Patrick Wagner Gets Early Retirement Surprise with WSOPC Gold Ring Victory

The World Series of Poker Circuit Choctaw Durant $1,700 Main Event is just one of a dozen gold ring events at the stop.

One that wrapped up in recent days was Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold’em One-Day, a tournament that drew 280 entrants and generated a $92,400 prize pool.

It was California native but Choctaw regular Patrick Wagner who took down the final WSOP Circuit ring at the stop. Not only did he win $21,414 in prize money but he also claimed his second gold ring. His first came two years ago in a $250 NLH Seniors Event.

“I play a lot of small poker tournaments over the years and won a few,” he told WSOP officials after the win. “No emotion really up or down. I like winning, I’m excited to win so I won’t say I’m not however there’s no weight lifted off my shoulders.”

To seal the deal, Wagner had to best 27-year-old poker pro Nick Pupillo in heads-up play.

“He had been shoving quite a bit, he shoved the last six of seven hands,” Wagner said of his opponent. “I actually folded quite a bit to him so that was probably a horrible call but I picked-up a slight tell that he was just making a move, and I could tell. At that point we were 60-40 on the chips and we flipped back-and-forth and I just wanted to play it out.”

The money will come in hand for Wagner, who plans on retiring next month from his position as an AT&T Accountant.

Event #13 Final Table Results

Place	Player	Hometown	Prize
1	Patrick Wagner	Richardson, Texas	$21,414
2	Nick Pupillo	Gilbert, Arizona	$13,233
3	Rick Braun	San Antonio, Texas	$9,370
4	Benjamin Thomas	Baton Rouge, Louisana	$6,756
5	Robert Irby	Hudson, Florida	$4,961
6	Benjamin Whittington	Chattanooga, Tennessee	$3,712
7	Hank Sitton	Greenville, South Carolina	$2,830
8	Reggi Trotter	Arlington, Texas	$2,201
9	Katherine Bowen	Gladewater, Texas	$1,745