2020 World Series of Poker Circuit Ameristar St. Charles

$1,700 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2020 World Series of Poker Circuit Ameristar St. Charles

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
54
Prize
$92,886
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,700
Prize Pool
$425,715
Entries
281
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
60,000
Players Info - Day 1a
Entries
108
Players Left
18

Level: 7

Blinds: 300/500

Ante: 500

Bazeley Barrels Out Wood

Level 6 : 200/400, 400 ante

Jake Bazeley opened in middle position for 800 and Greg Wood made it 2,200 on the button. Bazeley four-bet to 6,000 and Wood came along for the {6-Spades}{2-Clubs}{7-Spades} flop. Bazeley bet 7,000 and Wood called. The turn brought a {7-Hearts} and 12,000 from Bazeley. Wood tanked a couple of minutes and folded.

Player Chips Progress
Greg Wood us
Greg Wood
74,400
-18,600
-18,600
Jake Bazeley us
Jake Bazeley
68,000
30,000
30,000

Tags: Jake BazeleyGreg Wood

Craig Welko Gets Long Awaited Gold Ring By Denying Michael Lech a Ninth

Level 6 : 200/400, 400 ante
Craig Welko
Craig Welko

PokerNews is in town to live report the $1,700 Main Event here at the World Series of Poker Circuit Ameristar St. Charles, but that is just on gold ring event that will have played out by the end of the series.

In Event #6: $400 NLH Bounty, 136 runners created a $31,280 prize pool that was distributed amongst the top 21 players including Heather Alcorn (5th - $1,839), Melissa Bryne (8th - $842), Maurice Hawkins (10th - $581), Jeff Steele (17th - $456), Daniel Lowery (20th - $424), and Brian Nguyen (21st - $424).

In the end, St. Louis grinder Craig Welko beat Michael Lech in heads-up play to win the title for $8,336 and his first gold ring. By doing so he denied Lech his ninth ring.

“I have been waiting for this for a long time,” said Welko. “I am part of a group of friends that pretty much all have rings. I feel like I am one of the last ones to get it, so I feel like I can join that elite club. It definitely feels good.”

He added: “I felt like as long as I played my A-game and I got some cards I had a good chance, but I wasn’t exactly expecting to win even though I knew I was capable. That was one of the toughest final tables I have ever played.”

Final Table Results

PlacePlayerHometownPrize
1Craig WelkoSt. Louis, Missouri$8,336
2Michael LechAlma, Arkansas$5,152
3Neil PatelSt. Louis, Missouri$3,559
4Kelly WolfeCincinnati, Ohio$2,524
5Heather AlcornOzark, Missouri$1,839
6Laurence WeinbergSt. Louis, Missouri$1,377
7Nicholas QueryWinslow, Indiana$1,061
8Melissa BryneHutto, Texas$842
9Charlie DawsonOwensboro, Kentucky$689

Tags: Craig Welko

Level: 6

Blinds: 200/400

Ante: 400

Anderson Racing Ahead

Level 5 : 200/300, 300 ante
Ryan Anderson
Ryan Anderson

Ryan Anderson was already into six figures when he busted another player. On a flop of {6-Spades}{a-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds}, Anderson bet 5,000 into 9,000 from the small blind and faced a shove by the player on his right. He got a count of 19,200 more and thought about 30 seconds before announcing a call.

His {a-Spades}{q-Spades} was good against {q-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}, and the {q-Hearts} turn and {4-Hearts} river kept him best.

Player Chips Progress
Ryan Anderson us
Ryan Anderson
135,000
135,000
135,000

Tags: Ryan Anderson

Phillips on Crumbs

Level 5 : 200/300, 300 ante

Jacob Phillips got it in with a large draw holding {a-Clubs}{7-Clubs} on a flop of {10-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}{j-Clubs}, but he was up against {a-Diamonds}{k-Diamonds} for the nuts after the two players' raising war ended with an all-in wager. The board ran {8-Hearts}, {5-Spades} and Phillips sent over 28,800 most of his own stack.

Player Chips Progress
Jacob Phillips us
Jacob Phillips
3,300
-30,100
-30,100

Tags: Jacob Phillips