.com, collected $13,508 for fourth.

Third Place
Roberts held nearly half the chips in play at one point during the final table, but after losing a few costly pots was all-in for about one million with 9d-9c. David Johnson, who was down at one point to a mere 125,000, made the call with pocket jacks. It was set over set as a 9 and jack hit the flop. Blanks on the turn and river were all she wrote for Roberts.

Roberts, a 2007/2008 Circuit Event winner at Horseshoe Southern Indiana picked up his sixth Circuit Event cash of $16,678.

Second Place
Heads up play began at about 2:45 am with blinds and antes at 50,000/100,000/20,000. Johnson had a decisive chip lead over his opponent after a few rounds of doubling through one another. The final hand of the tournament saw Sullivan all-in with Qh-Jh and Johnson in with Ah-8s. A nine high flop with a 5 and a 4 on the turn and river gave Johnson the win.

“I started playing online and a little bit on the base,” said Johnson, whose Circuit Event win also marked his first ever major tournament cash.

“This is unbelievable, it was marathon, but it was a lot of fun,” said the military vet.

There are over 180,000 troops currently deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Johnson had this to say to his fellow servicemen overseas.

“Be safe, be smart, listen to your leaders and come home.”

Still to come are 15 more events and single-day non-ring $230 and $340 buy-in events which begin at 4 pm and 7pm. The WSOP Circuit at Harrah’s Tunica runs through February 10th.

2010 World Series of Poker Circuit at Harrah’s Tunica Schedule & Results

2010 Harrah’s Tunica WSOP Circuit Event #4 Final Results

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 Tunica

R. Scott Barber – General Manager
Jimmy Sommerfeld -Tournament Director
Bill Bruce – Assistant Tournament Director
Patrick Collins – Public Relations Manager