Event #5: $365 Buy-In Pot-Limit Omaha ($25,000 Guarantee)

- Pictured is McDaniel with his brother

Event #5
Pot-Limit Omaha
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 212
Prize Pool: $63,600

Brian McDaniel gets to share his experience of winning his first gold ring with his brother, who was supporting him the whole way through.

Cherokee, N.C. (December 2, 2015) -- Brian McDaniel has just won the Pot-Limit Omaha gold ring at the Harrah's Cherokee series. This has been his best stop on the Circuit and he just earned his first career gold ring here to verify that.

McDaniel's first career Circuit cash came at this property last year in the six max event. Since then he has recorded 10 Circuit cashes, including reaching six Circuit final tables. Of those six final tables, four have come at Harrah's Cherokee.

Beside this victory, the cash that really stands out on McDaniel's resume is his 12th place finish in the 2015 National Championship, and what do you know that was held right here at Harrah's Cherokee. McDaniel's finished in 12th place for $25,010. It is still to this day his largest WSOP cash.

McDaniel's almost did not even qualify for the National Championship last year. It came down to the final series of the season for him to earn a seat into the National Championship. He was just a few points shy of earning an at-large bid heading into the final series of the 2014/2015 Circuit season, which was held at Foxwood's Resort. He recorded an 8th place finish in the six max event to give himself just enough points to qualify for the National Championship.

This victory bolts McDaniel up in the Global Casino Championship (previously known as the National Championship) standings for this year and he is off to a strong start toward earning a seat for the second consecutive year. This victory also puts McDaniel's in contention for winning the series' Casino Championship title. He currently sits in sixth place with half of the events remaining. The winner of the Casino Championship earns an automatic bid to the 2016 Global Casino Championship.

The final table was a grind it out, survival of the fittest type of final table. It ended up lasting an incredible nine hours and 20 minutes long. McDaniel had experienced too many close calls in the past to give in easily.

"On break I would go out by the river and mentally focus on the next steps along the way," said McDaniel.

McDaniel would end up surviving the long grind and then defeating three-time gold ring winner, John Holley, heads-up for the gold ring. Holley earned $9,827 for his runner-up finish.

"I am stoked because so many people have been pulling for me, like my parents, my mom especially," said McDaniel. "She is going to be super happy.

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Event #5 was the fifth of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at Harrah's Cherokee. The $365 Pot-Limit Omaha tournament attracted 212 players generating a $63,600 prize pool. The top 24 players were paid.

Day 1 began Monday at 4 p.m. and lasted 16 levels. Day 2 began Tuesday at 3 p.m. with 13 players remaining. The tournament concluded at about 1:50 a.m. Wednesday midway through Level 28.

Final table results:

1st:  Brian McDaniel - $15,900 + Circuit gold ring
2nd: John Holley - $9,827
3rd: Jim McCarthy - $7,152
4th: Dana Blay - $5,290
5th: Hoang Tu - $3,973
6th: Nancy Thompson - $3,031
7th: Joshua Reichard - $2,347
8th: Jeffrey Dodson - $1,844
9th: Hussain Sajwani - $1,471

John Holley (pictured) is in pursuit of his fourth career WSOP Circuit gold ring. Here is a look at his first three wins.

• 2011 Harrah's New Orleans - $355 Mixed Pot-Limit Omaha/Pot-Limit Hold'em
• 2013 Harrah's Tunica - $365 No-Limit Hold'em
• 2014 IP Biloxi - $365 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry

His player profile with a complete list of his cashes can be found on WSOP.com.

Day 2 began with 13 hopefuls and now just four of them remain. They are taking a one hour dinner break and will finish out the tournament upon returning. All four players remaining are guaranteed at least the fourth place money of $5,290. The eventual champion will earn $15,900, a WSOP Circuit gold ring and 50 Casino Championship points.

Right now Brian McDaniel (pictured) holds the chip lead. Jim McCarthy and Dana Blay tie down the middle positions and John Holley is the short stack with just seven big blinds.

Here is a look at the chip counts:

Seat 1: Jim McCarthy - 575,000 (14 BBs)
Seat 2: Brian McDaniel - 775,000 (19 BBs)
Seat 3: Dana Blay - 585,000 (14 BBs)
Seat 4: John Holley - 295,000 (7 BBs)

- When they return from dinner break the blinds will be 20,000/40,000. All remaining levels are 50 minutes long.

Day 2 of the Pot-Limit Omaha event is set to get underway at 3 p.m. The tournament has 13 players remaining from the the starting filed of 212 entries. Dana Blay leads the field. Following Blay are gold ring winners Hoang To, John Holley and Josh Reichard. Today's champion will earn $15,900 and a WSOP Circuit gold ring.

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

Day 1 comes to a close in the Pot-Limit Omaha event with 13 players remaining. Cards will be back in the air for Day 2 tomorrow at 3 p.m.

Here is a look at chip counts and seating assignments heading into Day 2:

The series' only non-hold'em gold ring event is set to get underway at 4 p.m. It is Event #5 - $365 Pot-Limit Omaha ($25,000 Guarantee). It is a two-day event. More on the tournament can be found below.

Event #5 - $365 Pot-Limit Omaha - Day 1 - 4 p.m.

• Players begin with 10,000 chips
  
• Blinds begin at 25/50
• Registration remains open until the beginning of Level 9 (~8:30 p.m.)
• Re-entry is not allowed
• Levels 1-10 are 30 minutes long, levels 11-19 are 40 minutes long and levels 20+ are 50 minutes long
• There is a one hour dinner break on Day 1
  
• Day 1 is scheduled to last 17 levels
• Day 2 begins Tuesday at 3 p.m.
• $25,000 guaranteed prizepool