Heads-Up, He Puts on Pressure And Wins Almost Every PotClick here to view the official results.
Elizabeth, IN—Duane “Bo” Solomon, a 49-year-old manager of the Dogwood Hills Country Club in Portland, Tennessee, scored his first casino tournament cash-out as he won event 12 of the WSOP Circuit tour at Caesars Indiana, $300 no-limit hold’em. His win was worth $26,278 plus a $5,000 seat in the championship event.
This is the final preliminary event before the main one on Wednesday. Tuesday will be devoted to mega– and super-satellites.
Solomon, married with one child, has been playing poker all his life, learning from his father. He plays some $1-$2 no-limit side games and a rare tournament, but most of his poker time is spent at home games, where he’s beginning to like pot-limit Omaha, “a man’s game.” He’s been in one other Circuit event, a satellite where he won a $10,000 main event seat two years ago, but didn’t cash. The highlight of his poker career before this was playing with Chris Moneymaker at a home game.
Tonight he said the tournament was pretty tight until the second table, when it began to loosen. When he got heads-up with Ryan Williams, he had a moderate lead of about 330,000 to 275,000. He immediately began putting the pressure on, winning virtually every pot in their 12-hand match-up until he ground his opponent down.
The final table commenced with 3,000-6,000 blinds, 500 antes and 21 minutes left. In a near dead-heat for the chip lead were Michael “Spahn O” Spahn with 91,500, Robert Willmott Jr. with 91,000 and Solomon with 90,000.
Here were the starting chip counts:
SEAT 1 Troy Daniels 39,500
SEAT 2Robert Willmott 90,000
SEAT 3Chad Burns 74,500
SEAT 4 Duane Solomon 90,000
SEAT 5 Don Floyd 52,000
SEAT 6 Morgan NIckols 60,500
SEAT 7 Michael Spahn 91,500
SEAT 8 Ryan Williams 77,500
SEAT 9 Frank Shaw 30,000
The first level wasn’t too exciting. There was one flop on hand eight, and one river hand when Frank Shaw, all in for 18,000, survived with pocket fives. Perhaps the next level, 4,000-8,000 and 1,000 antes, would provide more action.
It certainly did. Six players got knocked out!
On the second hand of the level, Robert “Stogie Bob” Willmott II was left with 20,000 when he missed his club flush draw against a flopped set of 5s. Willmott lost those chips on the next hand when his Ac-Jc couldn’t overcome Williams’ pocket kings.
Willmott, 63, is a retired attorney from Lexington, Kentucky, married with one child, and his hobby is golf. He’s played poker in home games since his early years, four years seriously This is his second Circuit this session and he’s cashed in several regional WSOP events. Ninth paid $1,695.
Three hands later, Frank Shaw was crippled. He moved in for 30,000 with Ac-6c. Don “Quiltman” Floyd called with pocket jacks and made a set on the river. Shaw lost his remaining chips when he was stuck with 7-2 in the big blind and lost to Floyd’s K-J.
Shaw, 62, is also retired. He’s from Jeffersonville, Indiana, married with two children, enjoys fishing and boating. He learned poker from his father 40 years ago, won his way into this event via satellite, and has played four Circuits in all. Eighth paid $2,543.
Not long after, Floyd pushed in for $40,000 in the big blind with pocket 9s. Williams called with Kc-Qc and took the pot when the board came K-6-5-10-3.
Floyd was a good sport. “I enjoyed it tremendously,” he said exuberantly as he departed the table. Floyd, 62, from Columbus, Ohio, was our third retiree. He’s married with two children, enjoys fishing, has been playing 52 years, learning when he was a paper boy. He found a kid who knew the game and Floyd would put him last on his route, then play him for 50 pennies each time. This is his sixth Circuit. His poker highlight was playing in the WSOP. Seventh paid $3,391.
In short order, on hand 29, a fourth player went broke. Morgan “Albert” Nickols, down to 10,000, put his last chips in from the small blind holding Kc-9c. Spahn had only 6-2, but he was in the big blind and it only cost him 2,000 more. He caught a 6 on the flop and another on the turn, and we were now down to five.
Nickols, 31, is from Indianapolis and in medical sales. He’s married with two children, likes soccer, learned poker from his grandpa 10 years ago, and has played two Circuits. Sixth paid $4,238.
On the 30th deal, Troy Daniels was unlucky enough to be holding A-9 when the flop came A-10-2. Spahn, with A-J, moved in for about 160,000 and Daniels called all in. A queen and 7 changed nothing, and four were left.
Daniels, 30, is a graphic designer from Lancaster, Ohio. He’s played four years and this is his second Circuit He’s married, is a golfer and learned poker from friends four years ago. This final table and finishing 21 out of 527 in a Circuit event last year are his poker highlights. Fifth paid $5,086.
Five hands later, just as the level was ending, Chad Burns looked at one card. It was an ace, and he decided to put in his last chips from the small blind. He might have had second thoughts if he checked his other card, which was a deuce. In any event, Williams had pocket 5s, and a deuce on the river was too little, too late to save Burns as he exited fourth.
Burns, 30, is from Spring, Texas and was a professional golfer before become a poker pro. He taught himself two years ago, has played three Circuits, and his poker highlight was winning two events at Grand Casino Coushatta in Louisiana. Fourth paid $5,934.
Blinds now were 6,000-12,000 with 2,000 antes. At this point, Solomon and Williams weren’t far apart, in the 250,000 or so range, while Spahn was much lower with about 80,000. He managed to double through once with pocket 6s and hung on for a while, but finally went out on hand 47. He moved in from the button with 10-8 for 38,000. Spahn was in bad shape when the flop came J-J-10. He needed an 8 to win or a 10 or higher for a chop, but two babies came and he was out in third place.
Spahn, 37, is a forklift operator from Fairfield, Ohio. He has one child, likes softball and bowling (he has three 300 games), and learned poker from family games when he was 13. This is his first Circuit and his poker highlight. Third paid $6,782.
Play proceeded heads-up with Solomon leading. Williams soon had a difficult decision to make. On a flop of Jc-5c-3c, Solomon moved in. “I got a hell of a draw,” Williams announced. He held Ac-4h, needing a club for a nut flush or a deuce for a straight. He finally decided not to gamble and folded, showing his hand. Solomon showed his Ad-Jd, It was close. Solomon was a 52-47 favorite, with a 1 percent chance for a split.
Solomon continued to put on the pressure with constant raises and all-in bets. About the only time Wiliams won a sizeable pot was when he bet with four diamonds on board and Solomon folded.
On the final hand the board showed J-10-2 rainbow. Holding A-J, Solomon made a small trip bet of 30,000 and Williams, with 10-5, check-raised all in. The last cards were a 9 and a 3, and Solomon had locked up not only his first win, but his first cash ever.
Williams got $13,563 for second. He is 30 and a real estate investor from Savannah, Georgia. He learned poker from his grandparents, has played four years and four Circuits. His highlight was winning $12,876 for finishing fourth in the Gulf Coast Poker Championship. —Max Shapiro.
For more information, please contact: Max Shapiro -- WSOP Media Director at (323) 356-3303Or visit our official website: www.worldseriesofpoker.comWorld Series of Poker Commissioner – Jeffrey PollackWorld Series of Poker Tournament Director -- Jack Effel Caesars Indiana Poker Room Manager – Jimmy AllenCaesars Indiana Tournament Directors -- Andy Cunningham and Chris Reason