$1,700 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Cherokee
$1,700 Main Event
Day: 3
Erik Gorman Wins WSOP Circuit Harrah's Cherokee Main Event ($260,480)
Level 33
: 100,000/100,000, 200,000 ante
The World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee $1,700 Main Event is now history and taking home the top prize of $260,480 was Erik Gorman, who topped a field of a smooth 1,000 entries to win his first gold ring.
Donning his Baltimore Ravens apparel throughout his run, the Maryland resident captured the ring after he had come close on a few other occasions, particularly in 2014 when he finished third in the same tournament. This win more than doubles his career WSOP earnings, adding $260,480 to his previous total of $216,606.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
| 1 | Erik Gorman | Maryland | $260,480 |
| 2 | Hannah Guthrie | Montgomery, AL | $160,978 |
| 3 | Michael Kassem | Kingsport, TN | $120,770 |
| 4 | Ryan Jones | Burlington, NC | $91,459 |
| 5 | Fikret Kovac | Banja Luka, Bosnia & Herzegovina | $69,920 |
| 6 | Kyle Cartwright | Bartlett, TN | $53,968 |
| 7 | Marshall White | Boone, NC | $42,058 |
| 8 | Ken Aldridge | Pleasant Garden, NC | $33,098 |
| 9 | Randall Rothwell | Dayton, TN | $26,304 |
| 10 | Spencer Champlin | Scarborough, ME | $21,114 |
Road to Title
It was a classic worst-to-first story as Gorman began the day dead last in chips out of the returning 15 players. However, on the second and fourth hands of the day he immediately shot his stack up toward the top. That quickly changed his perspective moving forward on the day.
“Yeah. Those two hands were sick. I was like, I have a chance now,” he said after the win.
Gorman would remain among the chip leaders for the rest of the day, helped in large part by the hand he identified as a key one to help him win. It happened when Kyle Cartwright shipped pocket nines right into Gorman's pocket aces with two tables remaining. Gorman battled his way down to the final table and from there played solid poker, often maneuvering his way to getting the best of his competitors during short-handed play.
After beginning heads up almost even in chips, Gorman found himself whittled down to a 3:1 chip disadvantage against Hannah Guthrie. That is when a bit of good fortune would save Gorman when he got it in behind on the turn, his two pair up against a flush. The river filled up his boat to give him the dramatic survival. He would take down the title just a couple of hands later.
Action of the Day
Outside of Gorman’s victory, the story of the day was Guthrie, a player out of Alabama. A newcomer with only three modest cashes previously, she was able to navigate her way through the sea of monsters that the final day offered to find herself on the cusp of the title and eventually the second-place finish for a whopping $160,978.
That sea of monsters came in the form of many of the Circuit's most well known and most successful players. Last December’s Cherokee champion Jake Bazeley’s attempt to go back-to-back ended quickly as he was eliminated in 14th place.
The bust outs would continue until the final table was reached where a total of 16 WSOP circuit rings and two WSOP bracelets were represented. The owner of two of those circuit rings, Spencer Champlin, was the first player to bite the dust at the final table when he was eliminated in 10th place. After Randall Rothwell bowed out in ninth, WSOP bracelet winner Ken Aldridge fell in eighth place. Marshall White’s elimination in seventh place would see the ring total reduced by another four.
The most decorated player at the final table with eight circuit rings and one bracelet was Cartwright, who was eliminated in sixth place leaving two-time circuit ring winner Ryan Jones as the only player remaining with a previous ring. When Jones was eliminated in fourth place it guaranteed there would be a new ring winner. Michael Kassem’s elimination in third place set up the aforementioned heads-up battle that saw Gorman conquer the loaded field.
WSOPC Harrah's Cherokee Ring Winners
Here's a look at all those who captured rings at Harrah's Cherokee:
| Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $250 NLH Double Stack | 323 | $64,600 | Lenol Clark | $14,378 |
| Event #2: $400 NLH Multi-Flight | 2,249 | $741,840 | Ray Langston | $96,921 |
| Event #3: $400 NLH Turbo | 552 | $182,160 | Sam Cynamon | $35,304 |
| Seniors Event #1: $250 NLH | 1,006 | $201,200 | Carol Porter | $34,534 |
| Event #4: $600 NLH | 393 | $202,395 | Todd Mercer | $42,907 |
| Event #5: $400 NLH 6-Max | 634 | $209,220 | Josh Johnson | $40,330 |
| Event #6: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha | 287 | $147,805 | Joey Fabre | $33,837 |
| Event #7: $400 Monster Stack | 1,193 | $633,930 | Leif Force | $97,676 |
| Event #8: $1,125 NLH | 267 | $267,000 | Todd Mercer | $62,282 |
| Event #9: $400 NLH | 333 | $109,890 | Aria Homayounnejad | $24,330 |
| Event #10: $1,700 Main Event | 1,000 | $1,515,000 | Erik Gorman | $260,480 |
| Event #11: $400 NLH Turbo | 350 | $115,500 | Taylor Williams | $25,184 |
| Event #12: $400 NLH Turbo | 438 | $144,540 | Jaeyoung Wi | $29,755 |
| Seniors Event #2: $250 NLH | 576 | $115,200 | Michael Gunning | $22,057 |
| Event #13: $400 NLH Double Stack | 471 | $155,430 | Ricardo Eyzaguiree | $31,386 |
Thanks to winning two events and two other small cashes for $106,421 in earnings, Todd Mercer was crowned the WSOP Circuit Harrah's Cherokee Casino Champion with 105 points. That meant the three-time ring winner won a seat into the 2020 Global Casino Championship.
That does it for the PokerNews coverage of the WSOPc Main Event in Cherokee. However, we're currently offering live updates from the WSOP Circuit Bicycle Casino $1,700 Main Event, which is happening now Follow that tournament here.
Eric Gorman Wins Cherokee Main Event ($260,480)
Level 33
: 100,000/100,000, 200,000 ante
Congrats to Eric Gorman on winning the WSOP Circuit Harrah's Cherokee Main Event for $260,480, the gold ring, and a seat into the 2020 Global Casino Championship!
A full recap and winner's quotes will follow shortly.
Hannah Guthrie Eliminated in 2nd Place ($160,978)
Level 33
: 100,000/100,000, 200,000 ante
Immediately after falling behind in chips thanks to the miracle river, Hannah Guthrie jammed over a raise from Erik Gorman and was snap-called.
Hannah Guthrie: 
Erik Gorman: 
The board did not provide any hope for Guthrie as it came 
and her tournament was over in second place for a $160,978 score.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000,000 | 13,000,000 |
|
Busted |
Gorman Hits River Boat to Survive
Level 33
: 100,000/100,000, 200,000 ante
The flop came 
. Hannah Guthrie bet 900,000 and Erik Gorman called.
The turn was the 
to put a third diamond on the board. Guthrie bet 1,900,000. Gorman thought a few moments and moved all in for 8,500,000 and he was snap-called by Guthrie.
"Uh oh that's not good," said Gorman as he turned over the 
, which was well behind the 
flush of Guthrie.
But the river saved Gorman's tournament life as the 
binked to fill up Gorman and launch him from out the door to the chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
17,000,000 | 3,000,000 |
|
|
13,000,000 | -3,000,000 |
Guthrie Takes Heads-Up Lead
Level 33
: 100,000/100,000, 200,000 ante
The flop read 
, Hannah Guthrie bet 1,400,000, and Erik Gorman called.
The turn was the 
to further wet the board. Action went check-check. The river came the 
and both players checked again.
Guthrie showed 
while Gorman mucked to give Guthrie the slight chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,000,000 | 3,900,000 |
|
|
14,000,000 | -3,000,000 |
Michael Kassem Eliminated in 3rd Place ($120,770)
Level 33
: 100,000/100,000, 200,000 ante
Michael Kassem moved all in from the button, he was called by Erik Gorman out of the small blind. The big blind got out of the way.
Michael Kassem: 
Erik Gorman:
The board ran out 
and Kassem was eliminated in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
17,000,000 | 2,200,000 |
|
Busted |
Kassem Getting Short
Level 33
: 100,000/100,000, 200,000 ante
Michael Kassem three-bet to 825,000 preflop. Erik Gorman quickly jammed over the top. Kassem folded after a few moments to shrink his stack to a dangerously low level as Gorman continues his winning ways, taking down moderate pot after moderate pot in the last few orbits.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
14,800,000 | 6,150,000 |
|
|
12,100,000 | 1,700,000 |
|
|
3,100,000 | -6,000,000 |
Gorman Jams to Gain Some
Level 33
: 100,000/100,000, 200,000 ante
The flop read 
. Hannah Guthrie led out with a bet of 1,000,000 over to Erik Gorman, who was on the button. He eyed Guthrie for a moment before moving all in.
Guthrie got the count of 7,450,000 and thought a few seconds before folding to give Gorman some chips to move up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,400,000 | -1,100,000 |
|
|
8,650,000 | -750,000 |
Three-Handed Chip Counts
Level 33
: 100,000/100,000, 200,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
11,500,000 | -800,000 |
|
|
9,400,000 | |
|
|
9,100,000 | -100,000 |