Ring Event #4: No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack

Event #4
Monster Stack
Buy-In: $300 (+$65)
Total Entries: 613
Prize Pool: $183,900
October 19-20, 2015

South Carolina pro finds success on his maiden journey to the Chicago area; moves to fourth on the all-time Circuit wins list following Monster Stack victory.

Hammond, Ind. (October 21, 2015) — Cory Waaland made his presence known Tuesday night at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Ind. The decorated Tournament Poker Edge pro made the journey from his hometown of Charleston, S.C. to the Midwest in search of his fifth and sixth career World Series of Poker Circuit victories and he did not disappoint.

“How sick would it be if I can win two rings in Hammond, then go take a selfie in front of the Michael Jordan statue [at the United Center] with five and six?” Waaland remembered thinking. “That was my goal three years ago, to win six rings just like Michael Jordan.”

The four-time gold ring winner wasted little time finding success in his first journey to the Chicago area, ultimately finishing first in the property’s $365 Monster Stack tournament good for a $38,623 score and his fifth ring. The victory moves him into a tie for fourth on the all-time wins list with Mark “Pegasus” Smith, Kyle Cartwright, Kurt Jewell and Kevin McColgan.

“I give all the glory to God,” Waaland said. “If it’s meant to be, it will happen. It was in His plan for me to win this, and I did. Let’s see what the rest of Hammond brings for me now.”

Waaland rounded out the 2014/2015 Circuit with a strong performance at Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans finishing as the Casino Championship runner up. He took a head of steam and some lofty goals into the summer’s WSOP, but would come up dry. The lack of victories motivated Waaland to dedicate himself like he never had before. Rather than just travel the Circuit in 2015/2016, he’s vowed to take it by storm and win four rings – a feat no one has accomplished in the tour’s 11-year history.

“It’s not so much about passing [all-time ring leader Alex Masek],” he said. “I have a goal this year to win four rings. I want to be the first one to do it. It’s something I want to prove to myself in a sense.”

Waaland’s trip to Hammond was one of chance. Not only did he have the time, a place to stay and a handful of friends urging him to come, but his previous four Circuit victories came at properties he had never been to. With that, he booked a flight and the rest was history.

Day 2 of the Monster Stack event began with 37 players remaining and Waaland sitting fourth in the counts. He hovered around the top for the majority of the event before taking the chip lead to the final table. The finale started slow, losing only a couple players over the first few hours, but picked up pace late. By the time heads-up play began, Waaland held more than 10,000,000 chips to his opponent’s 2,000,000. The final battle lasted but a few hands. When urged to head out for a night of celebrating, Waaland was succinct.

“No. I’m coming back tomorrow and playing the $1,100 because now I have a shot for Casino Champion which is something I want to check off my poker resume,” he said.

Waaland is a 29-year-old professional poker player from Charleston, S.C. The win marks his 21st Circuit cash and moves him over $300,000 in earnings on the tour.

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Event #4 was the fourth of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at the Horseshoe. The $365 Monster Stack event attracted 613 players. The total prize pool came to $183,900 and the top 63 finishers were paid.

The tournament began Monday, October 19 at noon CT and Day 1 wrapped following Level 21. Day 2 resumed the following day at 2 p.m. with 37 players remaining and action concluded at about midnight.

Final table results:

1st: Cory Waaland - $38,623 + Circuit gold ring and $1,675 Main Event seat
2nd: Yong Feng - $23,887
3rd: Eli Loewenthal - $17,467
4th: Jason Flock - $12,961
5th: David Gutfreund - $9,752
6th: Matt Lushin - $7,439
7th: Geremi Wicinski - $5,752
8th: Ronald Koenemann - $4,509
9th: Paul Vivacqua - $3,582

Cory Waaland is heads up against Yong Feng and in position for his fifth career Circuit win. Waaland owns more than 10,000,000 of the 12,260,000 chips in play and has his opponent on the ropes with a $38,623 first prize up for grabs.

Heads-up chip counts

Cory Waaland - 10,260,000 (102 bb)
Yong Feng - 2,000,000 (20 bb)

Remaining payouts

1st - $38,623 + Circuit gold ring and $1,675 Main Event seat
2nd - $23,887

We will touch base with you again when the tournament yields a champion.

As is customary with the Hammond Circuit series, the property is doing its part to pump the $1,675 Main Event full of players. In Wednesday's 12 p.m. time slot, ring events take a back seat to a $200 special event that features 18 Main Event seats added to the prize pool — a $30,150 value. If a player goes bust in that, a $200 second chance turbo begins at 5 p.m. with nine $1,675 Main Event seats added — a $15,075 value. That makes for a total of more than $45,000 in added value courtesy of the Horseshoe and those 27 seats are awarded on top of the cash prize pool.

Wednesday’s special events schedule:

-12 p.m. - $200 no-limit hold’em (18 Main Event seats added — $30,150 value)
-5 p.m. - $200 second chance turbo (nine Main Event seats added — $15,075 value)

Last year, the 12 p.m. event drew 684 entries while the 5 p.m. drew 264. Both tournaments are one-day events with unlimited re-entry and late registration is available for about three-and-a-half hours in the noon and for about three hours in the 5 p.m.

More information on these unique tournaments is available on the structure sheets just outside The Venue.

Day 2 resumes at 2 p.m. CT with 37 players remaining from 613 starting. Complete chip counts and chip counts arranged by table/seat are available under the "Reports" tab above.

The unofficial number of players remaining is currently 117 at the beginning of Level 17. Day 1 is slated to conclude following Level 21 (at about 2 a.m. CT) with Day 2 resuming Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Complete chip counts and partial results will be posted in the morning prior to the restart

Goodnight from the Monster Stack.

We know we said we wouldn't touch base with you again until registration closed and the prize pool was finalized, but this is too good to pass up. Today's 12 p.m. $365 Monster Stack is at 510 players and counting less than three levels into the day -- a number that shatters the property's projections.

As an amendment to the unique tournament's structure, registration in the Monster Stack event is open through the dinner break (until about 7:30 p.m. CT). Come on down and take your shot at a prize pool that's unofficially already over $150,000.