Youngest Ever WSOP Circuit Champion is Crowned at Palm Beach Kennel Club

The World Series of Poker Circuit brought in big numbers during its first ever stint in the Sunshine State, breaking Florida poker records and crowning the youngest ever WSOPC main event champion.

For nearly two weeks the series set up shop at the Palm Beach Kennel Club, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Ten different WSOPC rings were awarded, with Event No. 1 ($345 buy-in no-limit hold’em) attracting 877 players to break the previous state record. But the most prestigious ring would belong to the winner of the $1,600 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event that started on Feb. 27.

A total of 712 players entered the championship event over two starting flights, creating a prize pool of $1,025,280. Among the masses were former WSOP bracelet winners, like Greg Raymer and Jerry Yang. The top 72 finishers were guaranteed at least $2,871, but it was 19-year-old Florida resident John Riordan who took home the $210,180 top prize and the WSOPC gold ring.

In the state of Florida, one only has to be 18 to play poker in a casino. Riordan, a frequent player in high stakes cash games online, became both the first WSOPC main event champion at the Palm Beach Kennel Club, as well as the youngest WSOPC champion in history at just 19 years old.

Here’s a look at the final table results:

1. John Riordan — $210,180
2. Mike Morton — $130,057
3. Thomas Aprea — $95,392
4. Austin Buchanan — $70,939
5. Ryan Lenaghan — $53,468
6. Jon Brody — $40,837
7. David MacDonald — $31,599
8. Jesse Okonczak — $24,771
9. Jerry Timmons — $19,665

Here are the elimination summaries:

The first elimination of the final table came when Jerry Timmons got all in with QQ. He appeared to be in good shape up against Thomas Aprea’s A-J on a J83 flop, but the J fell on the river to give Aprea the pot and send Timmons to the rail in ninth place.

Not longer after that, Jesse Okonczak made one last move with his short stack when he shoved with Q3. John Riordan called with KQ, which stayed ahead on a blank-filled board, sending Okonczak home in eighth place.

Dave MacDonald was the next to go when he got all in with A7 and ran into Aprea’s A10. MacDonald took the lead on a K73 flop, but the turn brought the 10 to put Aprea back ahead, and the Q river meant MacDonald was done in seventh place.

Next to make his move was Jon Brody. He shoved with AQ and looked to be in great shape when Riordan called with Q10. But the first card on the flop was the 10, giving Riordan the lead. The rest of the board ran 5463 and Brody was gone in sixth place.

The next elimination came when Ryan Leneghan moved all in with KQ and was called by Austin Buchanan with AQ. Leneghan found no help on the board and was the fifth-place finisher.

Despite knocking out Leneghan, Buchanan couldn’t get anything else going and was the fourth-place finisher when his A2 fell to Riordan’s A9.

With three players remaining, Mike Morton doubled up through Riordan repeatedly to stay in contention. Meanwhile, Thomas Apea’s end came when his pocket fours collided with Riordan’s pocket fives. Apea’s third-place finish left Morton and Riordan to continue their battle of aggression heads up.

The final two players traded chips until Riordan got all in with 1010 on a board of 6533. Morton held 64 and had outs, but the 8 river was not one of them, and Riordan took the chip lead.

A few hands later the final hand took place when Morton shoved with 93 on a flop of 762 and was called by Riordan with 87. The pair of sevens were ahead, but Morton had a drawing hand. The A turn and K river missed his draws, ending Morton’s run in second place.

John Riordan became the youngest Circuit champion ever and pocketed $210,180.

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