Event #4: $365 Buy-In 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em ($50,000 Guarantee)

Event #4
No-Limit Hold'em Six Max
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 427
Prize Pool: $128,100

Decked out in all Clemson Tigers gear, Mike Kaczmarek wins his first gold ring.

Cherokee, N.C. (December 1, 2015) -- Mike Kaczmarek has just won one of the toughest tournaments on the Circuit. The six max event at every stop brings the top players to the top and this time it was no different. Kaczmarek defeated a 427 player field and a tough final table to earn his first career WSOP Circuit gold ring and the top prize of $29,462.

"I still don't believe it's real," said Kaczmarek on winning the tournament. "I never imagined I would, so it feels great."

Kaczmarek defeated a final table that included two professional poker players plus a gold ring winner in Sean Stevens. Stevens was eliminated in third place and then Kaczmarek defeated Derrick Cutler in a head-up battle. Cutler earned $18,321 for his runner-up finish. It was his sixth career WSOP cash and first final table.

Kaczmarek is a physician at the St. Francis hospital in Greenville, South Carolina. He works in the emergency department. He now has seven WSOP cashes on his resume and more than $40,000 in WSOP tournament earnings. Whether or not he decides to return for the series' Main Event is still up in the air, but a great series it has already been for him nonetheless as leaves as the World Series of Poker's most recent champion.

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Event #4 was the fourth of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at Harrah's Cherokee. The $365 No-Limit Hold’em Six Max tournament attracted 427 players generating a $128,100 prize pool. The top 48 players were paid.

Day 1 began Monday at 11 a.m. and lasted 21 levels. Day 2 began Tuesday at 2 p.m. with 10 players remaining. The tournament concluded at about 7 p.m. Tuesday near the end of Level 27.

Final table results:

1st:  Mike Kaczmarek - $29,462 + Circuit gold ring
2nd: Derrick Cutler - $18,321
3rd: Sean Stevens - $12,964
4th: Jimbo Wilson - $9,178
5th: James Adams - $6,593
6th: Sam Sykes - $4,782

Complete results can be found above under the "Results" tab.

There are three players remaining in the six max. Currently sitting second in chips is Sean Stevens (pictured). Stevens is a gold ring winner. He won his gold ring in a 2014 Choctaw event.

Here is a look at how things currently stand.

Seat 1: Michael Kaczmarek - 850,000 (28 BBs)
Seat 2: Sean Stevens - 1,200,000 (40 BBs)
Seat 3: Derrick Cutler - 2,200,000 (73 BBs)

- 50 minutes remain in Level 26: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante

Day 2 of the six max is underway here at Harrah's Cherokee. The day began with 10 players remaining and the official final table will be reached once the field is reduced to six players. Today's eventual champion will earn a WSOP Circuit gold ring and $29,462.

Final table seating assignments and chip counts will be posted when the final table is reached.

Up-to-date results can be found above under the "Results" tab.

Day 1 has reached a conclusion and the 10 remaining players are bagging their chips. They will return tomorrow at 2 p.m. for Day 2 and the conclusion of the tournament.

Here is a look at the chip counts and seating assignments heading into Day 2:

 - Action on Day 2 begins at the start of Level 22: 6,000/12,000 with a 2,000 ante. All remaining levels are 50 minutes in length.

All 10 players are guaranteed a minimum payday of $2,594. The full payout structure can be found above under the "Prizepool" tab.