Luis Pauyac Martinez Victorious in Event #4: $400 NLH for First Gold Ring
PokerNews is in town to live report both the High Roller and Main Event here at the World Series of Poker Circuit Planet Hollywood, but those are just two gold ring events that will have played out by the end of the series.
In Event #4: $400 NLH, 230 runners created a $75,900 prize pool that was paid out to the top 35 finishers. Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Clayton Fletcher (12th - $1,229), Sohale Khalili (16th - $875), and Darren Rabinowitz (19th - $763), just to name a few.
In the end, 26-year-old Luis Pauyac-Martinez, originally from Peru, bested Vinicius Lima in heads-up play to win the title, $17,965 top prize, and his first gold ring.
“It feels great. It’s actually my second trophy, but it took me over three years to get the second one. I’ve been grinding for four years,” explained Martinez. “I play whenever I can. I’m a waiter so I fund my career by waitering. I plan on going pro soon – I’m building my bankroll. That’s why I moved to Cali - to go pro.”
He added: “I’ve been dreaming about a ring ever since I got into poker. This means a lot – I’ve been working hard.”
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luis Pauyac-Martinez | Azusa, California | $17,965 |
| 2 | Vinicius Lima | Las Vegas, Nevada | $11,102 |
| 3 | Scott Cunningham | Tempe, Arizona | $7,869 |
| 4 | Richard Lanes | Lakeside, California | $5,684 |
| 5 | Daniel Kannerstedt | Varberg, Sweden | $4,186 |
| 6 | Matthew Zola | Riverside, Connecticut | $3,145 |
| 7 | David Larson | Las Vegas, Nevada | $2,410 |
| 8 | Robert Georato | Naples, Florida | $1,885 |
| 9 | Seth Jordan | N/A | $1,506 |