Level: 10
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 1,000
2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah's Cherokee
Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah's Cherokee
Buy-in
$1,700
Prize Pool
$1,601,355
Entries
1,057
Level
36
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Dinner Break
Level 9
: 400/800, 800 ante
Players are now on their 60 minute dinner break as level 9 has just concluded.
Moats Hangs Tough with Queens
Level 9
: 400/800, 800 ante
Richard Moats opened to 2,700 from under the gun and was called by Dennis Powell in middle position, the button, and the big blind. The four players headed to a flop of 
and Moats tossed in a small bet of 1,500. Powell called and the button raised to 4,300. The big blind flat-called as did Moats while Powell stepped aside.
The turn was the 
and the action checked to the button who fired out another bet of 6,400. The big blind still called and Moats hung around for the 
on the river. All three players checked and Moats tabled 
to claim the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
233,000 | |
|
58,500 |
Israelashvili Doubles Through Call With Aces
Level 9
: 400/800, 800 ante
Roland Israelashvili jammed all in on the river on a board that read 
. His opponent called pretty quickly and Israelashvili turned over the 
which was enough to win the hand as his opponent mucked to give Israelashvili the full double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
34,200 | 8,700 |
Tyler Phillips Tops 2,766 Entries to Win Event #2: $400 NLH for $123,216
Level 9
: 400/800, 800 ante
The $1,700 Main Event is just one of a dozen gold ring events taking place at the Harrah’s Cherokee stop. For over a week, players have been competing for WSOP Circuit hardware and big chunks of prize money.
In Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold’em, a tournament that drew 2,766 entries and generated a $912,780 prize pool.
According to the WSOP winner report, 27-year-old Tyler Phillips entered the final table in the middle of the pack but made it all the way to heads-up play, albeit at a 2:1 chip disadvantage. That didn’t discourage him as he hung tough and eventually claimed the title for $123,216 and his first gold ring.
“It feels amazing,” said Phillips, who also competed in the 2019 Global Casino Championship earlier this week. “Every time I come to Cherokee, I feel like I have a chance. Something has just happened recently. Last year, in the 6-max when I got heads up, I had a two-to-one chip advantage and still lost. To come here and have a two-to-one deficit and be able to take it down it feels like everything just went right.”
He added: “I am just going to play as many tournaments as I can this series.”
WSOP Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee Event #2 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyler Phillips | Charlotte, North Carolina | $123,216 |
| 2 | Dragan Lunic | Duluth, Georgia | $78,464 |
| 3 | Todd Mercer | N/A | $59,063 |
| 4 | Steven Merritt | Conyers, Georgia | $44,862 |
| 5 | Scott Moersdorf | Knoxville, Tennessee | $34,387 |
| 6 | David Jackson | Jacksonville, Florida | $26,601 |
| 7 | Curtis King | Charleston, West Virginia | $20,769 |
| 8 | Michael Whitton | Rockmart, Georgia | $16,368 |
| 9 | Jamison Alford | Charleston, South Carolina | $13,022 |
Kessler Looking for a Pair vs Hawkins
Level 9
: 400/800, 800 ante
The action folded around to Allen Kessler who limped in from the small blind. Maurice Hawkins raised to 2,400 from the big blind and Kessler called.
The flop came 
and Kessler check-called a bet of 1,800 from Hawkins. The 
on the turn paired the board Kessler check-called another 3,300 from Hawkins.
Kessler checked blind before the 
hit the river and Hawkins checked it back. Kessler tabled 
but Hawkins held 
to claim the pot.
"You calling me with ace-high?" Hawkins questioned.
"If I made a pair, I would've won," Kessler responded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
77,500 | 15,500 |
|
|
43,600 | -13,600 |
Ryan Takes Pot
Level 9
: 400/800, 800 ante
Martin Ryan bet 8,000 into two opponents on a flop of 
to fold both of them out as he collected the pot to add to his stack shortly before the table was broken and a few notable players were moved to other seats.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
95,000 | 95,000 |
|
|
29,000 | 29,000 |
|
|
25,500 | 4,500 |
|
25,000 | -2,700 |
Level: 9
Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 800
Bialek Wins with His Favorite Hand
Level 8
: 300/600, 600 ante
After an early limp, Jason Bialek raised to 2,000 on the button. The small blind shoved all in for 11,200 which got the limper to fold. After thinking for a minute, Bialek announced, "This is my favorite hand," before making the call.
Jason Bialek: 
Opponent: 
The flop came 
to give Bialek a flush draw to go with his two over cards to his opponent's pair. The turn was the 
, leaving his opponent drawing to just one out. The river was the 
and Bialek scooped the pot to eliminate his opponent.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
46,500 |
Updated Chip Counts
Level 8
: 300/600, 600 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
174,500 | |
|
|
138,000 | |
|
136,000 | 136,000 |
|
|
74,000 | 28,000 |
|
|
72,800 | 16,800 |
|
67,500 | 37,500 |
|
|
62,000 | 13,000 |
|
|
58,500 | 28,500 |
|
|
57,200 | 30,200 |
|
39,100 | 9,100 |
|
|
38,500 | 8,500 |
|
|
36,800 | 100 |
|
16,000 | 4,000 |
|
|
12,700 | |
|
|
11,500 | -18,500 |