Below is a list of the questions that I asked John in a recent interview along with his answers.

Tom: Hi John. How and when did you begin playing poker?

John: My mother taught me how to play poker in the early 80′s as a teenager, among other card games. In the 90′s when I was in the construction business and on the road many nights me and my crew would play poker in the hotels. In the last 5 years I started honing my poker skills in the Dallas underground poker rooms and local casinos. In 2010 I became a pro.

Tom: Was the 4th place finish in Event 15 of the 2009 WSOP Circuit at Harrah’s Rincon your first major tournament cash? Tell us what hand you went out with and how you played the hand.

John: No I’ve won and cashed in several tournaments in the local area and around the US but they were not that prestigious so they were not publicly recorded. I can’t really recall the hand that I actually was knocked out on but the hand that crippled me was when I had pocket kings vs. A2 off suit all-in pre flop and he spikes an Ace on the river. I think I just went all-in on the next hand with some garbage with a short stack because I was completely on tilt LOL.

Tom: What was your final hand when you won your first gold Circuit ring at Harrah’s Tunica? What do you feel was the most important reason why you finished in 1st place?

John: I was determined to win, stayed focused and stuck to my game plan through day 1 and the final table. When it went to heads-up I was in a chip disadvantage by 2 to 1 but wasn’t worried and had plenty of confidence and I knew I had more experience than he had in heads-up play. I was very aggressive and was able to chip up little by little until we became even stacked. He finally made a mistake and I took him out with pocket queens.

Tom: You finished in 12th place in Event 22 of the Venetian Deep Stack series in February 2010. Dwyte Pilgrim, who has 3 WSOP Circuit rings, finished in 5th place. Are you friends with Dwyte Pilgrim? Has he given any advice that has helped you improve your game?

John: Yes I am friends with DP “he’s my brotha from a different motha” and in fact we tour together often. We often talk shop about strategies and how to play certain hands. I think any time you surround yourself with successful people you’re going to get positive feedback.

Tom: You won your second WSOP Circuit gold ring in Event 9 of the 2010 WSOP Circuit tour at Harrah’s Rincon. Was it more satisfying winning the second ring? Tell us about your final hand.

John: I don’t think there’s anything more satisfying than winning your first ring so I would have to say no. But it’s cool in other ways because there is only a distinguished group that have 2 rings.

Tom: Many players today begin playing online then go into live events after they have improved their skills. Do you play poker online? If you do, what do you feel is the biggest difference between playing online and in live events?

John: Yes I do play online but haven’t at all this year because I’ve been focusing on live events. There’s lots of differences, for instance I think you can pick up more tells by seeing the person live. The good thing about playing online is you can take out your frustrations verbally when you get a bad beat without getting a penalty – oh and the bathrooms a lot closer LOL.

Tom: I have been following your play over the past several months while covering the WSOP Circuit Events. You have played in several Circuit events since you won your last gold ring. Is there any specific reason why you believe that you have not had an opportunity to win your third ring?

John: Unfortunately there’s “variance” in the game of poker whether it be bad luck, card dead or you’re not playing your 100% A game. Phil Hellmuth said it best “if it wasn’t for luck I’d win them all” – I don’t believe this in it’s entirety but there is some truth in it.

Tom: I’ve noticed that you have been receiving some bad beats in recent tournaments. Do you feel that opponents will play differently against you because you have two gold rings? Do you feel as though you have a target on your back at times?

John: Yes bad beats are unfortunate, it’s always disappointing when you get your money in good when you’re a 90% favorite to win the hand and someone sucks out on you. I do feel it’s like a double edge sword sometimes where you get respect on being a champion but people will take a gamble on a hand just to try to knock you out.

Tom: Do you have any advice for poker players who would like to travel the tournament circuit around the country?

John: If you’re on a poker budget stay out of the pit games, blackjack, roulette, etc. I’ve seen a lot of people lose their bankroll in the pits.

Tom: I have heard that the WSOP Circuit rings are very large and not many people can actually wear them. Do the WSOP Circuit rings fit on your fingers?

John: Perfectly, I have fat fingers.

Tom: The 2010 WSOP will begin on May 28th. Do you plan on entering into any events at this year’s WSOP? Which events? Will you try to satellite your way into the 2010 Main Event or buy-in directly?

John: I’m going on vacation to St. Thomas with my family for the first part of the Series. I plan on playing the last 2 or 3 weeks – I don’t have the schedule completely narrowed down on which events I want to play but it will include satellites into the main event.

Tom: What do you enjoy doing in your free time when you are not playing poker?

John: We have a lake house and do lots of lake activities such as boating and jet skiing. I also like to take my Harley for night cruises or short little trips. Music has always been a big part of my life and I used to be in several bands in the Dallas area. I still enjoy playing my guitar almost every day. But most importantly hanging out with my wife and son and just chillin.

You can follow John on his Twitter account at http://twitter.com/Cowboy1965

– by Tom Sangenito

Annette Obrestad Signs with Full Tilt Poker

Annette Obrestad revealed on her Twitter account that she would announce some big news soon. Well, the big news is that she is signing a sponsorship deal with online poker room Full Tilt Poker.

Obrestad is best known for her first place finish in the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe Main Event. Annette also made an Aussie Millions Main Event final table as well as a second place finish in a European Poker Tour event.

Annette Obrestad, 21 years-old, has been previously sponsored by BetFair for the past few years.

On her Twitter account she stated, “So, as I’m sure some of u have seen already, My name is Finally in red on ftp! Sooo excited to be part of my favorite online site .”

You can follow Annette’s Twitter account here: http://twitter.com/Annette_15

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Isildur1 will be on a virtual freeroll as Tony Guoga has said that he will stake Isildur1 in the big cash game that will be televised.

We may find out exactly who Isildur1 is or we may not. Tony G has said that Isildur1 can wear a mask if he does not want to reveal his identity on television.

Isildur1 has been playing huge stakes online at Full Tilt Poker often playing against some of the best poker players in the world such as Patrik Antonius, Tom Dwan and Ilari Sahamies.

He will face off against pro players including Tony Guoga, Phil Laak, Jennifer Tilly, Isaac Haxton, Neil Channing and Luke “FullFlush” Schwartz.

Isildur1 has won and lost millions of dollars playing cash games at Full Tilt Poker.

But, how do you think he will do playing in a live cash game against poker professionals?

Feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions about how you think Isildur1 will do while playing in the PartyPoker.com Big Game IV on April 11th.

In order to participate in the Tournament of Champions this year, players will need to be voted in. There are a few exceptions. Past TOC champions Annie Duke, Mike Matusow and Mike Sexton will be invited to play as they have won the event in the past.

Also getting a seat without being voted in is reigning WSOP champion Joe Cada and reigning WSOP Europe champion Barry Shulman.

We would like to hear about who you have voted to participate in the 2010 WSOP TOC. Leave a comment and let us know who you have voted to play.

Haven’t voted yet? Click on the link below and vote for who you feel deserves to play in this prestigious poker tournament this June.

Vote Now – Vote for up to 20 players to participate in the 2010 WSOP Tournament of Champions

Well, on April 11th, poker players around the world may find out exactly who the elusive high stakes cash player really is. Many people have indicated that Isildur1 may be Victor Blom, a 19-year-old from Sweden.

Earlier this month, Tony “Tony G” Guoga invited Isildur1 to play in the PartyPoker.com Big Game IV in London and offered to stake him. Tony G has acknowledged that Isildur1 has accepted the offer and will play in the cash game on April 11th with pros including Phil Laak, Jennifer Tilly, Isaac Haxton, Neil Channing, Tony G, and Luke “FullFlush” Schwartz.

Although Isildur1 has accepted to play in the cash game, we may not find out exactly who this person is just yet. Isildur1 can hide his identity by wearing a mask if he prefers.

Whether we find out who Isildur1 is or not, it is clear that the PartyPoker.com Big Game IV will be one of the most anticipated poker events in a long time.

You can read more about this story by checking out Tony G’s blog, click on the link below:

Tony G Reacts to Isildur1 accepting

Final Results:

1 Bryan Devonshire Henderson, NV $114,975

2 Daniel Schreiber Troy, OH $72,270

3 Howard “Tahoe” Andrew Walnut Creek, CA $49,275

4 John Farrell Imperial Beach, CA $32,850

5 Ron Segni El Cajon, CA $26,280

6 Michael McClain Davis, CA $19,710

7 Daniel Burke Aurora, CO $13,140

Bryan Devonshire Wins WSOP Circuit Championship at Harrah’s Rincon

Las Vegas Poker Pro Takes $114,000 Top Prize in San Diego

2010 Harrah's Rincon WSOP Circuit Main Event Championship Winner Bryan Devonshire

Valley Center, CA – Bryan Devonshire has been playing in World Series of Poker-related events for nearly seven years. He has cashed six times. The first two times Devonshire finished in-the-money, he took second place on both occasions. The prize money Devonshire earned in those tournaments was impressive, but finishing second comes nowhere close to the thrill of actually winning. Even though Devonshire has earned more than $1 million in live poker tournaments since then, until the latest WSOP Circuit championship here in San Diego, he had not won anything associated with the WSOP.

That all changed today at the Harrah’s Rincon Casino and Resort. Devonshire earned his breakthrough victory and won Rincon’s 2010 WSOPC Circuit Main Event Championship. He collected top prize worth $114,975. Devonshire was also presented with his first gold and diamond ring, commemorating the victory. He was also presented with a $10,000 seat into the WSOP Main Event, coming up in July.

Devonshire is a 28-year-old poker pro. He is originally from Arcadia, CA but now lives in Las Vegas. Devonshire is also known as “Devo” in poker circles. His live tournament winnings now total more than $1.1 million.

The $5,000 (+150) buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament won by Devonshire was played over two consecutive days during March 29-30, 2010. The tournament began with 70 players. All but the final nine players were eliminated on Day One. Final Table play began on a Tuesday afternoon.

Wei Kai Chang arrived at the Final Table with the chip lead. He finished as the runner up in the Harrah’s Rincon WSOP Circuit championship held back in 2006. However, Chang shocked everyone in the Palladium Ballroom, the site of the tournament, by losing his stack very quickly. He exited in ninth place just short of a payout. The Final Table included two former WSOP gold bracelet winners – Dan Schreiber and Howard “Tahoe” Andrew. The final nine players also included one former WSOP Circuit gold ring winner – Daniel Burke. Devonshire, the eventual winner, began play in second place. He never had the chip lead until very late in the tournament when he won a decisive hand against the runner up Dan Schreiber.

When Final Table play began at 12:15 pm, the nine finalists had to eliminate two players before they were officially declared in-the-money. Only seven players were paid. The Final Table players and their starting chip counts were as follows:

Seat Player Hometown Chip Count

1 Ron Segni San Diego, CA 97,800

2 Wei Kai Chang San Carlos, CA 194,200

3 Darryn “Eastside” Hardin Bellport, NY 79,800

4 Daniel Burke Denver, CO 158,400

5 Dan Schreiber San Diego, CA 142,400

6 Howard “Tahoe” Andrew Walnut Creek, CA 69,000

7 Mike McClain Mike McClain 52,800

8 John Farrell San Diego, CA 117,700

9 Bryan Devonshire Las Vegas, NV 145,800

Final Table player introductions can be seen here: http://www.twitvid.com/9WECU

Players were eliminated in the following order:

Ninth Place: Chang Banged
Wei Kai Chang lost all of his chips in three critical hands and exited in ninth place, just short of a payout. Chang, who finished second in the 2006 WSOP Circuit Main Event championship won by Darrell Dicken, was two spots from the money when he was eliminated.

Eighth Place: Hard Times for Hardin
Darryn “Eastside” Hardin was making his second Final Table appearance at this year’s Rincon series. But he busted out in the worst possible position, becoming the infamous “bubble” finisher. Hardin took a bad beat on his final hand and was visibly frustrated as he departed the tournament room.

Seventh Place: Burke Broke
Daniel Burke, a 55-year-old commercial real estate developer from Denver, CO edged his way into the money, finishing in seventh place. Burke was low on chips when play became seven-handed. Me moved all-win with Ks Qc. John Farrell called with Ac Jh. Neither player made a pair, which meant Farrell’s ace-high played with a board showing 7c 3d 2s 3h 9c. So Burke had to settle for a nice payout totaling $13,140. Burke won his WSOP Circuit gold ring back in 2005 in the Pot-Limit Omaha tournament held at Bally’s Las Vegas. He has also made numerous other final tables at events in Los Angeles, the Bahamas, Australia, the UK, and elsewhere.

Sixth Place: Agony of Defeat for McClain
Mike McClain now has more than $800,000 in career tournament earnings. But he is still perhaps best known for being the eternal “agony of defeat” persona at the 2003 WSOP, in juxtaposition to winner Chris Moneymaker’s “thrill of victory.” ESPN ran McClain’s painful moment of elimination countless times as part of the WSOP promo. Unfortunately, McClain suffered a similar moment in this tournament when took Ad 7c up against Bryan Devonshire’s Ac 8h. McClain was dominated throughout the hand. He did manage to catch a seven on the river, good for a pair. But four hearts on board gave Devonshire a heart flush. The final board showed 3c 3h 2h 4h 7h, which eliminated McClain in sixth place. This marked his third time to cash in a WSOP Circuit event. He finished fourth in last year’s Harvey’s Lake Tahoe championship. McClain has also cashed at the WSOP in Las Vegas four times. He collected $19,710 in prize money.

Fifth Place: Another Nice Finish for Segni
Ron Segni, a general contractor from El Cajon, CA has done very well at Harrah’s Rincon in recent years. This marked his third time to cash at this year’s Rincon series. He also cashed three times in 2009 and now has nine in-the-money finishes in WSOP Circuit events. His best showing was second place in an event back in 2008. This time, Segni had a chance to win a breakthrough victory but came up short when his Ah 8s was run down by Dan Schneider’s Jh 8h. Schneider ended up making runner-runner flush when the board came Ks 9c Th 2h 9h. That put Segni out in fifth place with $26,280.

Fourth Place: Farrell Fourth
John Farrell, a business owner from San Diego, CA has now made it to the Rincon championship Final Table two straight years. He came in eighth place last year. Farrell improved on that performance this time, but ultimately went out in fourth place when his Ad 8c lost to Dan Schreiber’s Ac Kd. The final board showed As 6s 4d 4c Kc, which meant Schreiber held the better kicker. Farrell ended up taking fourth place and $32,850.

Third Place: Just Like the Good Old Days for “Tahoe”
Howard “Tahoe” Andrew currently holds the record as the person who has played more consecutive WSOP years than any other player. His record of participation dates back to 1974. “Tahoe, now age 75, won two WSOP gold bracelets back in 1976 and has cashed in the WSOP Main Event four times. Today, “Tahoe” remains a fixture on the tournament circuit and at many WSOP Circuit events around the country. This marked his first WSOP Circuit championship Final Table. He ultimately ran low on chips late and went out with Qs Td against Dan Schreiber’s Ac 9c. The final board showed Kc 7s 6c 2h 5d, giving Schreiber the pot with an ace-high. Meanwhile, “Tahoe” had to settle for a very respectable third-place finish playing against rivals who were young enough to be his grandchildren. Howard “Tahoe” Andrew collected $49,275 in prize money in his best WSOP Circuit championship ever.

Second Place: Second of Schreiber
Dan Schreiber appeared to be well on his way to victory. The 24-year-old San Diego poker pro led virtually the entire last half of the tournament. But Schreiber lost a crippling hand late against Devonshire, which left him low on chips and at a big disadvantage. After Schreiber lost most of his chips holding top pair (the hand can be seen in the video clip below), he went out just two hands later. Schreiber, the winner of the Heads-Up championship at the 2006 WSOP in Las Vegas where he earned $425,000, added $72,270 to his poker bankroll as the runner up in this event.

The last five minutes, including the final hand of the tournament can be seen here: http://www.twitvid.com/ITEDP

First Place: Devonshire Wins Gold Ring
Bryan Devonshire staged a late rally after being behind the chip leader during the entire final table. Devonshire was never seriously low on chips. Despite the outcome, he later acknowledged his final opponent was a superior heads-up play, which caused him to adjust his strategy. Devonshire decided to take a few added risks in heads-up play, which paid off handsomely, to the tune of $114,975. This was Devonshire’s first WSOP-related victory and first gold ring win.

An interview with champion Bryan Devonshire at tableside moments after his win can be seen here: http://www.twitvid.com/BZKZR

Devonshire becomes the sixth champion at Harrah’s Rincon and joins previous WSOP Circuit Main Event winners:

2005 – Chris “Jesus” Ferguson
2006 – Darrell Dicken
2007 – Peter Feldman
2008 – Mike Pickett
2009 – Dwyte Pilgrim
2010 – Bryan Devonshire

This marks the sixth straight year that Harrah’s Rincon has been a part of the WSOP Circuit. It is one of only three Harrah’s resorts which hosted a WSOP Circuit every year. This is the eighth WSOP Circuit stop of the 2009-2010 season following previous tournaments held in Chicago, Southern Indiana, Lake Tahoe, Harrah’s Atlantic City, Tunica, Council Bluffs, and Caesars Atlantic City. Three WSOP Circuit events remain this season – Harrah’s St. Louis, Caesars Atlantic City, and Harrah’s New Orleans.

2010 Harrah’s Rincon WSOP Circuit – Main Event Championship Final Results

2010 Harrah’s Rincon WSOP Circuit Events Schedule and Results

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 Becker – Table Games Supervisor
Elizabeth Liemandt – Public Relations Manager
Alexia Alsop – Poker Room Manager
Tom Mendenhall – Table Games Manager
Jimmy Sommerfeld – Tournament Director
Bill Bruce – Assistant Tournament Director

All PokerStars players in the US and Canada can play in daily, free-to-enter Big Game Round 1 qualifiers, running March 26-June 25. Finish in the top 200 in any of the Big Game Final Round qualifiers and you’ll be invited to send PokerStars a casting video, telling them why you think you should be on The Big Game as a Loose Cannon.

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Final Results:

1 John “Cowboy” Land Frisco, TX $18,871

2 Ryan Gentry La Jolla, CA $12,775

3 Harold Wasson Corona, CA $8,519

4 Jason Jacintho San Diego, CA $6,088

5 Raymond McCabe Anaheim Hills, CA $4,869

6 Christopher Defalco Murrieta, CA $3,650

7 Hossein Zomorrodi San Diego, CA $2,431

8 James Kozono Diamond Bar, CA $1,977

9 Guillermo Calderon Irapuato, Mexico $1,674

10 Eddy Asady San Diego, CA $1,467

11 Raul Carranza Chula Vista, CA $1,467

12 Redentor Ramos Chula Vista, CA $1,467

13 Jeffery Clayton Glendale, CA $1,205

14 Stanley Blaby London, UK $1,205

15 Narciso Ricasa San Diego, CA $1,205

“Cowboy” Rides Off with Gold Ring at Harrah’s Rincon

Winner John “Cowboy” Land Wins Second WSOP Circuit Title – Three Straight Tournaments Won by Repeat Winners

Valley Center, CA – Just moments before the final table of the most recent World Series of Poker Circuit tournament began, the chip leader John “Cowboy” Land announced to anyone within earshot, “I’m going to take this one down.”

Those turned out to be prophetic words, indeed. Cowboy ended up winning his second WSOP Circuit gold ring this year, topping a tough field of 142 players en route to another satisfying victory.

Cowboy, who earned his fitting nickname because he often wears a white cowboy hat at the table, is a 45-yearold professional poker player from Dallas, TX. He sold off a successful construction business last year and has been playing tournament poker since then full-time. Cowboy travels to many WSOP Circuit events and tournaments held elsewhere around the country. But he also admits his first love is spending time with his wife and their 12-year-old son. He also says the biggest challenge facing poker pros and those aspiring to play full time is balancing a home and professional life. But Cowboy also admits that being successful in tournaments makes the transition easier.

“That’s the biggest thing, to me, is balancing my family with what I love to do which is poker,” Cowboy said in a post-tournament interview. “I love this game and I am so lucky to have their support. They really back me up because they know I love poker. But it’s tough being out on the road for extended periods. And you don’t always win, so that’s just added pressure.”

Cowboy’s win becomes the third consecutive day in which a former gold ring winner has repeated. Two days ago, San Diego pro Michael Souza won his second title. Yesterday, Brooklyn poker pro Dwyte Pilgrim won his third gold ring. Now, the Dallas pro has two gold rings as well, and joins very distinguished company.

The $500 (+50) buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament won by Cowboy was played over two consecutive days during March 26-27, 2010. Final Table play began on a Saturday afternoon. There were two former WSOPC gold ring winners among the final nine – including Chris DeFalco who won the H.O.R.S.E. event at Harrah’s Rincon in 2008 and “Cowboy,” who won a No-Limit Hold’em event two months ago at Tunica.

Cowboy arrived at the Final Table holding a decisive chip advantage. In fact, he was ahead nearly 2 to 1 over his closest rival. Within striking distance were Ray “Mac the Knife” McCabe and Ryan Gentry. When Final Table play began at 2:15 pm, the nine finalists and their starting chip counts were as follows:

Seat Player Hometown Chip Count

1 Billy Calderon Irapuato, Mexico 67,000

2 Ryan Gentry La Jolla, CA 170,000

3 Chris DeFalco Murrieta, CA 80,000

4 Harold Wasson Murrieta, CA 42,000

5 Hossein Zomorrodi San Diego, CA 143,500

6 Jason Jacintho San Diego, CA 56,500

7 John “Cowboy” Land Dallas, TX 350,000

8 James Kozono Diamond Bar, CA 134,000

9 Ray “Mac the Knife” McCabe Anaheim Hills, CA 173,500

Final Table player introductions can be seen here: http://www.twitvid.com/D9EEF

Players were eliminated in the following order:

Ninth Place: Viva Mexico!
Billy Calderon, a 32-year-old greenhouse manager from Irapuato, Mexico lasted about an hour. But he was too short stacked to be a factor and was eliminated with Kh Jc against Ryan Gentry’s As Ks. Calderon saw a nice flop, which came with three clubs – Qc 4c 3c. Another club or a jack would have given him the pot. But the last two cards were Ah 8s which meant Calderon’s end. He received $1,674 for ninth place.

Eighth Place: Kozono Gone
James Kozono, a 32-year-old restaurant manager from Diamond Bar, CA lasted about 90 minutes but went out holding pocket eights. He took 8s 8c in a race against Harold Wasson’s Kc Js. The board slaughtered Kozono’s shot of making a comeback as the cards ran: Ks Qs 9s Jd 4c. Wasson’s two pair scooped Kozono’s last 100,000 in chips. As a trade off, Kozono collected $1,977 for eighth place.

Seventh Place: Zomrrodi Engineers Seventh-Place Finish
Joe Zomorrodi, a 50year-old civil engineer from San Diego, CA became short stacked and went out with Ad Kd against Ryan Gentry’s 7h 7d. The final board showed 9c 6s 5c 6d Jc which meant Zomorrodi lost the race. This was one his first poker tournaments ever, and marked his first time to cash in any event. Zomorrodi could certainly be proud of his seventh-place finish, which paid 2,431.

Sixth Place: Former WSOPC Gold Ring Winner Busts
Chris DeFalco, a 39-year-old pawn broker from Murrieta, CA failed in his attempt to win a second gold ring when he moved all-in with pocket J’s which lost to a pair of K’s. DeFalco was dealt Js Jc versus Jason Jacintho’s As Kc. The board showed Ks 8h 4c 2d 9h, leaving DeFalco with $3,650. This marked his third time to cash in a WSOP Circuit tournament.

Fifth Place: Second Final Table this Week for Mac “the Knife” McCabe
Mac “the Knife” McCabe took a terrible beat on his final hand of the tournament. He was low on chips and moved all-win with Ac Th. He got a call from Harold Wasson, who showed 9c 9s. The flop could not have been much better for McCabe as he paired his ten. He improved to two pair on the turn with an ace. But a fourth spade on the river gave Wasson a flush. The final board showed Ts 5h 4s As 6s. McCabe, who is President of a health food company called Egg Whites International, collected $4,869 after finishing eighth place in a previous tournament here at Rincon.

Fourth Place: Jasintho Now 2 for 2 in Tournaments
Jason D. Jasintho, an organic chemist from El Cajon, has played in two tournament this year at Rincon, and final tabled both. He finished in second place in Event 3. This time, his destiny was fourth place. He should have finished higher given how his final hand was played. Jasintho had plenty of chips and moved all-in pre-flop with Qc Qs. He got a baffling call from “Cowboy,” which basically put his tournament life at stake with As 8h. Jasintho was thrilled with the look of things early. But the flop was a crushing blow. An ace came and the final board showed Ah 8d 6c 9d 6h, which gave “Cowboy” the big pot. Jasintho had to settle for $6,088 in prize money. But he could certainly be proud of his performance at Rincon, which now includes two top four finishes.

Third Place: Realtor Receives $8,519 Commission
Harold Wasson, a 63-year-old real estate broker from Murrieta, CA enjoyed a healthy stack for about four hours, but then ran low on chips and finally went out with pocket 7’s, which lost to pocket 9’s. Wasson was dealt 7c 7s on his final hand, which faced “Cowboy’s” 9c 9h. The board came Kh Td 5s 3s 6c giving “Cowboy” the pot. Wasson had to settle for a nice payout which amounted to $8,519.

Second Place: Gentry Agrees to Second
Ryan Gentry, a poker pro from La Jolla, CA finished as the runner up. When play became heads-up, Cowboy had the chip advantage. A deal was made between the final two players. There terms of their agreement were not disclosed. Gentry collected and official payout amounting to $12,775.

First Place: Cowboy Declared Winner
John “Cowboy” Land was his second WSOP Circuit gold ring and first place prize money totaling $18,871. He plans to play in the upcoming Main Event, plus the WSOP Circuit events at St. Louis and New Orleans, in addition to the WSOP in Las Vegas, coming this summer.

An interview with champion John “Cowboy” Land at tableside moments after his win can be seen here: http://www.twitvid.com/697FF

The WSOP Circuit at Harrah’s Rincon continues through March 31st. This year’s schedule includes 12 gold ring events, along with multiple second-chance tournaments, single table and mega satellites, in addition to cash games going around the clock inside the Rincon Poker Room. This marks the sixth straight year that Harrah’s Rincon has been a part of the WSOP Circuit. It is one of only three Harrah’s resorts which hosted a WSOP Circuit every year. This is the eighth WSOP Circuit stop of the 2009-2010 season following previous tournaments held in Chicago, Southern Indiana, Lake Tahoe, Harrah’s Atlantic City, Tunica, Council Bluffs, and Caesars Atlantic City.

2010 Harrah’s Rincon WSOP Circuit – Event #9 Final Results

2010 Harrah’s Rincon WSOP Circuit Events Schedule and Results

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 Becker – Table Games Supervisor
Elizabeth Liemandt – Public Relations Manager
Alexia Alsop – Poker Room Manager
Tom Mendenhall – Table Games Manager
Jimmy Sommerfeld – Tournament Director
Bill Bruce – Assistant Tournament Director

Final Results:

1 Dwyte Pilgrim Brooklyn, NY $13,392

2 Jim Silveira Santa Rosa, CA $8,252

3 James Everly Desert Hot Springs, CA $5,828

4 Conrad Monica Hemet, CA $4,161

5 Andrew Greenberg San Diego, CA $3,329

6 Andrew Fornoff El Cajon, CA $2,498

7 Andrew Difalco Nesconset, NY $1,667

8 Trevor Blackwell Honolulu, HI $1,352

9 Richard Yelland San Marcos, CA $1,146

10 Brian Horwitz El Segundo, CA $1,003

11 Joseph Cheong Mirada, CA $1,003

12 Brian Sternberg San Juan Capistrano, CA $1,003

13 Ray Blodgett Riverside, CA $826

14 Jason Wheeler San Diego, CA $826

15 Gregg Hite San Diego, CA $826

16 Leonard Finkel Vista, CA $689

17 Wendi Benecke San Marcos, CA $689

18 Michael Talamini Imperial Beach, CA $689

Three-Ring Circus

Dwyte Pilgrim Wins His Third WSOP Circuit Gold Ring at Harrah’s Rincon

2010 Harrah's Rincon WSOP Circuit Event #8 Winner Dwyte Pilgrim

Valley Center, CA – Dwyte Pilgrim is a superstar in the making. The Brooklyn-born poker pro just won his third gold ring on the World Series of Poker Circuit, after coming out on top of a field of 169 players at Harrah’s Rincon, near San Diego. This victory followed two previous wins which both took place in 2009 – first at Caesars Atlantic City and second here at Harrah’s Rincon in last year’s Main Event championship.

Pilgrim initially burst upon the poker scene back in December 2008, at the WSOP Circuit event played at Harrah’s Atlantic City, where he cashed in five events. After he won his first gold ring three months later at Caesars, Pilgrim took the top prize at Rincon and was declared the “unofficial” WSOP Circuit Player of the Year in May 2009.

Indeed, Pilgrim’s performance in WSOP Circuit events over the past 15 months has been extraordinary. He has amassed three victories, ten final table appearances, and 18 cashes. To put this into perceptive, consider the all-time leader WSOP Circuit leader in history (Doug Carli) has 41 cashes, dating all the way back to 2005. Pilgrim has nearly half as many cashes in just over a year’s time. No one has won more gold rings than Pilgrim in this time span. And perhaps most scary of all for his future opponents, Pilgrim plans to play as many WSOP Circuit events as possible at upcoming tournaments in St. Louis, Las Vegas, and New Orleans, which will close out the 2009-2010 WSOP Circuit season.

Pilgrim candidly admits he wants nothing more than a WSOP gold bracelet and future success as a tournament poker player. While thousands of players around the world dream of similar success, Pilgrim is one of the rare few who has achieved most of his goals and seems genuinely destined for bigger things. Pilgrim freely admits he is eager to gain sponsorship and endorse various poker products and services. He also knows that he must first earn that right through performance at the poker table. But if his tournament record shows anything, it’s that Dwyte Pilgrim is in a class of his own when it comes to poker talent, personality, and enjoying the game he loves.

The $300 (+40) buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament was played over two consecutive days during March 25-26, 2010. Final Table play began on a Friday afternoon. Pilgrim was the only prior WSOP Circuit gold ring event winner among the final nine players – which meant eight players were seeking their first WSOP-related win. But Pilgim dominated all but the runner up in this tournament – a car dealer from Santa Rosa, CA named Jim Silveira who gave Pilgrim a late scare.

All eyes were on Dwyte Pilgrim from the very start. He arrived with a slight chip advantage over Andrew Goldberg. When Final Table play began at 2:15 pm, the nine finalists and their starting chip counts were as follows:

Seat Player Hometown Chip Count

1 Andrew Greenberg San Diego, CA 290,000

2 Andrew Di Foko Nesconset, NY 47,500

3 Richard Yelland Las Vegas, NV 94,500

4 Trevor Blackwell Honolulu, HI 86,000

5 Jim Silveira Santa Rosa, CA 151,000

6 Conrad Monica Hemet, CA 203,000

7 Andrew Fornuff El Cajon, CA 85,500

8 Dwyte Pilgrim Brooklyn, NY 297,000

9 Jim Everly Crown Point, IN 128,500

Final Table player introductions can be seen here: http://www.twitvid.com/FF11A

Players were eliminated in the following order:

Ninth Place: Yelland Cashes for Sixth Time
Richard Yelland, a 74-year-old retiree from Las Vegas, NV has made it to numerous final tables over the past twenty years. He came into the finale with an average-sized stack, but exited first when he moved all-in with Ac 9s, which was beat by Jim Silveira’s Kd Ks. The board came 9h 5h 2d 2c 4c, which shipped the pot to the pocket kings. Yelland had to settle for $1,003 in what was his sixth time to cash in a WSOP Circuit event.

Eighth Place: Former Magic Player Vanishes
Trent Blackwell, a poker pro from Honolulu, HI was the next player to bust when he took a tough beat with pocket aces. Blackwell was dealt Ah Ac and moved all-in after the flop came Jh Th Kh. Chip leader Dwyte Pilgrim had Jc Tc, good for two pair. Blackwell had an overpair, a straight draw, and a flush draw – but failed to improve. The last two cards were 4c 5c, giving Pilgrim more chips. Blackwell, who is a former a “Magic the Gathering” touring pro, added $1,352 to his poker bankroll.

Seventh Place: New Yorker Forgetsabout It
Andrew Di Falco, a draftsman from Nesconset, NY was erased from the final seven in a three-way pot, which eliminated two players. Di Falco was dealt As Jc. Event though Dwyte Pilgrim was a huge dog with a dominated hand, Qd Jc, he ended up taking another huge pot when he rivered a straight. The board ran Kh 9h 3h 7s Td which put Di Falco out of the tournament. He received $1,667.

Sixth Place: Poker Dealer Suffers Bad Beat
Andrew Fornoff, a poker dealer from El Cajon, CA took an even worse beat on the hand which eliminated Di Falco in seventh place (see above). Fornoff was dealt Ac Kc on the hand, and flopped top pair. But Pilgrim’s king-high straight ended up eliminating Fornoff, as well. This was his second time to cash in a WSOP Circuit tournament. Fornoff has also previous cashed at the WSOP in Las Vegas. Sixth place paid $2,498.

Fifth Place: Greenberg in the Green
Andrew “the Overlook” Greenberg, a realtor from San Diego, CA experienced foreclosure firsthand when he became short-stacked and moved all-in with As 7s. Jim Everly had plenty of chips and made the call in the big blind with Th 9d. The board came Jc 8h 3d Qh 6c, giving Everly the straight and Greenberg fifth place. He collected $3,329 in prize money.

Fourth Place: Dealer Loses Race
Conrad Monica, a casino dealer from Hemet, CA went out in fourth place when 3d 3c was stomped on the flop against Jim Everly. Monica’s hand was vulnerable, and when the cards came Ad Tc Jc, Everly had top pair. Monica was drawing to just two outs (3’s) but missed when the 8h and 9c completed the board. Monica had to settle for a payout totaling $4,161.

Third Place: Everly Sings the Blues
Jim Everly, an electronic technician from Desert Hot Springs, CA got down to the final three players. But he was the lowest stack and eventually went out when he tried to double up holding 3s 3h against Jim Silveira’s Kd Jh. Everly lost the race when a king fell on the turn. The final board showed 6c 5c 4c Kh 9s. Everly’s cut of the prize pool amounted to $5,828.

Second Place: Jim Silveira Takes Second Place
When heads-up play began, Jim Silveira held about a 3 to 2 chip advantage over Dwyte Pilgrim. But the Brooklyn-based poker pro took over the chip lead and won his victory about twenty minutes into the final duel. The last key hand of the tournament came when Pilgrim had Qh 9c against Silveira’s 9h 4h. The board came 9s 4c 2d Qs Td which made two-pair for both players. But Pilgrim’s queens and nines bested Silveira’s nines and fours. Pilgrim won the tournament a short time later and was congratulated by several well-wishers who were aware of Pilgrim’s emerging status in the poker world.

Meanwhile, Jim Silveira settled for second place and a payout totaling $8,252. He is a 68-year-old new car dealer from Santa Rosa, CA. Silveira previously cashed in a WSOP event, finishing 40th in last year’s H.O.R.S.E. tournament out of 770 players.

First Place: Three-Ring Circus for Dwyte Pilgrim
Dwyte Pilgrim, a poker pro from Brooklyn, NY collected $13,392 in prize money and his third WSOPC gold ring. He has now earned more than $600,000 in live poker tournaments since his first cash, which took place 15 months ago. Pilgrim has also done very well in online games.

An interview with champion Dwyte Pilgrim at tableside moments after his win can be seen here: http://www.twitvid.com/42544

The WSOP Circuit at Harrah’s Rincon continues through March 31st. This year’s schedule includes 12 gold ring events, along with multiple second-chance tournaments, single table and mega satellites, in addition to cash games going around the clock inside the Rincon Poker Room. This marks the sixth straight year that Harrah’s Rincon has been a part of the WSOP Circuit. It is one of only three Harrah’s resorts which hosted a WSOP Circuit every year. This is the eighth WSOP Circuit stop of the 2009-2010 season following previous tournaments held in Chicago, Southern Indiana, Lake Tahoe, Harrah’s Atlantic City, Tunica, Council Bluffs, and Caesars Atlantic City.

2010 Harrah’s Rincon WSOP Circuit – Event #8 Final Results

2010 Harrah’s Rincon WSOP Circuit Events Schedule and Results

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 Becker – Table Games Supervisor
Elizabeth Liemandt – Public Relations Manager
Alexia Alsop – Poker Room Manager
Tom Mendenhall – Table Games Manager
Jimmy Sommerfeld – Tournament Director
Bill Bruce – Assistant Tournament Director