Event #1: $365 No-Limit Hold'em

Event #1
No-Limit Hold'em
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 145
Prize Pool: $43,500

Two poker friends from Dublin, Cali. finish one-two in the Tahoe series opener.

Stateline, Nev. (October 30, 2015) -- Tom Masinter bests his good friend Craig Nicholls heads-up to earn his second career WSOP Circuit gold ring in the opening event at the 2015 Harveys Lake Tahoe WSOP Circuit series. He defeated a field of 145 players to earn the top prize of $12,181.

Masinter and Nicholls are both from Dublin, Cali. They have been friends for 10 years now and have enjoyed some of the same home games together. The pair of poker players drove to the series together with the hopes of winning big. The two outlasted the entire field to find themselves heads-up for the gold ring. Masinter would end up edging out Nicholls in a fierce heads-up battle after Masinter was on the right side of an odd hand that had quads on board. Masinter and Nicholls cashed for a combined $19,709.

"We entered the final table today as the two shortest stacks and finished as the two on top," said Masinter.

This is Masinter's second career WSOP Circuit gold ring. He won his first gold ring back in 2010 here at Harveys Lake Tahoe.

"The first [ring] was so special because it's your first ring, it's exciting. But oddly enough, this one was more special because I got to share it with a buddy I drove up with." said Masinter.

Masinter had nine WSOP Circuit cashes for more than $60,000 prior to this victory, but his last recorded cash was way back in January of 2013. Masinter has been away from the game for about two years now. He has traded in the cards and poker chips for a whistle and a whiteboard. Masinter now spends much of his time coaching soccer for his two daughters.

According to Masinter, he thought that the break from poker helped his game, especially his patience. He felt fresh and keyed patience as a strong factor to him winning the tournament. Masinter plans to play a couple more events while he is here. He plans to play in the ongoing Event #2 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry event, as well as next weekend's $1,675 Main Event.

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Event #1 was the first of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at Harveys Lake Tahoe. The $365 No-Limit Hold’em tournament attracted 145 players generating a $43,500 prize pool. The top 15 players were paid.

Day 1 began Thursday at noon and lasted 20 levels. Day 2 began Friday at 1 p.m. with six players remaining. The tournament concluded at about 4:15 p.m. midway through Level 24.

Final table results:

1st: Tom Masinter - $12,181 + Circuit gold ring
2nd: Craig Nicholls - $7,528
3rd: Robert Angeleri - $5,434
4th: Bill Watchman - $3,993
5th: Tim Phillips - $2,985
6th: Anthony Banuelos - $2,269
7th: Craig Gold - $1,754
8th: Steve Foutty - $1,378
9th: Julius Threadgill - $1,100

Complete results are available under the “Results” tab above.

Tom Masinter and Craig Nicholls are heads up for the gold ring in Event #1 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em. They are competing for the first place prize of $12,181, a WSOP Circuit gold ring and the title of champion in Tahoe's first gold ring event. The runner-up finisher will have to settle for the second place prize money of $7,528, still not too shabby for two days of poker.

Players are taking a short break. Here are the current chip counts:

Tom Manister - 886,000 (44 BBs)
Craig Nicholls - 564,000 (28 BBs)

- 50 minutes remain in Level 24: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante

Up-to-date results can be found above under the "Results" tab.

Cards are now in the air for Day 2 in Event #1 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em and gold ring winner, Bill Watchman, leads the final six players. Play will continue today until a winner is reached.

Current chip counts:

1. Bill Watchman - 492,000
2. Robert Angeleri - 278,000
3. Anthony Banuelos 275,000
4. Tim Phillips - 176,000
5. Tom Masinter - 122,000
6. Craig Nicholls - 107,000

Here are the payouts that the final six players are competing for:

1st: $12,181 + WSOP Circuit gold ring
2nd: $7,528
3rd: $5,434
4th: $3,993
5th: $2,985
6th: $2,269

The first day of the 2015 Harveys Lake Tahoe WSOP Circuit Main Event has come and gone. The day featured the first event of the series - Event #1 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em. The tournament attracted 145 entries, nearly a 10% increase from last year's opening event at this series.

Play concluded with 10 minutes remaining in Level 20 and just six players remain. They will return Friday at 1 p.m. for Day 2 and the conclusion of the tournament. They are all guaranteed at least the 6th place money of $2,269. The winner of the tournament will earn $12,181 and a WSOP Circuit gold ring. Bill Watchman (pictured) will be returning Friday with the chip lead. Watchman won a WSOP Circuit gold ring at this property in 2013 in a $365 No-Limit Hold'em event.

Here is a look at the current chip counts:

1. Bill Watchman - 492,000
2. Robert Angeleri - 278,000
3. Anthony Banuelos 275,000
4. Tim Phillips - 176,000
5. Tom Masinter - 122,000
6. Craig Nicholls - 107,000

- 10 minutes remain in Level 20: 4,000/8,000 with a 1,000 ante

The final 18 players are now redrawing to the final two tables. The money bubble is quickly approaching. Of the 18 players remaining, 15 will earn a cash and take home something for their long day of effort on the felt. The 15th place finisher will take home $734. The eventual champion will earn $12,181 and a WSOP Circuit gold ring.

The complete payout structure can be found above under the "Prizepool" tab.

One familiar face still remaining in the tournament is Steve Foutty (pictured). Foutty won the Casino Championship at Harveys Lake Tahoe last year. He earned the title by cashing three times in the series, including reaching two final tables and winning one gold ring. His Casino Championship title earned him a seat in the 2015 National Championship.

More on Foutty's 2014 Harveys Lake Casino Championship title can be found: Here

Final table seating assignments and chip counts will be posted when the final table is reached.

Players in Event #1 are now taking their first break of the day.

Registration in this first event remains open until the start of Level 9, which will be around 3:30 p.m. Once registration closes a prize pool will be finalized and announced.

There are currently 132 players registered with just over three hours of registration remaining. The tournament needs just two more players to surpass last year's opening event at Tahoe, which drew 133 players.

Howard "Tahoe" Andrew and Timothy Little are two gold ring winners to be spotted early in the tournament. Andrew won two gold bracelets in the 1976 World Series of Poker.

Just prior to the break, two-time gold ring winner, Mark Bonsack was eliminated from the tournament.