This is the central page for information about the ongoing WSOP Circuit series at Horseshoe Tunica. (Check back here) daily for updated schedule and results.
01 February 2022 (Tunica, MI) - The World Series of Poker Circuit made its first of two scheduled stop at Horseshoe Tunica (Mississippi) for the 2021/2022 season. Tunica has been staple stop on the Circuit dating all the way back to start in 2005.
When the Circuit first arrived in Tunica, it was held at the Grand Casino, making five stops there until they changed their name to Harrah’s Casino back in 2013. Another six stops were held at Harrahs before the transition to Horseshoe came in 2015, and since then, the Circuit has made its way back here eight times including this one, bringing the grand total to 19 stops.
This stop held $1,950,000 in prizepool guarantees and was scheduled to run 15 ring events in a matter of 12 days. A total of 6,937 entries were logged during the tournament series, which was highlighted by first-time ring winners.
Kicking things off was a double stack event. Out of the 342-player field, John Duke took down Event #1, claiming his first WSOP gold ring and $24,062.
Next up was the multi-flight event. Four starting flights saw a 1,585-player field, take their shot at gold but in the end, it was Colorado native Michael Zuro taking down the first event, claiming his first WSOP gold ring and his largest live-tournament cash of $77,895.
Dale James was the next person to claim their first WSOP Circuit ring. The 13-year poker vet was able to run through a 181-entry field in Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold’em where he secured his largest WSOP victory of $14,676.
For Calvin Kincade, it was a dream come true, as he defeated his life-long friend Dustin Ellis in heads-up play in Event #4: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo to claim his first Circuit ring along with the top prize of $19,328.
“Chico” Pho was the first person of the series to claim his second WSOP Circuit ring. Pho who laid waste to the 154 competitors in Event #5: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha for $13,044. Pho won his first ring in a PLO event held at Tunica back in 2015 and the Circuit regular was overjoyed to be back on the grind.
A dedicated Children’s book author, Lovell Wilkerson, was stuck in town for work, but was able to get done early to seize the moment as he claimed his first Circuit ring in Event #6: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo for $20,620.
The next events saw four players claim their first rings as Donnie Phan tamed the Monster Stack for $34,331 with John Marlow claiming the final bounty chip in Event #8, securing $25,84.
A newly turned 21-year-old, Jonah LaBranche, was able to seize his first Circit series as he turbo’d his way through 229 runners to claim a payday of $17,461.
Father of two, Preston McEwen was finally able to get the monkey off his back after four years of Circuit grinding, he secured his first piece of hardware and $18,157.
After the first-time ring winners had their glory, John Holley returned to action and secured his seventh Circuit ring in Event #12 after defeating good friend, Michael Sanders in heads-up battle for $14,588.
Randy Paguio was able to claim the top spot that was on every other players wish list as he was able to take down the highlight event of the series. Paguio outlasted 674 hopefuls in the $1,700 Main Event to win his second Circuit ring, along with the $193,764 top prize and the meaningful win was dedicated to his late grandmother.
The final event of the series saw another player claim their second career Circuit ring as Donnie Phan capitalized on his venture to Tunica and added another $13,461 to his name.
All 12 official ring winners at Horseshoe Tunica, as well as the three unofficial ring winners from the two Seniors Events and Ladies Event, also earned a seat to the Tournament of Champions.
This $1,000,000 guaranteed freeroll tournament will feature a field of all the ring winners from the 2021/22 season and bracelet winners from the 2022 WSOP and will run after the conclusion of the next WSOP in Las Vegas.
Completed Events
Event #1: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack - John Duke runs through 342 entries to claim first ring and $24,062.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Multi-Flight - Michael Zuro navigates a 1,585 entry-field to claim his first ring and $77,895.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - Dale James makes final table push to win first Circuit ring and $14,676.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #4: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max - Calvin Kincade defeats best friend heads-up for first Circuit ring and $19,328.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #5: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha - Sokchheka Pho claims second Circuit ring after defeating 154 runners for $13,044.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #6: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - "Da Wiz" wins first Circuit ring after he turbos through 288 runners for $20,620.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack - Donnie Phan tames 555 runners to claim first Circuit ring and $34,331
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #8: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Black Chip Bounty - Johnny Marlow claims the last bounty for his first Circuit ring and $25,841.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event $9: $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event - Randy Paguio wins $193,764 to go along with second career ring and dedicates it to late grandmother.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #10: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - Jonah LaBranche claims first Zircuit ring and $17,466 just a week out after turning 21.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #11: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - Preston McEwen gets monkey off his back and claims first ring along with $18,157.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #12: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - John Holley secures seventh Circuit ring for $14,588.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - Donnie Phan wins second ring in just four days.
Official Report | Winner Photo | Results
About the Winners
Event #1: John Duke
John Duke claimed his first Circuit ring after taking down the first event
of the Horseshoe Tunica Circuit series. Duke outlasted a field of 342 players to make it to the finish line and earned
$24,062, his first five-figure score, for his victory. He also earns a seat in the Tournament of Champions, which will be held in Las Vegas in the summer of 2022.
“I feel great,” said Duke after his victory. The final table was mixed with
pros and recreational players, and the variety didn’t go unnoticed by Duke.
“There were a ton of good players at the final table, Irene and Russel both
had rings and Vernon sacred me,” Duke recalled.
Event #2: Michael Zuro
Michael Zuro secured his first World Series of Poker cash on Sunday along
with a piece of gold hardware in the process. The 55-year-old, hailing from
Portland Oregon, navigated his way through 1,585 entrants in Event #2:
$400 No-Limit Hold'em Multi-Flight at Horseshoe Tunica.
"It feels good to win,” Zuro said after his victory. “I haven’t really played
much after starting my company called Zline Kitchen with my brother so to
be able to take such a long time off and come back to a victory feels really
nice.”
Zuro ran through the final tale and earned earns a seat in the Tournament of Champions, which will be held in Las Vegas in the summer of 2022.
Event #3 - Dale James
Dale James just clenched his first WSOP Circuit ring and his largest Circuit
cash for $14,676 after outlasting 181 players in Event #3: $400 No-Limit
Hold’em.
James went into the final table at the bottom ladder of the list, sitting eighth
in chips out of the final ten. It wasn’t an easy ride to victory either, as the
final table included multiple World Series of Poker Circuit ring winners.
However, he’s been around poker long enough to understand the game
well, and today, he was able to prove it.
“I’m excited,” James said after his win, “It feels really great to win a ring, it
has been a goal of mine for a really long time now.”
Event #4 - Calvin Kincade
Calvin Kincade was able to top a field of 181 entries in Event #4: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max to win the first-place prize of $19,328, a seat into the Tournament of Champions, and a WSOP gold ring.
“Oh man, this is hands down the best day of my life without question,” Kincade stated with excitement after his win.
Kincade went into the final table with a sizeable chip lead while one of his best friends and old roommate, Dustin Ellis sat to his right fifth in chips. As fate would have it, the two ended up duking it out in a heads-up battle for the title, something they were very familiar with.
"It’s something special to play against for best friend heads-up for a WSOP
Circuit ring. I mean, what are the odds that we are the final two out of 253
players? There’s just no better feeling in the world right now.”
“Even if I would have lost, there wouldn’t have
been any salt in the wound, everything about this was just amazing and
there wouldn’t have been any love lost.”
Event #5 - Sokchheka Pho
Sokchheka “Chico” Pho claimed another piece of WSOP hardware Tuesday evening in Event #5: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha. Pho outlasted 154 non-hold’em players to claim his second WSOP Circuit ring and the top prize for 13,044.
“I just like to play poker, period,” said Pho, “It doesn’t matter what game it is or how many cards there are, I just love to play.”
“I would just like to give a huge shoutout to all the tournament directors, dealers, and players,” said Pho.
“I’m just really happy to be back playing live poker. This is my way of socializing, and it wouldn’t have happened unless we all came together like this."
Event #6 - Lovell Kobie "Da Wiz" Wilkerson
Lovell Kobie Wilkerson, also known as “Da Wiz” struck gold for the first time as he laid waste to his opponents in the second Turbo event at Horseshoe Tunica after he topped a field of 288 entrants to win the $20,620 top-prize in Event #6: $400 No-Limit Hold'em (1 Day), which took nearly 12 hours to complete.
“I’m super excited,” stated Wilkerson after his victory, “It’s wild because I wasn’t planning on staying here but my work kept me here so when woke up this morning, I said to myself, I’m going to win my first ring today.”
Wilkerson, who writes children’s books for his educational consultant company, was busy for most of the morning but was able to late-reg in Level 6 and was able to spin up the 15,000-starting stack to 85,000 in his first two levels.
“I just knew today was going to be my day. After completing my work, a huge aroma was lifted off me and I was just Intune to the game. My play was on point, my reads were on, I just knew I was going to win today.”
Event #7 - Donnie Phan
Donnie Phan triumphantly conquered the Horseshoe Tunica Monster Sack Thursday evening, grabbing his first World Series of Poker gold ring and $34,331. Phan defeated 555 entrants in Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack.
“I’m so happy right now,” Phan said with excitement, “I honestly don’t know what to say.”
“I’ve come close to winning a ring a couple of different times but wasn’t able to close it out. This time I was able to get it done,” Phan said.
Phan indeed got the job done but he knows the moral support from his family and friends in his corner helped a lot as well.
“I want to give a shout out to everyone who came here to support me. Without them, I wouldn’t have won right now.”
“This means a lot to me. It’s not about the money. When you play a lot, you want something to show for it and know I have that.”
Event #8 - John Marlow
Johnny Marlow came away with his first World Series of Poker gold ring Friday afternoon after he bounty hunted through 287 runners in Event #8: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Black Chip Bounty at the Horseshoe Tunica Circuit series.
The win saw Marlow bank $25,841 and a seat in the Tournament of Champions to go along with his new piece of WSOP gold.
“I really enjoyed this and I’m in shock that I actually took first place,” Marlow stated after his win.
"This is truly wonderful and feels great,” stated Marlow, “I might just have to start playing tournaments more often.”
Event #9 - Randy Pagio
After Paguio won a seat into the Main Event from a $250 satellite, he topped a massive field of
674 entries to walk away with the Horseshoe Tunica $1,700 Main Event title and a $193,762 top
prize.
Paguio came into the final day as the chip leader and went on a heater at the final table,
eliminating six of his nine opponents to secure his second WSOP Circuit ring.
The final table dominance secured Paguio’s second gold ring, which was a very special moment
for him, and he had a very special dedication to make after his win.
“After my mother Rubenita “Ruby” Paguio passed, I won my first ring and that was for her. I
want to dedicate this one to my grandmother Nenita Cuevas who just recently passed.”
“I definitely want to thank Cody. Without him I wouldn’t be here playing. I would also like to
thank my dad and brother. They’re always supporting me, and I wish they could’ve been here for
this.”
Event #10 - Jonah LaBranche
The newly turned 21-year-old topped a field of 229 entries to win the first place prize of $17,466 along with a seat into this summer’s Tournament of Champions, and a WSOP gold ring.
“This is pretty sick,” stated LaBranche with excitement. “I mean this is a dream come true honestly.”
“I started playing poker when I was 16 and I’ve been playing a lot online and studying,” LaBranche after his win.
“I just turned 21 just sixteen days ago and as soon as I got the chance to play my first Circuit I was here.”
Event #11 - Preston McEwen
The 33-year-old father of two, topped a field of 240 entries to win the first
place prize of $18,157, a seat into this summer’s Tournament of
Champions, and his first WSOP gold ring.
"This feels great,” McEwen said after his win.
“This has been a dream of mine ever since I started grinding the Circuit
four years ago and it just feels good to get that monkey off my back.”
“I want to thank all my family and friends that have supported me this whole
time, especially my wife. She holds down the fort and without her I wouldn’t
be able to do this.”
Event #12 - John Holley
John Holley achieved another milestone at the Horseshoe Tunica Circuit
stop Monday afternoon after he outlasted a field of 178 entrants in Event
#12: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry to win $14,588.
“I’m a big believer,” Holley said after the win, “The good Lord has been
good to me. Whenever I seem to need it, he’s always there.”
Event #13 - Donnie Phan
After triumphantly conquering the Monster Sack Thursday evening, Donnie
Phan was able to nab his second piece of WSOP hardware in four days.
Phan was able to outlast 163 runners in the final ring event at Horseshoe
casino in Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack Turbo.
“This is unbelievable, I’m just so happy,” Phan stated after winning his
second ring.