Jason Stern(credit: World Poker Tour)
The World Series of Poker Circuit has pulled into the Grand Casino in Tunica, Mississippi. The Main Event, which is scheduled to begin on Saturday January 19th, is still a few days away. However, that doesn’t mean the action is cold at the casino. Far from it! Events are going strong. Winners are being decided daily.
In Event #6, a six-handed NLHE tournament, 205 people paid to play, driving up the prize pool to an impressive $98,400. 24 players made bank including Jonathan Westra, a frequent visitor to WSOPC events. Westra, a resident of Winter Springs, Florida, won the title and $26,742.
Here are the results:
1) Jonathan Westra - $26,742
2) Jim Sears - $14,334
3) Matt Brady - $8,130
4) Doug Taylor - $6,459
5) Ron Picou - $5,412
6) Nicholas Woolworth - $4,428
Event 7 was a Pot Limit Hold’em Tournament with a $500 buy-in. This event didn’t draw in nearly as many entrants as previous events. Only 74 players sat in on the action. The top nine cashed with winner, Howard Andrews, receiving the lion’s share of the $35,520 prize pool. Andrews, who lives in Walnut Grove, California and has earned more than $700,000 in tournaments, took home another $13,799 for the win.
These are the final standings:
1) Howard Andrews - $13,799
2) Richard Ferro - $7,941
3) Todd Bernstein - $4,262
4) Clyde Bass - $2,486
5) James McBride - $1,954
6) Chad Smithson - $1,598
7) Vince Burgio - $1,213
8) Kyle Caslin - $888
9) Robert Redman - $710
In the Omaha Hi-Low event with a $300 buy-in, 26 of the 240 players made bank. Nine of these made the final table. At the end of the night, Richard Pilchman, who finished second at the Trump Classic Seven Card Stud hi-low event at the Taj Mahal right before Christmas 2007, received his first win. Pilchman, a New Jersey resident, received a payday of $21,314 for his efforts.
Here are the results:
1) Richard Pilchman - $21,314
2) Eric Mink - $11,729
3) Randall Witt - $6,003
4) Albert Suarez - $4,805
5) Leonard St. Germain - $4,118
6) David Segal - $3,432
7) Larry Dingler - $2,746
8) Robert Brouemann - $2,059
9) Scott Baker - $1,373
Event 9 in Tunica at the WSOPC 2008 was a Seven Card Stud Hi-Low tournament. Traditionally not a big draw, only 75 players showed up to play in the tourney. The total prize pool for the $500 buy-in event was just $36,000, which was divided up amongst the top eight finishers. (Note: Stud is only played with eight players per table in no small part due to the amount of standing players need to do during a hand to check the up cards.)
Congrats to the eventual winner, Jason Stern of San Jose, California. Having earned nearly a million in tournaments to date which includes a second-place finish at the World Poker Tours World Poker Challenge (Season 4), Stern made bank in the Main Event at the 2007 WSOP, proving that he can play a variety of poker games well.
These are the final standings:
1) Jason Stern - $12,762
2) Charles Williams - $7,699
3) Tom Chambers - $4,680
4) Michael Woods - $3,420
5) Ron Ware - $2,520
6) Doug Saab - $1,800
7) Morgan Stringham - $1,440
8) Gary Settlemoir - $1,080
Event 10 brought us back to NLHE. As a result, 1,000 people paid their $300 to play in this tournament, driving up the prize pool to $286,000. 73 folks earned some green for their efforts. The champ hails from Boston, Massachusetts. Rami Jradeh took the title and more than $74,900 for his finish. This is, by far, Rami’s biggest win to date.
Here are the results:
1) Rami Jradeh - $74,914
2) Robert Castoire - $39,265
3) Mark Ellis - $22,204
4) Brian Wolfe - $19,430
5) Gregory Stallsmith - $16,655
6) Ben Mintz - $13,881
7) Michael McKuin - $11,107
8) Terence Ferentinos - $8,333
9) Rory Monahan - $5,559
Still to come at Tunica is the NLHE Championship. The action begins on Saturday January 19, 2008.