Dustin Schoonover Wins 2020 WSOP Circuit Choctaw Main Event

The 2020 World Series of Poker Circuit Choctaw $1,700 no-limit hold’em main event attracted a field of 1,065 total entries, creating a final prize pool of $1,613,475. In the end the lion’s share of that money was awarded to Dustin Schoonover, the 38-year-old President and CEO of Schoonover Oil. He had made his way to Choctaw to play cash games during the busy tournament series, and decided to take a shot at the main event.

“I didn’t start till, hell, 10th round our something. I came up here to play cash,” said Schoonover after it was all over. He wasn’t clear about exaclt how much money he had won as the champion, telling WSOP reporters that he was more focused on eearning the title and the ring. When they relayed to him that he had earned more than a quarter of a million dollars, he did share what he might use the money for. “Man, I got a 13-year-old girl. We’re gonna send her to college wherever she wants to go. She’ll go to college and me and my wife will go on vacation.”

The final day of this event began with 18 players remaining. Brant Jolly was the chip leader, with Montana Bills and Schoonover as the next largest stacks. He survived to the last nine, entering the final table in sixth chip position after all-time WSOPC ring leader Maurice Hawkins was eliminated in 10th place ($22,519)).

Trung Pham was the first casualty at the final table. He lost a preflop race with pocket tens up against the ace-king suited of John Skrovan. A king on the river sent Pham to the rail in ninth place with $28,034 for his deep run. 2014 Card Player Poker Tour Choctaw main event winner Austin Lewis was the next to go. He ran AJ into the AK of Mark Newton and failed to improve, earning $35,233 as the eighth-place finisher.

Montana Bills got the last of his chips in with pocket sixes, only to get called by the ace-king of Newton. A king on the turn gave Newton the lead, which he never relinquished. Bills was awarded $44,699 as the seventh-place finisher.

Brant Jolly took the chip lead by knocking out Allen Brivic, with his pocket queens making the top end of a straight while Brivic had made the low end with pocket sevens. Brivic finished in sixth place, earning $57,239 for his largest career score.

Chris Staats’ run in this event came to an end when his king-queen failed to outrun the pocket three of John Skrovan in a preflop showdown. Staats picked up a straight draw to go along with his overcards but failed to improve any further. He cashed for $73,976 as the fifth-place finisher.

Skrovan continued to build by knocking out Mark Newton in fourth place. The two got all of their chips in the middle preflop, with Newton holding 99 up against the AA of Skrovan. Newton was drawing dead by the turn, with Skrovan having flopped top set. Newton earned $96,485 for his strong showing in this event.

With that Skrovan took 21,950,000 into three-handed play, with Schoonover’s 6,000,000 being the next largest stack. It didn’t take long for a big confrontation to arise. Schoonover shoved from the small blind with 85 and Brant Jolly made the call with Q10. Jolly flopped two pair, but Schoonover rivered a straight to earn his first knockout of the day. Jolly received $126,988 as the third-place finisher.

Skrovan started with roughly a 3.5:1 chip lead over Schoonover, but a quick double up saw the margin narrowed considerably. He took the lead outright after getting all-in with a pair and a straight draw against Skrovan’s top pair. Schoonover made his straight on the river to take more than a 5:1 lead over his own.

Not long after that Skrovan raised from the button to 900,000 with 53 and Schoonover called holding QJ. The flop came down QJ4 and Schoonover checked his top two pair. Skrovan shoved and was quickly called. The 7 gave Skorvan some hope with an inside straight draw, but the K on the river secured the pot and the title for Schoonover. Skovan took home $168,642 as the runner-up.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

Most Viewed Articles