This is the central page for information about the ongoing WSOP Circuit series at Harrah's Cherokee. Check back here (http://wsop.com/n/8fg) daily for updated schedule and results.
April 22, 2019 (Cherokee, NC) - The third World Series of Poker Circuit stop at Harrah’s Cherokee for the 2018/2019 season came to an end on Monday evening. Over the course of 13 days, there was a total of 13 official WSOP rings events. All the events combined attracted 10,749 entrants creating a total prize pool of 5,078,200.
The highlight of the first weekend was the first multi-flight event of the stop, Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold’em. With a $600,000 guarantee in the prize pool, the five starting flights combined attracted 3,186 players. The massive field created a seven-figure prize pool of $1,051,380. When all was said and done, it is Matthew Newton, a family business owner, who clenched his first gold ring in his first WSOP cash ever.
The first player to add more gold to his collection this series was Maurice Hawkins. Indeed, his heater continued at Harrah’s Cherokee. After securing the Casino Champion title at Hard Rock Tulsa and final tabling 7 of the 11 Circuit events he played in the last couple of months, he finally managed to close one out this series. He outlasted 391 players in Event #4, the $600 No-Limit Hol’dem, to claim his 12th Circuit ring and collected $44,297 for his victory. He now finds himself at the top spot of the all-time WSOP Circuit rings’ list, tied with Valentin Vornicu.
Matthew Higgins , Leif Force, and Nicholas Verderamo were other notables to add more gold to their collection.
Exactly a year after winning his first ring at Harrah’s Cherokee, Higgins claimed his second one after defeating 274 runners in Event #6: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha.
Leif Force took down Event #9: $1,125 No-Limit Hold’em to win his Second Circuit ring. Force didn’t plan on playing the event. However, his last-minute decision to take a shot at it led him to his Second Circuit ring after outlasting 321 players.
As for Verderamo, he had a story similar to Leif’s. He had no intention on playing Event #8: $250 No-Limit Hold’em multi-flight event, but after losing a massive pot in the Monster Stack to bust, he decided to take a shot at it and jumped in with only 16 big blinds. He ended up being the last one standing after navigating through a field of 732 players, and took home his third gold ring.
The highlight of the second weekend was the $1,700 Main Event. Both flights combined drew 1,087 competitors, producing a prize pool of $1,646,805 and smashing the $1,000,000 guarantee. Two-time bracelet winner Calvin Anderson came into Day 2 as the overall chip leader. However, he couldn’t make it another day and was eliminated in 12th place.
The stakes were high at the final table as six ring winners were part of it. Jonas Wexler was ultimately the one to add more gold to his collection after defeating Phil Hernz heads up. Wexler ran really good in crucial spots. In fact, he was responsible for the elimination of 10 of the final 19 players. He claimed the first-place prize of $300,536, his largest live score to date, as well as a Circuit ring and a free seat into the Global Casino Championship.
As for the second seat, the lead went back and forth between Tyler Phillips and Matthew Higgins for most of the series. Higgins had four cashes including one ninth-place finish and a victory in Event #6. However, it is Tyler Phillips who ended up securing the top spot with six cashes and a runner-up finish in Event #5: $400 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed. Phillips collected 82.5 points to take home the Casino Champion title, and a seat into the Global Casino Championship.
Additionally, all players who cashed in ring events earned points that apply toward the season-long race to claim one of the limited at-large bids. More information on the points system is available on WSOP.com.
The World Series of Poker Circuit will return to Horseshoe Tunica next, starting April 25th , for 12 days of poker action.
Completed Events
Event #1: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack - Zhuo Liu defeated 430 entries to win his first Circuit ring.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Multi-Flight - Matthew Newton won his first Circuit ring in his first WSOP cash ever after outlasting 3,186 runners.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold'em (one-day event) - Huy Pham outlasted 705 runners to clench his first gold ring and $47,693.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #4: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Big Blind Ante - Maurice Hawkins claimed his 12th Circuit ring after outlasting 391 competitors.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #5: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Six Max - Jason Brauda won his 1st Circuit ring after navigating through a field of 502 players.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #6: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha - Matthew Higgins claims his 2nd ring exactly a year after winning his first one.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack - Zuheir Daniel takes home his first Circuit ring and $94,002 after outlasting 1,725 players
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #8: $250 No-Limit Hold'em Multi-Flight Event - Nicholas Verderamo captures his 3rd Circuit ring after defeating 732 runners.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #9: $1,125 No-Limit Hold'em Big Blind Ante - Leif Force clenched his Second Circuit ring after outlasting 321 players.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #10: $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event - Jonas Wexler wins the Main Event after defeating 1,087 players. He takes home $300,536 and his second Circuit ring.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #11: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Big Blind Ante - Joshua Johnson navigated through a field of 501 players to win his first Circuit ring.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #12: $400 No-Limit Hold'em One-Day event - John Dickey won his first Circuit ring in the first Circuit event he took a shot at this year.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack - Thomas Larson wins the last event of the series after defeating 454 players.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Casino Champion Update
Tyler Phillips is the casino champion with 82.5 points.
About the Winners
Event #1 - Zhuo Liu
Zhuo Liu has just claimed his first World Series of Poker Circuit Ring after taking down the Harrah’s Cherokee series’ opener, Event #1, $400 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack.
“I started playing quite a bit in the last few months. I played a little bit in Tulsa and I played a couple of tournaments in Council Bluffs before coming here. I’m a physician but I’m taking a little time off, so I’m just kind of traveling and playing poker right now.”
Event #2 - Matthew Newton
After two days of play, Matthew Newton managed to be the last man standing in the first multi-flight event of the series, Event #2, $400 No-Limit Hold’em. He outlasted a massive field of 3,186 players, and earned a six-figure score of $136,504, as well as his first Circuit ring, in his first WSOP cash ever.
“I feel very surprised, exhausted, and thrilled. The ring means a lot. I never thought that I would be in this position. This is actually my first cash, and it resulted in my first ring so, I’m thrilled,’’ commented Newton after his win.
Event #3 - Huy Pham
Huy Pham has just clenched his first World Series of Poker Circuit ring after defeating a total of 705 runners in Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold'em at Harrah's Cherokee.
“It means a lot to me. It’s going to make my family proud. It’s my first ring, so I’m very happy,’’ Pham said after his win.
Event #4 - Maurice Hawkins
Maurice Hawkins just added a 12th Circuit ring to his collection after outlasting 391 players in Event #4, $600 No-Limit Hold’em. He now finds himself at the top spot of the all-time WSOP Circuit rings list, tied with Valentin Vornicu.
“It’s not really about the top spot. I still got the most money earned, most everything on the WSOP Circuit, so it’s pretty much the standard, but that makes me feel like my game has evolved to where it should be. I look forward to bigger and better things. It’s all about positivity and good flow of things going the right way.”
Event #5 - Jason Brauda
Jason Brauda just won his first Circuit ring after defeating 502 players in Event #5: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Six Max.
“It means a lot. I don’t play live poker much. I play online a lot. It’s nice to come out here and get a first win. A lot of my friends have wins and rings and whatnot. So it’s nice to finally have something so that some people can see I put in all the hard work too, and I’m trying to be the best poker player I can be.”
Event #6 - Matthew Higgins
Matthew Higgins is the newest member of the two World Series of Poker Circuit rings after winning the only Pot-Limit Omaha of the series, Event $6: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha for $33,867.
“It’s kind of crazy, because I woke up this morning, and on my Facebook memories it popped up that I won my first ring a year ago today.”
Event #7: Zuheir Daniel
Zuheir Daniel is the newest WSOP Circuit ring winner after defeating a field of 1,725 in Event #7: $400 Monster Stack. He takes home his biggest cash to date, $94,002, as well as his first WSOP Circuit ring.
Daniel is an entrepreneur and doesn’t play much poker. However, after his victory, he plans to take a shot at more tournaments.
“I made a lot of mistakes, but I learned a lot too. I’ve been playing almost all week. I think I’m going to start playing more tournaments.”
Event #8: Nicholas Verderamo
Nicholas Verderamo just added a third Circuit ring to his collecting after defeating 732 players in Event #8: $250 No-Limit Hold’em multi-flight event.
“It feels pretty good. It’s my first time in Cherokee and this is my third Circuit series. I’ve probably only played 25 events and won three of them,’’ Verderamo said after his win.
Event #9: Leif Force
Leif Force just clenched his second gold ring to match with his WSOP bracelet after outlasting a field of 321 entries in Event #9, $1,125 No-Limit Hold’em Big Blind Ante.
“It feels great. It’s my first Hold’em ring. I’ve had a really good start to the year. It’s just another win this year. It will be good motivation for the Main Event coming up tomorrow,’’ Force said after his victory.
Event #10: Jonas Wexler
Jonas Wexler said he never had a moment when he felt like he could win the Harrah's Cherokee Main Event. Not when he won a four-way all in with kings late on Day 2. Not when he won a three-way all in to avoid coming in eighth place. Not when he came into heads up play. It was never a sure thing for Wexler.
"I never think I'm gonna win," Wexler said laughing with a smile. "I've been playing for so long have just felt like I don't break through. I try not to think about the end result either, but in my mind I always think something shitty is gonna happen. Fortunately today I did some shitty things to other people."
Event #11: Joshua Johnson
Joshua Johnson navigated through a field of 501 players to claim his first Circuit ring and the winner title.
“I’ve been playing a long time. It means a lot, even though it’s not a huge event. It’s very exciting.”
Event #12: John Dickey
John Dickey just claimed his first Circuit ring in the only Circuit event he has played this year, Event#12: $400 No-Limit Hold’em.
“It means a lot. I put a lot of hard work and time. I’ve come a long way, while also working a regular job.”
Event #13: Thomas Larson
Thomas Larson just claimed the last Circuit ring of the WSOP Circuit stop at Harrah’s Cherokee after outlasting 454 runners in Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack.
Larson was having a bad series with no cashes. He decided to take a shot at the last event, and ended up winning it.
“This is my only cash for the whole stop. I was running so bad, and so I played this event and I ended up winning it.”