Ring Event #5: $365 No-Limit Hold'em

TJ Thondup is the champion of Event #5 at Choctaw. Thondup, who primarily plays cash games, defeated a field of 279 entries, winning $20,089 and his second gold ring. The victory also earned him 50 points in the race for Casino Champion at this venue.

The champ is a 32-year-old part time poker player from Santa Fe, New Mexico. The other half of his time is dedicated to running a non-profit gift shop benefiting the Free Tibet movement. He won his first ring in Black Hawk two years ago, then went on to make two more final tables during that same Circuit stop. This result brings his total live earnings to over $100,000.

Thondup began Day 2 in third place with 34 players remaining. A few hours later, he was one of three former ring winners sitting at a tough final table, starting nine-handed play in sixth place. The Circuit’s most prolific casher, Doug “Rico” Carli, was eliminated in fifth place, falling just shy of collecting what would have been his third gold ring. Nick Pupillo has a ring of his own, but he bowed out shortly thereafter in fourth place.

“I had all the chips three-handed, and everything went wrong from there.” Thondup told reporters. “It was a complete roller coaster.” Indeed, each of the final three players had their hands on the chip lead during the match, and Thondup was the short stack at one point after losing ace-king to ace-jack in a big preflop confrontation.

He recovered though, taking the chip lead into heads up play against Nathan Rowan. On the last hand, Thondup opened with a raise from the button, and Rowan appeared to make a mistake, putting out more than half a raise when he intended to call. It was ruled a raise, and Thondup made a four-bet with pocket deuces. Rowan called, and Thondup flopped a set on the Q-8-2 flop. Rowan check-raised the flop with Q-J, then barreled the turn and river, the last bet putting him all in. Thondup called, showing down his set to win the pot and the tournament.

“It’s a good feeling,” he said quietly, nodding his head. “It’s a good feeling.”

Doug "Rico" Carli is the WSOP Circuit's most prolific casher, notching his 98th in-the-money finish here in Event #5. That's an astounding number considering the nearest challenger, Charles "Woody" Moore, trails him by more than thirty.

Carli's run toward a third gold ring has just ended in fifth place, though, and he'll have to settle for a fifth-place prize worth $4,984.

The field has been trimmed to 30 players, and Event #5 is in the money. Everyone left is guaranteed to earn at least $567. The eventual champion will collect a gold ring, 50 points in the Casino Champion race, and $20,089 in cash.

The first 15 levels are in the books, and Day 1 concludes in Event #5. They came awfully close to bursting the money bubble tonight, but 34 players will return for Day 2 with only 30 spots paying. Play resumes Monday at 2:00 p.m., just over 12 hours from now, and they'll play until a winner is determined.

Click here for the Day 2 seat draw.

Level 8 begins with the blinds at 250/500 and a 50 ante. There will be a break following this level, after which registration will be closed for this event. The board shows 272 entries so far.