Tuesday, February 21, 2017 8:05 PM Local Time
Event #1
No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 1,498
Prize Pool: $449,400
Nate Bandy wins his fourth gold ring and largest WSOP score ever in the Rio Circuit's opening event.
LAS VEGAS (February 21, 2017) -- The World Series of Poker Circuit went 12 seasons without seeing a player win four gold rings in a single season. Now, in less than a 10 day span, two players have won their fourth gold rings of the season.
Retired professional football player Nate Bandy has just defeated a 1,498-player field in the opening event of the Rio Circuit to earn $75,364 and win his fourth Circuit gold ring of the 2106/2017 season. It came just nine days after Trinidad and Tobago's Martin Ryan accomplished the same feat at the West Palm Beach Circuit stop.
"It feels great," said Bandy about winning his fourth gold ring. "With this being a 1,500-player field, and it is the biggest payout of all of them. This is the best feeling one."
Bandy's performance on the Circuit this season has been one of the best of all-time, and he has done it despite playing a limited tournament schedule. Bandy mostly sticks to playing cash games, and when he does play Circuit series' he often skips the weekend events to be able to attend his son's basketball games instead. Bandy's season resume includes seven cashes, and four gold rings for $135,310 in tournament earnings.
Bandy's success of finishing tournaments is what sets him apart from the other competitors. Many players have more Circuit final tables than Bandy, but none other than Ryan, can boast four gold rings. Bandy can attribute the success of finishing tournaments to the fact that he gets stronger the longer he plays with the same opponents. He said that one strength of his game is people reading. The longer he plays with the same opponent, the more his edge increases. That leads him to being one of the strongest players at the table as the tournament winds down.
Bandy entered the final table fourth in chips. His mentality entering the final day of play revolved 100% around winning the tournament. He stayed patient early on at the final table and built a tight image. He said that image really paid off later as he was able to steal a lot of pots.
"At the end when I raised, I had a table image built up. I just got away with stealing so much at the end when I didn't have anything. I built up a 'he ain't playing, unless he's got it,' image," said Bandy.
Bandy stressed how important table image and patience is to his game plan. Part of his strategy also revolves around avoiding people until he has a strong read on them.
Bandy didn't say he had any celebrations in store for this victory. It's straight back to business and the chase of ring number five for Bandy. His first shot at his fifth ring of the season will be in one of tomorrow's events. Then he is flying back home to Chattanooga, Tennessee on Thursday.
How is Bandy going to win his fifth gold ring?
"Just go with my reads, that's how I am going to get number five," said Bandy.
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Event #1 was the first of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at the Rio in Las Vegas. The $365 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry tournament attracted 1,498 players generating a $449,400 prize pool. The top 151 players were paid.
The tournament featured six starting flights. Flights A and B were on Friday, Flights C and D were Saturday and the final two flights were on Sunday. There were 98 players that advanced to Monday's Day 2. Play stopped on Day 2 once the final table was reached. The final nine players returned for Day 3 Tuesday at 1 p.m. and the tournament concluded at 7:30 p.m.
Final table results:
1st: Nate Bandy - $75,364 + Circuit gold ring
2nd: Kainalu McCue-Unciano - $46,870
3rd: Paul Cogliano - $34,347
4th: Jeffrey Sager - $26,112
5th: Gregory Fils - $19,878
6th: Doug Lee - $15,309
7th: Irene Carey - $11,928
8th: James Hoeppner - $9,400
9th: Bohr He - $7,495
Complete results can be found above under the "Results" tab.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 7:54 PM Local Time
Nate Bandy (pictured) has just won the opening event at the Rio World Series of Poker Circuit. Bandy bested 1,498 players in the $365 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry event to pocket $75,364 and earn his fourth WSOP Circuit gold ring of the season. He also earns 50 Casino Championship points for his victory, but doesn't need them since he has already qualified for the 2017 Global Casino Championship for winning the Casino Championship at Horseshoe Southern Indiana earlier this season.
A full report on Bandy's win will be made available shortly. In the meantime, here's a look at the final table results:
1st: Nate Bandy - $75,364 + Circuit gold ring
2nd: Kainalu McCue-Unciano - $46,870
3rd: Paul Cogliano - $34,347
4th: Jeffrey Sager - $26,112
5th: Gregory Fils - $19,878
6th: Doug Lee - $15,309
7th: Irene Carey - $11,928
8th: James Hoeppner - $9,400
9th: Bohr He - $7,495
Complete results can be found above under the "Results" tab.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 7:22 PM Local Time
Paul Cogliano was eliminated in 3rd place for $34,347, leaving Nate Bandy and Kainalu McCue-Unciano heads up for the gold ring. This marked Cogliano's 25th career WSOP cash. Cogliano's biggest WSOP cash came in 2014 when he finished in 3rd place in a $1,000 no-limit hold'em event at the Rio summer series.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 6:14 PM Local Time
New Orleans native Jeff Sager has been eliminated in 4th place for $26,112. This marked Sager's 11th career WSOP cash. It also was his largest career WSOP cash.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 6:05 PM Local Time
Gregory Fils has hit the rail in 5th place for $19,878. The marked Fils' third career WSOP cash and second on the Circuit.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 5:21 PM Local Time
Doug Lee has been eliminated in 6th place. Lee, a two-time gold winner, will go home with $15,309. This marked Lee's 17th career WSOP cash and eighth career final table.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 4:54 PM Local Time
Irene Carey
Irene Carey was just eliminated in seventh place, earning $11,928.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 3:11 PM Local Time
James Hoeppner
James Hoeppner has been eliminated in eighth place, earning $9,400.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 1:48 PM Local Time
Bohr He
Bohr He is the first player eliminated from the final table. He finishes in 9th place for $7,495.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 1:11 PM Local Time
Doug Lee, who won the main event at the Rio the last time the Circuit stopped here,
is among the final tablists in Event #1.
Cards are in the air, and the final table is now officially underway.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 12:36 AM Local Time
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 12:26 AM Local Time
Kainalu McCue-Unciano
Day 2 is complete after the final table has been reached in the opening event of the series. The day began with 98 hopefuls and worked its way down to the final nine players after an 11-hour day of poker. The nine surviving players will return for Day 3 Tuesday at 1 p.m. to play for the gold ring and top prize of $75,364.
Heading into the final table tomorrow as the chip leader is Kainalu McCue-Unciano. McCue-Unciano bagged just over 3.3 million chips. He will be returning with 67 big blinds. Right behind McCue-Uncaino in the counts is two-time gold ring winner Doug Lee. Lee has won both of his gold rings in Las Vegas, including his first here at the Rio back in 2005.
Starting the final table fourth in chips is Nate Bandy. Bandy will have a chance to become the second player this season to win four gold rings. Bandy won three gold rings in less than a months time earlier this season.
Everyone returning tomorrow will be guaranteed at least the 9th place payout of $7,495. The full list of payouts can be found above under the "Prizepool" tab.
Final Table Chip Counts
- Day 3 will begin with 27 minutes remaining in Level 28: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante
Up-to-date results can be found above under the "Results" tab.
Monday, February 20, 2017 9:17 PM Local Time
Brian Hansen was eliminated in 20th place
The field is down to the final 18 players and the tournament staff is conducting the two-table redraw. As soon as they are done, cards will go in the air for the final 90 seconds of Level 25 and then players will head on a 15-minute break. The final 18 players are all guaranteed a payout of at least $4,061.
Mentioned from the previous post, Brian Hansen hit the rail in 20th place for $3,386 and Terry Fleischer was eliminated in 23rd place for $2,852. Fleischer began the day with the chip lead, but was not fortunate to make it to the final table and Day 3.
Half of the players remaining will go home tonight with a payout, and the other half will bag and return to play Day 3 tomorrow. The plans is to bag the final nine players once reached and then finish the tournament tomorrow.
Up-to-date results can be found above under the "Results" tab.
Monday, February 20, 2017 7:52 PM Local Time
Adam Ross
Players returned from dinner break and the field quickly shrunk to the final 27 players. The tournament staff conducted the three-table redraw and cards are now back in the air. There will be another redraw at 18 player and one last one at 10 players to determine the unofficial final table seating assignments.
The final 27 players are all guaranteed payouts of at least $2,427. Still in the hunt for the top prize of $75,364 and a WSOP Circuit gold ring are gold bracelet winner Ryan LaPlante, gold ring winners Doug Lee and Steve Foutty, James Hoeppner, Brian Hansen, Terry Fleischer and Adam Ross.
Monday, February 20, 2017 3:04 PM Local Time
Marshall White was Eliminated in 64th Place
After the first two hours on Day 2, there are now 63 players remaining, each of whom is guaranteed a payout of at least $1,173.
Results so far are posted to the
RESULTS tab, above.
Monday, February 20, 2017 1:13 PM Local Time
Day 2 of Event #1 got started just a few minutes ago. Play resumed with 28 minutes remaining in Level 17 (blinds 2,000/4,000 with a 500 ante), the point when Flight B halted Friday night.
The prizepool for the remaining 98 players has been announced. The winner will earn $75,364, and all remaining players are guaranteed a payout of at least $1,085.
Here are the final table payouts. A full payout structure is available in the PRIZEPOOL tab, above.
Monday, February 20, 2017 4:13 AM Local Time
Monday, February 20, 2017 4:11 AM Local Time
Ryan LaPlante
Gold bracelet winner Ryan LaPlante bagged as the final flight's chip leader. He managed to 422,500 chips in the bag, which puts him in second place overall heading into Monday's Day 2. Joining LaPlante from Flight F are 19 other players, including fellow gold bracelet winner Leo Wolpert and Circuit Main Event Winner Eric Blair.
A total of 98 players bagged over the course of the six starting flights. Everyone that has bagged and returning for Day 2 is guaranteed a minimum payout of $1,079. Day 2 is set to get underway Monday at 1 p.m. Action will begin with 28 minutes left in Level 17: 2,000/4,000 with a 500 ante
Top 10 Day 2 Chip Counts
- Complete Day 2 chip counts and seating assignments can be found above under the "Reports" tab.
Monday, February 20, 2017 3:37 AM Local Time
Flight F Payouts
*Empty places are from players who have yet to collect payout.
Monday, February 20, 2017 12:10 AM Local Time
Terry Fleischer
Flight E of Event #1 is done and there is a new chip leader in the tournament. Terry Fleischer bagged a stack of 458,000 chips to not only be the Flight E chip leader, but also become the tournament's overall chip leader through the first five starting flights. He surpassed Flight D's chip leader, Lawrence Robinson, for the tournament's overall lead. Robinson bagged 409,000 chips.
Flight E drew 434 entries and had 32 players survive all 18 levels. The 32 survivors will return tomorrow at 1 p.m. to join the surviving players from the other five starting flights for Day 2 of the tournament. As of now, everyone that has made it to Day 2 is guaranteed a payout of at least $1,079.
Top 10 Chip Counts From Flight E