QUAN TRAN CHOCTAW DURANT CIRCUIT MAIN EVENT FOR $336,412

Quan Tran wins first Circuit ring at Choctaw Durant in just his third ever event

Durant, OK (January 17, 2022)Quan Tran is the latest Main Event champion of the 2021/2022 World Series of Poker Circuit season after he topped a massive field of 1,411 entries to walk away with the Choctaw Durant $1,700 Main Event title, a $336,412 top prize, and a seat into the 2022 Tournament of Champions.

Tran came into the final day second in chips and eliminated four players to start off the day to take the chip lead into the final table where he eliminated three of eight opponents. The final table dominance secured Tran's first gold ring, which was a very special moment for him, and taking down over $336,000 to go along with it was rewarding as well.

 

"I feel amazing and overwhelmed at the same time," Tran said after his victory. Tran continued, "This was my third Circuit event ever and since the first one it has been a dream of mine to win a ring and become a WSOP Circuit Main Event winner."  

Tran added, "It's a very kind of special to begin this Vietnamese new year off with being able to have my picture hanging from the banner for everyone to see my face." 

 

Final Table Results 

1st Place - Quan Tran - $336,412

2nd Place - Rual Garza - $207,928

3rd Place - Jessica Vierling - $158,286

4th Place - Hayden Fortini - $121,449

5th Place - Nate Steuer - $93,926

6th Place - Jonathan Bennett - $73,224

7th Place - Rick Alvarado - $57,547

8th Place - Justin Coliny - $45,595

9th Place - Richard Bennett - $36,423

 

Day 3 Action

 

The final day of the Main Event saw 16 players return from Day 2, each guaranteed at least a $19,516 payday. The action kicked right into gear off the bat with an early bust out after WSOP bracelet winner Brian Green got his short stack in the middle with ace-five offsuit and was called by Jonathan Bennett holding a dominating ace-queen. Green was unable to pair his five and was the first player to exit on the final day. 

 

Shortly after, Matthew Wantman found himself in a similar situation holding a dominated ace-nine against Rual Garza's ace-queen. Garza was able to pair his queen on the flop, but Wantman picked up a gutshot straight draw. Unfortunately for Wantman, he was unable to complete and became the second elimination of the day. 

 

The next Level saw a flurry of eliminations as three-time ring winner Abraham Araya (14th - $23,828), Daniel Hughes (13th - $23,828), Dan Tomlinson (12th - $29,337), Chase Reagan (11th - $29,337), and Walter Rodriguez (10th - $29,337) all made their exit before the end of the second level of the day, setting the stage for the final table.

 

Final Table Action

The final table started out in the same fashion as the beginning of the day with an elimination off the bat after Richard Bennett failed to connect with his ace-queen after Tran flopped a pair of fives with seven-five suited and was the first player to make his exit at the final table.

 

The next elimination occurred once Justin Coliny got his chips in the middle after flopping top two-pair with big slick but was behind Garza's flopped set of sixes, ending his tournament in eighth place.

 

A few short hands later saw the next body drop after WSOP bracelet winner Rick Alvarado four-bet jammed preflop with king-jack offsuit and was snap-called by Jessica Vierling holding pocket aces. Alvarado turned a jack but was unable to crack Vierling's aces on the river and departed in seventh place.

 

The next casualty happened right before the end of Level 31 when Jonathan Bennett's suited ace-five was tripped-up by Nate Steuer's king eight, sending Bennett out in sixth place.

 

Once players returned from break, Steuer and Garza got into a back-and-forth all-in battle with Steuer taking the first match but ultimately ended up on the losing end after Garza picked-up big slick in back-to-back hands to end Steuer's tournament in fifth place ($93,926).

 

After Steuer's departure, the chips shuffled around a bit as Hayden Fortini started to climb the leaderboard winning a few big hands to put him second in chips. Unfortunately for him, his tournament would come to an abrupt end after he got his chips in the middle preflop holding ace-king and was called by Tran holding the same hand. More often than not, this situation would end in a chop, but Tran turned a four-card flush and ended Fortini's tournament in fourth place ($122,449).

 

Following Fortini's exit was the start of day chip leader Vierling who check-jammed after flopping top pair with queen-eight and was called by Tran holding a dominating queen-nine. Vierling was unable to take the lead and her run ended in third place ($158,286).

 

The heads-up battle only lasted one hand after Garza called off his short after a ten-high flop holding a made hand of threes only to find pout Tran held a better made hand of sevens. Garza was unable to find a set as he finished runner-up for $207,928.