Monday, February 16, 2015 8:13 PM Local Time
Darryll Fish is the latest ring winner on the World Series of Poker Circuit. He emerged victorious from a tough field in Main Event at the Palm Beach Kennel Club, earning over $173,000 and the first signature win of his career.
It wasn’t an easy path to victory for Fish. His heads up opponent—Don Icawat—had been on a hot streak all day. Icawat started the final day of the tournament in a virtual tie for last place, but kept moving up the leaderboard as his opponents busted out, and eventually started heads-up play with only a slight chip deficit to Fish, who had been at or near the top of the chip counts since the end of Day 2. After only about half an hour of play, though, Fish held all the chips, and Icawat had to settle for second place ($107,075).
The rest of the final table offered more challenges. The third-place finisher, Nancy Nguyen ($78,222), was fresh off another final table performance. She finished in fourth place at the WSOP Circuit Main Event in Choctaw less than a month ago, and has over $200,000 in Circuit earnings from those two events. There were also two four-time ring winners in Sam Panzica (4th place, $57,988) and Maurice Hawkins (7th place, $25,736). Ninth place was Jonathan Gaviao, who’s had his fair share of success on the WSOP Circuit, including Casino Champion honors at Tunica last season and a runner-up finish in the Main Event at Caesars Palace less than a year ago.
Before this tournament, Fish had already amassed an impressive poker resume, including 24 WSOP cashes and over $1.4 million in live earnings. However, his only live tournament win was a small turbo event, and finally earning a significant victory was a monkey off the back for Fish. “I’m not in the game for the titles,” he said after securing his victory, “but taking one down is a really satisfying feeling, and even though I know I’m capable of winning, it’s nice to have that reinforced by actually doing it.”
Fish also emphasized that even though the ring is personally satisfying, in the big picture, it’s not going to change much for him. “I play for my love for the game, and the ability to earn a living doing it is something that I’m really fortunate to be able to do. So I’m gonna keep grinding, keep doing what I love. Nothing much will change.” This big picture perspective seems typical of Fish, something he emphasized with his choice of attire at the final table. “I’m wearing this shirt, it’s 'People over politics.' It’s an organization that’s about activism and revealing corruption, so I try to bring attention to things that help unite people, rather than divide them.”
The tournament started on Friday. There were two starting days. Day 1A attracted 289 entries, and Saturday’s Day 1B drew 248. The 537 total entries generated a prize pool of $805,500. Day 2 was played Sunday with 99 returning players. The top 54 were paid, with a minimum payout of $3,093.
The talented final table was a good representation of the field as whole. Players who made the money but were eliminated yesterday include Jason Mercier (30th, $4,712), 2010 November Niner John Dolan (24th, $6,267), WSOP bracelet winner Leo Wolpert (23rd, $6,267), and four-time ring winner Kevin McColgan (33rd, $4,164).
In addition to Darryll Fish’s prize money and the gold ring, he also receives a free entry into the 2015 WSOP National Championship. The dates and venue for National Championship will be announced soon. He’ll likely be joined in that event by Marshall White, who earned Casino Champion honors here at the Kennel Club.
Here are the final table results. Full results are available in the "Results" tab, above.
1 – Darryll Fish - $173,189
2 – Don Icawat - $107,075
3 – Nancy Nguyen - $78,222
4 – Sam Panzica - $57,988
5 – Daren Stabinski - $43,610
6 – Aaron Rosenthal - $33,267
7 – Maurice Hawkins - $25,267
8 – Hans Winzeler - $20,194
9 – Jonathan Gaviao - $16,070
Monday, February 16, 2015 7:18 PM Local Time
Darryll Fish limps from the button and Don Icawat raises to 160,000 from the big blind. Fish calls.
The flop comes and Icawat leads for 150,000. Fish calls and the turn brings the . Icawat bets 250,000 and Fish raises to 800,000. Icawat then moves all-in for 4,210,000. Fish has him slightly covered. Fish thinks for about five minutes and then calls. The cards are tabled.
Fish:
Icawat:
Fish is ahead going to the river, but Icawat still has a lot of outs. The river comes the and Fish wins the pot and the tournament. He earns $173,189 and a WSOP Circuit gold ring. He also receives a berth into the National Championship.
Icawat will take home $107,075 for his runner-up finish.
A full report on Fish's victory will be posted shortly.
Darryll Fish - 1st Place
Don Icawat - 2nd Place
Monday, February 16, 2015 6:57 PM Local Time
Darryll Fish limps from the button, and Don Icawat checks his big blind. The flop is , and Icawat checks. Fish bets 100,000, and Icawat calls. The turn is the , and Icawat leads out for 150,000. Fish calls, and the falls on the river. Icawat checks, and Fish bets 250,000. Icawat thinks for a minute, then calls.
Fish shows for a pair of tens, and Icawat mucks his cards.
Darryll Fish - 7,250,000 (90 BBs)
Don Icawat - 3,450,000 (43 BBs)
Monday, February 16, 2015 6:52 PM Local Time
Nancy Nguyen moves all-in from the small blind for 605,000. Don Icawat calls from the big blind and both players table their hands.
Icawat:
Nguyen:
The flop comes keeping Icawat in the lead. The turn brings the giving Nguyen an open-ended straight draw. The river comes the and Nguyen is eliminated from the tournament in third place, one spot better than her fourth place finish in the Choctaw Main Event just about one month ago.
Don Icawat - 4,700,000 (58 BBs)
Nancy Nguyen - Eliminated in 3rd Place
Monday, February 16, 2015 6:45 PM Local Time
Nancy Nguyen raises to 175,000 from the button, and Darryll Fish calls from the big blind. Fish checks the flop, and Nguyen bets 200,000. Fish check-raises to 425,000, and Nguyen folds.
On the next hand, Darryll Fish moves all in from the small blind. Nguyen is in the small blind, and she started the hand with about 1,050,000. She folds, and Fish wins the pot.
On the next hand, Fish raises from the button and wins the blinds and antes.
Monday, February 16, 2015 6:34 PM Local Time
Level: 30
Blinds: 40,000/80,000
Ante: 10,000
Monday, February 16, 2015 6:24 PM Local Time
Players are now on a break. Here are their current chip counts:
Darryll Fish - 5,030,000
Don Icawat - 4,235,000
Nancy Nguyen - 1,475,000
Monday, February 16, 2015 6:20 PM Local Time
Don Icawat limps from the button, and Darryll Fish calls from the small blind. Nancy Nguyen checks her option in the big blind, and all three players see the flop.
The dealer spreads , and all three players check. The turn is the , and Fish checks again. Nguyen bets 175,000, and Icawat raises to 350,000. Fish quickly folds, and Nguyen calls.
The river is the , and Nguyen checks. Icawat continues for 325,000. Nguyen thinks for a minute, then calls. Icawat shows for a set of sevens, and Nguyen mucks.
Don Icawat - 3,500,000 (58 BBs)
Nancy Nguyen - 1,650,000 (27 BBs)
Monday, February 16, 2015 6:11 PM Local Time
Don Icawat raises to 130,000 from the small blind and Darryll Fish calls in the big blind.
The flop comes . Icawat checks and Fish bets 140,000. Icawat calls and the turns is the . Both players check. The river brings the and Icawat leads for 350,000. Fish calls and Icawat shows . Fish mucks his hand.
Don Icawat - 3,500,000 (58 BBs)
Darryll Fish - 5,000,000 (83 BBs)
Monday, February 16, 2015 5:55 PM Local Time
Don Icawat raises to 130,000 from the small blind, and Sam Panzica calls from the big blind. The dealer spreads , and Icawat continues for 150,000. Panzica calls, and the turn is the . Icawat bets again, this time for 325,000. The river card is the , and Icawat bets another 325,000. Panzica announces he's all in, and Icawat quickly calls. Panzica turns over for a pair of eights, and Icawat tables for a flush.
Sam Panzica is eliminated in fourth place for $57,988.
Don Icawat - 3,500,000 (58 BBs)
Sam Panzia - Eliminated
Monday, February 16, 2015 5:46 PM Local Time
Don Icawat raises to 150,000 from the button, and Darryll Fish three-bets to 375,00 from the big blind. Icawat calls, and the flop is . Fish checks, and Icawat moves all in.
Fish goes into the tank. After a couple minutes, he asks for an exact count of Icawat's all-in bet, which turns out to be 635,000. He reluctantly calls, and Icawat turns over for the nut straight. Fish shows .
The turn is the , and the river is the . Icawat makes an unnecessary seven-card straight and doubles up.
Don Icawat - 2,100,000 (35 BBs)
Darryll Fish - 5,000,000 (83 BBs)
Monday, February 16, 2015 5:23 PM Local Time
Sam Panzica limps from the small blind, and Darryll Fish checks his option in the big blind. The flop is , and both players check. The turn is the , and Panzica bets 70,000. Fish calls, and the river brings the . Panzica continues for 175,000. Fish calls, and the hands are tabled.
Panzica:
Fish:
Darryll Fish wins the pot with his two pair, sevens and threes.
Darryll Fish - 5,200,000 (86 BBs)
Sam Panzica - 1,500,000 (25 BBs)
Monday, February 16, 2015 5:06 PM Local Time
Level: 29
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Ante: 10,000
Monday, February 16, 2015 5:05 PM Local Time
Don Icawat limps from the small blind and Sam Panzica checks in the big blind.
The flop comes and Icawat checks. Panzica bets 55,000 and Icawat calls. The turn brings the and Icawat checks again. Panzica bets 135,000 and Icawat calls. The river is the and Icawat checks. Panzica bets around 700,000 on the river. Icawat folds and the pot goes to Panzica. Icawat is getting short.
Sam Panzica - 2,200,000 (44 BBs)
Don Icawat - 775,000 (15 BBs)
Monday, February 16, 2015 4:49 PM Local Time
Darryll Fish raises to 100,000 from the button. Nancy Nguyen calls from the small blind and Don Icawat calls from the big blind. The flop is , and action checks around to Fish. He continues for 125,000. Nguyen raises to 400,000, and both other players fold.
Nancy Nguyen - 2,000,000 (40 BBs)
Darryll Fish - 4,600,000 (92 BBs)
Monday, February 16, 2015 4:31 PM Local Time
Daren Stabinski raises to 100,000 from the small blind, and Darryll Fish calls from the big blind.
The flop is , and Stabinski continues for 125,000. Fish thinks for a minute, then raise to 255,000. Stabinski moves all in, and Fish calls.
Fish:
Stabinsksi:
Both players flopped a pair, but Fish is ahead with his pair kings. The falls on the turn, and Stabinski adds an inside-straight draw. But the river is the , a complete blank, and Fish wins the pot.
Daren Stabinski finishes in 5th place, earning $43,610.
Darryll Fish - 4,550,000 (91 BBs)
Daren Stabinski - Eliminated
Monday, February 16, 2015 4:19 PM Local Time
Darryll Fish raises to 100,000 from the button, and Nancy Nguyen calls from the small blind. Don Icawat folds his big blind, and Fish and Nguyen see the flop heads up.
The flop comes , and both players check. The turn is the . and both players check again. The river is the , and Nguyen checks a third time, Fish bets 250,000, and Nguyen goes into the tank. After about two minutes, she calls, and Fish turns over . Nguyen mucks, and Fish wins the pot.
Darryll Fish - 4,300,000 (86 BBs)
Nancy Nguyen - 1,400,000 (28 BBs)
Monday, February 16, 2015 4:07 PM Local Time
Don Icawat raises to 125,000 from the small blind. Aaron Rosenthal moves all-in for about 675,000 from the big blind. Icawat calls and the cards are tabled.
Icawat:
Rosenthal:
The flop comes and Icawat's pair of sixes are still in the lead. The turn is the and the river brings the . Icawat takes the pot and knocks out Rosenthal.
Don Icawat - 1,700,000 (34 BBs)
Aaron Rosenthal - Eliminated in 6th Place
Monday, February 16, 2015 4:01 PM Local Time
Some of the shorter stacks are getting aggressive and moving in a lot.
Here are the first six hands after the break.
Hand 1: Darryll Fish raises to 100,000 from the cutoff and everyone else folds.
Hand 2: Aaron Rosenthal moves all in for a little more than 600,000 from the small blind, and wins the blinds and antes.
Hand 3: Sam Panzica raises to 100,000 from th small blind, and Daren Stabinski calls from the big blind. The flop is , ad Panzica continues for 55,000. Stabinski folds.
Hand 4: Sam Panzica raises to 100,000 from the button, and Darryll Fish calls from the big blind. Both players check all the way as the board rolls out . Fish shows and wins the pot.
Hand 5: Daren Stabinski moves all in from the button and wins the blinds and antes.
Hand 6: Daren Stabinski moves all in from the small blind and wins the blinds and antes.
Monday, February 16, 2015 3:50 PM Local Time
Level: 28
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 5,000