Brent “Astrolux85” Roberts closed out the 2008 World Series of Poker Circuit by winning the final event of the year at Harrah’s Atlantic City. Roberts bested a field of 179 players in the $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Main Event to capture a first place prize of $280,040.
The final table began with several professional players sitting adjacent to Roberts, who sat down with the chip lead. Here’s a look at the seating arrangement when play started:
Seat 1: Allen Bari – 816,000
Seat 2: Alex Camejo – 227,000
Seat 3: Tim Kelly – 379,000
Seat 4: Phillip Reed – 340,000
Seat 5: Robert McLaughlin – 123,000
Seat 6: Kyle Bowker – 375,000
Seat 7: Dwyte Pilgrim – 265,000
Seat 8: Brent Roberts – 1,011,000
Seat 9: Scott Zakheim – 85,000
Alex Camejo was the first player to exit, in ninth place ($17,342), when his A-Q ran into the A-K of Robert McLaughlin. Roberts eliminated Scott Zakheim ($26,342) in eighth place when his failed steal attempt got the best of Zakheim. Roberts raised pre-flop and Zakheim moved all in with Q-J. Roberts got the correct odds to call with 7-4 and flopped a pair of fours to take the pot.
Dwyte Pilgrim and Tim Kelly were the next to go, taken out by Allen Bari and Kyle Bowker, respectively. Pilgrim moved all in pre-flop with a pair of sevens and was in bad shape when Allen Bari isolated with a pair of eights. The board wasn’t helpful to Pilgrim, who went home in seventh place for $34,684. Kelly exited in sixth when his A-8 couldn’t get the best of Bowker’s pair of jacks after all of the money went in before the flop. Kelly earned $43,355 for his efforts during the three days of play.
Action heated up shortly after Kelly’s exit and it was Allen Bari who was sent to the rail next. Bowker raised pre-flop and Brent Roberts put in a re-raise. Bari moved all in for less than Roberts’ bet and Bowker folded. Bari revealed a pair of fours and Roberts flipped up A-K suited. The ace of clubs slid in the door and Roberts hit a king on the river for good measure to eliminate Bari in fifth place for $52,026.
McLaughlin went home in fourth place when his jack-high flush was second best to Bowker’s ace-high flush. The pro from Washington, D.C. took $69,368 back to the nation’s capital. Phillip Reed finally got involved with Bowker after a flop of 10-7-4 (all clubs). Bowker bet and Reed moved all in holding 3-5 of clubs. Reed was relieved to see Bowker reluctantly call with Jh-Ts. Reed’s flush was in great shape and the eight of hearts on the turn left Bowker drawing dead. The online pro known as “kwob20” collected $86,710 for third place.
Roberts ended things quickly heads-up. Only a few hands into play, Reed raised pre-flop, Roberts called, and the players saw a flop of K-9-8 rainbow. Roberts checked, Reed bet out, Roberts check-raised, and Reed moved all in. Roberts called instantly and exposed 9-8 for two pair. Reed showed Q-J of diamonds, needing a ten or running cards to stay alive. The two of spades on the turn didn’t help Reed and he was sent home with $147,407. Brent Roberts earned his first Circuit victory and the gold championship ring that comes with the honor.
The 23-year-old Roberts made a name for himself with a fifth-place finish in Event #2 at the 2006 World Series of Poker for $151,570. He also has wins in a Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) event for $75,250 as well as a Deep Stack tournament at the Venetian in Las Vegas for $111,282. With the Harrah’s Atlantic City Circuit win, Roberts now has more than $781,000 in live tournament earnings.