While PokerNews is here offering live updates from the High Roller and 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 Horseshoe Hammond.
In Event #5: $600 PLO, 167 runners created a $86,005 prize pool that was paid out to the top 26 players. Among those to cash but fall short of the official final table were Anthony Huntsman (10th- $1,464), James Burns (12th - $1,464), Peter Kelly (15th - $1,242), Oleh Ferkalyuk (23rd - $1,082), David Watters (23rd - $895) and previous champion Victor Skrobacz (25th- $852).
In the end, it was Illinois native Emanuel Manioudakis who was all smiles after winning his first gold ring, along with a $22,053 payday.
“Wow! What else could a man ask for! I mean a man could die now and still be happy cause ya boy just won a ring,” Manioudakis said with a big grin on his face after his win.
“I don’t really get to play Circuit tournaments that often,” Manioudakis stated. “I’m a nosebleed cash game player but I had the opportunity to either play this or the $5-$5 cash game and now here we are.”
Even though Manioudakis’s doesn’t get out to play tournaments that often, that doesn’t mean that he’s not involved in the poker community.
“Whenever I have the opportunity to play a tournament I do but I’m just so involved in the poker community as I work for Chicago Charitable Games alongside (runner-up) Ken Kaulen who is actually the owner of CCG. Basically every weekend I’m working at KJ and I’m totally fine with that .”
Chicago Charitable Games (CCG) is a weekend charity poker event planning company that helps local and national charities market successful charitable poker nights.
“KJ likes to host the tournaments on the weekends and I like to spend my time there instead of playing full-time,” Manioudakis continued, “I’ve been down that route before and I feel being involved in the poker community the way that I am opposed to playing full-time is just something I have more passion for.”
As far as the victory is concerned, it provided Manioudakis with a nice payday of $22,053 but the money wasn’t his motivation.
“For a lot of us that play poker, the money means nothing. We can all burn through $20,000 no problem, it comes down to this ring because anyone who truly loves this game knows that it’s what really holds the crown,” stated Manioudakis.
The victory wasn’t just a solo one as Manioudakis has support throughout the poker community.
"I want to give a shoutout to myself for playing some darn good poker, I only got my money in behind once all tournament so that’s definitely worth mentioning,” Manioudakis said cheekily.
“No, but obviously I have a big shoutout to CCG. If it wasn’t for them or Ken (Kaulen) giving me the opportunity to work I honestly wouldn’t be here right now. And shoutouts to friends, family, The Rail Birds, Ice Haze, Chicagoland Poker Community, Insta Mock, Mr. Gutshot, All the Boyz in the Club and CCGPoker.live.”
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|
| 1 | Emanuel Manioudakis | Villa Park, IL | $22,053 |
| 2 | Kenneth Kaulen | Naperville, IL | $13,629 |
| 3 | Paul Ewen | Hartley, IA | $9,493 |
| 4 | Stephen Laymon | Warren, IN | $6,763 |
| 5 | Stanislav Angelov | Chicago, IL | $4,930 |
| 6 | David Hoffenberg | Skokie, IL | $3,680 |
| 7 | Marcin Dziubek | Palos Heights, IL | $2,814 |
| 8 | Brian McDaniel | Chicago, IL | $2,206 |
| 9 | Trevor Bublotz | Tinley Parl. IL | $1,774 |
Tags:
Brian McDanielDavid HoffenbergDavid WattersJames BurnsOleh FerkalyukPaul EwenPeter KellyStanislav Angelov
flop, Kozonis bet 8,500, and the button and early-position player called, while the big blind folded.
turn, Kozonis bet 18,000, the button shoved for 38,600, the early-position player folded, and Kozonis called.
, clinching the hand for Kozonis, chipping him up to nearly 200k, and sending the button player out.
river allowed him to breathe a small sigh of relief as he brought in the double.
flop, and both players checked the 
hit the river, and Pappas led out for 7,000. Pappas's opponent folded.
, and action checked to Baldwin, who bet 4,200. The cutoff shoved for 27,300, the under-the-gun player folded, and Baldwin called, with the cutoff covered.
turn and 
river. The big pot put Baldwin over the 100k mark, and sent his opponent to the exit.
board, Peter Palanca bet 3,500 from the big blind, and got a quick call from the button.
board to earn the double.