The first of 11 scheduled events for the 2009 WSOP Circuit at Caesars Atlantic City attracted 812 entries and generated nearly a quarter-million dollars in prize money for the winner, Brian Fitzpatrick, a 24-yearold poker pro from Fallston, MD who earns his living playing on the Internet. Fitzpatrick won $63,336 for first place, his biggest cash ever.
The $340 buy-in no-limit hold 'em tournament was played over two days, and the top 81 players collected prize money.
When final table play began on day two, Fitzpatrick was ranked fourth in chips. Bill Pollard, from Chestertown, MD arrived with a 2-to-1 chip lead over his closest rival. By being patient and waiting for the right moments, Fitzpatrick stayed in contention and closed out his victory in just under four hours.
The final hand, which was a proverbial coin flip for both of the two finalists, was won by Fitzpatrick, who caught a life-saving jack on the river to make a higher pair and drag the biggest pot of the tournament.
Fitzpatrick was dealt A-J and raised. When Pollard moved all-in with pocket tens, Fitzpatrick called. The first four cards were 9-6-2-3, keeping Pollard in the lead. Down to just six outs (aces or jacks), Fitzpatrick watched with absolute delight as the final, fateful card of the tournament rolled from the deck-a jack, sealing the victory for one player and crushing the hopes of another. But that's poker.
CAESARS ATLANTIC CITY
EVENT #8 3/11/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM TURBO
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 525
PRIZE POOL $105,000
1. J.R. Reyes . . . . . . . . $27,463
2. Andrew Sleefe . . . . . $14,489
3. Chris Biondino . . . . . $7,576
4. Brigante Per Sempre $6,629
5. James Governa . . . . . $5,682
6. Alexander Pawlyk . . $5,735
7. Dan Edward Weatherly $3,788
8. Ahup Suri . . . . . . . . . $2,841
9. Paul Dever . . . . . . . . . $1,894
EVENT #7 3/10/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $1,000 + $80
PLAYERS 310
PRIZE POOL $310,000
1. Frank Calo . . . . . . . . $96,100
2. Beroit Robichaud . . $49,600
3. Theodore Ely . . . . . . $24,800
4. Jonathan Iacovelli . $21,700
5. Chris Reslock . . . . . $18,600
6. Robert Lauria . . . . . $15,500
7. Jeffrey Papola . . . . . $12,400
8. Al Hoffman . . . . . . . . $9,300
9. Richard Rossetti . . . . $6,200
EVENT #6 3/9/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $500 + $60
PLAYERS 329
PRIZE POOL $164,500
1. Ronnie Kevin . . . . . $50,995
2. Hermen Carriea . . . $26,320
3. Terry Davis . . . . . . . $13,160
4. Doug Cressi . . . . . . . $11,515
5. John Alfera . . . . . . . . $9,870
6. Larry Goldstein . . . . $8,225
7. Dick Bunting . . . . . . . $6,580
8. Lior Rennert . . . . . . . $4,935
9. Dennis Levi . . . . . . . . $3,290
EVENT #5 3/8/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $300 + $40
PLAYERS 619
PRIZE POOL $185,700
1. Dan Goonin . . . . . . . $51,996
2. John Gerasimov . . . $26,926
3. Kevin Crumlish . . . $14,856
4. Robert Lauria . . . . . $12,999
5. Dzianis Satsukevich $11,142
6. Wayne Hassell . . . . . . $9,285
7. Mark Polis . . . . . . . . . $7,428
8. Charles Kerstetter . . $5,571
9. Taylor B Williams . . $3,714
EVENT #4 3/7/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $500 + $60
PLAYERS 579
PRIZE POOL $289,500
1. Dwyte Pilgrim . . . . . $83,955
2. Joe Brooks . . . . . . . . $44,293
3. Chris Reslock . . . . . $23,160
4. Vladislav Frenkel . . $20,265
5. Kenny Elazzeh . . . . $17,370
6. George Schiavello . . $14,475
7. Tony Swain . . . . . . . $11,580
8. Brent Catalano . . . . . $8,685
9. Ed Rappa . . . . . . . . . $5,790
EVENT #3 3/6/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $300 + $40
PLAYERS 983
PRIZE POOL $294,900
1. Big Al Harary . . . . . $73,725
2. Brandon Croft . . . . $40,062
3. Zhe Yu . . . . . . . . . . . $23,592
4. Larry Vance . . . . . . $20,634
5. Daniel Yanofski . . . . $17,694
6. Joseph Palma . . . . . $14,745
7. Barry Wenger . . . . . $11,796
8. Pralhad Deshpande . $8,847
9. Aaron Goldberg . . . . $5,898
EVENT #2 3/5/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $500 + $60
PLAYERS 369
PRIZE POOL $184,500
1. Bill Sheleheda . . . . . $57,195
2. Danilo Nenezic . . . . $29,520
3. Alexs Nepomnyaschiy . $14,760
4. Kayid Shawish . . . . $12,915
5. Alan Ramkhalawan $11,070
6. Antonio Bueti . . . . . . . $9,225
EVENT #1 3/4/09
NO LIMIT HOLD'EM
BUY-IN $300 + $40
PLAYERS 821
PRIZE POOL $243,600
1. Brian Fitzpatrick . . $63,336
2. Bill Pollard . . . . . . . $33,616
3. Wayne Dove . . . . . . $19,488
4. Christopher Albanese . $17,052
5. Paul Spitzberg . . . . $14,616
6. Trevor Savage . . . . . $12,180
7. Allen Chang . . . . . . . $9,744
8. Mike Somma . . . . . . . $7,308
9. David Miller . . . . . . . $4,872
