Tunica, MS – One of the largest fields in the three-year history of the World Series of Poker Circuits turned out at the Grand Tunica Casino-Resort. Event #8 at this year's Tunica series attracted a whopping 750 entries, generating a prize pool totaling $363,750.
The winner was Donaldson Brown, a 40-year-old oil and gas investor from Copper Canyon, Texas. If Mr. Brown's name sounds familiar to poker players in the Tunica area – it should. He won an event here at the Tunica Grand Casino-Resort last year. His victory in the $500 buy-in no-limit hold'em event this month makes him one of only five players in history who have won multiple WSOP Circuit events.
Mr. Brown overcame long odds to win this time around. He arrived at the final table fifth in the chip count, and was behind most of the way. After 715 players were eliminated during 14 hours of play on Day One -- 35 players returned for Day Two. It took another three hours to play down to the final nine. Seventy-two players received prize money. The seating positions and starting chip counts began as follows:
Seat 1 Donaldson Brown 101,000
Seat 2 Lyde Wagers 248,000
Seat 3 Peter Martin 83,000
Seat 4 John Bradley 90,000
Seat 5 Dale E. Poynter 506,000
Seat 6 Scott Bell 127,000
Seat 7 Quang Tieu 25,000
Seat 8 John Marinca 88,000
Seat 9 Jim Johnson 233,000
Quang Tieu (a.k.a. "Ken T") was lowest in chips. He busted out early, losing to pocket jacks. Mr. Tieu, a 28-year-old business owner from New Orleans, Louisiana, received $7,275 for ninth place.
Romanian-born John Marinca went out next. The 30-year-old poker player now living in Atlanta, Georgia finished in eighth place. He collected $10,913 in prize money.
Scott Bell lost most of his chips with Q-J versus A-K. An ace flopped and that left Mr. Bell with just 6,000 in chips. He went out a few hands later. Mr. Bell, who works in sales and lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama picked up $14,550 for seventh place.
Peter Martin busted out next, holding pocket sixes. His pair lost to pocket jacks, effectively ending his hopes of victory. Mr. Martin, who works in marketing in Washington, DC has an impressive track record of tournament finishes, especially those he has played online. Interestingly, he had a 200 to 1 side bet with a friend (for $20) that he would win this tournament. The friend breathed a heavy sigh of relief ($4,000 was at stake) when Mr. Martin was eliminated. His payout amounted to $18,188.
Jim Johnson took the worst beat at the final table. He was dealt 5-4 in the blind and flopped a straight. He moved all-in against Dale Poynter on the turn. Mr. Poynter had two pair and called. Incredibly, Mr. Poynter caught a four-outer on the river and made a full-house to destroy Mr. Johnson's straight. Jim Johnson, a graphic designer from Birmingham, Alabama, earned $21,825 in his first-ever final table appearance.
John Bradley, from Irving, Texas went out next. He was low on chips and moved all-in with Q-J, which was called by Donaldson Brown, holding A-8. An ace came on the flop which ended what hopes Mr. Bradley had of doubling up. The 34-year-old dental technician drilled into the prize pool for a payout of $25,463.
Third place went to Dale Poynter. He ran out of momentum late in the night and nearly busted out on a straight draw. On the key hand, Mr. Poynter was dealt J-9 and moved all-in to a flop of Q-10-3. His outside straight draw missed completely. The eventual champ Mr. Donaldson ended up scooping the sizable pot with an ace-high. A few hands later, Mr. Poynter with considerably less chips, went out with a pair of jacks against Lyde Wagers' pair of kings. Mr. Poynter, who has already cashed twice in Tunica this week (he also made it to a final table at a WSOP Circuit event held at Caesar's Indiana last year), collected $29,100.
After Donaldson Brown doubled up on a big hand, holding A-6 versus Lyde Wagers' K-J (the board showed 6-5-3-8-Q giving Mr. Brown a pair of 6s), he won the final hand of the night just a short time later. Mr. Brown was dealt A-5. He moved all in and was called by the short-stacked Mr. Wagers with 9-8. Mr. Donaldson turned an ace, and won the last hand of the tournament.
The runner up was Lyde Wagers from Louisville, Kentucky. He also enjoyed success at Caesars Indiana last year on the WSOP Circuit (second in cashes there in 2006). Mr. Wagers – true to his name – wagered a $500 entry in this tournament and ended up making over 100 times that amount -- $51,471.
The winner was Donaldson Brown who admits proudly that poker has become a big part of his life. With so much tournament success over the past year, and $98,184 in prize money from this event alone -- who can blame him? It's no surprise that a man who was successful in his career as a wildcatter in the oil and gas business in Texas would find a natural home at the poker table.
by Nolan Dalla
Note: All content in this report may be re-printed by media.
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Tournament Director – Janis Sexton
Grand Tunica Poker Room Manager – Karen Kaegin