John Fagg Takes Down Event #2

Earlier in the week, 320 players ponied up $565 in Event #2 NLHE, creating a prize pool of $160,000. After two days of play, John Fagg of Terre Haute, Indiana emerged victorious to claim the $36,472 first-place prize.

As the WSOP's Nolan Dalla wrote:

With a WSOP Circuit gold ring at stake and two very determined players involved in a dogfight, aspiring poker pro John Fagg flopped a straight against Dr. Vafa Kamali’s three-of a kind. The two monster hands had everyone on the rail at attention – with half of the gallery screaming for the board to pair while the remainder shouted for two blanks. In the end, Fagg’s straight held up, dragging the final pot of an exciting two-day event, and ultimately ending with the crowing of a new poker champion who more than earned his place in the winner’s circle.

Before arriving at this finale, Fagg had previously made four WSOP Circuit final table appearances this season alone – making him one of the most prolific high finishers of this record-breaking tour cycle. However in the past, each and every time Fagg got within a few hands of victory, he either took a bad beat or suffered a cold run of cards that resulted in disappointment. Indeed – third, fourth, sixth, and seventh-place finishes are all quite impressive – especially within a single season. But there is no substitute for victory.

Fagg’s moment of triumph finally came at the final WSOP Circuit stop of the season, here in New Orleans. He defeated a larger-than-expected field of 320 players and pocketed $36,472 in prize money for the win. Fagg also raced way ahead of the finish line in the points race to qualify for a seat in the National Championship, to be played at season’s end. Alas, this was a personal and professional trifecta for Fagg – earning significant prize money, his first gold ring, and a coveted seat to play in a million-dollar nationally-televised gold bracelet event in Las Vegas. Not bad for two days “work.”

Fagg is a 29-year-old recent-turned-poker pro from Terre Haute, IN. He previously worked as a carpenter. However, Fagg’s tournament success this season has motivated him to play more on the WSOP Circuit, which seems to be working out nicely, so far. To his credit, Fagg also finished second in the Indiana State Poker Championship, held earlier this year.

WSOP Circuit Harrah’s New Orleans Event #2 No-Limit Hold'em

Buy-in	Entrants	Prize Pool
$500+$65	320	$160,000

Place	Player	Hometown	Prize
1	John Fagg	Terre Haute, IN	$36,472
2	Vafa Kamali	Purvis, MS	$22,550
3	Frank Alpandinar	Baton Rouge, LA	$16,378
4	Brent Ronquille	Lafitte, LA	$12,097
5	Clifford Fisher	Addison, TX	$9,082
6	Robert Alvarado	San Antonio, TX	$6,926
7	Clyde Duet	Cut Off, LA	$5,326
8	Rufus Yates	New Iberia, LA	$4,218
9	Gary Lambert	Quincy, IL	$3,366