Event #1A/B/C/D: $365 Buy-In $500,000 Guarantee No-Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Event #1
No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 2,712
Prize Pool: $813,600

Cody Pack returns to where it all started for him and wins a fourth gold ring.

Cherokee, N.C. (November 30, 2015) -- Cody Pack has done it again. He has just gone on to win his fourth career WSOP Circuit gold ring in his most impressive performance to date. He defeated a massive 2,712 player field in the Cherokee series' opening event to earn the top prize of $117,991. This opening event was a re-entry event that featured four starting flights and Pack took it down with just one bullet fired.

Pack has won all four of his gold rings in the past 12 months. Pack's magical run started last year right here in Cherokee when he won the series' turbo event for his first career gold ring. Since that victory Pack has been one of top players on the Circuit.

Pack won a second gold ring this September at the West Palm Beach stop. He followed that victory with another one in October by winning the six max event in Southern Indiana. He caps off a 12 month stretch of poker with another gold ring and his first ever WSOP six-figure score.

Pack earned $117,991 for his win. It is by far the largest WSOP score of his career and more than doubles his WSOP career tournament earnings. Pack plays poker professionally. His fight and determination to win comes from his family. He has a girlfriend and three children that he supports with his tournament winnings and this $100K plus score will go a long way in helping that cause.

"We just made 118 thousand. It is right before Christmas. I mean that is absolutely huge," said Pack about his winnings.

Pack's heads up opponent was 24-year-old Blake Whittington. Whittington was also coming off of a victory in recent months. Whittington won a $100K Saturday Series event at the Borgata for $49,000 in September. Whittington earned $73,436 for his runner-up finish. This marked Whittington's 14th career WSOP cash and is his largest ever poker score.

Pack has easily secured himself an at-large bid to the 2016 Global Casino Championship with his three victories and eight cashes on the year. Even know he has his Global Casino Championship seat locked up, he is all-in on winning the Casino Championship title here at Cherokee and plans to play all of the remaining events going forward.

Pack is the first player of the 2015/2016 Circuit season to win three gold rings. James Juvancic and Cory Waaland both have two on the year. To put his domination in perspective, he now has 212.5 Global Casino Championship points on the year. That is more than a victory worth of points ahead of his next closest opponent and more than twice the amount of Joey Brown, who currently sits in sixth place in the standings.

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Event #1 was the first of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at Harrah's Cherokee. The $365 No-Limit Hold’em Re-Entry tournament attracted 2,712 players generating an $813,600 prize pool. The top 279 players were paid.

The tournament featured four starting flights. Flight A began Thursday at 4 p.m. and drew 190 entries with 23 advancing to Day 2. Flight B began Friday at 11 a.m. and drew 595 players with 71 advancing. Flight C began Friday at 4 p.m. and drew 635 entries with 73 advancing and Flight D drew 1,292 with 168 advancing. All four starting flights played 15 levels. Day 2 began Sunday at 12 p.m. with 335 players and played through Level 31 before bagging with seven players remaining. The third and final day began Monday at 2 p.m. and ended about 6:30 p.m. near the end of Level 36.

Final table results:

1st: Cody Pack - $117,991+ Circuit gold ring
2nd: Blake Whittington - $73,436
3rd: Kevin Henderson - $55,911
4th: Andrew Brinkley - $43,170
5th: Vincent Ciarrocchi - $33,577
6th: Allen Robertson - $26,320
7th: Joe Harwell - $20,796
8th: Thomas Roach - $16,557
9th: Danny Wilson - $13,294

Complete results can be found above under the "Results" tab.

Cody Pack and Blake Whittington are still battling it out for the gold ring and top prize.

Here is a look at the chip counts as it stands now.

Seat 1: Cody Pack - 9,800,000 (32 BBs)
Seat 2: Blake Whittington - 17,300,000 (57 BBs)

- 50 minutes remain in Level 36: 150,000/300,000 with a 50,000 ante

Players are now taking their first break of the day. The first two levels of Day 3 saw four players hit the rail with the most recent being Andrew Brinkley. This marked Brinkley's third career WSOP Circuit final table and is his largest career WSOP cash.

Blake Whittington (pictured) currently holds the chip lead.

Here is a look at the remaining players chip counts:

Seat 1: Cody Pack - 9,400,000 (47 BBs)
Seat 2: Kevin Henderson - 5,800,000 (29 BBs)
Seat 3: Blake Whittington - 12,000,000 (60 BBs)

- 50 minutes remain in Level 34: 100,000/200,000 with 30,000 ante

Today is a big day for the seven players remaining in Event #1 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry. One of them will walk away as the champion and earn the top prize of $117,991. At this point all seven players are guaranteed at least the seventh place money of $20,796.

Kevin Henderson enters the final day as the chip leader, but he will have to fend off three-time gold ring winner, Cody Pack, and five other opponents if he wants the title and the top prize.

Start of Day 3 chip counts can be found above under the "Reports" tab.

Up-to-date results can be found above under the "Results" tab.

- Kevin Henderson enters Day 3 as the chip leader.

Day 2 of Event #1 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry was a long and grueling 15 hour day. It began Sunday at noon with 335 players and ended Monday at 3 a.m. with seven players. The final seven players will return Monday at 2 p.m. for Day 3 and the conclusion of the tournament.

Here is a look at the chip counts heading into Day 3:

1.  Kevin Henderson - 9,875,000
2. Blake Whittington - 7,285,000
3. Cody Pack - 4,155,000
4. Andrew Brinkley - 2,400,000
5. Joe Harwell - 1,510,000
6. Vincent Ciarrocchi - 1,170,000
7. Allen Robertson - 750,000

After nearly 13 hours of play on Day 2, the final table has been reached. All nine players reaching this point are guaranteed a minimum payout of $13,294. That's nice and all, but the real prize is up top. The winner is set to take home $117,991, a WSOP Circuit gold ring and 50 Casino Championship points.

Right now Kevin Henderson has a huge chip advantage with more than twice the amount of Vincent Ciarrocchi, who sits in second place. Also at the final table is three-time gold ring winner, Cody Pack, and WSOP regular, Andrew Brinkley.

Here is a look at the final table seating assignments and chip counts:

Seat 1: Andrew Brinkley - 2,000,000 (33 BBs)
Seat 2: Cody Pack - 2,850,000 (47 BBs)
Seat 3: Kevin Henderson - 8,500,000 (141 BBs)
Seat 4: Blake Whittington - 2,070,000 (34 BBs)
Seat 5: Danny Wilson - 1,300,000 (21 BBs)
Seat 6: Allen Robertson - 1,045,000 (17 BBs)
Seat 7: Tom Roach - 1,570,000 (26 BBs)
Seat 8: Joe Harwell - 3,365,000 (56 BBs)
Seat 9: Vincent Ciarrocchi - 4,000,000 (66 BBs)

- 25 minutes remain in Level 29: 30,000/60,000 with a 10,000 ante

The field continues to work its way down to the final table, but there is still a lot of play left before it will be reached. The clock currently reads that 33 players remain as they head on on their fourth break of the day.

There were 335 players that started the day with top 279 earning a cash. Here is a look at some of the notable eliminations on the day.

• Scot Masters - 79th place ($1,383)
• Joseph Mattingly - 84th place ($1,245)
• Brandon Newsome - 92nd place ($1,131)
• Brian Reinert - 98th place ($1,131)
• Steven Snyder - 114th place ($1,033)
• Maurice Hawkins - 124th place ($1,033)
• Jason Mayfield - 162nd place ($952)
• Ryan Tepen - 246th place ($740)
• Warren Sheaves - 247th place ($740)

Results 100th-279th have been posted under the "Results" tab with more to come shortly.

The tournament has just been reduced to the final 11 tables and 99 players. Everyone still remaining is guaranteed a payday of $1,131.

Level 22 has just began and all remaining levels will now be 50 minutes in length. The next break will be after Level 23 and that will be a one hour dinner break. It looks as if the tournament will reach the final table late tonight, but there is still a good chance a third day will be needed to finish the tournament. The tournament directors will make that decision as the time comes closer.

A complete list of payouts can be found above under the "Prizepool" tab.

Day 2 is now underway at Harrah's Cherokee. The day began with 335 players and the top 279 will be paid. It should not be long until the money is reached, but the final table is still a long ways off.

Meanwhile, the Seniors Event is already up and running. There is just a few minutes remaining left to register and the clock currently shows that there are 824 entries. Not quite another broken record here at Harrah's Cherokee, but still a good turnout.

Good luck, players.

Don't forget that Event #3 - $580 No-Limit Hold'em begins at 4 p.m. today. Event #3 has a $100,000 guaranteed prizepool.  There is a $100 mega satellite beginning at 2 p.m. for this event.

Day 1 of Event #1 is now complete. Day 1 featured four starting flights and drew a whopping 2,712 entries to generate a $813,600 prizepool. Day 2 begins Sunday at noon. The tournament is scheduled to end Sunday, but will be extended to Monday if need be. In total, there are 335 players returning for Day 2. Of the 335 players returning, the top 279 will earn a payday.

Right now David Peay leads the field with 283,500 chips. Closely on Peay's tail is Jerry Monroe (277,000), Wayman Brown (264,000) and William LeBleu (252,500). The eventual champion will earn $117,991, a WSOP Circuit gold ring and 50 Casino Championship points. The complete payout structure can be found above under the "Prizepool" tab.

Other notables bringing back chip stacks to Day 2 include, Maurice Hawkins (pictured) (193,000), Steven Snyder (128,000), Steve Gross (89,500),  April's Cherokee Main Event winner, Ryan Jones (88,500), Scot Masters (71,500), Brandon Newsome (68,000), Cody Pack (62,000), Ryan Tepen (59,500), and Scott Cooper (53,500).

Complete chip counts can be found above under the "Reports" tab.