Wednesday, February 22, 2017 6:13 PM Local Time
Event #5
No-Limit Hold'em Turbo
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 300
Prize Pool: $90,000
Adam Ross defeats a tough final table to win $21k and his first career gold ring.
LAS VEGAS (February 22, 2017) -- Las Vegas local Adam Ross has won the first of two turbo events at the Rio Circuit series. Ross defeated a 300-player field in just over a half days time to win $21,595 and his first career WSOP Circuit gold ring.
Ross defeated a tough final table that included three gold ring winners. The three gold ring winners were Bob Lauria (6th), Jim Willerson (5th), and Paul Sokoloff (4th). Willerson also has a gold bracelet to his name, which he won in 2012 by defeating a 3,166-player no-limit hold'em field for $737k.
Ross entered the unofficial final table of 10 players second in chips, which helped him overcome the tough competition. The only player with more chips than Ross was Jimmy Lee Tidwell. It would end up being Tidwell and Ross playing heads up for the gold ring.
During heads up play the chip lead was passed back-and-forth between the two players. Ross started out with the lead and then relinquished it to Tidwell. Tidwell chipped Ross down to his last few blinds and then Ross scored a tournament saving double up with ten-six suited.
The hand started with the two players getting all of the chips in the middle preflop. Ross was holding ten-six suited and Tidwell king-jack. The flop brought a ten and a six for Ross, but he missed one of the pairs and thought he had only flopped one pair. The turn was a brick and the river was king, giving Tidwell a pair of kings. Ross reacted as if he had lost the tournament, but quickly realized that he had two pair and the winning hand.
"I thought I lost it, so to win it after I thought I lost it was next level," said Ross.
Ross didn't look back after that hand and he doubled up again through Tidwell with a flopped set of queens. Just a few hands later Ross eliminated Tidwell in second place to win the tournament.
Ross enjoys traveling and he plans to use some of his winnings to fund a few trips. He plans to go to Jacksonville with a friend and he also wants to check out Portland, Oregon.
This win marked Ross' second career WSOP cash. He recorded his first career WSOP cash earlier this series for finishing in 16th place in Event #1: $365 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry event for $4,709. Ross is the early leader in the Rio Casino Championship with his gold ring victory and near miss of a final table in Event #1. He has 60 points and $26,304 in tournament earnings so far this series.
--------
Event #5 was the fifth of 13 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at the Rio. The $365 no-limit hold'em turbo tournament attracted 300 players generating a $90,000 prize pool. The top 30 players were paid.
It was a one-day event. The tournament began at 4 p.m. Tuesday and ended at about 4:05 a.m. Wednesday near the end of Level 31.
Final table:
1st: Adam Ross - $21,595 + Circuit gold ring
2nd: Jimmy Lee Tidwell- $13,349
3rd: James Kim - $9,686
4th: Paul Sokoloff - $7,146
5th: Jim Willerson - $5,360
6th: Bob Lauria - $4,084
7th: Romeo Barnardo - $3,161
8th: Michael J. Levine - $2,484
9th: Richard Herbert - $1,982
Complete results can be found above under the "Results" tab.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 4:15 AM Local Time
Adam Ross (pictured) has just won the fifth event at the Rio World Series of Poker Circuit. Ross bested 300 players in the $365 no-limit hold'em turbo tournament to pocket $21,595 and earn his first career WSOP Circuit gold ring. He also earns 50 Casino Championship points for his victory.
A full report on Ross's win will be made available tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a look at the final table results:
1st: Adam Ross - $21,595 + Circuit gold ring
2nd: Jimmy Lee Tidwell- $13,349
3rd: James Kim - $9,686
4th: Paul Sokoloff - $7,146
5th: Jim Willerson - $5,360
6th: Bob Lauria - $4,084
7th: Romeo Barnardo - $3,161
8th: Michael J. Levine - $2,484
9th: Richard Herbert - $1,982
Complete results can be found above under the "Results" tab.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 4:14 AM Local Time
Jimmy Lee Tidwell finished runner-up to Adam Ross for $13,349.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 3:42 AM Local Time
James Kim was eliminated in 3rd place for $9,686. This was Kim's first career WSOP cash.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 3:22 AM Local Time
Paul Sokoloff was eliminated in 4th place for $7,146. This marked the Canadian's 71st WSOP cash and pushed his career WSOP tournament earnings over the $650k mark.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 3:05 AM Local Time
Jim Willerson has been eliminated in 5th place for $5,360. This was the gold bracelet winner's third cash of the series. Last night, Willerson finished in 11th place in Event #3: $365 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha Six Max. He also recorded a min-cash in Event #1: $365 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 2:40 AM Local Time
Bob Lauria has hit the rail in 6th place for $4,084. Lauria is Las Vegas local and has 24 WSOP cashes for over $360k. Besides the gold ring Lauria won 2009, his biggest poker accomplishment is having 15% of a guy who came in 19th place yesterday.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 2:33 AM Local Time
Romeo Bernardo finished in 7th place for $3,161. Bernardo is an entrepreneur from Sugar Land, Texas.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 2:26 AM Local Time
Michael Levine has hit the rail in 8th place for $2,484. This marked the 39-year-olds 16th career WSOP cash.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 2:09 AM Local Time
Richard Herbert has been eliminated in 9th place for $1,982. Herbert is a professional poker player from Bel Air, Maryland. He said he was representing for Boxville and the great state of Maryland.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 2:06 AM Local Time
Jake "The Snake" Reeser has been eliminated in 10th place for $1,605. With his elimination, the official final table is set.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 1:36 AM Local Time
The tournament had made its way to the unofficial final table of 10 players. The final 10 players are all guaranteed a payout of at least $1,605. Tonight's winner will pocket $21,595, a WSOP Circuit gold ring and 50 Casino Championship points.
Unofficial final table seating assignments and chip counts:
Seat 1: Jimmy Lee Tidwell - 574,000 (28 bb)
Seat 2: Paul Sokoloff - 229,000 (11 bb)
Seat 3: Jim Willerson - 262,000 (13 bb)
Seat 4: Romeo Bernardo - 57,000 (2 bb)
Seat 5: James Kim - 265,000 (13 bb)
Seat 6: Michael Levine - 340,000 (17 bb)
Seat 7: Adam Ross - 485,000 (24 bb)
Seat 8: Richard Herbert - 385,000 (19 bb)
Seat 9: Jake "The Snake" Reeser - 139,000 (6 bb)
Seat 10: Bob Lauria - 348,000 (17 bb)
- 2 minutes remain in Level 24: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 11:10 PM Local Time
Valentin Vornicu
The turbo event has reached the money. Eliminations have been rapid and the field is down to the final 27 players and final three tables. The 27 remaining players are all guaranteed a payout of at least $692.
Eight-time gold ring winner Valentin Vornicu is one of the 27 players remaining. This marks Vornicu's 60th World Series of Poker cash.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 9:50 PM Local Time
The turbo tournament drew 300 entries to generate a $90,000 prizepool. The tournament's winner will take home $21,595, a WSOP Circuit gold ring and 50 Casino Championship points. Exactly the top 10% of the field will get paid. The tournament will pay out the top 30 spots with min-cash worth $610.
Final table payouts:
The tournament clock currently reads that 57 players are remaining with three minutes left in Level 15. Levels are 20 minutes long and will remain that length for the duration of the one-day event.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 6:18 PM Local Time
There are 270 players registered for the turbo tournament at the end first break. Registration will remain open for two more levels (until about 6:50 p.m.). The tournament allows unlimited re-entry until the start of Level 9.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 9:12 AM Local Time
The first of two turbo event this series begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. Players seeking out the turbo events can play in the second turbo event Monday, February 27 at 11 a.m. Both turbo events are one-day tournaments.
Event #5: $365 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - 4 p.m.
- Players start with 10,000 tournament chips
- Blinds begin at 25/50
- Registration is open until the start of Level 9 (6:50 p.m.)
- Players are allowed unlimited re-entry
- All levels are 20 minutes long
- There is a 30-minute dinner break after Level 12
- This is a one-day event
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 9:10 AM Local Time
