2020 World Series of Poker Circuit Potawatomi

$1,700 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2020 World Series of Poker Circuit Potawatomi

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aj
Prize
$151,284
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,700
Prize Pool
$793,860
Entries
524
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
100,000
Players Info - Day 3
Entries
8
Players Left
1

$1,700 Main Event

Day 3 Completed

Philip Shing Wins WSOP Circuit Potawatomi Main Event ($151,284)

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Philip Shing
Philip Shing

The 2020 World Series of Poker Potawatomi $1,700 Main Event began with 524 entrants, and on Monday it was 35-year-old Philip Shing, who was visiting Milwaukee for the first time, coming out on top to capture the $151,284 first-place prize, a gold ring, and a seat into the 2020 Global Casino Championship.

It actually marked the second ring for Shing, who revealed that he only plays poker a couple of times a year. Back in 2015, he won the WSOP Circuit Foxwoods Event #3: $580 Six-Max NLH for $14,543 and his first gold ring.

“Honestly it hasn’t really kicked yet but I think it feels really good,” Shing stated after his win. “I only play three events a year due to work but I actually had a week off of work so I came here.”

He added: “The casino was great, the people were amazing and I just had a blast here at the final table so I will definitely be making this trip again ... As you can expect I’m exhausted at this point and I’m ready to go home and see my kids.”

Final Table Results

PositionNameHometownPrize Money
1Philip ShingBrooklyn, New York$151,284
2Ken DonarskiWillow Brook, Illinois$93,498
3John GallaherLebanon, Tennessee$68,947
4James PupilloGilbert, Arizona$51,484
5Cero ZuccarelloMadison, Wisconsin$38,937
6Chris RothWaukesha, Wisconsin$29,829
7Michael HartzheimLittle Chute, Wisconsin$23,152
8Marcus YofonLas Vegas, Nevada$18,209
9Fadi HamadDanvers, Illinois$14,514

Final Table Action

The first final table casualty was the result of a classic flip when Marcus Yofon failed to get there with ace-king suited against Shing’s pocket eights.

Not long after, Mike Hartzheim bowed out in seventh after flopping top pair with a flush draw. He got it in on the turn against Cero Zuccarello, who was ahead with aces up. The ace of diamonds on the river gave Hartzheim his flush, but it was no good as it also filled up Zuccarello.

Chris Roth took his leave after jamming with nine-seven only to run into Zuccarello’s kings, and then the latter followed him out the door after running into kings himself after John Gallaher had limped with them from the small blind.

James Pupillo, who back in September finished fourth in the same tournament, got unlucky losing with ace-jack to the ace-eight of Shing all in preflop after an eight spike on the turn. That resulted in back-to-back fourth-place finishes for Pupillo, this one good for $51,484.

After Gallaher was dispatched in third place – the result of losing with queen-jack to Shing’s ace-jack – it took just one hand of heads-up play to crown a winner. Ken Donarski was at a 6:1 chip disadvantage and three-bet jammed with jack-eight. Shing called with ace-jack and held to nab by far the biggest score of his career.

Donarski Wins Casino Championship

Ken Donarski
Ken Donarski

The WSOP Circuit Potawatomi Casino Championship race was a tight one. Donarski had the early lead only to see Brett Reichard pass him up. Then, Vishal Patel took down the last two events on the schedule to win back-to-back rings and take the lead. Reichard’s elimination from the Main Event meant he was out of the running, but Donarski remained.

He needed to finish third or better to claim the title, so by finishing in second place he locked up the stop’s second seat into the 2020 Global Casino Championship. It was the cherry on top of an excellent series for Donarski, who finished fifth in Event #1: $400 NLH for $5,409 and then won Event #5: $400 NLH for $13,127 and his second gold ring.

TournamentEntriesPrize PoolWinnerPrize
Event #1: $400 NLH313$103,290Darin Utley$22,642
Event #2: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha164$54,120Kyle Klett$13,723
Event #3: $400 NLH Multi-Flight983$324,390James Gregg$54,155
Event #4: $400 NLH Tubro257$84,810Jorden Helstern$19,019
Event #5: $400 NLH One-Day155$51,150Ken Donarski$13,127
Event #6: $400 NLH 6-Handed224$73,920Todd Sladek$17,630
Event #7: $600 NLH 8-Hnaded162$83,430Brett Reichard$21,611
Event #8: $400 Monster Stack610$201,300Jason Farkas$38,039
Event #9: $1,125 NLH151$151,000Sam Cosby$39,250
$250 Ladies Event NLH69$13,800Kyna England$4,436
Event #10: $1,700 Main Event524$793,860Philip Shing$151,284
Event #11: $250 NLH One-Day366$73,200Josh Clanton$15,374
Event #12: $400 NLH One-Day190$62,700Vishal Patel$15,272
$250 Seniors Event #1311$62,200Scott Weinstein$13,642
$250 Seniors Event #2266$53,200Scott Reilly$11,835
Event #13: $400 NLH Double Stack255$84,150Vishal Patel$18,873

The World Series of Poker Circuit continues this week at Hard Rock Tampa. The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on-site later this week to offer live updates from both high rollers as well as that stop’s $1,700 Main Event.

Tags: Philip Shing

Ken Donarski Eliminated in 2nd Place ($93,498)

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Ken Donarski
Ken Donarski

In the first hand of heads-up play, Tsz Shing raised the button to 450,000 and called when Ken Donarski jammed for right around 2 million.

Tsz Shing: {a-Hearts}{j-Diamonds}
Ken Donarski: {j-Clubs}{8-Hearts}

Shing was way out in front and stayed there as the board ran out {k-Diamonds}{4-Spades}{6-Spades}{7-Spades}{2-Spades}. Donarski had to settle for second place and $93,498 in prize money, though both men will walk away with seats into the 2020 Global Casino Championship.

Player Chips Progress
Tsz Shing us
Tsz Shing
15,720,000 2,020,000
Ken Donarski us
Ken Donarski
Busted

Tags: Tsz ShingKen Donarski

John Gallaher Eliminated in 3rd Place ($68,947)

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
John Gallaher
John Gallaher

Tsz Shing raised to 225,000 from the button and then called when John Gallaher three-bet all in for around 2.1 million.

Tsz Shing: {a-Hearts}{j-Diamonds}
John Gallaher: {q-Clubs}{j-Spades}

The {k-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}{9-Spades} flop gave Gallaher a gutshot straight draw but neither the {j-Clubs} turn nor {9-Clubs} river helped him. With that, Gallaher was ousted in third place for $68,947.

Player Chips Progress
Tsz Shing us
Tsz Shing
13,700,000 4,300,000
Ken Donarski us
Ken Donarski
2,000,000 -1,200,000
John Gallaher us
John Gallaher
Busted

Tags: John GallaherTsz Shing

James Pupillo Eliminated in 4th Place ($51,484)

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
James Pupillo
James Pupillo

Last September, James Pupillo finished fourth in the WSOPC Potawatomi Main Event for $46,017. Fate had the same finish in store for him again, though this time it was for $51,484.

In his final hand, Tsz Shing raised to 200,000 under the gun and called when Pupillo jammed for 1.255 million from the small blind.

Tsz Shing: {a-Spades}{8-Clubs}
James Pupillo: {a-Hearts}{j-Clubs}

Pupillo was in a dominating position and he picked up a straight draw on the {4-Hearts}{q-Clubs}{k-Hearts} flop. Unfortunately for him, and his brother Nick on the rail, the dealer burned and turned the {8-Hearts} to pair Shing.

The {9-Diamonds} river was a brick for Pupillo and he was sent out the door in fourth place yet again.

Player Chips Progress
Tsz Shing us
Tsz Shing
9,400,000 1,400,000
James Pupillo us
James Pupillo
Busted

Tags: James PupilloTsz Shing

"Run-Good" Catches the Wheel

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Tsz Shing opened for 300,000 from the small blind and Johhny "Run-Good" Gallaher three-bet jammed from the big blind getting snap-called by Shing.

Tsz Shing: {j-Hearts}{j-Clubs}
John Gallaher: {a-Diamonds}{3-Spades}

Gallaher was behind and didn't receive any help from the {10-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{4-Clubs} flop.

The turn however, came the {2-Clubs} giving Gallaher the wheel draw which was completed with the {4-Clubs} river giving Gallaher the double-up worth 1,825,000.

Player Chips Progress
Tsz Shing us
Tsz Shing
8,000,000 -600,000
John Gallaher us
John Gallaher
1,650,000 -150,000

Tags: John GallaherTsz Shing

Gallaher Doubles Through Shing

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Action folded to Tsz Shing in the small blind and he simply moved all in to put the pressure on John Gallaher, who called off for 850,000 from the big.

Tsz Shing: {k-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}
John Gallaher: {j-Spades}{10-Spades}

Shing was ahead but not after the flop fell {10-Clubs}{3-Hearts}{a-Spades} flop paired Gallaher. The {7-Spades} turn gave Gallaher an added flush draw and the {5-Hearts} turn secured him the double.

Player Chips Progress
Tsz Shing us
Tsz Shing
8,600,000 -900,000
John Gallaher us
John Gallaher
1,800,000 1,000,000

Tags: John GallaherTsz Shing

Level: 30

Blinds: 50,000/100,000

Ante: 100,000