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2015/2016 WSOP Circuit - PALM BEACH KENNEL CLUB (Florida)

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 to Thursday, September 24, 2015

Event #8: $365 No-Limit Hold'em

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  • Buy-in: $365
  • Prizepool: $28,500
  • Entries: 95
  • Remaining: 0

EVENT UPDATES

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Thursday, September 24, 2015 3:21 PM Local Time

Alex_Miller_Winner

Event #8
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 95
Prize Pool: $28,500
September 23-24, 2015

Miller hones his skills in home games with Phil “USCphildo” Collins, wins $8,551 at PBKC.

West Palm Beach, Fla. (September 24, 2015) — Alex Miller of Atlanta, Ga. defeated Jim Choquette heads up in Event #8 of the Palm Beach Kennel Club Circuit Thursday afternoon. The victory in the $365 no-limit hold’em tournament earned Miller $8,551 along with his first gold ring and 50 points toward the Casino Championship. For Miller, the victory marks his first WSOP-related in-the-money finish.

“The money is great, of course, but to be able to say I won a WSOP Circuit event, I’ll be proud of that the rest of my life,” Miller said. “I’ll forget about the $8,500 eventually. Or I’ll spend it or I’ll lose it in future tournaments. The ring I’ll have forever. I can’t even fathom how good it feels.”

Miller is an entrepreneur and self-proclaimed recreational player. Now 30 years old, he began playing poker seriously while in college at the University of South Carolina. It was there that he met Phil “USCphildo” Collins. Some years later Collins would go on to finish fifth in the WSOP Main Event for more than $2.2 million, but he didn’t always have a first class ticket on the gravy train.

“We were buds in college playing home games,” Miller said of Collins. “That’s where he actually learned. I was taking his money, then five or six years later he’s [finishing fifth in the WSOP Main Event].”

Playing against talent like Collins helped Miller to sharpen his game and put him in position to make deep runs like he did Thursday at PBKC. The field in Event #8 narrowed to just three remaining following Day 1 and Miller bagged the chip lead with nearly two-thirds of the chips in play. When Day 2 kicked off, it was a different story. He sputtered to start and it wasn’t long before he held the shortstack three-handed.

“I gave away half my stack with top pair versus an overpair,” Miller said. “I was a little downtrodden […] I had difficulty pushing it out of my brain and I was down to 250,000 and not feeling good. I was probably in third at that point. It wasn’t a good feeling. Then things started to turn around and ended up working out.”

As he alluded to, Miller righted the ship and eventually bested Choquette after about 30 minutes of heads-up play. In addition to $8,551 in prizes, the victory earned him something not even his former tablemate Collins has – a piece of WSOP hardware.

“I can’t even describe what’s going through my body right now. It’s awesome,” Miller said.”

---------------

Event #8 was the eighth of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at the Palm Beach Kennel Club. The $365 no-limit hold’em event attracted 95 players. The total prize pool came to $28,500 and the top 12 finishers were paid.

The tournament began Wednesday, September 23 at noon and Day 1 wrapped toward the end of Level 21 (at about 3 a.m.). Day 2 resumed Thursday at 1 p.m. with three players remaining and action concluded toward the beginning of Level 23 (at about 2:15 p.m.).

Final results:

1st: Alex Miller - $8,551
2nd: Jim Choquette - $5,284
3rd: Joseph Patalano - $3,763
4th: Cody Pack - $2,733
5th: Tai Yuen - $2,025
6th: George Novo - $1,528
7th: Matthew Grisham - $1,176
8th: Steve Katlin - $921
9th: Alan Franco - $734
10th: Kevin Manning - $595
11th: Gary Bodley - $595
12th: Michael Terrell - $595

Thursday, September 24, 2015 2:15 PM Local Time

Alex Miller of Atlanta, Ga. won Event #8 of the Palm Beach Kennel Club WSOP Circuit, a $365 no-limit hold'em tournament. The victory came early Thursday afternoon and earned Miller $8,551 along with 50 points toward the Casino Championship and his first Circuit gold ring.

A full report on the win will be posted shortly. In the meantime, here's a look at the tournament's final results:

1st: Alex Miller - $8,551
2nd: Jim Choquette - $5,284
3rd: Joseph Patalano - $3,763
4th: Cody Pack - $2,733
5th: Tai Yuen - $2,025
6th: George Novo - $1,528
7th: Matthew Grisham - $1,176
8th: Steve Katlin - $921
9th: Alan Franco - $734
10th: Kevin Manning - $595
11th: Gary Bodley - $595
12th: Michael Terrell - $595

Thursday, September 24, 2015 1:01 PM Local Time

It's shuffle up and deal time on Day 2 of Event #8, a $365 no-limit hold'em tournament. Just three players remain from 95 starting and Alex Miller has a stranglehold on the finale with 639,000 of the 950,000 chips in play -- almost 70 percent.

Beginning the day second in chips is ring winner and Event #4 runner up, Joseph Patalano. While a victory would put Patalano's name atop the Casino Championship leaderboard through eight events, current leader Cody Pack would edge him out via the money-earned tie breaker.

The start-of-Day-2 shortstack belongs to Jim Choquette.

Three-handed chip counts:

Alex Miller - 639,000 (63 bb)
Joseph Patalano - 196,000 (19 bb)
Jim Choquette - 115,000 (11 bb)

Cards are in the air for Day 2 now with 11 minutes left in the 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante level. All three players have locked up $3,763 while the tournament's champion earns $8,551 and a Circuit gold ring.

We will touch base with you again when we have a winner.
Thursday, September 24, 2015 12:41 PM Local Time

DSC03202 (1)

The $1,675 finale of the Palm Beach Kennel Club’s World Series of Poker Circuit kicks off tomorrow. The first of two starting flights in the no-limit hold’em championship begins at noon ET. Players take their seats to 20,000-chip starting stacks with registration remaining open through Level 12. As an amendment to the structure this season, players are permitted one re-entry per flight good for a total of four entries.

Last season’s similarly scheduled finale drew 303 players generating a prize pool of $454,500. After four days of action, Florida pro and bracelet winner Tristan Wade emerged victorious to the tune of his first gold ring, a $106,806 score and a National Championship berth.

MORE ON WADE’S 2014/2015 MAIN EVENT VICTORY

Like last year, this year’s Main Event features two starting flights beginning Friday and Saturday at noon. Day 1s are set to log 15 levels with those still alive returning for Day 2 Sunday.

Here’s a closer look at this year’s finale:

-Flight A begins Friday at noon, Flight B Saturday at noon
-$1,675 buy-in gets players 20,000 chips
-Blinds begin at 25/50
-A 60-minute dinner break occurs after Level 12 (at about 6:30 p.m.)
-Registration remains open through Level 12 (until about 9:45 p.m.)
-Day 1 concludes after Level 15 (at about 12:15 a.m.)
-Levels 1-15 are 40 minutes, all remaining levels are 60 minutes
-Advancing players return for Day 2 Sunday at noon
-Winner receives automatic seat in WSOP Global Casino Championship

Live updates from the tournament floor will be available right here on WSOP.com from the time cards go in the air tomorrow to the time the last river card hits the felt Monday.

Thursday, September 24, 2015 2:48 AM Local Time
End of Day 1
Playtika - Jason Alexander
Thursday, September 24, 2015 2:47 AM Local Time

Day 1 played from 95 starting to just three remaining following 21 levels. Leading way with 639,000 of the 950,000 chips in play is Alex Miller. Next up is Event #4 runner up Joseph Patalano with 196,000, then Jim Choquette with 115,000.

Seating assignments and chip counts:

Seat 1: Alex Miller - 639,000
Seat 2: Jim Choquette - 115,000
Seat 3: Joseph Patalano - 196,000

Blinds begin at 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante

Cards go back in the air for Day 2 Thursday at 1 p.m. with each player assured a payout of at least $3,763 and 30 points toward the Casino Championship. The tournament's champion, meanwhile, earns $8,551, 50 points toward the Casino Championship and a Circuit gold ring.

Up-to-date results from the event are available under the "Results" tab above.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 11:18 PM Local Time

DSC03390
Chip leader Tai Yuen

After roughly 90 minutes of bubble play, the field sheared itself of a player pushing those remaining into the money. From there, it took just a few hands for Michael Terrell to bust 12th and Gary Bodley 11th.

Play has now consolidated to the unofficial, 10-handed final table with Hong Kong's Tai Yuen leading the action. Yuen holds 160,000 chips and is out in front of a finale that includes Casino Championship contenders Joseph Patalano (83,500) and Cody Pack (72,000). This marks Yuen's first-ever WSOP-related cash.

Ten-handed seating assignments and chip counts:

Seat 1: Kevin Manning - 50,500
Seat 2: George Novo - 42,000
Seat 3: Alan Franco - 74,000
Seat 4: Tai Yuen - 160,000
Seat 5: Cody Pack - 72,000
Seat 6: Steve Katlin - 98,500
Seat 7: Alex Miller - 102,000
Seat 8: Matt Grisham - 132,000
Seat 9: Jim Choquette - 140,500
Seat 10: Joseph Patalano - 83,500

Action is back underway now with blinds of 1,500/3,000 and a 500 ante. All players have locked up a score of $595 while the tournament's winner earns $8,551, a Circuit gold ring and 50 points toward the Casino Championship.

Bubble play pushed the Day 1 schedule back about 40 minutes meaning action should wrap around 3 a.m. ET.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 9:21 PM Local Time

Just 13 players remain from 95 starting and Event #8 is officially on the money bubble. The final two tables are playing hand-for-hand until they lose one player. When they do, all remaining will have locked up $595 with the tournament's winner pocketing $8,551.

As soon as the event reaches the money, results will be posted periodically under the "Results" tab above.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 3:55 PM Local Time

Event #8 ($365 no-limit hold'em) of the World Series of Poker Circuit at the Palm Beach Kennel Club drew 95 players generating a prize pool of $28,500. The top 12 spots finish in the money with the 12th-place player pocketing $595. Payouts increase steadily from there before topping out in an $8,551 first prize. In addition, the tournament's winner cards 50 points toward the Casino Championship and a Circuit gold ring.

Full prize structure:

Screen Shot 2015-09-23 at 4.02.07 PM

Presently, the clock shows 54 players remaining. Among them are yesterday's Event #6 winner Cody Pack, Event #6 runner-up Christopher Staats, three-time ring winner Daniel Gilmer and Shawn Rice.

We will update you again as Day 1 gets a little deeper into the structure.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 12:45 PM Local Time

John Vale of Plant City, Fla. leads the Casino Championship points race at the Palm Beach Kennel Club as of Wednesday morning. Vale followed up his first gold ring victory in Event #4 with an eighth-place finish in Event #7 (which is set to conclude today) for a total of 67.5 points through six days of play. Hot on his trail are Event #5 winner Cody Pack with 60 points and Christopher Staats who's logged three cashes this series totaling 55 points.

Top 10 point earners as of Wednesday morning:

1. John Vale - 67.5 points
2. Cody Pack - 60
3. Christopher Staats - 55
4. Jonathan Abla - 50
5. Joshua Beckley - 50
6. Mark Smith - 50
7. Matthew Ezrol - 50
8. Raymond Ruszkowski - 37.5
9. Aric Pluskat - 37.5
10. Joseph Patalano - 37.5

COMPLETE POINTS STANDINGS AVAILABLE ON WSOP.COM

Vale's lead is in jeopardy here on Day 7 of the PBKC series as he needs to fade a runner-up finish or better from Robert Hodson in Event #7. Hodson begins the Event #7 restart holding the chip lead with seven players remaining.

The player who earns the most points throughout the PBKC's 12 gold ring events earns the title Casino Champion and wins an automatic berth in the WSOP Global Casino Championship. There, they'll compete for a guaranteed seven-figure prize pool as well as a WSOP gold bracelet.

More information on the season-ending event is available on WSOP.com.

Playtika - Jason Alexander
Wednesday, September 23, 2015 12:00 PM Local Time

The clock strikes noon and cards are in the air for Day 1 of Event #8, a $365 no-limit hold'em tournament. Here's a look at the ins and outs of the opening day of play:

Noon - Event #8: $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 3:30 p.m.)
-A 60-minute dinner break occurs after Level 12 (at about 6:45 p.m.)
-Day 1 concludes after Level 18 (at about 2:15 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 Thursday at 2 p.m.

We will provide complete attendance figures and final prize pool information shortly after registration closes.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015 3:28 PM Local Time
Structure Sheet 8