Michelle Chin Wins Council Bluffs WSOPC $1,675 Main Event

The World Series of Poker Circuit $1,675 Main Event, held at Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs, Iowa, was completed late on Monday with Michelle Chin topping the field and becoming the first ever female player to win a Circuit Main Event.

The three-day event attracted a total of 235 entries, who created a prize pool of $352,500. Only the top 24 players, however, were to be paid with a minimum cash of $3,254. Eight-time ring winner Alex Masek, WSOP bracelet winner Eric Rodawig, and Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Main Event winner Jesse Wilke were among those who made it to the money.

The nine-handed final table was set on Day 2 of the event and five of the finalists were gone before the day was completed. Day 3 saw only four of them returning and it took mere 45 minutes before the name of the champion was announced.

Chin started the day as a chip leader with 1.805 million. She was followed by Mike Lang and Wilke with 1.06 million and 1.035 million, respectively. Michael Sanders was fourth in chips with 800,000.

Wilke was the first to leave the final table, after he could not stand a chance against the soon-to-be-champion. The player received $29,317 of the prize pool for his 4th place in the tournament.

Sanders, too, fell victim to the female player. He took home the amount $39,642. With his elimination, the heads-up play was set. Chin was still holding the majority of chips. She began the heads-up play with 3.25 million to Lang’s 1.45 million.

It did not take her long to bust her opponent. On what turned out to be the final hand, Chin was holding [7s][7c] against Lang’s [10d][8h]. The latter moved all in, and Chin called. A ten appeared on the turn and Lang took the lead for a moment. With [7d]

on the river, it became clear that the player would have to content himself with the consolation prize of $54,468 for his runner-up finish.

As for Chin, she was awarded a WSOPC ring, the amount of $88,126 of the entire prize pool, and a seat into the National Championship, which is to take place in Cherokee, North Carolina between July 29-31. And as already mentioned, Chin, who was born in Taiwan but is currently based in Wichita, Kansas, became the first female player to ever win a Circuit event in the eleven-year history of the tournament.