This is the central page for information about the ongoing WSOP Circuit series at Choctaw Durant. Check back here daily for updated schedule and results. (wsop.com/n/8nz)
11 November 2019 (Durant, Okla.) – The World Series of Poker popped over to southern Oklahoma for the second installment of the Choctaw Durant Circuit this season. Throughout the two-week tournament series, over three million dollars in cash prizes were handed out as well as 13 WSOP gold rings, and a familiar Casino Champion was crowned.
The debut ring event, beginning on October 29th, was a WSOP signature with a twist. Event #1: $400 Monster Stack was equipped with two separate starting legs. Between the two flights, 765 entries were accrued, and it was Cody Coffman, out of Oklahoma, who reigned as the last man standing, winning $47,458 and his first gold ring.
The Monster Stack was the first of four multi-flight events. Next came Event #3, also with two starting flights, highlighting the first weekend of the series. A total of 898 entrants showed up for Event #3, a field second only to the Main Event which brought in 983 entries.
When all was said and done, it was Neil Volaski posing for a winner’s photo with some of his Choctaw mates. Volaski hauled in $53,796 for the triumph and happened to be the start of a string of first-time gold ring winners out of Texas.
Matt Laessig (Event #4 - $20,773), Brandon Wilson (Event #5 - $13,706), Jeff Hood (Event #6 - $19,338), and James Duke (Event #7 - $25,400) all succeeded in claiming their own debut Circuit title after making their way from the Lone Star State to Choctaw Durant.
Melisa Singh was the one to break the streak, geographic-wise and gender-wise. A New York native now living in Florida, Singh soared to the top of Event #8: $400 No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed for her first WSOP gold ring and $16,720. She followed up her victory with a runner-up finish in the Ladies Event. Then later, made Day 2 of the Main Event still with a shot at the Casino Championship, but ended up placing 103rd.
Another player who had a strong showing at the Choctaw Durant series was seven-time gold ring winner Michael Lech. Lech impressively cashed in seven different ring events with two final table appearances.
The traveling Circuit Pro also had a shot at Casino Champ. However, during the final event, he busted in 10th place after getting his pocket queens cracked by jack-five, leaving him 10 points short of the eventual winner, Andrew Robinson.
With 90 points, stemming from five cashes, including two final-table finishes, Robinson secured the Choctaw Casino Champ honors for an unprecedented third time! The 38-year-old husband and father of two first became Casino Champion at Choctaw Durant back in 2013, then again merely two stops ago, in January of this year.
It did not take long for one of Choctaw’s finest to infiltrate the limelight. Robinson rose to the top of 278 entries in Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack, earning his seventh WSOP gold ring and becoming the first-ever player to win three Circuit titles at Choctaw Durant.
During Event #7, Robinson appeared again as he steadily made his way to a 3rd-place finish. The two deep runs, along with three small cashes, provided Robinson with his final points total of 90, good for yet another Choctaw Casino Championship.
For the third time, Robinson is awarded an automatic bid to the Global Casino Championship where he has finished as high as 6th place in the past. Also seizing a seat at the 2019/20 GCC was the Choctaw Main Event Champion, Nathanael Kogel.
After twice having a dream of closing out the Choctaw Main Event, Kogel’s premonition ended up coming true. The two-time gold ring winner soared to new heights by conquering the monumental tournament for $256,915 and his third Circuit title.
Aside from the Main Event finale, the last scheduled ring event was ultimately won by Michael Brown (Event #13 - $21,832) who went toe-to-toe with Elizabeth Hymel, six-time WSOP gold bracelet winner TJ Cloutier’s daughter, heads up.
Other notable wins during the series came from Kyle Birdwell (Event #9 - $29,564) and Rodney Spriggs (Event #12 - $20,317), both doubling their gold ring count, as well as a huge score for Lithuania native Geiminas Uselis who took down the Choctaw High Roller for $60k.
Completed Events
Event #1: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack (2 Flights) - Cory Coffman defeats 765 entries to win $47,458.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack - Andrew Robinson defeats 278 entries to win $21,263.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold'em (2 Flights) - Neil Volaski defeats 898 entries to win $53,796.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #4: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha - Matt Laessig defeats 154 entries to win $20,773.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #5: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Bounty - Brandon Wilson defeats 261 entries to win $13,706.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #6: $400 No-Limit Hold'em (1 Day) - Jeff Hood defeats 255 entries to win $19,338.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack - James Duke defeats 353 entries to win $25,400.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #8: $400 No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed - Melisa Singh defeats 209 entries to win $16,720.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #9: $600 No-Limit Hold'em - Kyle Birdwell defeats 248 entries to win $29,564.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #10: $2,200 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller - Gediminas Uselis defeats 108 entries to win $60,710.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #11: $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event - Nathanael Kogel defeats 983 entries to win $256,915.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #12: $250 No-Limit Hold'em (2 Flights) - Rodney Spriggs defeats 494 entries to win $20,317.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold'em (1 Day) - Michael Brown defeats 289 entries to win $21,832.
Official Report |
Winner Photo | Results
Casino Champion Update
Andrew Robinson reigns again as the Choctaw Casino Champion. The seven-time gold ring winner finished off the series with five cashes, three final table appearances, and 90 points.
About the Winners
Event #1 - Cody Coffman
Cody Coffman went on a tournament-topping run at Choctaw Durant to come away with his first World Series of Poker Circuit gold ring. The 24-year-old from Oklahoma conquered a 765-player field in Event #1: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack (2 Flights), a three-day competition that wrapped up on All Hallows Eve.
“It feels great. I mean, I usually play cash. Cash games are more steady. You don’t come in and buy in for four hundred and win 47k, so it’s just insane. It’s a great feeling,” Coffman said, following his victory.
The top prize of $47,457 was earned by the Northeastern State enrollee who is studying Cyber Security. Although Coffman is a full-time student, he still takes on many of his opportunities to hit the felt. However, a professional poker career is not sought after by the 24-year-old.
“I play a lot,” stated Coffman. “All my classes are online this semester. I probably play 30+ hours a week. I mean, I’ve played instead of having a job through college and I love it, it’s fun, but it’s just not something I’d want to do as a job,” he continued “It’s just a hobby… I just want to work full time and play. I’ll still play a ton.”
Event #2 - Andrew Robinson
Andrew Robinson pulled off his seventh World Series of Poker Circuit title run Friday evening and third gold-ring victory at Choctaw Durant. The Poker Pro from Georgetown, Texas meandered through a field of 278 entrants and a stacked final table to take down Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack. Going into Day 2 of the of the tournament, a stacked group of eight players remained.
“I mean, I’ve played with all these people before and I think they are really good, but I trust myself,” Robinson admitted.
Assured of his skills, Robinson outlasted the field, earning the top purse of $21,263, 50 Casino Championship points, as well as gold ring number seven.
Robinson is now the first player to have ever won three WSOP Circuit titles at Choctaw Durant. His other two scores occurred just last season during the January installment of the Oklahoma-based tournament series. On top of that achievement, Robinson has also twice been deemed the Choctaw Casino Champion.
“This has been my favorite stop for quite a while. It’s closest to my house, it’s an easy drive, and the people are great,” Robinson expressed.
Event #3 - Neil Volaski
After a handful of close calls in the past, Neil Volaski finally raked in $53,796 and his first World Series of Poker Circuit gold ring Sunday evening. The 47-year-old Mortgage Banker successfully topped a sizable field of 898 players in Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold'em (2 Flights) at his regular casino stomping grounds, Choctaw Durant.
Ever since moving to Texas for work, Volaski has frequented the Oklahoma property and through numerous tournament series has amassed a network of connections.
“I came here nine years ago. I’ve met so many people. They’re all my friends now,” expressed Volaski. “They really run a great tournament here. They’ve got some good people working here.”
The New York native has made some Circuit final tables in the past, including a near miss where his lack of experience may have shown.
“I’ve had my opportunities in the past and I’ve probably made mistakes that I shouldn’t have when I played just because it was the first time being there,” Volaski stated.
Although Chad Smith was a formidable heads-up opponent, Volaski was prepared for the opportunity. The father of two proceeded with poise and ultimately scooped the final pot with pocket aces.
“You know, it’s something you try to go after when you play poker. It’s been a lot of years. I’ve had a lot of coaching,” Volaski stated, following his victory.
Event #4 - Matt Laessig
The World Series of Poker Circuit saw a new champion emerge Saturday evening at Choctaw Durant. It was Matt Laessig scooping up his first gold ring and $20,773 after topping a 154-entry field in Event #4: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha.
It was also a personal redemption run for Laessig who placed seventh in the exact same event at the Oklahoma-based Circuit a year prior.
“Came here last year. Did my first Circuit event here last year. Had a blast,” mentioned Laessig. “Final tabled the PLO… Got busted seventh. Couple bad hands in a row and for the last year, I’ve been replaying it in my head.”
Now Laessig can replace that replay with a brand new WSOP milestone reel. The husband and father of three, has enjoyed the game of poker for quite some time. It provides a competitive battleground that he can relate to another exciting pastime of his, American Ninja Warrior.
“There are a lot of comprables: management of adrenaline, focus, putting yourself out there,” Laessig drew similarities. “My drive for competition, love of adrenaline, and to challenge myself,” he added, alluding to what poker and ANW both satisfy.
Laessig carved out his trip to Choctaw Durant and conquered. Going out a winner, he plans to return to his family and work in Austin, Texas on Monday.
Event #5 - Brandon Wilson
A Bounty Champ was crowned Sunday night at the World Series of Poker Circuit in Durant, Oklahoma. Brandon Wilson was the recipient of the title, claiming his first WSOP ring and $13,706. The Real Estate Investor from Dallas, Texas, defeated 260 opposing entrants in Event #5: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Bounty.
The tournament encompassed two days of play. This was a detail Wilson was unaware of when he registered for Event #5. His gap in structure knowledge stemmed from the unusual circumstance that led him to enter.
“Tuesday, I came for the $200,000 guaranteed Monster and I busted out early, but I met a lady who got the run on a slot machine. She won $26,000 on Monday, $19,000 on Tuesday,” Wilson began his story.
“I went to that slot machine after I busted,” he continued. “I won $9,000… I came back here to play that slot machine; walked up to the slot machine. It was out of order.”
With the hot slot machine down, for what would seem like recalibration, Wilson decided to check out what Circuit events were going on and ended up sitting down in Event #5. The rest was history. The 35-year-old secured his first WSOP cash, but has plenty of experience on the felt.
“I actually dropped out of college to pursue poker the year before Moneymaker won. I’ve been hooked ever since,” Wilson state about his background with the game.
Event #6 - Jeff Hood
Jeff Hood pulled off a turbo-style triumph during the World Series of Poker Circuit series at Choctaw Durant late Saturday night. Event #6: $400 No-Limit Hold'em (1 Day) drew total of field of 255 and out of those entries Hood was ultimately the last man standing.
The 53-year-old out of Austin, Texas earned his first WSOP gold ring and just under $20,000 for his victorious run, tacking on a momentous score to go along with one prior cash, another final-table finish back in February of 2019.
“That was my first tournament [series] I went to,” Hood mentioned, referring to the most recent Rio Circuit in Las Vegas. “That one, I should have been more aggressive. Seventh was great, but this feels really good to get this ring.”
Final-table finishes can leave players yearning for what could have been. This time around it was nothing but satisfaction for Hood who is relatively new to the world of poker.
“I started playing about three years ago,” Hood disclosed. “We have a kind of game in our office a guy invited me to. He mentored me. Steve Rosser is his name. Read a lot of books. Took Negreanu’s Master Class. Read a lot of stuff and got good experience.”
Although young in practice, Hood has been diligent with his studies since entering the poker scene. Only three years in and the semi-retired Patent Lawyer has already reached the WSOP gold ring club.
Event #7 - James Duke
With a smile of pure joy, James Duke picked up his first World Series of Poker Circuit gold ring on Tuesday at Choctaw Durant. The Houston, Texas resident defeated a field of 353 entrants in Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack to win $25,400 and add a first-place finish to his long, notable stat sheet with the WSOP.
“It’s just so exciting. I’ve been trying for 14 years to win a damn ring,” Duke said with a laugh following his triumph. “It means a lot to me to win here at Choctaw because the players are so tough here. They’re great players and they’re friendly and the dealers are all great; The floor crew’s great. So, I’m pretty excited about it.”
Duke now lays claim to 40 WSOP cashes for a total of right around $750,000. A vast majority of that sum ($614,368) was earned by Duke in 2014 when he took third place in the Millionaire Maker, a tournament that encompassed nearly 8,000 players.
Although the money was nowhere near his largest cash, Duke was happy to capture the coveted gold ring at his favorite, local casino, Choctaw Durant. On top of that, it turned out to be an early birthday present for Duke who will be turning 69 on Thursday.
Event #8 - Melisa Singh
Melisa Singh ran away with a win in Event #8: $400 No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed at the World Series of Poker Circuit stop at Choctaw Durant. The New York native succeeded in snagging her first official gold ring and $16,720 in the two-day tournament.
“I really wanted it,” said Singh who does lay claim to an unofficial gold ring, stemming from the Ladies Event at the Seminole Hard Rock Circuit in 2017. During that same series, the 38-year-old registered her own runner-up finish, narrowly missing out on gold.
This time around, Singh seized the day and it was appropriate timing as the Choctaw Ladies Event was scheduled to start merely two hours after her victory.
“I’ve just started to play tournaments more consistently over the last four months,” mentioned Singh. “Before that, I would just play like once or twice a month.”
The Poker Pro out of Florida has found much success recently in tournament poker, which ultimately led her to the Choctaw Durant Circuit where she continued to shine.
“I’ve had the pleasure of playing tournament series the last few months and I love it so much,” Singh expressed.
Event #9 - Kyle Birdwell
Kyle Birdwell earned his second World Series of Poker Circuit title at Choctaw Durant on Thursday. The 37-year-old topped an eclectic field in Event #9: $600 No-Limit Hold'em. The tournament drew 248 entrants and it was Birdwell who collected every chip in play, claiming the top prize of $29,564 as well as another WSOP gold ring.
The victory arrived less than four months after Birdwell's first gold-ring run, which occurred at the prior Choctaw Durant Circuit in July. His monumental score of $102,195 among 2,206 players in the multi-flight may have provided Birdwell with a more secure mentality when it came to tournament poker.
“It feels great. I think my confident is a lot higher actually because I’m taking it a little more seriously,” said Birdwell. “It’s my hobby, but you know been able to turn it into some income and actually have a blast doing it.”
Birdwell works in Sales in his home state of Texas but has entertained the notion of a transition to poker for a living.
“You know, I think I would try to do both,” stated Birdwell. “There is a little bit of a way to do both. Like I said, I take it a little bit more seriously. I’m going to be hitting a lot more of the Circuits… “I’m headed to Vegas to the series out in December out at the Harrah’s. And then, I’ll probably be at Tulsa and back here in January.”
It is still early in the 2019/20 Circuit season and Birdwell now lays claim to slightly over 100 Casino Championship points. Although he admitted he does not want to fully dive into a point-chasing lifestyle, Birdwell does plan to participate in a few Circuit stops in the near future to see what happens.
Event #10 - Gediminas Uselis
Gediminas Uselis, hailing
from Lithuania, was the player to take down the inaugural $2,200
No-Limit Hold'em High Roller at Choctaw Durant. Uselis claimed his first
World Series of Poker gold ring and $60k for his accomplishment. The
27-year-old Poker Pro is now pushing $200,000 in WSOP earnings.
"It feels great to win a ring," said Uselis after his victory, one that was a rocky road.
Uselis came into the final day in the middle of the pack holding on to a stack with less than 100,000 for majority of the day. He entered the final table last in chips with 69,000 but managed to spike key double-ups that managed him to climb to the top as he eliminated five of the final eight players.
"I got here Wednesday and busted the $600 but saved my luck for this one," said Uselis jokingly after the victory.
Event #11 - Nathanael Kogel
Nathanael Kogel rose to greatness Monday evening at the World Series of Poker Circuit at Choctaw Durant. The 30-year-old Poker Pro topped a 983-entry field in Event #11: $1,700 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event, securing his third WSOP gold ring and $256,915.
“I actually had two dreams about this tournament… I had a dream that I got heads up with two-thirds of the chips in play and that I had to battle it out for the ring,” mentioned Kogel. “I literally had the dream twice in a two-week span leading up to this.”
“To be honest, I can’t really explain it right now because I’m kind of in shock,” Kogel expressed, following his triumph.
Winning $250k might not even be the biggest change in Kogel’s life this year. The Texas native just had a son in February with his wife, and fellow poker player, Shino Fujiwara.
With a newborn child in his life, Kogel has had to pick his spots when it comes to poker. On top of that, he recently was hired as a leading Manager in the efforts toward building a new Lodge Card Club in Austin, Texas.
“It was kind of a good thing, some security because poker is not always promised. You can play as well as you can and things don’t go your way sometimes,” stated Kogel.
On the second weekend of the second Choctaw Circuit of the 2019/20 season, things certainly did go Kogel’s way and next time he dreams of a poker achievement all other players around him better beware.
Event #12 - Rodney Spriggs
Rodney Spriggs pulled off his second World Series of Poker title run Sunday, by taking down a 494-entry field in Event #12: $250 No-Limit Hold'em (2 Flights) at Choctaw Durant. The 53-year-old was awarded the top purse of $20,317, 50 Casino Championship points, and a WSOP gold ring for his victory in the multi-flight tournament.
The Joplin, Missouri native claimed his first gold ring in March of 2018 at the other Oklahoma-based Circuit, Hard Rock Tulsa. Spriggs attends nearby WSOP Circuits as well as other tournament poker series when he can.
“I still work full time. I’m CEO of a retail company… I’ll work a ton and build up time so I can come here,” mentioned Spriggs. “I don’t always stay for the whole series. This time I did.”
During his time at the current Choctaw Circuit, Spriggs made an earlier final table appearance in Event #6 but ended up going out in 4th place. Fortunately, he returned for redemption, ending his Circuit stint on a golden, high note.
Event #13 - Michael Brown
Michael Brown topped the last scheduled event of the Choctaw Durant Circuit series, capturing his first World Series of Poker gold ring. The 53-year-old from Flower Mound, Texas outlasted 288 opposing entrants in Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold'em (1 Day), which ended around 2:00 a.m. Monday morning.
Ultimately, the battle of the sexes boiled down to Michael Brown and Elizabeth Hymel (Cloutier), daughter of six-time WSOP gold bracelet winner T.J. Cloutier. Hymel began heads-up action strong, but a huge double up by Brown put him in position to close it out. Throughout the final table Cloutier watched on as his daughter ran it up all the way to second place for $13,496.
Along with the golden hardware, Brown pocketed $21,832, nearly doubling his WSOP earnings.
“Feels awesome,” Brown expressed, following his achievement “I’ve had some close finishes in Circuit events, but there’s a difference in winning the ring, that’s for sure.”
Brown, a Michigan native now living in Texas, tries to frequent the WSOP Circuit at Choctaw Durant when he is able.
“I used to play a lot more, but I’m running a company now. Jobs getting in the way of what I want to do,” Brown said with a smile.