Event #3: $365 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo

Bill Davis takes down the first turbo event of the series.

Stateline, Nev. (November 1, 2015) -- Bill Davis makes his first WSOP cash a WSOP victory. He defeated gold ring winner, Iris Kuzu, in one hand of heads up play to capture the gold ring and first place cash prize of $9,989.

As the name of the tournament implies, this was quick one. The turbo tournament lasted just shy of nine hours in total after a quick one hour and 15 minute final table. Davis steamrolled the final table. He entered the final table as the chip leader and went on to knock out Mike Tomaselli in ninth place. Tomaselli was second in chips entering the final table. After the knockout, Davis held a commanding chip lead. He rode the chip lead to the end and never gave it up once.

"It's awesome," said Davis about winning the gold ring. When asked what his friends and family would think of the victory, he said "They will be happy. They knew it would happen eventually."

According to Davis, he has always done well in tournaments, but has never been able to finish tournaments. He has finished close to or in the lower parts of the money several times. He said that his game is starting to mature. Saturday's winning result proves that to be true.

Davis is a retired U.S. Navy Chief. He spent 21 years in the Navy doing information technology. After retiring from the Navy he stayed in the technology field and now works for a company that services the healthcare industry. He is married and lives in Stockton, California.

As mentioned above, Davis beat Iris Kuzu heads-up for the gold ring. Kuzu won her gold ring back in 2013 at this property in a $365 No-Limit Hold'em event. Kuzu has now reached a Tahoe Circuit final table in three of the past five years. Kuzu was not the only gold ring winner at the final table. Joining Kuzu and Davis was two-time gold ring winner, Douglas "Rico" Carli. Carli ended up finishing in eighth place after entering the final table second to last in chips. This marks Carli's record extending 96th WSOP Circuit cash.

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Event #3 was the third of 12 gold ring events, but second to finish, on the WSOP Circuit schedule at Harveys Lake Tahoe. The $365 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo tournament attracted 111 players generating a $33,300 prize pool. The top 12 players were paid.

This was a one-day tournament. The tournament began Saturday at 4:15 p.m. The tournament reached the final table at around midnight and the tournament finished just over an hour later after a speedy final table.

Final table results:

1st: Bill Davis - $9,989 + Circuit gold ring
2nd: Iris Kuzu - $6,174
3rd: Todd Julich - $4,396
4th: Paul Cogliano - $3,193
5th: Mary Anne Madruga - $2,366
6th: Shawn Bessey - $1,786
7th: Jon Lactaoen - $1,374
8th: Douglas "Rico" Carli - $1,076
9th: Mike Tomaselli - $858

Complete results are available under the “Results” tab above.

The final table has been reached in Event #3 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo. The 10-12th place finishers were eliminated in rapid succession after a money bubble that lasted nearly an hour long. The final nine players are guaranteed to walk home with at least the ninth place money of $858. The champion will earn $9,989, a WSOP Circuit gold ring and 50 Casino Championship points.

All-time Circuit cashing leader, Doug "Rico" Carli, is shooting for his third career gold ring, but if he wants to win it he will have to make up a lot of ground. He comes to the final table eighth in chips. Carli now has 96 Circuit cashes to his name. He is 40 cashes ahead of second on the all-time Circuit cash list, Woody Moore. Sitting third in chips is Iris Kuzu. Kuzu is looking to pick up her second career gold ring. Kuzu won a $365 NLHE event at this property in 2013.

Here is a look at the final table seating assignments and chip counts:

Seat 1: Iris Kuzu - 169,000 (28 BBs)
Seat 2: Todd Julich - 41,000 (6 BBs)
Seat 3: Bill Davis - 244,000 (40 BBs)
Seat 4: Mary Anne Madruga - 111,000 (18 BBs)
Seat 5: Doug "Rico" Carli - 45,000 (7 BBs)
Seat 6: Mike Tomaselli - 198,000 (33 BBs)
Seat 7: Jon Lactaoen - 72,000 (12 BBs)
Seat 8: Paul Cogliano - 148,000 (24 BBs)
Seat 9: Shawn Bessey - 85,000 (14 BBs)

Event #3 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo drew 111 entries to create a $33,300 prizepool. The top 12 players will be paid with the 12th place finisher earning $696. The winner will take home $9,989, a WSOP Circuit gold ring and 50 Casino Championship points.

Here is a look at the complete payout structure:

Players are now on a short break so that the floor can race off all of the green chips. They will return to Level 10: 400/800 with a 100 ante. This tournament will play to completion tonight.

The first of two one-day turbo events of the WSOP Circuit series at Harveys Lake Tahoe is soon to begin. The tournament is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. More on the tournament can be found below:

Event #3 - $365 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - 4 p.m.

• Players begins with 10,000 chips
• Blinds begin at 25/50
• Registration remains open until the beginning of Level 9 (~6:50 p.m.)
  
• Re-entry is not permitted
  
• All levels are 20 minutes long
• There is a 30 minute dinner break after Level 18 (~10:20 p.m.)
• This is a one-day event

For fans of the turbo structure, the second turbo event of the series is scheduled for next Saturday at 4 p.m.

The complete Harveys Lake Tahoe Schedule can be found on WSOP.com.