For the second straight year, Valentin Vornicu won the Casino
Champion crown at the spring World Series of Poker Circuit stop at the
Bicycle Casino. Also for the second straight year, Vornicu earned the
title by notching a win in the final event of the series - a one-day
turbo event.
The final day of the series awarded three rings and there were
several players who were battling for the Casino Championship title.
Danny Illingworth came into the final day of the series with the points
lead, but Mike Leah's win in the $1,125 no-limit texas hold'em bounty event
gave him the edge in points. The conclusion of the $365 no-limit hold'em
event had no bearing on the event, which left the one-day $365 no-limit
hold'em turbo to decide the title.
Once the event hit the money,
there were three players that could take away the lead from Leah.
Illingworth could retake the lead with an 11th place finish or better,
Sohale Khalili could take the lead with a second place finish or better
and Vornicu needed a win in the event to take the title.
Illingworth
hit the rail in 13th and Khalili fell in fifth, but Vornicu ended up
taking it down to win his ninth career ring and win the Bike Casino
Championship for the second straight year. Vornicu's win tied him atop
the all-time ring leaderboard with Alex Masek and Maurice Hawkins. He
won $13,675 for his victory and it was his third cash of the series.
Vornicu
made a deep run in the $365 no-limit hold'em monster stack re-entry
event, finishing 37th out of a massive 1,471-entry field. His win was
his second final table of the series after a ninth place finish in a
$365 no-limit hold'em for $1,825.
Last year at this exact stop,
Vornicu made the exact same run at the Casino Champion crown. It took a
win in the final day's $580 no-limit hold'em turbo for him to earn the
title. He won that event for his eighth ring and the Casino
Championship.
Aside from the title, Vornicu was ecstatic to be among the Circuit's all-time greats with his historic ring win.
"I'm
so stoked. I don't know what to say," said Vornicu. "All of these guys
that you're talking about are really good players. So, being up there
with them makes me feel proud. I respect all these guys and their games.
And honestly, I think a couple of them, I won't say which, I think are
better than me."
Here is a look at Vornicu's cashes at the Bike:
Event #1: $365 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack - 37th for $1,655
Event #7: $365 No-Limit Hold'em - 9th for $1,285
Event #12: $365 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - 1st for $13,675