$5,150 Circuit Championship | 2009 WSOP Circuit - Caesars Atlantic City

03-14-2009 13:15 UTC-4

The Day is Here

[user66118]

Welcome back to Caesars Atlantic City for the final table of the 2008-09 World Series of Poker Circuit Championship!

Our Main Event kicked off on Thursday with 208 hopefuls vying for the title. Now, just about 48 hours later, that number has been whittled all the way down to nine. This final table is one you won't want to miss; there are a few big-name players at the top of the pack, but each of the nine players remaining is fully capable of making a run for the win.

By the end of the night, one of these men will hold all of the chips in play, earning himself the title of Champion. Along with that title comes more than $300,000, an entry to this year's WSOP Main Event, and the stunning gold and diamond ring. We'll get things started at 2:00pm local time with the player introductions.

03-14-2009 13:23 UTC-4

Seat 1: David Zeitlin (415,000)

donpeters

The former attorney from Brooklyn, New York, David Zeitlin is no stranger to the felt. The 35 year old pro has numerous cashes along the tournament circuit and over $700,000 in winnings. He's taken down several prelim events and come oh so close to winning a WSOP bracelet when he finished second in the $1,500 six-handed event back in 2007.

"I'm just happy to be here," said Zeitlin. "I haven't sucked out in a big spot in this tourney yet. I'm due!"

Zeitlin comes into the final table right in the middle of the pack with 415,000 chips.

Tags: David Zeitlin

03-14-2009 13:23 UTC-4

Seat 2: Jason Young (213,000)

[user66118]

Jason Young is a 27 year old pro poker player from Suffern, New York. Once upon a time, he was a Recreation Activities Coordinator in his hometown, but that is now a thing of the past. Last year, Young was one of 1,000 players to take the field in the $1,500 Shootout event at the WSOP. Nine hundred ninety-nine players would fall to him as he marched through the pack to claim his first gold bracelet. A few weeks later, he would earn another nice payday with his 44th place finish in the Main Event. This year, Young has already picked up another title, taking down the $350 event at the Borgata Poker Open right here in Atlantic City and picking up his second $100,000-plus win.

Young will be looking to add to that total today. He has some work to do, beginning play with the short stack of 213,000 chips. As he puts it though, "All I do is win when I make a final table." Regardless of how many chips he holds right now, the rest of the table will certainly need to keep an eye on the dangerous Jason Young.

There are a lot of people rooting for the young pro today. Jason Young has pledged to give 2% of his tournament earnings to charity for life. One percent of his paycheck today will go to Bad Beat on Cancer, and the other 1% will go to the Nephcure Foundation.

03-14-2009 13:29 UTC-4

Seat 3: Matt Brady (635,000)

donpeters

Matt Brady is a professional poker player from Havertown, Pennsylvania. At the young age of 28, Brady has nearly $2 million in tournament earnings. Most of you might remember him as the winner of the 2008 Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic just last year. For that win, Brady took home $1 million!

With over 50 cashes and 25 final tables on his resume, Brady will certainly be a force at this final table. The 28 year old also final tabled this event back in 2007, coming in 5th place for over $90,000. His experience coupled with the 635,000 chips he has amassed will certainly make him one of the favorites.

Tags: Matt Brady

03-14-2009 13:30 UTC-4

Seat 4: Alex "Diesel" Bolotin (823,000)

[user66118]

Alex Bolotin should feel right at home playing under the World Series of Poker logos. In 2006, Bolotin cashed twice in the WSOP. One year later, he picked up another five cashes in the series, including a 2nd place finish in the six-handed event for more than a half million dollars. This past year at the WSOP, Bolotin again performed well, notching three more cashes, making the final table in each of those events. All told, Bolotin has six WSOP final tables over the last three years and more than $1.5 million in career earnings.

Bolotin is 28 years old, and he calls Brooklyn, New York his home. In his younger days, "Diesel" was the pound-for-pound bench press champion at his high school. Ten years later, he's been flexing his muscles against this Circuit field. Bolotin went on a tear during Day 2 to take the chip lead, and he will begin play with the big stack today. He bagged up 823,000 chips, about 20% of the total amount in play.

03-14-2009 13:43 UTC-4

Seat 5: Michael "Michnak" Michnik

donpeters

Michael "Michnak" Michnick is a former student that's taken his shot at playing poker for a living. So far, things seem to be going quite well for the young 23 year old. He's been traveling the world playing as much poker as possible. According to Michnik, "It's been pretty interesting so far."

Michnik comes into the final table with 319,000 chips.

Tags: "Michnak"Michael Michnik

03-14-2009 13:44 UTC-4

Seat 6: Chris Klodnicki (342,000)

[user66118]

Chris Klodnicki is 23 years old and resides in Voorhees, New Jersey. He is a professional poker player, and his results so far speak for themselves. At the 2008 WSOP, Klodnicki picked up three cashes, including a runner-up finish in the $1,500 Razz event. Soon after that, he would run all the way to the final day of the Main Event, busting out in 12th place for more than a half million dollars. Over his poker career, Klodnicki has just over $1,000,000 in earnings.

Klodnicki is on a run here in Atlantic City too. He was the overnight chip leader following Day 1, and he has ridden that quick start all the way to the final table. He'll start this final table in the middle of the pack with 342,000 chips.

03-14-2009 13:52 UTC-4

Seat 7: John Nixon (496,000)

donpeters

John Nixon hails from Toronto, Canada. He's only 23 years old and lists himself as unemployed. Nixon doesn't have many cashes to date and this will be his first big final table. He does claim to have some big online cashes and when asked to list an interesting thing about himself, Nixon wrote, "I'm left handed."

Nixon comes into today with 496,000 chips.

Tags: John Nixon

03-14-2009 13:53 UTC-4

Seat 8: Francis "Frank" Vizza (690,000)

[user66118]

At 42 years old, Frank Vizza is the most-senior member of our final table. The commodities trader from Cold Springs Harbor, New York, has four WSOP cashes in his poker career. His best finish came this past year when he final tabled the $1,500 Pot-limit Omaha event. Atlantic City has been kind to Vizza as well; last year he took down the $1,000 preliminary Circuit event down the street at Harrah's. Totaling things up, Vizza has more than a half million dollars in poker earnings.

03-14-2009 13:56 UTC-4

Seat 9: Samuel Chartier (228,000)

donpeters

Another Canadian at the table, Samuel Chartier is from Montreal. He used to be a student before turning to poker. Chartier has a few cashes in a few different countries around the world, but his most signifcant score came when he final tabled the EPT Barcelona Main Event in 2008. Chartier netted over $250,000 for his 7th place finish there.

He will enter today in the nine seat with 228,000 chips.

Tags: Samuel Chartier