Ryan Stevenson reigned over a record field of 666 entrants and won the 2013 WSOP Circuit Harrah Tunica Main event taking home a prize packet of $204,795. The total prize pool of this event was just shy of one million by $1000 and stood at $999,999, a record of sorts. Stevenson who started from 4th place on the final table appeared in great form as he eliminated sixth through second placed players single handed. The champions’ aggressive approach to the final table that lasted 11 hours sailed him through and got him the coveted entry to 2013 WSOP Circuit National Championship.
Seventh at the start of the final table, David Kruger was the first to exit and banked $19,161. He was soon followed by Jerry Barlow who was the chip leader but had to exit in 8th place taking $24,136. Mark Maletic won $30,789 for his 7th place finish and James Watkins placed 6th and was richer by $ 39,790.
$52,098 was the payout for Jonathan Cary who started the final table in 5th place and also exit in the same position. Michael Sanders finished fourth and won $69,121 and emptied his big stack to Stevenson, the eventual winner.
Three way gaming lasted for more than four and a half hours and Stevenson was the weakest stack around this time with only 800,000 chips but by the time third placed Andrew Rothfolk exit, Stevenson had become the favorite. It was in a hand when Rothfolk held Ad Jc and went all in with his 2 million chip stack and was called by Stevenson sitting pretty with Ah Kh on small blind. The board turned out as 4s 7d 6h 7h 5d to show Rothfolk the door.
Heads up play ended quickly and Norman McKeldin was placed second with $126,723 payout. The WSOP 2013 Circuit now moves on from Harrah’s Tunica to Emerald Casino, South Africa from Feb 5th to 10th 2013 and simultaneously in Las Vegas for Circuit Caesars Place, Las Vegas from Feb 7th to 18th 2013.