This is the central page for information about the ongoing WSOP Circuit series at the Bicycle Casino. Check back here daily for updated schedule and results.
16 December 2021 (Bell Gardens, Calif.) – The second WSOP Circuit of the season wrapped up Wednesday night, as the last two events at Bicycle Casino concluded. 13 WSOP Circuit gold rings, over two million dollars in prize money and thirteen seats at the Tournament of Champions were handed out throughout the series.
The stop featured both seasoned poker stars and younger, up-and-coming talents. Christina Gollins started things off with a win in Event #1: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack. The win was Gollins’ first WSOP Circuit cash, and she proceeded to also cash in the $1,700 Main Event later in the series.
Bracelet winner Stephen Song showed up in a big way in the $3,250 High Roller, winning his third ring and $65,130. Circuit phenom David Larson picked up his eighth gold ring after winning Event #9: $400 No-Limit Hold’em, and Alfredo Pacheco grabbed his second ring with a win in Event #6.
The Frenchmen had a great series at the Bicycle Casino. The day before the WSOP Circuit started, Sami Bechahed won a non-ring event. Then, just a few days, later he proceeded to take down Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold’em to earn his first gold ring. On his rail during the final table was his countryman Yoann Gimenez.
Gimenez started the series by min-cashing in the $400 Monster Stack, an event that Gabriel Habbaba ended up taking down. After his cash in the Monster Stack, Gimenez decided to take a stab at the $1,700 Main Event.
The Main Event was filled with notable names. Bracelet winners Sean Yu, Stephen Song and Michael Wang all showed up for the marquee showdown. Five-time ring winner Scott Stewart, three-time ring winner Sohale Khalili and two-time ring winners Alan Myerson and Hermilo Vargas, also fired bullets in the Main. Three-time gold ring winner Allen Kessler and notable Poker Pro and Personality Maria Ho were also among the 525 players that competed for the $795,375 Main Event prizepool.
However, when the bright “Live at the Bike” lights started shining on the Final table, Alan Myerson was the only ring winner left in the field. One of the more experienced players at the final table was John Smith, known for his consecutive deep runs in the WSOP $10,000 Heads Up Championship. Smith ended up busting in third place, leaving Sun Tongguang and aforementioned Gimenez to compete for the Main Event honors.
Out of the ten players that made the unofficial final table, Gimenez took out seven, including his heads-up opponent Tongguang. When the last card was dealt, Gimenez burst into a joyful celebration with his rail to celebrate his WSOP Circuit Main Event victory. Gimenez used his winner interview to leave a strong message to the American poker community.
“I would like to say thanks to everyone, the whole organization. You guys are awesome. I have to say something to American players. I really enjoy playing with them because everyone has fun at the table. American people are very nice at the table. You play, you win, you lose, but smile. I would also like to say a message to poker players… Never give up, stay proud when you lose and humble when you win – that way you will improve as a poker player”.
With the win, Gimenez earned the top prize of $156,160, a WSOP gold ring, and a seat in the Tournament of Champions. The World Series of Poker Circuit at the Bicycle Casino attracted a total of 3,455 entrants that generated $2,075,120 in total prize money.
Completed Events
Event #1: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack - Christina Gollins outlasts 358 players to win $24,955.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #2: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - Ryan Ko defeats 113 entries to win $18,625.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #3: $250 No-Limit Hold'em - Ed Alikhani tops a field of 429 entrants to win $17,255
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #4: $400 Omaha 8 Or Better - Jorge Alba outlasts a field of 131 players to win $11,680.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #5: $400 NLH Monster Stack - Gabriel Habbaba defeats 1,054 players to win $86,130.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #6: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - Alfredo Pacheco defeats 66 entrants to win $7,175.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - Sami Bechahed outlasts 121 players to win $10,955.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #8: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - David Rich defeats 119 entrants to win $10,935.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #9: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - David Larson outlasts 107 players to win $9,995.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #10: $1,700 NLH Main Event - Yoann Gimenez defeats 525 entrants to win $156,160.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #11: $3,250 NLH High Roller - Stephen Song tops a field of 69 players to earn $65,130.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #12: $1,125 No-Limit Hold'em - David Mzareulov tops a field of 74 players to earn $24,145.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
Event #13: $250 No-Limit Hold'em - John Jensen tops a field of 289 players to earn $12,550.
Report | Winner Photo | Results
About the Winners
Event #1: Christina Gollins emerged victorious in the $400 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack event at the Bicycle Casino World Series of Poker Circuit. The poker pro from Anaheim outlasted a field of 358 players to earn $24,955 and her first WSOP Circuit gold ring.
“I’m super excited. I was super short-stacked coming into Day 2 and when we were heads-up I shoved with kings and he called with eights [and won], and that crippled me. I think I had ten big-blinds left, but from there I built up my stack and the rest is history,” said Gollins.
Gollins is now living in Las Vegas after leaving her job as a property manager to pursue poker full-time. The win was the biggest WSOP cash of her career, but despite the win she stressed the fact that she is hungry for more.
“This is just the beginning. Just because I got a ring does not mean that I will take it easy. We are here for two weeks and I’m going to play every single event. This is a great experience. Dealers here are awesome, the floor is awesome, and it is a nice and comfortable setting. I am having a lot of fun,” said the newest WSOP ring winner.
Event #2: Ryan Ko became the first ring winner of the 2021 Bicycle Casino World Series of Poker Circuit. Ko outlasted 113 entrants in the $600 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo to earn his long-awaited first WSOP ring.
“It feels good. I have come close a couple of times. Two second- place finishes and a couple thirds, so it feels great to finally get one through,” said the Maryland native.
Ko has no less than six final table runs under his belt, but has not been able to go all the way until tonight. The 32 year old said that he has made improvements since his last final table appearances, but he also pointed out that the fast structure in the Turbo event played a role.
“I have been getting better and become more experienced. Plus, it is a Turbo and more shallow. It’s….it’s a turbo. It requires a lot of run-good and you have to be lucky”, said the humble winner.
With the win, Ko earns $18,625 and his first WSOP Circuit gold ring. He also earns a seat in the Tournament of Champions, the $1 million freeroll event that will be held in Las Vegas in the summer of 2022.
Event #3: Ed Alikhani took down the $250 No-Limit Hold'em event at the Bicycle Casino World Series of Poker Circuit. The one-day event drew a big player field that generated a prizepool of $85,800.
“It is an amazing feeling. I have been playing poker for a while now, and I have been chasing a WSOP win. I have come close a couple of times without winning, so this is a great feeling,” said the winner.
Alkhani, originally from Iran and now living in Laguna Hills, California, is a recreational player that owns auto body shops in Southern California. He started playing poker with friends at a young age and is now using it as a getaway from daily life.
“I do not care that much about the money; I came here to have fun and win a ring and that was my only goal,” said Alikhani after winning his first WSOP ring.
Event #4: Alba, out of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, outlasted a field of 131 entrants to win $11,680 and his first WSOP ring. Day 1 of the two-day event ended late Sunday night with 20 players remaining. This came as a surprise to Alba, as he was under the impression that the event would finish Day 1.
“In took me until level fifteen to realize that this was a two-day event. At that point I was like ‘I don’t care, please knock me out’ and after that I started winning every hand’. If I knew that this was a two-day event, I would have never played it. I had to go to work on Monday morning and barely made it back to the start of Day 2,” said Alba.
Alba started playing poker during the poker boom, a time period known for its soft players fields and endless opportunities. However, it was a steep learning curve for the 47-year-old.
“I started playing poker back in 2005. I started playing 200/400 right away without knowing how to play. I did not care; I was just playing for fun. One time I played for hours with David Baker without knowing who he was. That did not end well.,” said Alba reminiscing about his early poker career.
Event #5: Gabriel Habbaba won in the $400 Monster Stack at the World Series of Poker Circuit at the Bicycle Casino. After three days of play, the business owner from Bagdad emerged victorious to earn his first WSOP gold ring.
“It feels good. I have not won a tournament in a very long time. My last win was in 2008 so I’m happy to finally win again. It’s a good Christmas gift,” said the winner.
The $400 Monster Stack was expected to be one of the bigger events during the World Series of Poker Circuit at the Bicycle Casino. The high expectations were met and exceeded, as the tournament attracted over a thousand entrants that generated a prizepool just shy of $500,000.
The 61-year-old works full-time as a store owner and does only play tournaments occasionally. The long poker hiatus made him eager to play again, and this eventually earned him a seat at the Tournament of Champions that will be held in Las Vegas in the summer of 2022. With the win, Habbaba added $86,130 to his career earnings, coupled with his first WSOP gold ring.
Event #6: Alfredo Pacheco won the $400 No-Limit Hold'em event at the Bicycle Casino World Series of Poker Circuit to earn the second WSOP ring of his career.
“It feels great to be back in the winners circle. I’ve got a bunch of buddies with rings, and it is a great motivation to be surrounded by geniuses,” said Pacheco and laughed. “I’m good friends with Sean Yu who’s got 8 rings, and I’m also friends with Sohale Khalili and he got 3, so I’m trying to catch up.”
Pacheco started out strong and had a big stack for the majority of the one-day event. The strong start made him gain his opponents respect and allowed him to apply maximum pressure.
“When it got down to 18, I had a good chip stack and I felt like my table respected me a little too much, and I was able to expose that. I was opening a lot and felt like they were over-folding a little bit,” said Pacheco.
The $400 No-Limit Hold’em event ran alongside the $400 Monster Stack, which resulted in a smaller starting field. The Chicago native saw this as a good opportunity to win a seat into the Tournament of Champions, as the new format invites every ring winner to the $1 million freeroll.
Event #7: Sami Bechahed struck gold in the $400 No-Limit Hold’em event during the World Series of Poker Circuit at the Bicycle Casino. The Frenchman outlasted 121 players to earn $10,955 and his first gold ring.
The win was Bechahed’s second in just over a week, as he took down the $400 No-Limit Hold’em Bounty event last week here at the Bicycle Casino.
“My second win in a row, I can’t believe it – it’s crazy,” said the Paris native.
The one-day event got down to final table after almost seven hours of play, and Bechahed eventually found himself heads-up against Michigan’s Mario Arribas. An intense heads-up battle followed, a duel that lasted over two hours before Bechahed finally could take it down.
“I made a lot of mistakes in the heads-up play. He was a very straight-up opponent – every time he bet he had it, and when he didn’t have it he folded. During the break I told myself ‘wake up, you need to stop paying him off’, and the momentum started to shift ones I started doing that,” said Bechahed.
Bechahed is born and raised in Paris but moved to California five years go after meeting an American girl, now his wife, while in U.S on vacation. He believes that his job as a poker dealer has made him a better player, as he is able to study the best the best in the game while working as a dealer.
Event #8: David Rich took down the $400 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo event at the Bicycle Casino World Series of Poker Circuit to earn the first gold ring of his career.
The one-day Turbo event made for a fast-paced tournament that reached its final table after less than four hours of play. Rich got off to a good start and became the chip leader early on – a lead that he held on to until the tournament was over.
Rich’s largest WSOP career score came last month in the World Series of Poker Main event, in which he placed 590th for $21,600. He admits that his play has been improving later in life, as his mindset have changed for the better.
“I have been learning about Buddhism and after getting rid of my attachment to desire, I have been playing so much better. After playing long enough, you know what to do at the poker table, but the hard part is execution – it is hard to execute all the time. Lately I have been in a flow state, and it has been working out,” said the Rich after winning his first WSOP ring.
Event #9: David Larson did it again. The WSOP Circuit veteran just took down the $400 No-Limit Hold'em event at the Bicycle Casino World Series of Poker Circuit to earn his eight career WSOP ring.
“The last time I was at the Bicycle was the last event before the pandemic hit. I was heads-up and I lost, so it feels good to come back and avenge that defeat. It was that guy’s first live tournament ever, and he won a ring,” Larson said and shook his head in disbelief.
The ninth ring-event of the series drew 107 entrants, but only nine was left after eight hours of play. The stacked final table featured two other ring winners in Meghan Smith and Lucas Tae, but Larson eventually faced poker pro Ray Wright heads-up for the tournament win.
“I study a bunch, and I am also not afraid to lose. I try to find people that are afraid to lose and make them worried. There is always a tension, when you play tournaments, between accumulating and surviving. Some people focus too much on surviving than accumulating. I try to figure out, for every player at the table, what side of the spectrum they’re on, and then adjust my play accordingly,” Larson explained.
Event #10: Stephen Song won the $3,250 High Roller event at the Bicycle Casino World Series of Poker Circuit. Song outlasted 69 entrants to earn $65,130 and his third WSOP Circuit gold ring. Song also earns a seat in the Tournament of Champions, that will be held in Las Vegas in the summer of 2022.
The tournament structure rewarded players that registered within the first two levels, by letting them buy in at a discounted price. Song took advantage of the added edge and by doing so, he had to slightly adjust his normal tournament strategy.
“I usually don’t like the early levels because that makes the day super long, but when it’s rake-free you’ve got to show up. I usually like to show up with less than 50 big blinds later in the day. That way I am fresher, and it keeps me sharper at the end,” Song laughed.
However, the early registration seemed to pay off for Song, as he sat at ninth place out of the 26 remaining players when Day 1 concluded. Six hours into Day 2, Song found himself heads-up against Spain’s Guillermo Pena. After less than thirty minutes of heads-up play, Song was able to take it down to earn his third WSOP ring and $65,130.
On top of his three rings, the New York native also has a WSOP bracelet from winning the $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em event earning $341,854 during the 50th annual World Series of Poker in 2019.