The WSOP National Championship was first held in 2011. Since then, the special invitation-only event has been gathering together WSOP Circuit regulars and some of the world’s top players to celebrate the end of the WSOP Circuit season and to crown a victor who gets not only the largest share of the $1 million guaranteed prize pool but also a WSOP gold bracelet.
Here is a bit more information about all the winners of the WSOP National Championship since it was inaugurated as well as about the tournament itself.
Sam Barnhart (2011)
The inaugural WSOP National Championship was held at Caesars Palace Las Vegas back in 2011 and it preceded the WSOP. A total of 100 entries took part in the so-called National Championship $1 Million Freeroll. Of those, 15 were the winners of the $1,500 Main Event at each of the stops over the 2010-2011 WSOP Circuit season, 15 were the Casino Champions at each of hosting gambling venues, 36 were the players who made it to the four final tables at each Regional Championship, and 37 were the top point earners in the WSOP Circuit Leaderboard.
Sam Barnhart won the first-ever WSOP National Championship to capture the amount of $300,000 and his first and only gold bracelet. Earlier that season, the player won the $1,600 Main Event at Harrah’s Tunica for his first-ever and only so far gold ring and $148,612 of the prize pool.
Up to now, Barnhart has collected $1,199,762 in a total of 24 WSOP and WSOP Circuit events.
Ryan Eriquezzo (2012)
In 2012, certain changes were implemented in the manner players were qualified for the National Championship. Under the new rules, as many as 100 players still received free seats into the tournament. And the Main Event winners at each of the stops throughout the WSOP Circuit season, the Casino Champions, and the the top point earners over the season were among those 100 entries.
However, from 2012 on, 100 more players were eligible to enter the prestigious event provided that they paid the $10,000 buy-in fee. It is important to note that those needed to be among the top 100 players in the WSOP Player of the Year ranking over the past two years.
The 2012 WSOP National Championship was held at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Las Vegas and was part of the WSOP schedule. The event attracted a field of 157 entries who created a prize pool of $1,570,000.
Ryan Eriquezzo won the WSOP National Championship to capture the amount of $416,051 and his first and only gold bracelet. He qualified for the event by winning the $1,600 Main Event held at Caesars Atlantic City.
The player has won two other gold rings. The first one he captured for topping the filed of a $340 No-Limit Hold’em event at Harrah’s New Orleans in 2010. Earlier this year, Eriquezzo was awarded his third piece of WSOP Circuit jewelry for winning the $365 No-Limit Hold’em event at Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
Up to date, the player’s WSOP and WSOP Circuit winnings total $766,166.
Jonathan Hilton (2013)
The 2013 WSOP National Championship or the Southern Comfort 100 WSOP National Championship as it was officially referred to took place at Harrah’s New Orleans right before the start of the 2013 WSOP. The event attracted 127 entries and a prize pool of $1,270,000 was created. Jonathan Hilton was the one to emerge victorious and capture the first-place prize of $355,599 and his first and only gold bracelet.
Earlier that year, the player also won his first and only gold ring for topping the field of a $365 No-Limit Hold’em event at Horseshoe Council Bluffs Casino.
Up to date, Hilton’s overall WSOP and WSOP Circuit winnings amount to $1,266,458.
Dominik Nitsche (2014)
Bally’s Atlantic City played host to the 2014 WSOP National Championship, which took place on May 22-24, 2014. The event attracted 126 entries and featured a $1,260,000 prize pool, respectively. Professional poker player Dominik Nitsche won the event and captured his second gold bracelet as well as the amount of $352,800 of the entire prize pool.
Nitsche collected his first-ever piece of WSOP jewelry in 2012, when he topped the field of the WSOP $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em event for $654,797. In 2014, the player captured his third gold bracelet for winning the same event. He was also paid $335,659 for his victory.
After the 2015 edition of the WSOP, Nitsche’s overall WSOP and WSOP Circuit winnings amount to $2,627,659.
Loni Harwood (2015)
This year’s WSOP National Championship was held at Harrah’s Cherokee and was completed on July 31 with poker pro Loni Harwood emerging victorious to collect her second gold bracelet, thus becoming the first female player to ever win the event.
The tournament drew a field of 122 entrants and a prize pool of $1,220,000 was generated. The first-place prize amounted to $341,599.
Harwood won her first gold bracelet in 2013, when she topped the field of a $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em event. Moreover, she collected her two gold rings back in 2012 for winning a $345 No-Limit Hold’em event at Palm Beach Kennel Club and a $355 one at Harrah’s New Orleans.
Her WSOP and WSOP Circuit winnings currently amount to $1,701,875.
