WSOPC Event #9: No-Limit Hold'em MAIN EVENT

There was three-way action with a      board showing and roughly 4,500 already in the middle. Action was checked to Howard Turner who fired out 10,000 from late position. Scott Mikesell called from the small blind while the big blind player folded. 

After the   completed the board on the river, Mikesell led out for 7,500 and then quickly called the 20,000 raise from Turner. 

Turner rolled over    for a set of threes but they were no good as Mikesell held a better set with    to win the pot. 

Scott Mikesell - 78,600
Howard Turner - 11,200

Nathan Hays opened to 600 in the cutoff. Three-time gold ring winner Johnny Landreth called on the button. The big blind called as well.

The flop came    . All three players checked, bringing the   turn.

Another check from the big blind put the action on Hays who bet 600. Landreth called. The big blind called and the river spit out the  .

The big blind checked again. Hays slid out 4,000. Landreth folded. The big blind completed a check-raised to 8,000. Hays snapped back with an "all in" announcement.

"I guess I have to call," said the big blind as he shipped in the rest of his stack. Hays turns    for a full house. HIs opponent tabled and inferior   . Hays had the big blind player covered, so he scored a knockout and scooped a sizable pot.

Nathan Hays - 88,000

With a flop reading    , the player in the big blind led out with a bet of 1,000. Directly to his left, in the under-the-gun position, Elvis Toomas raised to 3,800.

Directly to Toomas' left, the third player in the hand called. The big blind got out of the way.

Both players checked the   turn, which brought four to a flush. The river was the   and both players checked it down again.

Toomas flipped up    for a flush. His opponent quickly flashed a losing hand, then mucked his cars. Toomas was awarded the pot and has chipped up nicely since the start of the day.

Elvis Toomas - 47,300

There was heads-up action between WSOP bracelet winner Cord Garcia from the cutoff and his opponent from the big blind after a     flop. 

Garcia raised to 1,600 after his opponent led out for 400 and they called bringing the   turn. The big blind led out for 3,000 and Garcia called to see the   complete the board on the river.

Both players checked and Garcia folded after his opponent rolled over    for a flopped two-pair.

Cord Garcia - 25,600

Dustin Schoonover won the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event at Choctaw Durant in January 2020 for $272,846.

After a long two-year hiatus, the WSOP Circuit has finally returned to Choctaw Durant to host the fourth Circuit stop of the 2021-2022 series!

 The first scheduled Circuit stop of the new year has already awarded nine rings through the same number of days and now the time has come for Day 1a of $1,700 Main Event which kicks off today at noon.

As has been the case in the past, the $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event boasts a massive guarantee, and this year is no different as there is a $1 million guaranteed prize pool. With the return to live poker, this number is expected to get blown out of the water.

The last time Choctaw Durant held a Main Event was around this time of year in 2019 when Dustin Schoonover (pictured) won the WSOP Circuit Main Event for $272,846 and his first gold ring. He topped a field of 1,065 entries and took home the bulk of the massive $1,613,475 prize pool.

Today is the first of the two starting flights with Day 1b being held tomorrow Saturday, January 15th with the same starting time. Once the two starting days are completed, the players will combine for Day 2 Sunday, January 16th, and will play down to a winner on Day 3 Monday, January 17th.

Day 1a begins today at noon local time, where players will start with 30,000 in chips, and blinds will be 100/100/100. There will be 15-minute breaks after every two levels and a 60-minute dinner break at the end of Level 9. Registration will remain open until the beginning of Level 13 allowing players one re-entry until then. 

Both starting days are scheduled to play through sixteen 40-minute levels. Once the final level is completed, all remaining players will bag up for the night and return for Day 2 action on Sunday, January 16th, 2022. 

A new addition to the WSOP Circuit is the 'Tournament of Champions'. Each gold ring winner across the entire Circuit will qualify for the annual $1 million freeroll, giving all winners a shot at glory at the end of the season. 

Main Event action is set to begin at Noon local time and there will be live reporting for this event from start to finish, so stay locked on WSOP.com for updates on all of the exciting hands and chip counts along the way.