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ST. LOUIS, MO – Raymond Lantz, a 31-year-old sales manager from Gibson City, IL is the winner of Circuit Event #2 at Harrah’s St. Louis.

Lantz outlasted a field of 288 players to take the down the $500 (+60) buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event, which generated a prize pool of $139,680.

 

Among the players in Event #2 were 2008 WSOP Main Event third place finisher, Dennis Phillips and multi-platinum recording artist Nelly, who finished in the bubble.

 

Phillip’s co-host of "The Final Table" poker radio show, Paul Harris was one of the final nine players.  

 

 

                    
Ninth Place

Final table play began shortly after 5 pm with blinds and antes at 5,000/10,000/2,000. The first elimination of the night took place when Tim Hart moved all-in from the button with and got a call from Harris, who tabled . The board hit fifth street without a spade, 10 or the needed connector and Hart walked away to collect $2,891 for ninth. Hart is a 27-year old web developer from Ofallon, IL.

 

 

The next hour was a double-up-palooza as the short stacks turned, rivered and two-outered their way to survival. A nasty two-outer went the other way however when short-stacked Gary Hieronymus was all-in with pocket aces against Raymond Lantz’s pocket queens. The flop was harmless enough for Hieronymus with a benign six on the turn. However, a river queen abruptly ended the 63-year old retired school superintendent’s tournament run. With a sigh, Hieronymus headed over to the payout table to collect $3,408.

 

Things picked up a bit as the next player busted soon after. Mark Koeln was all-in from the button with pocket 4’s and got a call from Kevin Shimp, who turned over . Shimped flopped a jack and after blanks hit the turn and river, Koeln’s day was done. The 25-year old St. Louis real estate agent pocketed a $4,204 commission.

 

The sixth place finisher was Steve Heeley, a 42-year old financial advisor from St. Louis. He was all-in with AK vs. Shimp’s pocket deuces. A third duck on a flop left Heeley needing running aces, kings or a ten. Blanks hit the turn and river and Heeley’s tournament run was over. This was Heeley’s second cash in two events so far at Harrah’s St. Louis. Sixth place paid $6,300.

Fifth Place Harris was the next player to be eliminated all-in from the cutoff with pocket tens against Jesse Menley with pocket aces. The queen-high board was no help to Harris and after determining that the two players were exactly even in chips, Harris was out. This was Harris’ third major tournament cash of 2010, having gone deep at the WPT in Biloxi and the WSOP Tunica Circuit Event. Fifth place paid $8,395.

Players returned from a shortened dinner break to blinds and antes of 12,000/24,000/4,000. Shortly after play resumed, Jon Sexton was all-in from the small blind with pocket sixes vs. Shimp’s . The flop came , leaving Sexton needing some help. A opened up some non-diamond outs for Sexton, but it was a that hit the river. Sexton, a 21-year old poker pro from Memphis, TN picked up $10,504 for fourth place.

Jesse Menley moved all-in pre-flop with and Shimp made the call with pocket kings. Menley failed to improve on a board, resulting in a third place finish for the 34-year old from Hillsboro, MO.

 

Blinds were now at 12,000 and 24,000 with 4,000 antes. With more than a 6-1 chip lead over Lantz heads up, it appeared that Shimp would make quick work of his opponent; however, Lantz had other plans for the tourney’s conclusion.

 

Lantz doubled up twice to pull even in chips before more chips went his way in a number of marginally-sized pots seen to the river. In the final hand of the evening, the two players saw a flop of . Shimp threw out 100,000 in chips.

 

Whether it was posturing or a miscue, Lantz checked. Shimp re-raised all-in and Lantz snapped called. Lantz turned over while Lantz tabled two pair, 8’s and 10’s. The turn came and the river was an to give Lantz the win worth $33,942 and a WSOP Circuit Event gold ring.

Lantz is a 31-year old sales manager from Gibson City, IL. He came to the circuit events here at Harrah’s St. Louis along with a few friends from his local home game. This was his third World Series of Poker Circuit cash.
 
Still to come are 10 more events and nightly (single-day) non-ring $230 and $340 buy-in events which begin at 4 pm and 7 pm.

The WSOP Circuit at Harrah’s St. Louis runs through April 15th.