Blair Hinkle Wins World Series of Poker Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Main Event For Third TimeYoung American Pro makes WSOP Circuit History By Becoming First To Ever Three-Peat In A Main Event |
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Blair Hinkle has written his name in the poker history books as the first player to ever win the same World Series of Poker Circuit main event three times. It started when Blair took down the 2010 WSOP-C Horseshoe Councl Bluffs main event. In 2013 he found his way through the field again, and now just one year later he defended his title to win the event for a third time. Not only is he the only player ever to win the same event three times on the WSOP Circuit, he’s only the second player to win three main events period. The first was Chris Ferguson.
“I don’t think it’s set in exactly yet. I think I just take a lot of pride in my play and winning the tournaments," Hinkle told WSOP.com after his win. "I think that my play is pretty good as we get deeper and it really starts to turn up to a higher level as we get closer to the final table and throughout the final table. I think that’s what I’m proud of. Winning each time doesn’t matter as much to me as playing well and feeling like I deserve to win it, I guess.”
Hinkle topped a field of 247 entrants to win $90,700 and 408 Card Player Player of the Year points. This was his first live tournament score of 2014, although he did receive quite a payday earlier this spring when he finally was reimbursed the more than $1 million that he had locked up on Full Tilt Poker after having no access to it for nearly three years. Hinkle also won the gigantic $10,000,0000 guaranteed prizepool event held last August at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open for $1,745,245.
Hinkle got off to a fast start in Council Bluffs, ending day one with more than twice as many chips as the next competitor. In fact his end of day 1 chip count was higher than two stacks that players brought to the final table. By the time the field was narrowed to nine Hinkle was only second in chips, but he was able to make it to heads-up and successfully overcome runner-up Matt Bond to defend his title.
By the time the final hand arose Hinkle had better than a 3-to-2 chip lead. Bond limped in from the button and Hinkle shoved from the big blind. Bond made the call with A8 which was a coin flip against Hinkle’s 77.
The board ran out K3345 and just like that Hinkle and secured the pot, the title and his place in WSOP Circuit history.
Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at this final table:
Place | Player | Earnings (USD) | POY Points |
1 | Blair Hinkle | $90,700 | 408 |
2 | Matt Bond | $56,086 | 340 |
3 | Kenneth Douglas | $40,552 | 272 |
4 | Paul Ewen | $29,822 | 204 |
5 | Quang Pham | $22,341 | 170 |
6 | Daniel Carson | $17,024 | 136 |
7 | Charles Moore | $13,190 | 102 |
8 | Justin Truesdell | $10,385 | 68 |
9 | John Holley | $8,307 | 34 |