Matt Waxman Wins WSOP Circuit Main Event in Atlantic CityFlorida Pro Outlasts 351 challengers at Harrah's Resort |
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Matthew ‘Poligraph’ Waxman has won the WSOP Circuit main event championship at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City. The 25-year-old Florida poker pro has found plenty of success online, including winning the FTOPS XIII Main Event in 2009 for $453,663, but Tuesday’s WSOP Circuit finish marked his first win in a major live tournament. The $117,797 first-place prize pushes his career winnings over the $1 million mark.
A total of 352 players entered the $1,650 buy-in main event. On the third and final day of play Waxman arrived at the final table with 1,334,000 in chips, narrowly trailing chip leader Brandon Croft’s 1,397,000. Croft never got anything going and ended up falling in 8th place.
When play reached heads up, it was Waxman against Jesus Cabrera. Waxman had the early chip lead, but Cabrera doubled up a couple of times, including one hand in which his A-9 outdrew Waxman’s A-K. But Waxman kept chipping away to reestablish his chip lead. On the final hand it appeared Cabrera would double up again when he got all in with pocket 6s against Waxman’s pocket 3s. However, a 3 on he flop changed things, and Waxman held on to win the hand and the tournament.
Waxman earned $117,797, a WSOP Circuit championship ring, and a seat into the WSOPC Circuit $1,000,000 freeroll national championship event that will take place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in May of 2011.
Poker action will continue at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City this week with the nationally televised $10,000 Northeast Regional Championship beginning Sunday, Dec. 19, at 11 a.m.
Here’s a look at the main event final table results
1. Matthew Waxman – $117,797
2. Jesus Cabrera – $72,824
3. Mark Sykes – $53,126
4. Chris Bonita – $39,406
5. Dave Cubeta – $29,685
6. Mike Summers – $22,704
7. Tam Ly – $17,618
8. Brandon Croft – $13,869
9. Manish Patel – $11,073