With a massive snowstorm hitting much of the south, Durant, Oklahoma was covered by a blanket of snow on Tuesday morning. However, that didn’t stop 182 players from coming out to the Choctaw Resort and Casino and taking their shot at a World Series of Poker Circuit Ring in the $345 Omaha Eight or Better event.
With Durant being just a short drive from Dallas, the entire series has seen a huge influx of players from the great state of Texas. This event was no exception and they were well represented at the final table. Of the final ten players, eight of them called the Lone Star State their home.
The chip counts going into the final table by seat assignment were as follows:
1. Freddy Horany 139,000
2. Dean Jackson 460,000
3. Freddy Valdes-Roque 90,000
4. Charles Dickey 68,000
5. Sandy Gilmore 241,000
6. L.D. Kearney 20,000
7. Justin McGehee 122,000
8. Chris Logue 174,000
9. Robert Gardner 221,000
10. Doug Smith 301,000
The final table played out almost as you would expect it to. The two short stacks, L.D. Kearney and Charles Dickey, were the first two eliminated early on. Freddy Horany and Justin McGehee were both unable to get anything going and were knocked out in eighth and seventh respectively.
The nature of Omaha Eight or Better sometimes makes for some long breaks in eliminations due to the multitude of split pots. No exception here as the remaining six players traded chips for over an hour before Robert Gardiner was sent home in sixth place. Freddy Valdes-Roque, playing in only his third live tournament ever, was eliminated in fifth place just a few minutes later.
Sandy Gilmore’s husband won a satellite sit-and-go and decided to give his wife $300 in tournament chips so she could play the event. The last woman standing was finally knocked out in fourth place, but not before turning that $300 in tournament chips into $4,349.
At the WSOP Circuit event in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Dean Jackson took first place and the ring. He fell just short of winning the same event here in Choctaw when he was eliminated in third place for $5,922.
Doug Smith cash for over $25,000 in the 2008 WSOP Main Event but had yet to score on the Circuit series. After a long heads-up battle with Chris Logue, Smith was taken out by Logue in second place for $8,202.
Chris Logue had steadily built his chips at the final table and eventually came out with the victory. The Azle, Texas native took home the Circuit Ring as well as the $13,275. It appears that he also earned the respect of his fellow players.
Runner-up Doug Smith sent out a Tweet shortly after the event stating simply “2nd in WSOP Circuit $300 limit omaha H/L ring event for $8200. Can't complain after being short stacked. Good player won.”
See the complete Choctaw Circuit schedule and previous results here. The WSOP Circuit at Choctaw runs through January 24th. You can find the complete 2010/2011 WSOP CIRCUIT SCHEDULE here.