KYLE CARTWRIGHT WINS RECORD-TYING FIFTH WSOP CIRCUIT CHAMPIONSHIP

Biloxi, MS (August 20, 2012)Kyle Cartwright joined the ranks of the WSOP Circuit's elite in record-breaking fashion at IP Casino Resort and Spa Monday afternoon.

Prior to this historic day Cartwright had won four Circuit championships in just sixteen months. If it wasn’t known before, the 24-year-old, Tennessee-based professional has a game tailor-made for the Circuit and plenty of hardware to prove it.

With that in mind, it should come as no surprise Cartwright did it again. On Monday afternoon, he bested the last of 299 other players who took their seats in the $1,675 WSOP Circuit Main Event at IP Casino Resort and Spa in Biloxi, MS.

The victory marked his record-tying fifth WSOP Circuit win and second Main Event championship and awarded the young pro $107,992, his second six-figure cash on the Circuit.

“It feels good and it hasn’t taken that long,” Cartwright said of winning number five. “It’s been about two years and I hope to get a lot more in the next few years. If someone gets six, I want seven. Whatever the record is, I want it.”

Joining Cartwright at the final table were Casino Champion contenders John Dolan and Cory Wood. Wood began the day as the leader in the race to the season-ending championship in New Orleans, but if he finished sixth and Dolan finished runner-up, Wood would lose the honors to Dolan. With the elimination of Dennis Pasentine in sixth, Wood could breathe a sigh of relief as he was then guaranteed the first seat in the WSOP National Championship. Dolan, who had a phenomenal series in his own right, recorded first and third place finishes but came up short of locking up a seat.

“Me and Dolan are actually buddies,” Cartwright said. “He’s one of the best players I know for sure. He’s taught me a lot and was helping me on break. He’s a fantastic player and has had an insanely good past few years.”

Cartwright’s win propelled him into a tie for all-time WSOP Circuit championships with Mark “Pegasus” Smith. Smith, a competitor in his own right, was monitoring the action closely from home.

“I couldn’t be more pleased it was him.” Smith said of Cartwright joining him at the top. "He is not only a really nice guy but a wonderful player. I’m flattered to be in such good company. These young guys play two to three times the stops I do and I’m sure over time I will be passed up, but from 2009 to now I have either been tied or held the world record in rings. How blessed am I?”

Smith also made it clear he previously had no intentions of attending the WSOP Circuit at Horseshoe Bossier City later next month, but in light of Cartwright's winning ways he now plans to make a trip to Louisiana. That series gets underway on September 13th.

The Main Event (officially listed as Event #10) was a three-day $1,500 (+$165) No-Limit Hold’em tournament that attracted 300 entrants.

Both starting flights began Saturday, August 18. Cards were in the air for Flight A at 12 p.m. local time and for Flight B at 5 p.m. Flight A attracted 192 entrants and Flight B drew 108. The total prize pool came to $450,000 and the top 30 finishers were paid. 

Some of the notable players to cash in the Main Event included Ryan Tepen (27th), Robert Castoire (26th), David Nicholson (20th), Claudia Crawford (18th), Ryan Lenaghan (13th), Charles Moore (12th), Rex Clinkscales (11th), Wood (4th) and Dolan (3rd). All players who cashed received WSOP Circuit National Championship ranking points used to qualify for a seat in the season-ending championship to be held in New Orleans May 21-23, 2013.

A full list of players who cashed in the Main Event can be seen on WSOP.com. 

Here are the final table results from the IP Biloxi Main Event:

1st: Kyle Cartwright - $107,992

2nd: Brad Johnson - $66,744
3rd: John Dolan - $48,429
4th: Cory Wood - $35,730
5th: Jesus Cabrera - $26,798
6th: Dennis Pasentine - $20,421
7th: Tony Hatley - $15,804
8th: Peter Shashy - $12,420
9th: Patrick Eskandar - $9,909