Ring Event #1: $365 No-Limit Hold'em

Event #1
No-Limit Hold'em
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 461
Prize Pool: $138,300

John Mason wins the opening event of the Harrah's Cherokee Series and pockets nearly $30,000.

Cherokee, N.C. (April 15, 2016) -- John Mason Jr. won his first career gold ring by defeating 461 players in the opening event of the 2016 Harrah's Cherokee April series. Last year Mason came close to getting a ring here. He recorded a 5th place finish in Event #5 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em for his largest WSOP cash at the time. This time Mason won and earned not only the gold ring, but also a cash prize of $29,743, which is now his largest ever WSOP cash.

"It's pretty incredible," said Mason about winning his first gold ring. "It's been my goal."

Mason entered the final table fourth in chips. His only focus going in was to win the gold ring. Laddering up the pay jumps was of no concern to him. Mason said that winning the gold ring would offer him vindication that he was good at the game. Mason also admitted that he wasn't the best player at the final table.

"I knew that I was not the best player at the [final] table. There were strong players at the table." said Mason. "All 11 players were good."

Day 2 began with 11 players remaining, but lost five in the first level of play. The first player eliminated on Day 2 was Brandon Newsome. Newsome arguably had the best WSOP resume entering Day 2 with one gold ring and 22 Circuit cashes to his name. He began the day as the second shortest stack and went out on one of the first hands of Day 2.

Mason is a retired HVA installer and foreman. He worked on skyscrapers in Atlanta. According to Mason, one reason he is already retired at the age of 62-years-old is because he is heavily invested in the stock market and has made money there. He compared poker to the stock market by saying that money management is important in both.

"It's about gambling. You have to gamble, but you don't want to be careless. You want to do it based upon the knowledge you have gained," said Mason about comparing poker to the stock market.

Mason has already won a seat to this weekend's $500k re-entry event from a $65 satellite that he played in this morning. He will be playing in tomorrow's Flight D, which is the final starting flight of the tournament. He also said he may play in next week's $1 million guaranteed Main Event.

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Event #1 was the first of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at the Harrah's Cherokee series. The $365 No-Limit Hold'em tournament attracted 461 players generating a $138,300 prize pool, which more than doubled the $50,000 guarantee. The top 54 players were paid.

Day 1 began Thursday at 11 a.m. and lasted 21 levels. Day 2 began Friday at 2 p.m. with 11 players remaining. The tournament concluded at about 5:50 p.m. Friday on the last hand of Level 25.

Final table results:

1st: John Mason Jr. - $29,743 + Circuit gold ring
2nd: Tass Robertson - $18,384
3rd: Joe Gregory - $13,430
4th: Raymond Chan- $9,956
5th: Nate Bandy - $7,488
6th: Dustin Smith - $5,712
7th: James Barker - $4,419
8th: Stephen Binkley - $3,467
9th: Ava Wilensky - $2,759

Tass Robertson (pictured) finished runner-up for $18,384. Robertson started the day last in chips with 11 players remaining. He held on all the way until second place before being knocked out by John Mason Jr.

Raymond Chan was eliminated in 4th place for $9,956. This marked his first career WSOP cash.

Eliminations continue to rack up quickly at the final table. Dustin Smith (pictured) has been eliminated in 6th place for $5,712. This marked the 25-year-olds first ever WSOP cash.

Ava Wilensky and Stephen Binkley (pictured) were the first two players eliminated from the final table. Wilensky finished 9th for $2,759 and Binkley finished 8th for $3,476.

Day 2 is now underway in Event #1. By the end of the night the first gold ring of the series will be awarded. Today's winner will earn $29,743, a WSOP Circuit gold ring and 50 Casino Championship points.

Here is a look at the chip counts to begin the day:

Day 1 of the opening event finished with just 11 players after starting the day with 461. The Day 2 restart is scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m. and will play until a winner is reached. Finishing Day 1 as the chip leader was Raymond Chan from Cookeville, Tennessee. This marks Chan's first career Circuit cash and he will be returning Friday in hopes of earning it his first gold ring as well.

Here is look at the Day 2 chip counts and seating assignments:

Event #1 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em drew a huge field and more than doubled the guarantee. The tournament drew 461 entries to generate a $138,300 prizepool. The tournament's champion will not only win the first gold ring of the series, but also $29,743 and 50 Casino Championship points. The top 54 players will earn a payday with a min cash being worth $531.

Here is a look at the final table payouts:

- Complete payouts can be found above under the "Prizepool" tab.

Day 1 is scheduled to last 21 levels. Day 2 will begin Friday at 2 p.m.

The Harrah's Cherokee Circuit series starts Thursday at 11 a.m. with Event #1 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em. Most ring events, including this one, are two days long. All gold ring events will award a WSOP gold ring to the winner and Global Casino Championship points for cashing players.

Here is a look at the tournament details for Event #1 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em:

11 a.m. - Event #1 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em

• Registration remains open until the start of Level 9 (3:30 p.m.)
• Re-entry is not allowed
  
• Players start with 10,000 tournament chips
• Blinds begin at 25/50
• Levels 1-12 are 30 minutes long, levels 13-21 are 40 minutes long and all remaining levels are 50 minutes long
  
• Day 1 is scheduled to play 21 levels
• There is a one hour dinner break after Level 12 (5:45 p.m.)
  
• Day 2 begins tomorrow at 2 p.m.