Event #4: $365 No-Limit Hold'em

Event #4
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 98
Prize Pool: $29,400
September 20-21, 2015

Tampa, Fla. amateur makes the trip across Alligator Alley worthwhile, heads home with $8,821.

West Palm Beach, Fla. (September 21, 2015) — The World Series of Poker Circuit continued on Monday afternoon at the Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. In addition to two new gold ring events, Monday featured Day 2 of Event #4, a $365 no-limit hold’em tournament. The event restarted at 2 p.m. with just six players remaining. Less than four hours later, John Vale of nearby Tampa emerged victorious to the tune of his first gold ring and an $8,821 payday.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Vale said of the ring. “I’ve definitely always wanted to have one of these. I’m pretty stoked about it.”

Vale, a 30-year-old mechanical engineer, made the trip east following some successes at his home casino in Tampa. Having previously only played one event at the PBKC series in 2011, his newfound confidence motivated him to partake in a full schedule this time around. He’s been at the property for nearly a week, but until Monday had come up dry. He made Day 2 of the $580 re-entry event, ultimately finishing 66th with just the top 63 players earning money. After that, he took an hour to himself, grabbed some dinner and late registered Event #4. From there, the rest was history.

“I play at the Hard Rock in Tampa and I’ve been doing really, really well there on all the tournaments I’ve played in,” Vale said. “It was definitely a bummer [busting] the $580. Coming back it feels real nice to actually take one down.”

Vale began Day 2 of Event #4 second in chips and had a front row seat as start-of-day chip leader, Michael Triolo, sputtered and found himself on the rail sixth. It was Arash Behnam who took control late, but he met his fate third. The heads-up match between Joseph Patalano and Vale weighed heavily in Patalano’s favor to start, but Vale’s star shined brightest on Monday as he bested the rest to earn $8,821.

“At the end there things kind of came together,” Vale said. “I finally started getting some good cards and staying ahead […] I’ve been playing a bunch of [tournaments at the Kennel Club], but I’ve got a few more of them to play in still.”

Vale’s Event #4 victory marks his first WSOP-related cash and his first gold ring victory. His best previous finish came last month in a $125 event at his home casino where he finished fourth of 184 players.

Event #4 was the fourth of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at the Palm Beach Kennel Club. The $365 no-limit hold’em event attracted 98 players. The total prize pool came to $29,400 and the top 12 finishers were paid.

The tournament began Sunday, September 20 at 3 p.m. and Day 1 wrapped following Level 18 (about 2:45 a.m.). Day 2 resumed Monday at 2 p.m. with six players remaining and action concluded toward the end of Level 23 (about 6 p.m.).

Complete results:

1st: John Vale - $8,821
2nd: Joseph Patalano - $5,451
3rd: Arash Behnam - $3,881
4th: Bernie Lubitz - $2,819
5th: Michael Vitorino - $2,089
6th: Michael Triolo - $1,577
7th: Melisa Singh - $1,213
8th: Michael Schoen - $959
9th: James Puritz - $757
10th: William Pappas - $614
11th: Jeffrey Satinoff - $614
12th: John MacGregor - $614

Start-of-day chip leader Michael Triolo got caught raise-folding a handful of times and ultimately became the day's first elimination. He busted sixth at the hands of Arash Behnam earning $1,577. Following closely behind him was Michael Vitorino in fifth also at the hands of Behnam. Next to go was Bernie Lubitz. He hit the rail fourth courtesy of John Vale. With that, just three players remain and it's anybody's game with just 46,000 chips -- or three big blinds -- separating the chip leader from the short stack.

Final table update:

Three-handed chip counts

Joseph Patalano - 346 (28 bb)
Arash Behnam - 333,000 (27 bb)
John Vale - 300,000 (25 bb)

Remaining payouts

1st - $8,821 + Circuit gold ring
2nd - $5,451
3rd - $3,881

Updated results

4th: Bernie Lubitz - $2,819
5th: Michael Vitorino - $2,089
6th: Michael Triolo - $1,577
7th: Melisa Singh - $1,213
8th: Michael Schoen - $959
9th: James Puritz - $757
10th: William Pappas - $614
11th: Jeffrey Satinoff - $614
12th: John MacGregor - $614

We will update you again when a champion has been crowned.

Chip leader Michael Triolo

Players are in their seats and cards are in the air for Day 2 of Event #4, a $365 no-limit hold'em tournament. Leading the way is Michael Triolo (pictured) who claims 355,000 chips. This marks Triolo's third career Circuit cash at the Kennel Club and second final table appearance. All players have locked up $1,577 with a top prize of $8,821, a Circuit gold ring and 50 points toward the Casino Championship up top.

We will update you again after a handful of players hit the rail. In the meantime, all you need to know about the restart is available one post below.

Just 12 players remain from 98 starting and Event #4 is officially in the money. Those still in contention have assured themselves $614 with the tournament's winner earning $8,821, a Circuit gold ring and 50 points toward the Casino Championship.

Day 1 is set to wrap in about 90 minutes (roughly 2:45 a.m. local time) and end-of-night chip counts will be posted shortly thereafter.

As Level 6 gets underway, the clock in Event #4 reads 95 players registered. The registration desk remains open for another 45 minutes (until roughly 6:30 p.m.). At that time, the field will be finalized and the prize pool will be posted shortly thereafter.

Cards are in the air and it's game time in Event #4. We'll keep an eye on this event and update you on the field prior to registration closing at the beginning of Level 7 (about 6:30 p.m.). Until then, here's everything you need to know about the $365 no-limit hold'em tournament:

3 p.m. - Event #4: $365 No-Limit Hold’em - Day 1

-$365 buy-in gets players 10,000 chips
-Blinds begin at 25/50
-Registration remains open through Level 6 (until about 6:30 p.m.)
-A 45-minute dinner break occurs after Level 12 (at about 9:45 p.m.)
-Day 1 concludes after Level 18 (at about 2:45 a.m.)
-Levels 1-12 are 30 minutes, Levels 13-21 are 40 minutes, all remaining levels are 50 minutes
-Advancing players return for Day 2 Monday at 2 p.m.