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While PokerNews is here offering live updates from the Main Event, we’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you about the full schedule of side events that have been playing out over the past week at the World Series of Poker Circuit Choctaw Durant.
In Event #7: $400 NLH Double Stack, 341 runners created a $112,530 prize pool that was paid out to the top 53 players. Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Jeffrey Mckenzie (10th- $1,715), Bart Bogard (12th - $1,715), Melissa Bryne (15th - $1,416), Simon Webster (17th - $1,190), Will Berry (19th - 1,020), and Jerod Smith (20th - $1,020).
In the end, it was Texas native Daniel Butler who collected every chip in play to win his first gold ring along with a $23,997 payday.
The tournament took two days to complete and when the final card hit Butler was ecstatic.
“A lot,” Butler answered when asked what the ring meant to him. “I’ve been chasing this dude for a long time. It’s been crazy, you know… It’s been a long time coming.”
Butler deals for a living in his hometown of Waco. He tries to make at least one event per series at the southern Oklahoma casino, and this time around, he made his entry count.
“I made a big lady down on Day 1 that if I would have called I would have been out of the tournament, so that kind of shifted the momentum going into Day 2,” said Butler.
A saving fold kept Butler in the hunt, leading to his berth to Day 2 with just 14 others.
The final table was a bit of a roller coaster for everyone, following its formation. Butler, coming in with 16 big blinds, caught some heat in the middle of final-table action, scoring multiple knockouts, and amassed nice cushion for himself.
Later, during three-handed play, chips began changing hands repeatedly. Ramin Kaikhah was the first to double up, chunking away Butler’s chip lead.
“Yeah, man, it was crazy. The up and down. Lost a big hand early and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to come back from it,” Butler recounted.
However, Butler soon retaliated with a double-up back through Kaikhah. Then, lying in the wait for so long, Juli Black finally scored her own double up through Kaikhah as well
After the two hits, Kaikhah could not recover, dropping in 3rd place for $10,688. This set up a fairly even start to heads-up action between Butler and Black. Butler gained the momentum early on and ultimately took the crown with pocket tens.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Butler | Waco, TX | $23,997 |
| 2 | Juli Black | Dallas, TX | $14,829 |
| 3 | Ramin Kaikhah | San Marcos, TX | $10,688 |
| 4 | Jeff Heiberg | Buffalo, WY | $7,828 |
| 5 | Seneca Easley | Fort Worth, TX | $5,827 |
| 6 | Susan Oleson | Sweetwater, TX | $4,410 |
| 7 | David Prociak | Winter Park, FL | $3,393 |
| 8 | Nelda Escamilla | Anna, TX | $2,656 |
| 9 | Jonathan Bloyen | Denton, TX | $2,116 |
flop was checked to the 
turn where Gamini lead out for 8,000. Stroud called while Hawkins and Joseph folded. 
on the river and Gamini lead out once more, this time for 10,000. Stroud raised all in and Gamini quickly mucked 
face-up while Stroud tabled 
nas he raked in the chips.
board between Damarjai Davenport from the big blind and the hijack player with Davenport's stack at risk. 
