Event #5: $400 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed (1-Day)

Erle Mankin, of Davis, CA, has won the second gold Circuit ring of his career by triumphing in Event #5, No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed (1 Day). Mankin's victory was worth $11,184, and it came at a tough final table that included the WSOP Circuit's career ring leader, Valentin Vornicu, who finished fifth in search of his own 13th Circuit win.

Mankin finished off the win against eventual runner-up Deborah Sternberg just a couple of hands after Sternberg had her own chance at bouncing Mankin for the title. Sternberg, of Gold River, CA, finished second for $6,915, while Mammoth Lakes, CA's Derrick Agee took third for $4,966.

"I'm happy!" exclaimed Mankin after celebrating the moment with his poker friends. "I don't play many tournaments any more. They're very fun and I enjoy them." 

And, as he explained, it was all the more fun because he almost didn't play. "I was the last one to register, at the end of the [Level 12] break. I walked in to sweat my buddy [Andrew Barber]," who was heads-up for the title and eventually finished second in Event #4.

"I turned around and said to [Tournament Director] Ben [Erwin], 'Ben, can I register for that tournament?'" meaning the neighboring Event #5. "And he said, 'Right now,' so I ran over and registered. I started with eight big blinds. I got lucky."

Mankin indeed was fortunate to run it up, but that's part of poker. The late stages of the event featured what Mankin called a "seven-way tie" -- all seven players remaining at that juncture, when the unofficial final table formed, had stacks between 214,000 and 291,000 chips."

"It put an interesting dynamic on the game. No one wanted to bust because we were so close, and there were a lot of small pots, even though we were shallow." After one early bustout, the final six battled for an extended stretch before the logjam broke. Amid all that, the final's players had a great time as well. "Five of them were my friends," said Mankin. "We had a fun time."

The late-registration period for Event #5 is over, and with that, the payouts have been calculated. This one-day event attracted 113 entries, generating a total prizepool of $37,290. The top 12 finishers will cash, with each assured at least $728. Tonight's winner will receive $11,184.

Complete payout information is available under the "Prizepool" tab above.