Twenty-four players are left standing in the first ever World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit Regional Championship, which is taking place at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, located just outside of Chicago. The bursting of the money bubble ended play on Tuesday.
Cero Zuccarello became the first ever Bubble Boy at a Circuit Regional Championship, exiting in 25th place. He got it all-in before the flop with A-Q against Justin “Boosted J” Smith’s A-4 of diamonds, but Smith flopped a four to pull ahead with a pair. Zuccarello couldn’t catch up when the turn came a six and the river came an eight, sending him home empty-handed. Every player remaining is assured at least $19,000 from the $10,000 buy-in tournament and a top prize of $525,000 is on the line.
Two-time WSOP bracelet winner Brock “t_soprano” Parker was ousted in 26th place after running K-J into the pocket aces of Steve Zolotow. Parker committed his chips on a king-high flop, but Zolotow isolated with the overpair and held firm. Zolotow is in seventh place entering the Regional Championship’s play down day on Wednesday.
Day 1 chip leader Ryan Julius doubled up through Shannon Shorr to stamp his ticket to Day 3. As is the case with many major pots in poker, Julius was in a race with A-Q against Shorr’s pocket tens and quickly flopped an ace to take the lead. No ten came on the turn or river and Julius’ stack ballooned to 160,000. In the end, both players made it to the play down day. Shorr will come armed with a stack of 328,000, while Julius bagged up 215,000 in chips last night.
PokerStars pro Barry Greenstein was also shown the door yesterday in Hammond. Greenstein could not draw out on pocket queens with A-Q in his final hand after the board came K-7-5-7-5. Joining Greenstein on the rail was fellow Team PokerStars member Chad Brown, who finished in 41st place.
The online poker community is well represented in the final 24. UB.com pro Adam “Roothlus” Levy is in 16th place entering the play down day, while Smith, Julius, DoylesRoom Brunson 10 member David “Doc Sands” Sands, David “Bakes” Baker, Chris “SLOPPYKLOD” Klodnicki, Keven “Stamdogg” Stammen, and Mohsin “chicagocards1” Charania are among those who will try to bring a title home for the young guns. Here’s the field as it stacks up entering today’s action:
1. John Patgorski – 729,000
2. Curt Kohlberg – 704,000
3. David Paredes – 539,000
4. Justin “Boosted J” Smith – 491,000
5. Dan Perper – 482,000
6. Keven “Stamdogg” Stammen – 400,000
7. Steve Zolotow – 371,000
8. Mark Owens – 343,000
9. David “Bakes” Baker – 339,000
10. Shannon “BLUFFforRENT” Shorr – 328,000
11. Brandon Adams – 269,000
12. James Anderson – 252,000
13. David “Doc Sands” Sands – 247,000
14. Chris “SLOPPYKLOD” Klodnicki – 236,000
15. Ryan Julius – 215,000
16. Adam “Roothlus” Levy – 146,000
17. Bernard Lee – 142,000
18. David Adkison – 141,000
19. Anthony Hartmann – 111,000
20. Jeremy Schwartz – 68,000
21. Ryan Austin – 66,000
22. Shawn Busse – 59,000
23. Kevin Dooley – 51,000
24. Mohsin “chicagocards1” Charania – 50,000
There’s a lot on the line when play picks back up this afternoon. Every player who makes the final table will receive a seat to the WSOP Circuit National Championship in Las Vegas, a $1 million freeroll that awards a gold bracelet to the winner. Plus, the minimum payout at the final table in Hammond is nearly $50,000. Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from the first ever WSOP Circuit Regional Championship.
