Ring Event #1: No-Limit Hold'em Re-entry

Event #1
No-Limit Hold’em Re-Entry
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 2,211
Prize Pool: $663,300
October 15-18, 2015

Chicago-area property hosts Circuit for eighth-consecutive year. Opening event tops 2,000 entries.

Hammond, Ind. (October 19, 2015) — The World Series of Poker Circuit kicked off at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Ind. last Thursday marking the property’s eighth time to host a stop on the year-long tour. For the first time in the venue’s history, the opening $365 re-entry event boasted the addition of a third starting day and permitted unlimited re-entry. These factors helped the tournament draw a stout field of 2,211 entries and following four days of play, Illinois amateur Amanda Heidbrick walked with its top prize of $101,190.

“It feels great,” Heidbrick, a project manager, said. “I just felt I was running good on Friday and I was hoping to continue to run good.”

Run good she did. Heidbrick played with a fury and masterfully maneuvered her way through a tough field that included Brandon Newsome (fourth), Josh Turner (15th), Fadi Hamad (23rd), Cory Waaland (76th) and bracelet winner Aaron Wallace (84th). She put the finishing touches on her first tournament victory parlaying a final table chip lead into a gold ring and six-figure score. A tough test was made to look easy as the final table played well into the early morning hours of Monday before wrapping shortly before 7:30 a.m. local time.

“Long day,” a fatigued Heidbrick said as the morning sun shone bright over the nearby Chicago skyline.

The Circuit series at the Horseshoe is one of the highlights of each year’s schedule and the 2015/2016 installment is no exception. In addition to the massive re-entry opener, the 12-day event is headlined by a $5,300 high roller – the first of its kind in the Circuit’s modern era.

Additionally, the property’s $1,675 Main Event is always one to keep an eye on. Just two years ago, the championship came out of nowhere in a down poker economy drawing 1,717 entries – the largest finale in Circuit history – generating a prize pool of more than $2.5 million. Following four days of play, Pennsylvania amateur James Dorrance transformed his buy-in into nearly $420,000 and his first Circuit gold ring.

This year’s Main Event boasts the same $1,675 buy-in and the first of two starting flights begins Friday, October 23. With a pedigree like it has and headliners like the High Roller, the Circuit series at the Horseshoe has surely only scratched the surface in 2015.

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Event #1 was the first of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at the Horseshoe. The $365 re-entry event attracted 2,211 entries. The total prize pool came to $663,300 and the top 225 finishers were paid.

The tournament featured three starting flights beginning Thursday, October 15, Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17 at noon. Flight A drew 536 entries and advanced 64; Flight B, 675 and 86; Flight C, 1,000 and 113. Each starting flight logged 15 levels (roughly nine-and-a-half hours) of play.

Flight-by-flight breakdown:

The remaining 263 players merged for Day 2 Sunday, October 18 at 2 p.m. with just the top 225 finishing in the money. The bubble burst during Level 17 (at about 3:15 p.m.). From there, play narrowed to the nine-handed final table during Level 29 (at about 2:45 a.m.) and wrapped during Level 34 (at about 7:30 a.m.).

Final table results:

1st: Amanda Heidbrick - $101,190
2nd: Seth Michael - $62,708
3rd: Shane Thorne - $47,253
4th: Brandon Newsome - $36,084
5th: Justin Walker - $27,832
6th: Daniel Loizzo - $21,677
7th: Gregory Gugger - $17,047
8th: Russell Harriman - $13,538
9th: Mike Patterson - $10,858

It is just after 6:30 a.m. local time and the field is down to the final three players. Amanda Heidbrick retains her lead claiming 13,830,000 of the 22,110,000 chips in play. She's joined in the late stages of the tournament by Seth Michael (5,020,000) and Shane Thorne (3,260,000).

Here's a closer look at where players stand:

Three-handed chip counts

Amanda Heidbrick - 13,830,000 (69 bb)
Seth Michael - 5,020,000 (25 bb)
Shane Thorne 3,260,000 (16 bb)

Remaining payouts

1st - $101,190 + Circuit gold ring
2nd - $62,708
3rd - $47,253

Updated 10-handed results

4th: Brandon Newsome - $36,084
5th: Justin Walker - $27,832
6th: Daniel Loizzo - $21,677
7th: Gregory Gugger - $17,047
8th: Russell Harriman - $13,538
9th: Mike Patterson - $10,858
10th: Donald Kerr - $8,756

We will touch base with you again when we have a champion.

The final 41 players in Event #1 are in the midst of their 45-minute dinner break. Cards go back in the air shortly after 9 p.m. CT with each remaining having played their way to a guaranteed score of $1,983. Those players still in contention for the tournament's $101,190 top prize include Josh Turner, Brandon Newsome and Fadi Hamad.

Here's a look at some of the notable eliminations to this point:

-72nd: Pavlin Karakikov - $1,419
-76th: Cory Waaland - $1,293
-84th: Aaron Wallace - $1,187
-92nd: Daniel Gilmer - $1,088
-104th: Joe Hebda - $995
-119th: William Byrnes - $915
-143rd: Mark Fink - $915
-165th: Eli Loewenthal - $842
-187th: Jason Mayfield - $776
-199th: Victoria Harrell - $716

Up-to-date results from the event are available under the "Results" tab above.

Following less than 45 minutes of Day-2 play, the 263-player restart field is down to 227 and two away from the money. Tournament supervisor Eric Comer has instructed dealers to go hand-for-hand and they'll do so until the field is trimmed to the final 225.

Complete payout information is available under the "Prize Pool" tab above.

One notable absence during hand-for-hand play is that of three-time ring winner Josh Reichard. Reichard began the day sixth in the counts, but, according to tablemate Jason Mayfield, had his queens busted by    and his aces busted by pocket jacks. Reichard hit the rail just a few minutes ago officially putting his run at fourth career Circuit victory on hold.

A look at the first few in-the-money eliminations will be posted after the inevitable rush to the payout desk subsides.

Flight A chip leader Dan Loizzo retains his advantage as no one from Flight B or Flight C was able to catch him. Loizzo claims 348,000 chips and is one of just three players over the 300,000 mark. The others, Cobi Cobian and Jonathan DiMatteo, hold 329,500 and 319,600 respectively.

Top 10 Day 2 chip counts:

1. Dan Loizzo - 348,000
2. Cobi Cobian - 329,500
3. Jonathan DiMatteo - 319,600
4. Craig Welko - 255,500
5. Mike Patterson - 255,000
6. Josh Reichard d- 238,500
7. Aaron Wallace - 230,500
8. Mike Ratcliff - 230,500
9. Timothy Pirraglia - 213,000
10. William Kopp III - 210,500

Play begins at the start of Level 16 (500/1,500/3,000)

Complete chip counts and chip counts arranged by table/seat are available under the "Reports" tab above.

Action resumes today at 2 p.m. CT with just the top 225 players earning a payday. In addition to a $101,190 first prize, the tournament's winner earns a Circuit gold ring and takes the very early lead in the Casino Championship race.

We will touch base with you again when cards go in the air.

Level 15 came and went and Flight C of Event #1 is officially in the books. The remaining players are in the midst of the bagging process and when they're through they'll head home for a short break before returning for Day 2 tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT.

Complete, combined chip counts with Day 2 seating assignments will be posted at 8 a.m. Sunday.

Flight C Players are freshly back in their seats following the first break of the day. The clock reads an unofficial 813 entries thus far bringing the three-flight total to 2,024 -- comfortably ahead of last year's 1,959.

Late registration is available until just after 4:15 p.m. local time and complete prize pool information will be posted shortly after it closes. Stay tuned!

Tournament director Kevin Voshell announces the ceremonial shuffle up and deal and cards are in the air for Flight C of Event #1. The clock currently reads more than 400 entries with late registration open until 4:15 p.m. CT.

We will touch base with you again after the first break.

In the words of Joshua Turner, Josh Reichard was a beast. The three-time ring winner who hails from nearby Beloit, Wisc. leads the way as 86 advanced from 675 starting in yesterday's Flight B of Event #1, a $365 re-entry event with nine $1,675 Main Event seats added. Reichard transformed his 10,000-chip starting stack into an impressive 238,500 and is in front of second place William Kopp III (210,500) comfortably.

Those joining Reichard for Day 2 include Nadya Magnus (109,500), Turner (101,500), Joseph Hebda (93,000), Mark Fink (48,000) and shortstack Vicky Harrell (32,000).

Top 10 Flight B chip counts:

1. Josh Reichard - 238,500
2. William Kopp III - 210,500
3. Donald Kerr - 201,500
4. Daniel Kammeraad - 177,500
5. Alessandro Ponzio - 171,000
6. Edmond Brooks - 162,000
7. Aldo Martinez - 156,500
8. Charles Vite - 147,500
9. Mark Trnka - 135,000
10. William Herald - 124,000

Complete chip counts from Flight A and Flight B are available under the "Reports" tab above.

Action continues in Event #1 with the third and final starting flight later today. We'll take a closer look at Saturday's play shortly.

Level 15 has expired in Flight B of Event #1, a $365 re-entry tournament. With that, the second of two starting flights in the property's opening event has wrapped and the remaining players have played their way to another day of play. They'll join the advancers from yesterday's Flight A as well as those who move on from tomorrow's Flight C for Day 2 Sunday at 2 p.m. CT.

Tournament staff is still in the process of bagging players and complete Flight B chip counts will be posted early Saturday morning. While you wait, more on the progress of the event thus far is available in the posts below.