$1,700 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Cherokee
$1,700 Main Event
Day: 1b
Ben Petrillo Bags Huge Lead After WSOP Circuit Cherokee Main Event Day 1b
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Day 1b of the World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee $1,700 Main Event has come to an end with 102 players remaining out of the starting amount of 619 entries. Along with Day 1a's 381 runners the total field increased to a smooth 1,000 entries.
After 13 hours of play, it was Ben Pertillo who bagged a staggering 768,000, so much that it is good for 300,000 more than the next closest competitor. Petrillo was spotted in the middle part of the day with a big stack and then went off the radar for a bit before gaining a huge amount right as play ended.
Next in chips, some distance behind was Preston McEwen, with 472,000.
Just behind McEwen at the end of the day was Fikren Kovac with 454,000. He was spotted after dinner with a large stack and continued to rise in the counts until the end of the day.
In third place to end the day was well known WSOP Circuit grinder Dan Lowery, who finished a smidge behind Kovac with 451,000. Lowery gained momentum late in the day that launched himself to be among the chip leaders.
Charles Davis bagged 431,000 and David Attride finished the day with 399,000 to round out the top five chip stacks of Day 1b.
A few well-known players who made it through Day 1b were Marshall White (261,000), Steve Karp (233,000), Hamid Izadi (108,000) and Ryan Jones (104,000).
The 102 players who survived the day will combine the 60 survivors from Day 1b for a total of 162 remaining to start Day 2 which gets underway Sunday, December 8 at noon local time.
PokerNews will continue coverage of the Main Event on Day 2 as the money bubble will burst early and the players will look to make a deep run and survive until the final day on Monday.
End of Day 1b Chip Counts (full)
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
786,000 | 641,000 |
|
472,000 | 152,000 |
|
454,000 | -1,000 |
|
451,000 | 451,000 |
|
431,000 | 431,000 |
|
399,000 | 69,000 |
|
389,000 | 389,000 |
|
378,000 | 158,000 |
|
|
372,000 | 372,000 |
|
359,000 | 359,000 |
|
|
333,000 | 248,000 |
|
330,000 | 330,000 |
|
|
324,000 | 324,000 |
|
|
315,000 | 315,000 |
|
|
305,000 | 305,000 |
|
|
300,000 | 300,000 |
|
298,000 | 58,000 |
|
|
285,000 | 285,000 |
|
|
271,000 | 271,000 |
|
265,000 | 265,000 |
|
|
263,000 | 263,000 |
|
261,000 | -9,000 |
|
246,000 | 246,000 |
|
|
244,000 | 244,000 |
|
242,000 | 242,000 |
Play Ended
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Full chip counts and recap to be posted shortly.
Three More Hands
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
The floor has announced three more hands before the end of play for the night.
Late Night Day 1b Photos
Karp Continues On
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Steve Karp corrected yesterday's story about the poker version of the "Flu Game."
Rather than having the flu he had food poisoning but still managed to make it out to the felt.
Karp did not bag on Day 1a, but he has himself in a strong position on Day 1b to bag with a healthy stack as the day winds down.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
260,000 | 10,000 |
Bradley Mercer Captures Second Ring in Four Days; Brings Total Up to Three
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
The PokerNews live reporting team is currently in North Carolina to live report the Main Event here at the World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee, but that is just one of the gold ring events that will have played out by the end of the series.
In Event #8: $1,125 NLH, 267 entrants created a $267,000 prize pool that was paid out to the top 42 spots. Among those to cash were Michael Wang (3rd - $27,210), Hamid Izadi (11th - $4,086), Will Berry (13th - $3,378), Blake Whittington (14th - $3,378), Carlos Loving (21st - $2,464), and Aaron Massey (42nd - $832).
In the end, 47-year-old Bradley Mercer of Elon, North Carolina came out on top to the tune of $62,282 and his second ring in four days. He previously won Event #4: $600 NLH (393 entries) for $42,907. All told he now has three rings on his poker résumé
“It feels amazing. Amazing. Totally amazing,” he said. “I came in as chip leader. It was definitely a tough final table having Michael Wang to my left. He straight played position the whole final table. He’s very calculated in his decisions – a great poker player. He was definitely, to me, the toughest opponent at the table.”
Once again cheered on by a big rail, Mercer was grateful: “I’m very thankful and blessed. Again, I thank the wife for all her support and family and friends that railed me.”
With two wins Mercer is the big favorite to win the title of “Casino Champion” here at Harrah’s Cherokee, which comes with a seat into the 2020 Global Casino Championship.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bradley Mercer | Elon, North Carolina | $62,282 |
| 2 | Rodney Turvin | Cairo, Georgia | $38,493 |
| 3 | Michael Wang | Livingston, New Jersey | $27,210 |
| 4 | Joshua Rhodes | Palmetto, Georgia | $19,589 |
| 5 | Ross Ward | Gainesville, Georgia | $14,368 |
| 6 | David Jun | Bristol, Tennessee | $10,740 |
| 7 | Steven Snyder | Huntersville, North Carolina | $8,186 |
| 8 | Davin Jones | Griffin, Georgia | $6,363 |
| 9 | William Watson | Evans, Georgia | $5,047 |
Level: 16
Blinds: 2,000/4,000
Ante: 4,000
Last Break of the Night
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Players are now on their final 15-minute break of the night. They will return to play one 60-minute level or until the field is cut to 100 players.