Event #7: $600 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed

Raffaello Locatelli, a native of Rome, Italy who now calls New York City his home, has won the second Circuit ring of his poker career by taking down Event #7 at Circuit Coconut Creek, $600 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed, earning $25,667. In winning, Locatelli also denied a 10th Circuit ring to Trinidad and Tobago native Martin Ryan, who arrived at the final table with the chip lead and stayed in contention throughout, until Locatelli overtook him during heads-up play.

Ryan's second-place showing was worth $15,867, while Canada's Denis Cyr took third for $11,392.

Locatelli's first Circuit ring came during the 2016-17 International Circuit series stop at Casino Barriere Cannes Le Croisette in Cannes, France. Locatelli triumphed in that series' high-roller event, winning €50,636 ($54,220), which remains his career best. Locatelli stressed following his win that he really wanted the ring, as much or more so than the prize money.

For Locatelli, who works in venture finance in New York and frequent travels internationally, poker offers a release, and he works in appearances at poker tourneys on both sides of the Atlantic as often as he can. "I travel for work, and when I travel to Europe, I do those international Circuits," he said.

Locatelli and Ryan began their heads-up duel virtually even, but Locatelli pulled out to nearly a 2:1 edge in the duel's first couple of dozen hands. Then, Locatelli moved all in over a large pre-flop raise from Ryan, getting Ryan to fold away nearly a third of his remaining stack. Locatelli then showed    for the pre-flop semi-bluff. Later, he said about the hand, "I've been playing with him [Ryan] a lot. In that hand, I thought he didn't have it. With jack-ten, even if he has it, I take the flip and I still had twice the stack."

Instead, he got Ryan to fold. One hand later, Ryan open-shoved with   . Locatelli found   , called at once, and won the hand easily as the final board ran out       .

Late registration has closed in Event #7 and prizepool and payout information has been posted. Here are Event #7's topline numbers:

• Entrants: 178
• Places paid: 18
• Total prizepool: $91,670
• Winner's prize: $25,667
• Min-cash: $1,137

Chip counts for the Day 1 survivors will be posted later tonight.