Friday, April 8, 2016 1:40 AM Local Time
Event #9
No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 265
Prize Pool: $79,500
Maurice Hawkins becomes the 11th player in Circuit history to win five gold rings.
Council Bluffs, Iowa (April 7, 2016) -- Maurice Hawkins
has just become the 11th player in WSOP Circuit history to win five
career gold rings. He won his fifth career gold ring Thursday night in the
monster stack event at Horseshoe Council Bluffs. This is the first time
he has won at this property on the Circuit.
"I
am just happy to win a tournament. I haven't won a tournament in a long
time and I am really happy to get the good energy going before the World
Series starts up," said Hawkins.
Hawkins
said that he intends to play a full schedule of WSOP events this summer
in Las Vegas. He said he is going to play all of the 1k's and 3k's,
some of the 5k's, maybe the PLO championship and he also may try to get
into the high roller event depending on how things are going. A gold
bracelet is still missing from Hawkins' trophy case, but he has come
close on multiple occasions. In the 2014 series he recorded a 9th place
finish and a 12th place finish. He finished 9th in the Millionaire Maker
event for $128,150 and 12th in the Little One for One Drop for $40,666.
Both of those fields had over 4,400 entries.
Hawkins
lives in West Palm Beach, Florida, but was originally from St. Louis,
Missouri. His last gold ring before today's came at the West Palm Beach
Circuit stop at the Palm Beach Kennel Club. In 2014 he won the Palm
Beach Kennel Club's signature $580 Re-Entry event. He defeated a field
of 2,531 entries to earn $183,498. That ring led to a strong summer
series and he is hoping this gold ring has the same effect for 2016
summer series.
Hawkins
made his way out to Council Bluffs, Iowa for redemption. He played the
Horseshoe Baltimore Main Event and high roller event just last week and
was unhappy with his play. He came to Iowa to win, but first
made a pit stop back home in St. Louis to see his mother and sister.
"I
am just thankful that I can play poker for a living because there are a
lot of people struggling back where I'm from," said Hawkins. "I
think that gave me a lot of clarity and I think that it will propel me
for the rest of my life."
Hawkins
doesn't play on the Circuit as much as he used to. Since he doesn't
play full-time on the WSOP Circuit and sticks to mostly playing just
Main Events, he hasn't given himself much of a chance to earn a Global
Casino Championship seat. New to this year, any gold ring winner on the
season can buy-in to the Global Casino Championship if they aren't one
of the 100 players to earn a free seat. The buy-in is $10,000 and 100%
of it goes into the prizepool. Zero dollars in rake are taken from the
tournament. Hawkins was thrilled to find out that he has this option and
intends to buy-in to the 2016 Global Casino Championship. He still has a
shot to earn a free seat, but only if he can get hot at the end of the
season.
Hawkins
is staying the weekend to play in the Main Event and go after ring
number six. The monster stack marked Hawkins' 44th career WSOP cash. Of
those 44 cashes, 28 have come on the Circuit. This victory pushes
Hawkins' career WSOP tournament earnings over the $800k mark. Of all of
the five-time gold ring winners, (Kurt Jewell, Mark Smith, Vincent
Moscati and Kevin McColgan) he has the most in WSOP tournament earnings.
--------
Event #9 was the ninth of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit
schedule at the Horseshoe Council Bluffs series. The $365 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack tournament
attracted 265 players generating a $79,500 prize pool. The top 27 players were paid.
Day 1 began Wednesday at 12 p.m. and lasted 20 levels. Day 2
began Thursday at 2 p.m. with 27 players remaining. The tournament
concluded at about 10:20 p.m. Thursday near the end of Level 28.
Final table results:
1st: Maurice Hawkins - $19,477 + Circuit gold ring
2nd: JP Kolb - $12,035
3rd: Doc Hanson - $8,695
4th: John Haldie - $6,399
5th: Paul Cannova - $4,794
6th: Matthew Irwin - $3,653
7th: Craig Flyger - $2,830
8th: John Ross - $2,228
9th: David Gutfreund - $1,782
Complete results can be found above under the "Results" tab.Thursday, April 7, 2016 11:29 PM Local Time
JP Kolb shoves all-in on a board only to get snapped by Maurice Hawkins (pictured).
Kolb shows for a straight, but Hawkins has the high end of the straight and shows . The river is the and Hawkins becomes the WSOP's most recent gold ring winner and wins $19,477. This marks Hawkins' fifth career Circuit gold ring. A full report on Hawkins' victory will be made available shortly.
Thursday, April 7, 2016 11:28 PM Local Time
JP Kolb was eliminated by Maurice Hawkins in second place. He earned $12,035 for his deep run.
Thursday, April 7, 2016 11:16 PM Local Time
Maurice Hawkins raises to 125,000 from the button and JP Kolb calls. The flop comes and Hawkins bets 85,000. Kolb calls and both players check the turn. The river brings the and Kolb bets 225,000. Hawkins calls.
Hawkins shows and Kolb mucks his hand. The majority of the pots in the past 10 minutes have been pushed toward Hawkins and and he is starting to wear down Kolb's stack.
Maurice Hawkins - 4,400,000
JP Kolb - 900,000
Thursday, April 7, 2016 10:42 PM Local Time
Doc Hanson moves all in for about 800,000 from the button. Maurice Hawkins is in the small blind. He thinks for about 5 seconds, then announces a call. JP Kolb quickly folds, and the all-in players turn over their cards.
Hawkins:
Hanson:
Hawkins is in good shape with his aces, and the board offers Hanson no help. It comes out . Hawkins makes a straight on the turn, leaving Hanson drawing to a chop, and the eight on the river secures the pot for Hawkins.
Hanson is eliminated in third place, earning $8,695. Hawkins and Kolb are now heads up for the ring. Hawkins holds the chip advantage (about 3-2) as heads-up play begins.
Maurice Hawkins - 3,250,000
JP Kolb - 2,050,000
Charles "Doc" Hanson - Eliminated
Thursday, April 7, 2016 10:28 PM Local Time
Level: 28
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 5,000
Thursday, April 7, 2016 9:31 PM Local Time
The three remaining players are now headed on a one hour dinner break.
Thursday, April 7, 2016 9:21 PM Local Time
Maurice Hawkins raises to 90,000 on the button, and Charles 'Doc' Hanson shoves all in from the big blind. Hawkins pauses for a moment, and then announces a call.
Hawkins:
Hanson:
"Dealer put a queen or jack out there for me," Hanson says. The flop comes , giving Hanson a pair of jacks. The turn and river are safe for Hanson and he is awarded a full double up.
Charles Hanson - 835,000
Maurice Hawkins - 2,300,000
Thursday, April 7, 2016 8:44 PM Local Time
Level: 27
Blinds: 20,000/40,000
Ante: 5,000
Thursday, April 7, 2016 8:43 PM Local Time
John Haldie (pictured) raises to 130,000 from the cutoff. Play folds around to Maurice Hawkins in the big blind and he three-bets to 230,000. Haldie announces "all-in" and Hawkins quickly calls. The players table their hands.
Hawkins:
Haldie:
The board runs out . Haldie is not able to crack Hawkins' kings and he is eliminated from the tournament in 4th place. Haldie is a retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant. This marks his first career WSOP cash.
Maurice Hawkins - 2,400,000 (60 bbs)
John Haldie - Eliminated
Thursday, April 7, 2016 8:10 PM Local Time
John Haldie raises to 100,000 in the cutoff, and JP Kolb calls on the button. Paul Cannova says, "I'm gonna look just for fun," as he glances at his cards and then moves his remaining 100,000 chip forward.
Both players check down the board.
Cannova turns over , Haldie shows , and Kolb mucks his cards. Haldie will take it down with his pair of fives, eliminating Cannova in 5th place.
John Haldie - 950,000
Paul Cannova - Eliminated
Thursday, April 7, 2016 8:09 PM Local Time
JP Kolb limps from the cutoff. Paul Cannova limps from the small blind and Matthew Irwin (pictured) moves all-in for about 600,000 from the big blind. Kolb calls and Cannova folds. The hands are turned over.
Kolb:
Irwin:
The board runs out and Kolb's ace-king holds up to eliminate Irwin. Irwin pockets $3,653 for his final table finish.
JP Kolb - 2,600,000
Matthew Irwin - Eliminated
Thursday, April 7, 2016 7:59 PM Local Time
John Haldie shoves all in for 350,000 on the button. JP Kolb pauses in the big blind and announces that he is all in. Charles Hanson folds his big blind.
"I have a crappy hand, I was just trying to isolate us man," Kolb says as he turns over . Haldie shows .
The board runs out , awarding Haldie a full double up.
"I would have won if I played that hand, I folded ," Hanson tells the table.
John Haldie - 760,000
JP Kolb - 2,000,000
Thursday, April 7, 2016 7:58 PM Local Time
Level: 26
Blinds: 15,000/30,000
Ante: 4,000
Thursday, April 7, 2016 7:40 PM Local Time
Play will resume in 15 minutes.
Thursday, April 7, 2016 7:38 PM Local Time
Maurice Hawkins opens to 58,000 in the cutoff, and Craig Flyger shoves all in from the small blind for 450,000. JP Kolb reshoves over the top from the big blind, and Hawkins folds.
Flyger:
Kolb:
The flop comes , keeping Kolb in the lead. The turn maintains that lead, but gives Flyger a flush draw. Unfortunately for him, the river does not bring the flush, and he is eliminated in 6th place.
JP Kolb - 2,350,000
Craig Flyger - Eliminated
Thursday, April 7, 2016 6:49 PM Local Time
Level: 25
Blinds: 12,000/24,000
Ante: 4,000
Thursday, April 7, 2016 6:46 PM Local Time
JP Kolb limps in from early position, and John Ross (pictured) shoves all in from the small blind.
"What is that, about 270?" Kolb asks. "I don't even think it's that much, more like 250," Ross responds.
"I'll call," says Kolb.
Kolb:
Ross:
The flop comes , giving Kolb the lead with his pair of tens. That lead is increased further when the comes on the turn giving him trip tens. The river is the , and Ross is eliminated in 8th place, taking home $2,228.
JP Kolb - 1,400,000
John Ross - Eliminated
Thursday, April 7, 2016 6:38 PM Local Time
Dave Gutfreund shoves all in from the cutoff, and Craig Flyger shoves all in over the top from the small blind. The big blind folds.
Gutfreund:
Flyger:
The flop comes , giving Gutfreund the lead with his pair of queens, but giving Fylger the nut flush draw as well.
Fortunately for Gutfreund, the turn and river are safe, and he is awarded a full double.
Dave Gutfreund - 195,000
Craig Flyger - 725,000
Thursday, April 7, 2016 6:18 PM Local Time
Maurice Hawkins raises to 55,000 in the cutoff and Craig Flyger shoves all in on the button. Julian Black shoves all in for less in the small blind, and it folds back around to Hawkins who thinks for a minute before releasing his hand.
"Do you have a pair?" asks Black. Flyger turns over . Black exhales audibly and turns over .
The board runs out eliminating Black in 12th place.
Craig Flyger - 690,000
Julian Black - Eliminated