Former Dealer Wins Event #8 in Choctaw

Over the course of the past two days, we've been updating you on the preliminary ring events that took place earlier this week here in Choctaw. In case you missed the ones we've covered thus far, here they are again for your reading pleasure:

Keeping with that theme, here's a look back at Ring Event #8 $365 No-Limit Hold’em, with help from WSOP Media Coordinator Lukas Willems' recap.

January 17, 2013 will likely go down in Allan Farber’s history books as the day he made the transition from a semi-professional poker player and dealer to the full-fledged pro he dreamed to be. Farber won Event 8 at Choctaw Resort on that fateful night, giving him his first WSOP Circuit ring and awarding him what he hopes is the first of many five-figure scores.

Farber began traveling the poker circuit as a dealer more than four months ago. It wasn’t his end game, rather, it was a stepping stone to the career he dreamed to pursue – that of a professional poker player.

“I’ve been working for the last four months trying to build up a [bank]roll to where I could play,” Farber said. “I finally got to where I felt comfortable playing. I knew I could do something like this and it just feels great to finally get there.”

Ironically, Farber was offered a position dealing the Circuit series at Choctaw Resort, not once, not twice, but three times. Farber denied the offers, staying true to himself, his bankroll and his aspirations to become a professional.

When asked if he was happy with the decision he made, Farber smiled, laughed, then asked, “What do you think?”

His fairy tale wasn’t without disappointment for some players though. Farber’s journey to the winner’s podium went right through the tournament’s third place finisher Rex Clinkscales.

Clinkscales made his tenth career final table in Event 8, and for the tenth time, came up short of a gold ring. Clinkscales now sits second on the all-time list for most WSOP Circuit final tables without a ring. He trails Dean Schultz and Charlie Dawson who each have 11.

Clinkscales tweeted:“Busted 3rd get in my last 480k with AA Get called by 1010 flop comes kq9 turn 4 river jack can't believe this is how my tourney ends #sick”

Clinkscales’ stellar play is not without reward, though. In 2012-2013 alone, he has racked up 197.5 points toward the WSOP Circuit National Championship Presented by Southern Comfort 100 Proof and leads the National Leaderboard in the race to New Orleans. With 10 more Circuit stops still remaining, Clinkscales has all but assured himself a seat in the $1 million freeroll.

Farber has a long way to go if he hopes to catch Clinkscales, but winning Event 8 was a great start. It seemed like it was meant to be on the fateful night of January 17, 2013. You could see it in Farber’s eyes and you could see it in the way his co-workers were genuinely happy for him.

“I’ve been making friends along the way,” Farber said of working as a dealer. “To have so many people I’ve only known for so long be so happy for me; it’s awesome.”

Event 8 was the eighth of 12 gold ring events on the WSOP Circuit schedule at Choctaw Resort. The $365 No-Limit Hold’em tournament attracted 356 entries. The total prize pool came to $106,800 and the top 36 players were paid.

WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant Ring Event #8 No-Limit Hold’em

Buy-in	Entrants	Prize Pool
$300+$65	356	$106,800

Place	Player	Hometown	Prize
1	Allan Faber	Metairie, LA	$24,569
2	Matthew Alexander	St. Paul, MN	$15,186
3	Rex Clinkscales	Las Vegas, NV	$11,078
4	Michael Varnell	Tulsa, OK	$8,217
5	Edward Corrado	Naples, FL	$6,190
6	David Hendrickson	Grand Prairie, TX	$4,734
7	Darin Brock	Irving, TX	$3,674
8	Phillip Hui	San Antonio, TX	$2,892
9	Kyle Milam	Little Rock, AR	$2,309