Lincoln Milne Wins World Series of Poker Circuit River Rock Main Event for $253,015
The seventh stop on the 2013/2014 World Series of Poker Circuit schedule wrapped up its $1,675 Main Event on Thursday night at the River Rock Casino in Vancouver, Canada. The tournament attracted 895 entries and created a prize pool of $1,297,500. After a long week of play, Lincoln Milne emerged victorious to capture the $253,015 first-place prize and secure a spot in the season-ending National Championship.
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Lincoln Milne | Chilliwack, BC | $253,015 |
| 2nd | Alex Toth | n/a | $156,349 |
| 3rd | Homan Mohammadi | North Vancouver, BC | $115,166 |
| 4th | Dylan Mayo | n/a | $85,946 |
| 5th | Young “Mike” Kim | Surrey, BC | $64,979 |
| 6th | Douglas Wasyk | Red Deer, AB | $49,759 |
| 7th | Gregory Eyster | Raleigh, NC | $38,588 |
| 8th | Roger Hardy | North Saanich, BC | $30,297 |
| 9th | Jeff Blenkarn | Rockford, MI | $24,082 |
According to the WSOP live blog, the first elimination came in Level 28 (25,000/50,000/5,000) on Hand #39 of the final table. It happened when Jeff Blenkarn shoved the button and Homan Mohammadi moved all in over the top from the small blind. The big blind folded and the cards were turned up.
Blenkarn: 7♠7♣
Mohammadi: Q♦Q♠
Blenkarn was in a bad spot, and he failed to catch a lucky seven as the board ran out a dry [1010d9dac4h]. Blenkarn was sent to the rail in ninth place and earned $24,082 for his performance.
On Hand #56, Mohammadi scored another elimination when he called Roger Hardy’s shove of 290,000. Hardy held the Q♠J♠, which was dominated by Mohammadi’s A♦Q♦. The A♣10♠5♣ flop helped to maintain Mohammadi’s lead by giving him a pair of aces, though Hardy did pick up a gutshot straight draw. Unfortunately for him, neither the 6♣ turn nor Q♥ river completed it, and he had to settle for eighth place and $30,297.
After Greg Eyster and Doug Wasyk were eliminated in seventh and sixth place, respectively, Mike Kim joined them on the rail in fifth. It happened in Level 31 (50,000/100,000/10,000) on Hand #119 when Kim raised to 205,000 from the button only to have Alex Toth three-bet all in from the big blind. Kim snap-called with the K♦K♠ which was well out in front of Toth’s A♣7♠.
According to the PokerNews Odds Calculator, Kim was a 71.45% favorite to double while Toth would come from behind 28.19% of the time. Much to Kim’s dismay, this was one such time he would fall behind as the flop came down A♠Q♥2♦ to give Toth the lead with a pair of aces. Kim’s chances of survival dropped to 10.40%, and the 8♦ turn cut that in half to 4.55%. That meant Kim needed a king and a king only on the river to stay alive, but it wasn’t in the cards as the 6♥ bricked. Kim exited in fifth place for $64,979.
Dylan Mayo’s exit in fourth place on Hand #135 set up a three-handed match with Toth holding a sizeable chip lead over Milne and Mohammadi. Over the next three levels, the stacks evened themselves out a bit, and the marathon of three-handed play came to a head in Level 34 (100,000/200,000/30,000) on Hand #225 when Milne min-raised to 400,000 from the button and then snap-called when Mohammadi shoved from the big blind.
Mohammadi: 9♦9♠
Milne: A♣A♦
Mohammadi was in dire straits and in desperate need of a nine to stay alive, but he was left wanting after the board ran out J♥J♦2♦5♠7♠. Mohammadi had to settle for third place and the accompanying $115,166 prize.
Milne took a slight chip lead into heads-up play, and it would take him just 14 hands to seal the deal. It happened on Hand #239 when Milne moved all in with the J♥J♠ and Toth called off with the K♣10♠. The A♥9♣6♥ flop left Toth in need of either a king or running straight cards, but the latter option disappeared when the 3♥ appeared on the turn. Toth was down to just two outs headed to the river, but it came the useless 4♠.
Toth missed and had to settle for second place and a $156,349 consolation prize while Milne earned $253,015, the gold ring, and a freeroll entry into the season-ending WSOP National Championship in Atlantic City this May.
The 2013/2014 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Bossier City is happening now through November 18. You can find a recap from that Main Event on PokerNews.com upon its completion.
*Photos courtesy of WSOP.com.
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