WSOPC Event #11: $1,700 MAIN EVENT

Flight B of the Choctaw WSOP Circuit Main Event was truly one to remember! Not only did some of the Circuit’s best show off their poker prowess, but the 338 total entrants helped compile a gigantic prizepool worth over half a million dollars. With one more flight still to come, poker players and tournament staff excitedly anticipate the $1,000,000 guaranteed prizepool being surpassed.

The impressive turnout of Flight B was not the only thing that drew eyes today, as champions young and old came to Choctaw ready to compete for the Main Event title. Ending the day not only as Flight B chip leader but overall chip leader was fifteen-time WSOPC ring winner and 2017 Choctaw WSOPC Main Event champion Daniel “Duma” Lowery (pictured above). The only player so far to surpass one million chips, Lowery bagged a jaw-dropping 1,023,000 chips in his bid to add another banner to the Grand Theater’s rafters.

Not one to be overlooked, recent Gargantuan champion and local poker vlogger Eric “Slick Ric” Chang (pictured above) bagged 866,000 chips, serving as the current runner-up for the chip lead. While young, hungry pros like Chang showcased their skills, a true legend of the game showed he still has what it takes to compete in the modern poker era. Not only did Poker Hall of Fame inductee T.J. Cloutier (pictured below) bag an impressive 737,000 chips at the end of Flight B, the six-time WSOP bracelet winner also secured his 100th career World Series cash. On behalf of the Poker.org team, we congratulate T.J. Cloutier on this milestone and look forward to seeing him continue his run on Day 2 of the Choctaw Main Event.

The following are the top ten stacks that bagged Flight B of the Choctaw Circuit Main Event:
1. Daniel Lowery - 1,023,000 2. Eric Chang - 866,000 3. T.J. Cloutier - 737,000 4. Derek Normand - 691,000 5. Ghadi Akari - 642,000 6. Han Feng - 575,000 7. Brian Cathey - 570,000 8. Jarrell Fielding - 569,000 9. Gerald Nabours - 548,000 10. Kasey Mills - 542,000

To view the end-of-day stacks of all 33 players that advanced to Day 2, click here.

On Saturday, November 4th starting at 11 a.m. local time, the third and final flight of the Choctaw WSOPC Main Event will take place. To stay up to date on all of the action, bookmark instant.poker.org and follow us on Twitter (@pokerorg) as well as Instagram (@poker_org_) to get the most out of our updates.

Continuing to establish himself as a crusher amongst the Choctaw player pool, Gargantuan champion Eric “Slick Ric” Chang (pictured) heads into our final break of the evening as the overall chip leader, owning an impressive 735,000 stack. Accompanying Chang near the top of the chip counts is fourteen-time WSOP Circuit champion Daniel Lowery, who is playing with a healthy 705,000 chip stack. Although not one of our big stacks, poker legend T.J. Cloutier is just one elimination away from scoring his 100th career WSOP/WSOPC event cash, and has a 355,000 stack.

The following players are still well in the mix to advance to Day 2 of the Circuit Main Event:

Wendy Freedman - 555,000 Schuyler Thornton - 645,000 David Norman - 384,500 Andrew Lech - 229,000 Aden Salazar - 557,000 Ghadi Akari - 552,000 Anthony Bogard - 122,500

Be sure to stay tuned to see who advances to Day 2 of the Circuit Main Event!

*Action picked up on the flop*

In what was already a large heads-up pot, on the 7s-6h-5d flop Aden Salazar (right) bet 22,000 and was called by Damarjai Davenport (left).

After the 8 of spades arrived on the turn, Salazar slowed down and checked. Thinking for a few moments, Davenport moved all-in and would eventually be called by Salazar. Up against pocket kings with only J-8 of spades, the ace of hearts on the river would be no help to Davenport, who was eliminated from the Choctaw Main Event.

Aden Salazar - 603,000

Damarhai Davenport - Eliminated

Folded to on the button, six-time WSOP bracelet winner T.J. Cloutier (pictured) raised 7,000 and was called only by his opponent in the small blind.

Flop:    

Check to, Cloutier made a 21,000 continuation bet. “This is a bad call,” said the small blind, as he threw out 21,000 chips.

Turn:  

Checked to again, Cloutier put his opponent all-in. After a few moments, Cloutier’s opponent mucked A-J offsuit face-up. “You had me beat!” Cloutier exclaimed, showing the table ace-three offsuit.

T.J. Cloutier is just one cash away from reaching 100 career WSOP cashes. Stay tuned to see if the Poker Hall of Fame inductee will reach the historic milestone.

T.J. Cloutier - 165,000

Gargantuan Event winner and poker vlogger Eric "Slick Ric" Chang (pictured) continues to build momentum and chip stack with just over 180,000 chips.

Anwesh Baisyat raised 15,000 UTG+1 and was called by both Eric Moon (pictured) and Gargantuan runner-up Gil De St Jeor in the small blind and big blind respectively. 

Flop:  - - 

Check to, Baisyat executed a 2,300 continuation bet and was called only by Moon.

Turn:  

Following a 6,800 bet from Baisyat, Moon made a 15,000 check-raise. Baisyat called.

River:  

Continuing his aggression. Moon bet 23,000 and sent Baisyat into the tank. After thinking for quite some time, Baisyat made the call only to see Moon had turned a set holding pocket eights. 

After mucking his hand, Baisyat told Poker.org staff he had ace-king offsuit with the ace of diamonds.

After an enthralling first flight full of incredibly talented poker players, there is no way to be anything but excited for the second flight of the Choctaw Circuit Main Event!

Today at 11 a.m. local time, Flight B of the Choctaw WSOPC Main Event will begin. With Flight A drawing 132 total entries and compiling a $199,980 prizepool, there is great potential for today’s flight to surpass both figures. Advertising a $1,000,000 guarantee and a spot in the 2024 Tournament of Champion, local and traveling poker players will surely arrive at Choctaw Casino ready to play their A-game in the Circuit Main Event.

For poker players who plan on firing one (or two) bullets into the Circuit Main Event, here is what you need to know:

$1,000,000 guaranteed prizepool

40,000 starting stack

40-minute blinds for the first 15 levels, 60-minute levels thereafter

One re-entry per flight

Registration open until the start of level 13

Minimum 15-minute break approximately every 2 hours of play

Flight C is on Saturday, November 4th starting at 11 a.m.

Poker.org will be on location posting live updates throughout the Circuit Main Event. We will be providing a recap of the action every break, and starting on Day 2, will be providing reporting on hands as well as keeping readers updated on chip counts. 

For even more coverage on the Choctaw WSOP Circuit Main Event, bookmark instant.poker.org and follow us on Twitter (@pokerorg) as well as Instagram (@poker_org_)!