News
Phillip Zigulich Engineers First Major Tournament Victory in Chicago
Oct 30 2009 10:45 AM EST
Event #13 Headlines
- Phillip Zigulich Engineers First Major Tournament Victory in Chicago
- Engineer From Chicago Takes Down Event #13, Wins $38,424
- “My Kind of Town, Chicago” -- Attendance Up 12 Percent, Prize Money Up 20 Percent Over Last Year
- Final Circuit Event in Chicago Attracts 574 Entrants – Next Up: Chicago Poker Classic Scheduled For February
Event #13 Champion (Phillip Zigulich)
- The 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit winner of Event #13 at the Horseshoe Casino (Chicagoland) is Phillip Zigulich, from Chicago, IL.
- Zigulich is a 58-year-old operating engineer.
- Zigulich has been playing poker for about six years. He is mostly a recreational player.
- This marked Zigulich’s first major tournament victory. He has only played in ten tournaments, previously.
- Zigulich collected $38,424 for first place in this tournament.
Winner Quotes (Phillip Zigulich)
- On winning his first ever WSOP Circuit gold ring: “I am ecstatic. My goal when I started was to get to Number 54 (the first position in the money). That way, I could get my $350 back. Then, once I hit Number 54, all the pressure went off me. I just played the cards after that.”
- On his change of attitude once he was guaranteed to finish in-the-money: “I just played the cards and pushed the chips and I really did not care if I lost. I mean, I cared, but the pressure was gone. Then, I finally closed it out and won. It’s terrific.”
- On when he started believing he might win: “When we got down to about six-handed or so, I thought I really had a chance to win and could go all the way. And sure enough, that’s exactly what happened.”
- On where this tournament win ranks: “I’ve been playing for six years and this is by far my biggest payday.
- On his poker preferences: “This tournament was perfect. You spend $300 or so and spend the entire day and get lots of play. This was great.”
- On his advice for other players who might be thinking about trying out tournament poker: “I am not a professional. I am just an amateur player. It can happen to you – go play!”
