Andy Belke Finds Gold in First-Ever WSOP Cash
The World Series of Poker Circuit Choctaw Durant $1,700 Main Event is just one of a dozen gold ring events at the stop.
For more than a week, a slew of side events has been playing out including Event #1: $400 NLH Monster Stack, a tournament that attracted 508 entries and generated a $167,640 prize pool.
Andy Belke, 36, notched his first-ever WSOP cash and it was a big one as he took down the tournament for $33,140 and a gold ring.
Originally from Kansas City but now residing in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Belke is a soon-to-be mechanical engineer who enjoys playing poker on the side.
“In this tournament I hit quads twice and I runner-runner for quads once to beat an overset,” he said. “I have hit so many one-outers or half-percenters, it has been insane.”
As for the bankroll boost, it’ll come in handy back in his Arkansas games: “We have our own little poker group, the 479 Poker Club and I gotta take them all out for dinner.”
Event #1 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andy Belke | Fort Smith, Arkansas | $33,140 |
| 2 | Mark Estes | Grapevine, Texas | $20,485 |
| 3 | Lisa Sheehy | Waco, Texas | $15,024 |
| 4 | Jon Bennett | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | $11,159 |
| 5 | Antoi Preston | Dallas, Texas | $8,395 |
| 6 | Dennis Meisinger | Texarkana, Texas | $6,398 |
| 7 | Robert Perkins | Southlake, Texas | $4,940 |
| 8 | Jack McKenzie | Fort Worth, Texas | $3,866 |
| 9 | Mark Fisher | Denison, Texas | $3,067 |
To see who all has captured gold rings at the Choctaw Durant stop, click here.