FOXWOODS CASINO - HUB

This is the central page for information about the ongoing WSOP Circuit series at Foxwoods Casino. Check back here daily for updated schedule and results.

27 August 2018 (Mashantucket, CT) On Monday Afternoon/evening two of the biggest events of the series concluded. The Main Event and HIgh Roller both wrapped up. For a full recap and winner story, please see the links below under the "completed events" section.

At the time of this post, the final event of the series, Event #13 ($400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack) is on the money bubble with 37 players remaining. They will play it out likely into the early hours of the morning at which point, the final Circuit ring winner of the series will be crowned, and the title of Casino Champion will be determined.


Completed Events

Event #1: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Re-entry - Vittorio Faricelli defeats 113 entries to win $11,187
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results

Event #2: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Multi-Flight - Alex Jim defeats 1,560 entries to win $134,570
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results

Event #3: $250 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - Matthew Deterra defeats 360 entries to win $16,560
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results

Event #4: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Semi-Turbo - Eric Frank defeats 275 entries to win $90,750
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results

Event #5: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack - David Larson defeats 461 entries to win $32,708
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results

Event #6: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack - Justin Carey defeats 127 entries to win $18,313
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results

Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - John Caputo defeats 139 entries to win $12,260
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results

Event #8: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha - Greg Himmelbrand defeats 74 entries to win $8,303
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results

Event #9: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max - Christopher Leong defeats 158 entries to win $22,784
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results

Event #10: $1,7000 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - Gordon Wilcox defeats 519 entries to win $169,052
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results

Event #11: $250 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - Timothy Guilford defeats 226 entries to win $11,300
Official Report |Winner Photo | Results

Event #12: $3,250 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller - Brock Wilson defeats 58 entries to win $65,250
Official Report | Winner Photo| Results

Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack - Martinho Camara defeats 337 entries to win $25,579
Official Report | Winner Photo| Results


Casino Champion Update

Vittorio Faricelli is officially the Foxwoods Casino Champion with 87.5 points. Faricelli won Event #1 ($400 No-Limit Hold'em) giving him 50 points alone and then took 2nd in Event #9 ($600 Six Max) for 37.5 additional points. Those two big scores were enough to win the free seat into the Global Casino Championship event at the end of the season. Congratulations for Vittorio on a job well done. 




About the Winners

Event #1 ($400 No-Limit Hold'em) - Vittorio Faricelli 

After a relatively short Day 2, Vittorio Faricelli claimed the first World Series of Poker Circuit ring of the Foxwoods Series after taking down Event #1 ($400 No-Limit Hold'em) for $11,187.

In March of this year Vittorio Faricelli nearly won his first World Series of Poker Circuit ring after taking second place in the $365 No-Limit Hold’em Circuit event at Harrah’s in Atlantic City. Now, he officially has closed the deal after securing the first place he had been searching for.

Faricelli greatly attributes maintaining a positive attitude to his success in poker, “Everybody goes through ups and downs in life. It’s important to have gratitude to help you power through the rough times. After the thunderstorms comes the sunshine.”

Faricelli is also a newlywed, having married his partner Pamela in May of this year. “I am running great in poker and life,” Faricelli concluded with a smile.  

Stats:
Age: 32
Birthplace: Brooklyn, NY
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Profession: Real Estate Broker
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 0

Event #2 ($600 No-Limit Hold'em Multi-Flight) - Alex Jim 

Alex Jim has defeated 1,560 players in the Foxwoods $600 Multi-Flight Event #2 to take home $134,570 and his first World Series of Poker Circuit ring.

Jim has had a lot of success in recent years, playing mostly here on the East Coast and in Las Vegas, but this score at Foxwoods has more than doubled his lifetime earnings, and ensured his rank among the top earners here in Mashantucket.

When asked how Jim feels about winning he had this to say, “I’ve been grinding hard for a few years now, mostly online. I started transitioning to playing a lot more live poker as of recently and it’s nice to finally close one out and get a nice result and decent score after getting close so many times.”

Jim plans to capitalize on his early-series success by playing additional events in hopes to secure the title of Foxwoods Casino Champion and earn himself a seat into the Global Casino Championship bracelet event at the end of the Circuit season.

Stats:
Age: 26
Birthplace: Brooklyn, NY
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Profession: Poker Player
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 0

Event #3 ($250 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo) - Matthew Deterra

Matthew Deterra has not only obtained his first ever World Series of Poker cash in Event #3 at the Foxwoods Circuit stop, but he also is taking home his first gold Circuit ring, along with $16,560. Deterra defeated a field of 360 players and played well into the wee hours of the morning where he ultimately defeated previous Foxwoods Circuit ring winner Dan Chalifour to take home the title.

Deterra used to play online a great deal, but since getting married to his wife Cortney, and having two beautiful children; Brielyn and Brady, Deterra’s priorities have changed, and he focuses more on work and family. He works as a software developer and only plays poker about once a month.

When asked if he will continue to chase Casino Champion points at this stop, Deterra firmly declined, “I am taking my family to Disney World for the first time on Thursday. That will be more fun.”

Stats:
Age: 33
Birthplace: East Freetown, MA
Hometown: New Bedford, MA
Profession: Software Developer
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 0

Event #4 ($400 No-Limit Hold'em Semi-Turbo) - Eric Frank

Eric Frank secured his first World Series of Poker Circuit ring after besting a field of 275 players in the $400 No-Limit Hold’em Semi-Turbo event at Foxwoods for $90,750.

Frank is a school teacher from Hartford, CT who has really capitalized on his summer vacation from school by going on a wild heater in poker. Leading up this even, Frank had more than doubled his total lifetime poker earnings in the last three months alone after many deep runs at casinos here on the east coast. This win will once again more than double that total.

Frank also won not one but two $10,000 seats into the 2018 World Series of Poker Main Event, one of them right here in the Foxwoods Satellite held in June. Frank played one of the seats and gifted another to a friend. Frank made it all the way to Day 3 of the Main Event but ultimately finished just shy of the money.

“It’s hard during the school year to play much poker, so I really dedicated this summer to playing, and I was fortune to have some success,” a very humble Frank concluded.

Stats:
Age: 52
Birthplace: Newington, CT
Hometown: Hartford, CT
Profession: Teacher
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 0

Event #5 ($400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack) - David Larson

David Larson is the newest World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner after taking down the $400 No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack event at Foxwoods Casino for $32,708.

Larson is a resident of Las Vegas, NV and decided to travel to Foxwoods somewhat on a whim. “I had never played here before,” Larson explained, “ I wanted to come here because after the summer WSOP, there really weren’t any other fun tournaments to play in town. So I decided to make the trip out here.”

When asked if he would return, he enthusiastically confirmed, saying that Foxwoods is beautiful and that he would definitely come back here. His original plan was to only stay a few days, but given the fact that he is now in the lead for the Casino Champion seat up for grabs, he said he is strongly considering re-working his plans, and potentially staying to play additional events.

This is the first Circuit ring for the professional poker player. “I used to be a Business Analyst, now I play poker for a living. I guess you could say I am, ‘Fun-employed.’”

Stats:
Age: 47
Birthplace: Milwaukee, WI
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Profession: Poker Player
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 0

Event #6 ($600 No-Limit Hold'em) - Justin Carey 

Justin Carey is the newest World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner after taking down the $600 No-Limit Hold’em Foxwoods Event #6 for $18,313, and his first Circuit ring.

Carey turned 21 years old just nine months ago and has managed to amass just under $30,000 in earnings prior to today’s win. His biggest score came this past summer when he placed 65th in the WSOP $1,500 Millionaire Maker tournament for $14,944. Today’s win surpassed that score and added an impressive $18,313 to his lifetime earnings.

Carey’s friend David Mock said that he is proud of him for getting this win under his belt, saying he shows so much potential this early on in his poker career.

Carey attributes focus to helping him win this tournament, “Just before the final table I was involved in a three-way all-in with pocket aces against ace-queen and a pair of nines. I lost that hand when the nines flopped a set, but I stayed focused and still got the job done despite the setback.”

Stats:
Age: 21
Birthplace: Somerville, MA
Hometown: Boston, MA
Profession: Poker Player
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 0

Event #7 ($400 No-Limit Hold'em) - John Caputo 

Foxwoods regular John Caputo has won his second World Series of Poker Circuit ring after taking down Event #7 ($400 No-Limit Hold’em) at Foxwoods Casino for $12,260.

Caputo came into Day 2 short stacked after getting his aces cracked twice at the end of Day 1.

“I was the chip leader yesterday and then I got my aces cracked two different times last night; once by kings, and the other time by pocket eights I believe. I don’t remember the exact hands, but it was frustrating to go from chip leader to the short stack coming into Day 2,” Caputo said. “Then I just grinded and grinded. To win it is unbelievable, really.”

Caputo is somewhat of a legend around Foxwoods, and the supporters showed up on his rail in droves. When asked if he had any wisdom or advice for his young followers Caputo said with a smile, “You gotta win it on the river.”

Caputo is very much a family man, and his wife can often be found sitting behind him while he plays here at Foxwoods. “I am just happy to have two rings now, one for each grandchild,” Caputo concluded.

Stats:
Age: 66
Birthplace: New Haven, CT
Hometown: East Haven, CT
Profession: Poker Player
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 1

Event #8 ($400 Pot-Limit Omaha) - Greg Himmelbrand 

Greg Himmelbrand is the newest member of the three World Series of Poker Circuit rings club after winning the only non-Hold’em event of the Foxwoods series, Event #8 ($400 Pot-Limit Omaha) for $8,303.

Himmelbrand says that he plays a lot of PLO cash, but rarely plays in tournaments. He decided to enter this one because he had already cashed deep in a few events this series and decided he wanted to go for the Casino Champion points. Himmelbrand held the chip lead coming into the final table and maintained it pretty much wire-to-wire. When it came down to the heads-up battle between him and Soheb Porbandarwala, Himmelbrand had to fight it out against a tough competitor for nearly two full hours before finally sealing the deal.

Himmelbrand won his first World Series of Poker Circuit ring in the 2015/2016 $365 No-Limit Hold’em Re-Entry tournament in Baltimore, MD for $82,864. His second ring came at one of the Circuit’s biggest stops where he took down the $580 One-Day No-Limit Hold’em tournament for $36,899. Today, he joins the elite club of three-ring winners and adds another $8,303 dollars to his nearly $1.7 million in lifetime earnings.

Stats:
Age: 36
Birthplace: Queens, NY
Hometown: Queens, NY
Profession: Poker Player
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 2

Event #9 ($600 No-Limit Hold'em Six Max) - Christopher Leong

Two years ago, Christopher ‘Chris’ Leong won his 3rd World Series of Poker Circuit ring in the $580 No-Limit Hold’em Six Max event at Foxwoods Casino for $19,665. Today, Leong won the same event (with a slightly higher $600 buy-in) to take home his 5th ring and $22,784.

Leong considers Foxwoods to be his home casino, and after this win two of his five total rings have been won right here on his home turf.

The dynamic of this event’s final table was somewhat different than any of the previous events of the series, mostly due to the tight race for Foxwoods Casino Champion. The winner of the Casino Champion race will be awarded a free seat into the 2018-2019 Global Casino Championship, a bracelet event that boasts a $1-million guaranteed prizepool.

“I definitely think that the Casino Champ race changed the dynamics of the final table,” Leong explained, “Especially for Vittorio (Faricelli – who finished 2nd) and Soukha (Kachittavong – who finished 3rd). They both really wanted the points, and Soukha also has a side bet to win a ring this series. For a lot of the players, it definitely seemed to be more about the points and the ring than about the actual money.”

Leong earned 50-points for this win, and with four more ring events to go, he is very much in the running for the Casino Champion title himself.

Stats:
Age: 26
Birthplace: Morristown, NJ
Hometown: New York, NY
Profession: Poker Player
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings:4

Event #10 ($1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event) - Gordon Wilcox 

Gordon Wilcox is the newest World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event winner after defeating 519 players to take home the Foxwoods title, his first WSOP Circuit ring, and $169,052.

Wilcox had to navigate through a very tough field to end up at the finish line of this event. Perhaps the most critical elimination of the tournament was that of Dylan Wilkerson. Wilkerson, a professional poker player with nearly $3-million in live earnings, was eliminated by Wilcox in 5th place when the two players with the biggest stacks sparred. Wilkerson had turned the nut straight against Wilcox’s two pair when they got it all-in, but the river gave Wilcox a full house to win the largest pot of the tournament, and eliminate Wilkerson in 5th place, for $42,459.

When Wilcox reached the heads-up portion of play against professional poker player Jason Bolton, he had his opponent 12.8 million in chips to Bolton’s 2.7 million. But Bolton would not go quietly. Bolton is a Circuit regular that won his first ring at Foxwoods in 2016. He then went on to take 15th place in the Global Casino Championship event in Cherokee, NC for just over $19,000. Bolton put up a strong fight for over a level before he was ultimately shoved 30 big blinds with ace-six, and was called by Wilcox holding ace-nine. Wilcox flopped a nine, Bolton turned a gutshot straight, but was unable to improve on the river and was eliminated in 2nd place ($104,576), making Wilcox the newest Foxwoods Main Event champion.  

Wilcox is a 60-year old restaurant owner from Boston, MA that says he very much enjoyed playing the event.  

“I feel happy. I guess I feel relieved, honestly,” Wilcox explained. “These guys ran a great tournament, they always do here at Foxwoods.  I have been playing here since day one, my players card starts with a zero. I have been coming here for 26 years. I played with a lot of big name players on their way up in the poker world.” 

Wilcox thanks his family and friends for their support.

“I really couldn’t have done this without the help of a special woman names Erin Ryan, and my family who works with me. Without all of those people I couldn’t play. They watch over and protect me,” Wilcox concluded with a smile.

In addition to the prize money and the Circuit ring, Wilcox has earned a free entry into the 2018/19 WSOP Global Casino Championship, a WSOP bracelet event featuring a $1,000,000 guaranteed prizepool.

The tournament started with 519 entries, and the top 54 made the money. Other players finishing in the money include Stephen Song (52nd place), Lowell Kim (34th place), previous Foxwoods Circuit Main Event champion Samuel Taylor (32nd place), Brock Wilson (26th place), Mark Perry (24th place), Nicholas Pupillo (14th place), Sean Kelly (7th place), and Dan Chalifour (4th place).

Official Final Table Results
1st place: Gordon Wilcox - $169,052 + 2019 GCC Seat
2nd place: Jason Bolton - $104,576
3rd place: Giuliano Lentini - $76,269
4th place: Dan Chalifour - $56,613
5th place: Dyland Wilkerson - $42,459
6th place: Emmanuel Okrah - $32,395
7th place: Sean Kelly - $25,161
8th place: Justin Carey - $19,657
9th place:Michael Deloge - $15,750

Main Event Live Updates
Main Event Results

Stats:
Age: 60
Birthplace: Boston, MA
Hometown: Boston, MA
Profession: Restaurant Owner
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 0

Event #11 ($250 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo) - Timothy Guilford

Timothy Guilford is the newest World Series of Poker Circuit Ring winner after taking down the second $250 No-Limit Hold’em tournament of the Foxwoods series for $11,300. Guilford defeated 226 other players on his way to the victory.

“I’m mostly in shock right now. I late reg’ed and within the first level I played I was down to ½ starting stack. But then I was able to build back and it was fairly stress free until the final table,” Guilford said about his journey.

Once they reached the unofficial final table of ten, two players were eliminated relatively quickly. But play really slowed down after that and they were 8-handed for nearly three full hours. After 8th place was eliminated, it moved rather quickly again given the short stacks of the remaining players.

“When we got down to three handed I lost a big all-in flip with pocket threes to ace-ten and I was left with just over one big blind. I had 105,000 at 40,000/80,000, with a 10,000 ante. I shoved blind and didn’t look until the river. I was called by a player holding ace-eight, and knew the board ran out K-J-10-6-A. I turned over my first card, which was a ten, and the second one was a king,” Guilford said excitedly. He then won a few more all-ins, and the rest is history.

This is a big win for a player that says he mostly plays nightly events, and who prior to today had just $777 in total lifetime poker earnings.

Stats:
Age: 24
Birthplace: Lithuania
Hometown: Avon, CT
Profession: Hotel Guest Services
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 0

Event #12 ($3,250 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller) - Brock Wilson 

Brock Wilson is now a first time World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner. Wilson won the $3,25 High Roller event at Foxwoods casino, earning $65,250.

It was a tough journey to the final table for Wilson who had lost a big hand against Galen Hall with ten players remaining. Wilson said he made an "ambitious play,” when he four-bet shoved all-in with J-10 off suit, ran into Hall’s ace-king, and was left with less than ten big blinds. He then climbed back to 85,000 but still came into the unofficial final table of nine as the shortest stack.

 Wilson said two of the most pivotal hands took place on the money bubble. One, when he doubled through Andrew Ostapchenko, and the other when he eliminated Ostapchanko in 7th place, with six places paid. After Wilson doubled with AK suited against Ostapchanko’s J8 suited, he was forced to call Ostapchanko’s shove in position with AJ off, a spot he didn’t love.

“I didn’t love the spot, because if I lose I am the short stack again. I called and won and that put me up to 400k, and then I slowly just won every pot I played after that,” Wilson explained.  

Wilson is a young poker player with his whole career ahead of him, but in one particular way he already feels as if he was able to get one of the monkeys off of his back by winning this tournament.

“It’s so nice to have redemption at Foxwoods because the last two final tables I’ve made here, I’ve been 2nd in chips with eight players left and lost with pocket kings. Once to pocket jacks, and once to AK suited to get eighth and eighth, and it sucked,” Wilson explained, “I was finally able to push through the bad luck.  Not only did I not get unlucky today, I also got very lucky, So, it was a good change of pace."

Wilson is not taking even one full day off to celebrate his victory, as he and fellow final-tablist Stephen Song are waking up early tomorrow morning and heading to Montreal for the WSOP Circuit series at Playground Poker. Wilson plans on playing the main, the high roller, and the super high roller while in Canada, and hopes the run good will continue on with him into International territory.

The Foxwoods High Roller tournament started with 58 entries, and the top 6 made the money. Here is a look at all of the players that made the money in this event:

1st Place – Brock Wilson – $65,250
2nd Place – Zach Donovan – $40,368
3rd Place – Yasin Ahmady – $20,448
4th Place – Stephen Song – $18,270
5th Place – Galen Hall – $13,398
6th Place – Vincent Moscati – $10,266

Stats:
Age: 24
Birthplace: New York City, NY
Hometown: Ardsley, NY
Profession: Poker Player
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 0

Event #13 ($400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack) - Martinho Camara

Martinho Camara is the final World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner for the 2018/2019 Foxwoods Circuit series. Camara won the $400 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack Event #13 to take home $25,579.

In the wee hours of the morning, after 19 straight hours of play, Foxwoods local Martinho Camara not only won his first World Series of Poker Circuit ring, but simultaneously received his first and only WSOP cash to date. 

Camara is not a new player to the game. He has over $121,000 in live earnings, with almost all of them here at Foxwoods and other area casinos. But, until this win he had never cashed in a World Series of Poker event.

Camara had a tough journey to the finish line. Not only did he have to defeat 336 other players on his way to the win, but the final table was one of the latest starting in WSOP Circuit history.  The unofficial final table of ten wasn’t reached until approximately 3:00 in the morning, after play had started at 11 a.m. the day prior.  And it took another 3 ½ hours to reach the conclusion, causing a few players at the table to term this event, “The Mini Marathon,” in reference to the WSOP Summer Marathon event

Stats:
Age: 32
Birthplace: Poker Player
Hometown: Providence, RI
Profession: Providence, RI
WSOP Bracelets: 0
Previous WSOP Circuit Rings: 0