The final table of the $5,000 buy-in World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit Event Championship at Caesars Atlantic City played out on Saturday. A total of 208 entrants participated and, when the smoke cleared, 23 year-old professional poker player Samuel Chartier emerged victorious, banking $322,000. Canadians grabbed the top two spots in the New Jersey event, as Chartier (who hails from Montreal) defeated Toronto native John Nixon heads-up.
The tournament began last Thursday with WSOP November Nine member Dennis Phillips giving the ceremonial “Shuffle up and deal” command. Heading into the 2008 WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas, Phillips held a sizable chip lead over the rest of the table and ultimately finished in third place, banking $4.5 million. Last year’s champion in Atlantic City, PokerXFactor instructor Eric “sheets” Haber, was also in the field, flanked by Jason Young and Cliff “JohnnyBax” Josephy, both WSOP bracelet winners. Last year, 277 entrants turned out, meaning that attendance in the 2009 Championship event was off by 25%.
David Zeitlin was sent packing in ninth place for $20,184 after his pocket sixes ran into Frank Vizza‘s pocket aces; Vizza actually made a boat in the hand. Chris “SLOPPYKLOD” Klodnicki, who took 12th in the 2008 WSOP Main Event for $591,000, landed in eighth in Atlantic City when his pocket jacks ran into Vizza’s pocket kings. Once again, Vizza’s higher pocket pair held up and he sent another player to the rails. Jason Young was the next to go. Short-stacked, Young pushed at an inopportune time with K-Q on a board of 8-4-3. Chartier called with pocket jacks and none of Young’s six outs hit.
Matt Brady‘s tournament life came to an end at the hands of Chartier. His pocket eights were a 4:1 favorite against Chartier’s pocket threes pre-flop. However, the eventual WSOP Circuit Event Championship winner tabled a flush and sent Brady packing. Alex Bolotin, affectionately nicknamed “Diesel,” was ousted in fifth place after pushing with K-3 on the short stack. Vizza quickly called with A-Q and the better hand held. Vizza knocked his third player out from the final table.
In one of the more brutal beats of the evening, Michael Michnik saw his A-J go down in flames to Chartier’s A-J when Chartier hit a flush. The hand bumped Michnik from the tournament in fourth place. Vizza was sent packing in third after his A-2 could not hold up against Nixon’s K-J. A jack hit the river, sending Vizza home $90,828 richer for his efforts. His elimination meant a showdown between Chartier and Nixon, with the former holding nearly a 2:1 chip lead. In the final hand, Nixon shoved with A-10 and was called by Chartier, who held A-J. The flop came A-J-5, giving Chartier top two pair. The turn and river were a five and 10, respectively, sealing Chartier’s win. He earned a healthy $322,944 plus a $10,000 seat into the 2009 WSOP Main Event.
Chartier told tournament officials after play had concluded, “It’s amazing. I can’t describe the feeling I have right now. I knew the final table lineup was pretty tough, so I hoped to pick up a few good spots to put my money in and that’s what I managed to do.” Chartier took seventh in the 2008 European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona stop for $250,000. Earlier that year in the Bahamas, he finished 81st in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, cashing for $16,000. Saturday marked his second cash in the United States and his first in a WSOP sanctioned event.
Here is a recap of the final table finishes and payouts in Atlantic City:
1st Place: Samuel Chartier – $322,944
2nd Place: John Nixon – $177,619
3rd Place: Frank Vizza – $90,828
4th Place: Michael Michnik – $70,644
5th Place: Alex Bolotin – $60,552
6th Place: Matt Brady – $50,460
7th Place: Jason Young – $40,368
8th Place: Chris Klodnicki – $30,276
9th Place: David Zeitlin – $20,184
The WSOP Circuit Event series now moves to Harrah’s Rincon in San Diego. Located on the other side of the United States from Caesars Atlantic City, Harrah’s Rincon will play host to WSOP festivities beginning on March 19th. Its $5,150 buy-in Championship event begins on March 30th.
