The final day of the World Series of Poker Circuit Foxwoods $1,700 Main Event is set to kick-off at noon! The tournament has nine players returning to battle it out for the $143,293 first-place prize, and the eventual champion will also be adding a shiny new WSOPC ring to their resume.
It is Dan Chalifour leading the final nine with 2,820,000 going into his bag by the end of Day 2. Chalifour took fourth place in this exact tournament last year and as it stands, he is en route to topping that feat, leading the final table here on Day 3.
Justin Carey is another player to make a repeat appearance here in the Foxwoods Main Event after finishing eighth place last year. Carey needs a top-six finish to reach a new milestone in his career as his current best cash to date is $24,776.
The two previous players may have the Foxwoods Main Event table experience on their side, but when it comes to the circuit there is one name that reigns supreme and that is Maurice Hawkins. The all-time ring leader will be looking to extend his lead with number 14 today and add another six-figure score to his resume after already landing one earlier this month in the Global Casino Championship. Hawkins is an absolute circuit giant and is the clear favorite to take down this event. Look for him to get under his opponent's skin and play the aggressive style that has served him well over the years.
Final Table Seat Draw
Seat
Player
Chip Count
Big Blinds
1
Joseph Rudy
660,000
17
2
Maurice Hawkins
2,085,000
52
3
David Plotkin
1,795,000
45
4
Gregory Nerenberg
2,145,000
54
5
Justin Carey
1,530,000
38
6
Andrew Ostapchenko
1,240,000
31
7
Sean Thomson
955,000
24
8
Ralph Macri
760,000
19
9
Dan Chalifour
2,820,000
71
The remaining players that make up the final table include Gregory Nerenberg (2,145,000), David Plotkin (1,795,000), Andrew Ostapchenko (1,240,000), Sean Thomson (955,000), Ralph Macri (760,000), and Joseph Rudy (660,000).
All remaining will now be guaranteed at least a payday of $13,079, but every player at the final table will be eyeing the $143,293 first-place prize as only eighth players stand between securing the six-figure payday.
Final Table Payouts
Position
Prize
1
$143,292
2
$88,557
3
$64,663
4
$47,859
5
$35,947
6
$27,297
7
$21,058
8
$16,449
9
$13,079
The final nine will return at noon on Monday, play will start on level 26 with blinds of 20,000/40,000 and a 40,000 big blind ante. The levels will remain 60 minutes in length with a 15-minute break after every two levels of play and a 75-minute dinner break at the end of level 31. The tournament will not stop until a winner is crowned, taking home the $143,293 first-place prize, along with a shiny new WSOP circuit ring and an automatic seat into the GCC.
The PokerNews live reporting team will be bringing all of the coverage for the remainder of this tournament, so stay tuned as the action unfolds!
Maurice Hawkins opened to 85,000 from late position, Sean Thomson defended his big blind and the dealer spread out on the flop.
Thomson checked to Hawkins, he pushed in a continuation bet of 110,000 and Thomson check-called to the turn card. Action again checked to Hawkins who bet 210,000 and again Thomson called.
The completed the board, Thomson checked and Hawkins fired in a 525,000 bet. Thomson quickly called, tabling for a pair of aces but it was not good as Hawkins turned over for a full house. Hawkins scooped in the pot and Thomason was left with just 65,000 in chips.
A few hands later Thomson moved all in for his last 45,000, Ralph Macri called and Joseph Rudy bumped it up to 200,000. Macri folded and the two remaining tabled their cards.
Sean Thomson:
Joseph Rudy:
The board ran out and Rudy took down the pot with his pair of jacks, eliminating Thomson from the tournament in ninth.
Ralph Macri moved all in for 580,000 from the cutoff and action folded to Maurice Hawkins in the big blind who snap-called, players turned over their hands with Macri at risk.
Ralph Macri:
Maurice Hawkins:
"Jack-ball, jack-ball," said Hawkins as the dealer burned a card. The flop rolled out , giving Hawkins the jack he was calling for and the lead. A peeled on the turn and Macri had one last chance for romance. The river failed to improve Macri as he was sent out in eighth place by Hawkins.
Joseph Rudy opened to 125,000 from under the gun, David Plotkin moved all in for 825,000 in the hijack and Rudy called all in for his 770,000 stack.
Joseph Rudy:
David Plotkin:
The flop rolled out and Rudy was still in the lead with his big slick. A landed on the felt, changing nothing as Plotkin needed a jack to take down the pot. The rivered came down just that as the dealer flipped over a , shifting the lead to Plotkin who took down the pot, eliminating Rudy from the tournament on an unlikely river.
David Plotkin moved all in from the button for 805,000 and Gregory Nerenberg shoved over the top. Everyone else released their hands and the two tabled their cards.
David Plotkin:
Gregory Nerenberg:
The flop came down and Nerenberg retained the lead with his ace-high. A landed on the turn and Plotkin picked up some straight outs. The river was unfortunate for Nerenberg as the dealer flipped over the , completing the runner-runner straight for Plotkin who secured himself a full double through Nerenberg.
On the very next hand, Nerenberg moved his remaining 340,000 all-in from the button and Justin Carey called in the small blind.
Gregory Nerenberg:
Justin Carey:
The board ran out , flopping a pair of eights for both players but the higher kicker of Carey took down the pot, eliminating Nerenberg from the tournament in sixth place.
Dan Chalifour led the tournament for most of the latter part and came into the final day with the lead. He was atop the leaderboard for most of today until a hand where he opened from under the gun and Ostapchenko moved all in for 2,665,000 from the big blind. Chalifour called and the two tabled their hands with Chalifour ahead.
Dan Chalifour:
Andrew Ostapchenko:
The flop came down , smashing Ostapchenko with a set but Chalifour still had plenty of outs to take down the pot. The turn came down with one of them when the dealer turned over a , giving Chalifour a straight and the lead. The lead shifted once more on the river as the landed, filling up Ostapchenko who took down the pot for a massive double, leaving Chalifour short.
Chalifour double the very next hand with against Ostapchenko's , bringing him back up to the 800,000 mark. The hand to follow had Ostapchenko call another all in from Chalifour and the players tabled their hands, revealing a classic flip.
Dan Chalifour:
Andrew Ostapchenko:
The board ran out and Ostapchenko's sailboats took down the pot, eliminating the start of the day chipleader from the tournament in fifth place for a respectable $35,947.
Andrew Ostapchenko was first to act and elected to move all in for 810,000. Maurice Hawkins called on the button and David Plotkin stuck around as well from the small blind.
Justin Carey ducked out from the big blind and the dealer spread out on the flop. Plotkin checked to Hawkins who instantly fired in a stack of about 500,000. "You must have a made hand," said Plotkin as he let go of ace-king.
Ostapchenko tabled for a pair of sixes and Hawkins showed for a higher pair of nines.
The landed on the turn, giving Ostapchenko some more outs to stay alive but the river was not one of them as he was eliminated by the nines of Hawkins.
David Plotkin opened to 275,000 from the button, Justin Carey three-bet to 875,000 in the small blind and Plotkin called. The dealer fanned out on the flop, action checked to Plotkin who bet 1,300,000 and Carey moved all in. Plotkin called for his 3,600,000 stack and the two tabled their hands.
David Plotkin:
Justin Carey:
The peeled off on the turn and Carey was still ahead with his two pair. A river cemented the pot for Carey as he pulled in all of the chips, sending Plotkin out the door in third place.
Justin Carey moved all in from the button and Maurice Hawkins snap-called for his last 2,850,000. The two tabled their cards in what could be the last hand of the night.
Maurice Hawkins:
Justin Carey:
The dealer fanned out on the flop and Hawkins instantly stood up as Carey took the lead with his flopped eight.
A landed on the turn and Hawkins needed a lady to keep his night going.
The river peeled off a , failing to improve Hawkins as he was eliminated just one player short of ring number 14.
The third stop of the 2019/20 World Series of Poker Circuit crowned a new champion at Foxwoods in the $1,700 Main Event as Justin Carey emerged victorious, denying Maurice Hawkins his fourteenth gold ring. Carey outlasted a field of 468 entries to take down the biggest piece of the pie, pocketing $143,293 along with a his second career ring, and a seat into the 2020 Global Casino Championship.
Carey is a native of Somerville, Massachusetts and only logged his first tournament result in January of 2018. Although he may be new to the game he showed great resilience and an overall calmness throughout the entire event.
"It’s awesome. I feel like I played really, really well the entire tournament," he said. "On Day 2, I had a couple of bumps where I lost some really big pots, I just stayed focused and just played the best I could."
“I thought I played almost perfect at this final table,” he added. When talking about his success, Carey credits the company he keeps. “I’ve made friends with a lot of poker players that are better than me, and they’ve helped me a lot with my game.”
Carey came into heads-up play against Hawkins, the all-time Circuit leader with 13 rings, with an almost five-to-one lead. Hawkins chipped away and took a big lead himself, but Carey eventually got the job done.
“I just wanted to crush Maurice really bad,” admitted Carey after denying Hawkins a record-extending ring.
Final Table Results
Place
Player
Hometown
Prize (USD)
1
Justin Carey
Somerville, Massachusetts
$143,293
2
Maurice Hawkins
Coral Springs, Florida
$88,557
3
David Plotkin
Chicago, Illinois
$64,663
4
Andrew Ostapchenko
Carlsbad, California
$47,859
5
Dan Chalifour
Spofford, New Hampshire
$35,947
6
Gregory Nerenberg
Lake Success, New York
$27,297
7
Joseph Rudy
United States
$21,058
8
Ralph Macri
Redding Connecticut
$16,449
9
Sean Thomson
Worcester Massachusetts
$13,079
Final Table Action
The final day started off exactly how Day 2 ended, with guns blazing and chips blasting into the middle. Sean Thomson showed no fear as he sat down to his first big blind and was instantly faced with a raise from Hawkins. Thomson elected to play, calling down on every street, including a pot-sized bet on the river. Hawkins tabled a full house, dominating the two pair of Thomson who was now the short stack of the table and would take an exit just a few hands later against the jacks of Joseph Rudy.
Ralph Macri took charge through the next round of play as he played in almost every pot, jumping from average to short stack and back again in just a matter of hands. Macri said he pot-committed himself preflop with queen-jack against the pocket aces of Andrew Ostapchenko, doubling Ostapchenko while moving back into the short-stack role again. Macri moved his remaining chips all in on the next hand with ace-queen and was called by the ace-jack of Hawkins. The flop ran out jack-high and the rest is history as Macri was eliminated in eighth place.
Just hands after Macri was eliminated it was Rudy putting himself at risk. Rudy opened from under the gun and David Plotkin moved all in. Rudy called with his Big Slick and was in excellent shape as Plotkin turned over ace-jack. The first four cards ran out clean and Rudy only needed to dodge a johnny on the river to secure a double up. Lady luck had other plans for Plotkin as the jack landed on the felt, eliminating Rudy from the tournament on a disgusting river.
Plotkin took his newly acquired chips and jumped in multiple pots, finding himself on the losing end of the majority. Plotkin fell back down to under fifteen bigs and elected to shove from the button with king-nine of spades. Gregory Nerenberg called the all-in with his ace-ten of clubs and was ahead until a runner-runner straight came down, sending a double to Plotkin that left Nerenberg short.
Carey started to really climb during the six-handed portion of the tournament and would be the executioner when Nerenberg shoved his remaining stack all in. Nerenberg's ten-eight was dominated by the Carey who was holding ace-eight and failed to improve as he took an exit in sixth place.
Over two hours of back-and-forth play passed before another player took an exit. Dan Chalifour began the day atop the leaderboard and had been there throughout the first five levels of the day without ever really falling in the standings. However, three hands with Ostapchenko was the demise of Chalifour's tournament life.
The first saw Chalifour with cowboys against the queens of Ostapchenko and the board shifted the lead on every street, but in the end, Ostapchenko took down the first pot with a rivered full house, leaving the start of the day chip leader short. Chalifour doubled the very next hand through Ostapchenko and the two pushed it all-in again for the third hand in a row with Chalifour holding two overs to Ostapchenko's pair of fours. The board ran out dry and Chalifour headed to the payout desk in fifth place.
Ostapchenko held the lead at the start of five-handed play but his stack quickly depleted, doubling Carey and Hawkins up almost simultaneously. Ostapchenko then found himself at the bottom of the food chain and in need of a double. The California native moved the last of his chips into the middle with pockets sixes, only to run into the higher pair of nines of Hawkins. Ostapchenko failed to land a six and he was eliminated from the tournament in fourth place for a respectable $47,859.
Three-handed play began with Carey leading the way, Plotkin close on his tail, and Hawkins sitting as the short stack. Plotkin opened from the button, Carey three-bet him and Plotkin called to see the ten-high flop. Carey check-raised all-in and Plotkin obliged. Carey tabled top two pair and Plotkin sighed as he turned over pocket aces. The board failed to improve Plotkin as he was eliminated in third place for $64,663.
Heads-up play started with Carey sitting atop a monster pile of chips and Hawkins in need of some love. Hawkins instantly drew first blood from his opponent and elected to turn up the pressure soon after, pushing his way into the lead over the span of many small pots. Carey fell to the danger zone and didn't seem phased as he fought his way back into contention, taking the lead back from Hawkins.
Once Carey had the lead it never was returned to the 13-time ring winner as Hawkins dropped down to just fifteen blinds before calling his remaining chips all in with ace-queen against the ace-eight of Carey. An eight-high flop rolled out, shifting the lead to Carey and Hawkins failed to catch up as he was eliminated in second, receiving $88,557 for his efforts.
Andrew Lauer Wins Casino Championship
The other player to capture a 2020 Global Casino Championship seat while at the WSOP Circuit Foxwoods stop was Andrew Lauer, who finished atop the leaderboard with 122.5 points after amassing $44,073 in earnings.
That included winning Event #2: $600 NLH 6-Handed for $14,058 and his third gold ring. He also finished sixth in Event #5: $600 NLH for $3,495, 16th in the Main Event for $7,090, and third in the $3,250 High Roller for $19,430.
“It feels amazing. I can only play a few events so when I came down I said the six-max is the one,” Lauer said after the win. “The third one was kind of elusive. I got heads-up down in Florida – didn’t get it. Made a couple of other final tables – couldn’t get it. So, to actually get it feels amazing. Gotta keep going for more though – get four and five.”
WSOPC Foxwoods Ring Winners
Tournament
Entries
Prize Pool
Player
Prize
Event #1: $400 NLH
207
$68,310
Andrew Heckman
$16,566
Event #2: $600 NLH 6-Handed
92
$47,380
Andrew Lauer
$14,058
Event #3: $600 NLH
1,754
$903,310
Bob Ricciuti
$134,413
Event #4: $400 NLH Turbo
322
$106,260
Max Wiosna
$23,664
Event #5: $600 NLH
156
$80,340
Michael Zaino
$21,050
Event #6: $400 NLH One-Day
237
$78,210
Luke Graham
$18,364
Event #7: $400 Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better
124
$40,920
Darrell Lee
$11,143
Event #8: $400 Monster Stack
443
$146,190
Donald Devish
$29,969
Event #9 $1,700 Main Event
468
$709,020
Justin Carey
$143,293
Event #10: $600 NLH
141
$72,615
Kevin Lutz
$19,476
Event #11: $3,250 High Roller
44
$132,000
Dave Stefanski
$47,652
Event #12: $250 NLH
256
$51,200
Sean Carlson
$11,771
Event #13: $400 NLH Turbo
101
$33,330
Mark Amaral
$9,523
$250 Seniors Event
464
$92,800
Scott Robbins
$18,811
$250 Ladies Event
117
$23,400
Ashley Haller
$6,466
This wraps it up for the PokerNews coverage of the Main Event in Foxwoods, but tune into the High Roller as the final two are battling it out. Next stop is at the Ameristar Casino in the St. Louis area, where there will be full coverage of the $1,700 Main Event, so tune in for all of the action.