When the World Series of Poker announced the latest stop on the Circuit Series at Choctaw Resort and Casino, there was a great amount of buzz around the event. Local players from Oklahoma and Texas were licking their chops at the chance to take home a Circuit Ring in their own backyard. Choctaw itself went all out for the event, including top notch graphics and placing new felt on all the tables with the WSOP Circuit logo. What the Choctaw Nation did not expect was one of their own to take home a Circuit Ring.
That is exactly what happened when Bruce Hoyt won the $345 H.O.R.S.E. event this week. Hoyt, a Gilbert, Arizona resident with eleven grandchildren, is a Choctaw Nation member. The 59-year-old has been playing poker since 1968. He has four total cashes in the WSOPC over his career, including three this year alone.
Hoyt beat out a field of 147 players to take home the Circuit Ring and the first place prize of $11,477.
The chip counts by seat assignments at the final table were as follows:
1. Quan Nguyen 60,000
2. Bronson Tucker 68,000
3. Drew Boyett 284,000
4. Joe Youngchurl 129,000
5. Bruce Hoyt 136,000
6. Orville Mundy 224,000
7. John Haddad 186,000
8. Richard Grosely 385,000
8th Place - $1,298
Joe Youngchurl from Austin, Texas was the first player eliminated from the final table. In the Hold ‘em round, he was all in with against Bruce Hoyt’s . The board of did not improve Youngchurl and he was sent to the rail in eighth place.
7th Place - $1,653
In the next round of Omaha 8, John Haddad got the last of his chips in against Orville Mundy on a board of . Haddad showed for the nut straight while Mundy turned up for top set and a flush draw. The river came the , completing Mundy’s flush and sending Haddad back to Schertz, Texas in seventh place.
6th Place - $2,138
Bronson Tucker from Round Rock, Texas got his last few chips in on third street during the Razz round against Richard Grosely. Tucker ended up making a ten low only to see Grosely make a nine low. The 33-year-old attorney was eliminated in sixth place.
5th Place - $2,812
In the next round of Stud, Quan Nguyen got all in against Richard Grosely on fifth street. Nguyen had a pair of queens but Grosely had a pair of kings. Grosely made trip kings on sixth street to seal Nguyen’s fate as the fifth place finisher.
4th Place - $3,762
After losing some big pots, Richard Grosely found himself all in against Drew Boyett in the Stud round. Grosely’s board read and he held the . He was drawing thin though as Boyett’s board showed the with the in his hand. The and were no help to Grosely on fifth and sixth streets and he was eliminated in fourth place. Grosely recently finished 43rd at the 2010 World Series of Poker Senior’s Event.
3rd Place - $5,120
Orville Mundy got all in against Drew Boyett in the Stud 8 round. He held the and his board ran out . Boyett held the with a board of . Boyett’s pair of sevens held up to take the pot and knock out Mundy in third place. Mundy got his first cash on the WSOPC after actually meeting his wife at the 2007 WSOPC in Tunica.
2nd Place - $7,093
After the action was capped pre-flop in the round of Omaha 8, Drew Boyett and Bruce Hoyt got the rest of their chips in the pot on a flop of . Boyett turned up for a pair of kings and a running low draw. Hoyt showed for a pair of kings as well with both straight and low draws. The turn was the , giving Hoyt the nut low and a straight. The river was the and Grosely, a 23-year-old poker professional from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sent home in second place for $7,093.
1st Place - $11,477
For his victory, Bruce Hoyt took home $11,477 as well as his first World Series of Poker Circuit Ring. Perhaps even more important, the Choctaw Nation Member brought a victory home for the hosts of this incredible Circuit stop.
See the complete Choctaw Circuit schedule and previous results here. The WSOP Circuit at Choctaw runs through January 24th. You can find the complete 2010/2011 WSOP CIRCUIT SCHEDULE here.