The 2015/16 WSOP Circuit completed its Palm Beach Kennel Club stop on Monday with the conclusion of the $1,675 Main Event. Peter Vitantonio from Wickliffe, Ohio emerged victorious to capture the amount of $129,685, a WSOP Circuit gold ring, and a seat into the WSOP Global Casino Championship, which will be held at the season’s end.
It took two starting flights and two other days of play before the winner was determined. The $1,675 Main Event attracted a field of 393 entries who created a prize pool of $589,500. The top 46 finishers received a portion of the money, with the payouts starting from $1,777.
Day 3, the event’s final one, saw only seven players returning to determine the winner. The eventual champion started the day second in chips but took the lead at some point and never relinquished until the end of the tournament.
Vitantonio has previously appeared at two Circuit final tables. Yet, this was his first victory in such an event and his first-ever gold ring. Generally speaking, the Ohio-based player has previously cashed in 23 other events. After the Monday victory, his live tournament earnings amount to $297,734.
On Monday, Vitantonio had to face Spanish poker pro Javier Zarco heads-up. In June, Zarco finished runner-up to Adrian Buckley in the WSOP $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER event for a payout of $791,690.
Monday’s heads-up match started with Vitantonio holding 6.4 million chips against his opponent’s 1.4 million. In fact, the eventual winner maintained his chip lead until the very end.
The heads-up play lasted a little less than an hour. On what turned out to be the last hand of the Main Event, the flop came [3s][Kd][6c]. Vitantonio checked and Zarco bet 80,000. Vitantonio then bet 205,000 and his opponent called. The [9c] appeared on the turn and Vitantonio bet 275,000. Zarco once again called. The [2d] came on the river and saw Vitantonio moving all in. Zarco needed some time to decide what his next move would be but eventually called.
Vitantonio showed [Kh][3d] for a two pair and his opponent tabled [8h][8c]. Zarco had to content himself with the runner-up finish and the amount of $80,143.
And here are the other seven players who made it to the final table:
Rob LeBeau from Tampa, Florida finished 3rd to collect $58,561. Previously, his WSOP Circuit earnings amounted to $17,184. Michael Kelleher from Vero Beach, Florida took 4th place for a payout of $43,482. This was his first Circuit cash.
A.J. Kelsall received $32,788 for his 5th place in the Main Event. The Tampa-based player has previously collected $36,352 from Circuit events. Ellen Lambeth from Charlotte, North Carolina finished 6th for $25,095. Her Circuit winnings amounted to $19,747 prior to Monday.
Johnny Palace from Jupiter, Florida collected $19,489 for finishing 7th in the Main Event, adding his payout to his Circuit winnings of $3,078. Ralph Massey from Chicago, Illinois took 8th place for $15,351. The player has previously won a gold ring and his Circuit winnings amounted to $144,391. Rounding out the final table, Steve Duncker from Palm Beach, Florida captured his first Circuit cash of $12,262 for finishing 9th in the Main Event.
The WSOP Circuit will next stop to Horseshoe Southern Indiana for another exciting tournament. It is scheduled to kick off on October 1 and will run up to October 12.
