St. Louis is known as the “Gateway to the West”, symbolized by the world-famous Arch, but today it plays host to the latest stop of the World Series of Poker Circuit. The Poker News Live Reporting Team has made its way to Harrah’s to bring you live updates from yet another great event. We’ve already spotted the likes of 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Greg Raymer, St. Louis native Dennis Phillips, 1972 WSOP Champ Amarillo Slim Preston, and young guns Ari Engel and Josh Brikis wandering the tournament area, making this one of the more intriguing WSOP-C Main Events in quite some time.
The plan for the day is to play sixteen 40-minute levels, putting the end of Day 1 somewhere around midnight. The turnout predictions have varied wildly, ranging from 400 to 700 players, but we’re guessing somewhere right around 500. Thus far the stop has proved to be action-packed with some interesting story lines, all of which we'll talk about throughout the day. Be back in about an hour for all the hands, eliminations, and action from the latest WSOP-Circuit stop here at Harrah’s St. Louis.
Tournament officials just got off the microphone explaining the rules and what have you, which was followed by the traditional "Shuffle up and deal," announced by none other than 2004 World Series of Champ Greg Raymer.
Right now, we're going to take a pass through the tournament floor and see just who is here.
Dennis Phillips
Greg Raymer
T.J. Cloutier
Sam Barnhart (WSOP-C Harrah's Tunica Winner)
Bobbie Talbot (WSOP-C IP Biloxi Casino Champ)
Nadya Magnus (Big Game Loose Cannon)
Kurt Jewell (WSOP-C Hammond Winner)
Mark "Pegasus" Smith (Tied for most WSOP-C rings with four)
Jean "Prince" Gaspard (2009 WSOP-C New Orleans Winner)
Ari Engel
Stephen Kats
Joel Merwick
Ben Smith
John Adams
Chris Viox
Mike Souza
On a board reading , an unknown player checked and Ari Engel, known affectionately as "Bodog Ari", bet 225. His opponent then made a huge check-raise to 2,225, Engel called, and the hit the river. The aggressor fired out 3,100 only to muck when Engel made the call and showed for a straight.
Tournament officials recently announced that they will extend registration until 3 PM CST due to a series of accidents on the St. Louis freeways that have stalled traffic and prevented some players from making it to the venue.
Throughout the day we'll be recapping a few of the ring events that have occurred throughout the past week. Here is a look at the first:
The first ring event of the WSOP-Circuit in St. Louis got off to a bang with 843 players registering and subsequently setting the record for the largest poker tournament ever held in Missouri (beating last year’s first ring event that drew 675 players). Fittingly, St. Louis native and 2008 WSOP Main Event third-place finish, Dennis Phillips, was on hand to kick things off with the ceremonial “Shuffle up and deal!”
It took two days for the field to narrow down to the final table, with two-time WSOP-Circuit ring winner Eric Crain leading the way. Unfortunately, a bad run of cards ensured that he wouldn’t be adding a third, and he was eliminated in seventh place. In the end, Mark Pearse of Taylorville, Illinois, took down the title and $47,096 first-place prize. Pearse, a 41-year-old corrections officer and father of four, said simply, “This is unbelievable.”
His victory came on the first hand of heads-up play when he and Charlie Dawson were practically even in chips. The two got it in with Pearse holding against the of Dawson. The board ran out and Pearse took the title and an early lead in the WSOP-Circuit St. Louis Casino Championship Leaderboard with 50 points.
We didn't catch the hand, but we recently saw T.J. Cloutier talking to his wife and we wouldn't be surprised if he was relating a bad beat story as his starting stack of 20,000 has been cut in half. He is sittin with just 10,300.
Ari Engel raised to 275 from middle position and received a call from the player in the big blind. Both players proceeded to check the flop, leading to the on the turn. Engel check-called a bet of 400 and the was put out on the river. There was another series of bets and raises before the dealer quickly turned over the hands:
, an unknown player checked and Ari Engel, known affectionately as "Bodog Ari", bet 225. His opponent then made a huge check-raise to 2,225, Engel called, and the 
hit the river. The aggressor fired out 3,100 only to muck when Engel made the call and showed 
for a straight.
of Dawson. The board ran out 
and Pearse took the title and an early lead in the 
on the turn. Engel check-called a bet of 400 and the 
was put out on the river. There was another series of bets and raises before the dealer quickly turned over the hands:
