Cary Marshall Triumphs at Tahoe
Alaskan Wins Biggest Main Event Ever Held at Lake Tahoe
WSOP Circuit Concludes Record-Setting Series in Northern Nevada
Stateline, Nevada (November 20, 2012) – We have a winner at Harveys Lake Tahoe.
Cary Marshall, from King Salmon, Alaska won the $1,675 buy-in Main Event Championship. The victory paid $139,260. Marshall collected his first WSOP Circuit gold ring as the symbol of victory. He will also play as an automatic qualifier in the season-ending WSOP National Championship presented by Southern Comfort 100 Proof.
Marshall is a 62-year-old professional poker player. He's previously enjoyed success both online and live, with several big cashes, including two deep runs last year at the WSOP in Las Vegas (13h and 15th).
No doubt, Marshall understands the ups and downs of the game.
“I have a love-hate relationship with poker,” said Marshall, struggling to find words to express his happiness after winning his biggest poker prize ever. “I love it sometimes when you run good, but there's times when you hate it, too. That's what poker is about.”
Marshall undoubtedly loves poker, at least on this night. Following an extraordinary three-day run in the Main Event, Marshall had just about everything go his way.
“I admit I got lucky a few times here to win,” Marshall said. “I hit trips a few times at the right moment. And then on the final hand, I had a straight and I guess I got lucky that Derrick (Yamada) had trips that time and I got the call.”
Indeed, the heads-up match between Marshall and Yamada capped a marathon final table that went more than 12 hours. The heads-up match showed no signs of letting up, at least until the final, fateful, some would say “cooler” hand.
The final pot of the tournament went Marshall's way when he made a straight against Yamada's three jacks.
This tournament wasn't just memorable to Marshall. It will be talked about and ultimately remembered for other reasons, too. For instance, the Main Event set a new record as the largest Circuit Main Event in nine years of Harveys Lake Tahoe Circuit events.
The official closing number was 422 players. This was up more than 20 percent over last year's turnout, which was 327 players. The prize pool amounted to $633,000. The top 45 finishers collected prize money.
TOURNAMENT NOTES:
-- This was the 11th (of 12) events at the Harveys Lake Tahoe series.
-- The first day included two playing sessions. The starting field of 422 entrants was trimmed down to just 162 survivors (three more players registered the next day, which meant 165 resumed play on Day Two). Second day action played down to 13 survivors. The final 13 played on Monday for Day Three, which included the final table.
-- Mark “Bonsai” Bonsack was eliminated late on Day Two. However, his cash in the Main Event marked his fifth time in the money at this series – more than any other player.
-- Gold bracelet winner David Williams decided to fly from Las Vegas to Reno at the last minute after having “a feeling,” according to his Twitter account. Unfortunately, the felling turnout out to be nothing more than an itch. Williams was eliminated during the middle of the first session.
-- The terrific trio of WSOP Circuit females fared poorly in the Main Event. Three-time gold ring winner La Sengphet went broke on Day One. Two-time title holder Loni Harwood busted in the first session, then did no better in the second, failing to cash. Kristin (Ting) Ho, fresh off her first WSOP-related final table appearance a few days ago also went out during Day One.
-- Former November Niner and WSOP gold bracelet winner Ylon Schwartz was one of those players who made his Lake Tahoe debut. Schwartz managed to cash in the Main Event (42nd place), and was most impressed with the casino and the area, vowing to return again. He was quoted as saying it had been hot at his home and wanted to come someplace cooler for a few days – so he chose Lake Tahoe.
-- WSOP gold bracelet winner J.C. Tran has been a regular here at Lake Tahoe just about every year. The Sacramento-based poker pro played in the Main Event this year, as well, but he was eliminated on Day 2.
-- Two-time gold ring winner and WSOP gold bracelet champ Nick Jivkov traveled to Harveys for the first time from his home in Chicago. There would be no third gold ring for Jivkov. He came up short of the final table in each of his attempts here at this stop.
-- Two-time gold bracelet winner and longtime WSOP Circuit regular Howard “Tahoe” Andrew hoped to give headline writers a bonus with what could have been scribed, “Tahoe Wins at Tahoe.” Unfortunately, the super senior was eliminated during Day Two of the Main Event.
-- Last year's Main Event champion Bryan Schultz did not cash this year. However, 2006 Lake Tahoe champion Clint Baskin made it to fourth place.
WHAT'S AHEAD:
With his victory, Marshall earns a seat into the WSOP National Championship presented by Southern Comfort 100 Proof. The Casino Champions title for Lake Tahoe went to David Gilmer (Ashland, OH), who accumulated 102.5 points and won two ring events.
Both players receive automatic entries into the $1 Million 2012-13 WSOP National Championship.
All players who cash in gold ring events receive points that apply to the season-long race to claim one of the 60 at-large National Championship bids to be awarded to the top point earners throughout the season. More information on the points system is available on WSOP.com.
Next, the WSOP Circuit heads East to Harrah's Atlantic City. The next series runs November 29 through December 10.