World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit officials released a bevy of stats about the recently completed 2009-2010 season. Mark “Pegasus” Smith led the way in several vital stat categories, including most gold rings (two) and most final table appearances (five).
The WSOP Circuit made its way to gaming hotspots around the United States over the past seven months, including Chicago, Southern Indiana, Lake Tahoe, Harrah’s Atlantic City, Tunica, Council Bluffs, Caesars Atlantic City, Rincon, St. Louis, Las Vegas, and New Orleans. Over $20 million in prize money was given away at the WSOP Circuit’s 11 stops, not counting the Seniors’ and Ladies’ events at New Orleans, which were still ongoing when the figures were released.
Together with $174 million in prize money doled out during the WSOP in Las Vegas last year, Harrah’s officials awarded nearly $200 million overall over the past 12 months. The 2010 WSOP kicks off in one week’s time from the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Sin City with the first two of 57 bracelet events.
Smith recorded two gold rings during the 2009-2010 season, tied atop the leaderboard with John “Cowboy” Land. Smith won a $345 No Limit Hold’em event at Southern Indiana for $11,000 in November. One month later, he was up to his winning ways once again, this time taking down a $340 No Limit Hold’em tournament at Harrah’s Atlantic City. Smith owns over $440,000 in career WSOP Circuit earnings.
Land took down a $440 No Limit Hold’em event at Harrah’s Tunica in February for $18,000. Seven weeks later, he emerged victorious cross-country in a $550 No Limit Hold’em event at Harrah’s Rincon for another $19,000. Land has four in the money finishes during his WSOP Circuit career; half are for gold rings. A total of 146 players logged exactly one gold ring during the 2009-2010 WSOP Circuit season.
Smith was tied with Christopher Cardenas and Michael Ashar for the most number of final table appearances at five. Cardenas had two second place finishes, one eighth place finish, and two ninth place finishes during the recently completed WSOP Circuit season. His largest payday was for $14,000 and came by virtue of finishing second in a $450 No Limit Hold’em event at Harrah’s St. Louis in April.
Ashar and Smith each have eight cashes during the WSOP Circuit’s 2009-2010 season, the most of any player. Like Cardenas, Ashar did not win a gold ring in the process, but recorded second place, fourth place, fifth place, seventh place, and ninth place finishes. He racked up $34,000 during the season and will likely now head to the 2010 WSOP to try his hand on poker’s biggest stage.
Dan Livingston was the top money winner during the 2009-2010 Circuit season. Livingston recorded exactly one in the money finish during the past seven months, which came after taking down the $5,200 Championship Event in Chicago. Livingston outlasted a field of 248 players in the Chicago finale. Online poker star Chris “SLOPPYKLOD” Klodnicki finished second on the money list with $281,000. Klodnicki won the Championship Event at Harrah’s Atlantic City in December for $215,000.
Also turning in an impressive accolade was “Chicago Johnny” Nowak, who recorded a record five cashes during the WSOP Circuit’s New Orleans stop. Fred Berger defeated Mike Beasley earlier this week in the New Orleans Championship Event to pocket a $197,000 first place prize. Beasley finished as the runner-up to Vanessa Selbst in the PokerStars North American Poker Tour’s (NAPT) Mohegan Sun Main Event for $428,000.
Harrah’s officials noted that the schedule for the 2010-2011 WSOP Circuit will be released during the Las Vegas WSOP festivities: “More locations and events are planned for 2010-2011 than ever before. So, stay tuned for more details about how to be a part of next year’s excitement.”
