Kyle Bowker Wins World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah's Philadelphia for $115,920
The 2013/2014 World Series of Poker Circuit wrapped up its latest $1,675 Main Event on Monday at Harrah’s Philadelphia in Chester, Pennsylvania.
The tournament attracted 336 entries to create a prize pool of $504,000. After three days of play, 31-year-old poker pro Kyle Bowker walked away with the $115,920 first-place prize and a seat into the 2014 National Championship. Amazingly, Bowker did so after starting a tough final table as the short stack.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Bowker | Walton, NY | $115,920 |
| 2 | Justin Liberto | Fallston, MD | $71,664 |
| 3 | Joe Kuether | Elm Grove, WI | $52,280 |
| 4 | David Bivins | Browns Mills, NJ | $38,778 |
| 5 | Kevin Saul | Warrenville, IL | $29,212 |
| 6 | Anthony Payne | Hazlet, NJ | $22,342 |
| 7 | Timothy West | Los Altos, CA | $17,338 |
| 8 | Thomas Cannuli | Cape May, NJ | $13,648 |
| 9 | Anthony Minniti | Tyler, TX | $10,896 |
Notable finishes: Matt Stout (13th - $7,232), Roland Israelashvili (18th - $6,013), Dennis Phillips (21st - $5,065), Sean Jazayeri (22nd - $4,324), Keven Stammen (32nd - $2,903)
According to the WSOP Blog, Bowker double on the first hand of the final table, and then turned around and eliminated Anthony Minniti in ninth place. It happened in Level 24 (10,000/20,000/3,000) when Minniti got his stack all in preflop holding the K♠K♥ only to run into the A♠A♣ of Bowker. The board ran out a clean 8♣7♥4♥2♦9♥, and Minniti made his way to the payout desk to collect $10,896.
After Thomas Cannuli and Tim West fell in eighth and seventh respectively, Anthony Payne followed them out door in sixth. It happened in Level 26 (15,000/30,000/5,000) when an extremely short-stacked Payne got his chips in with the 6♣3♠ against the A♣4♣ of Kevin Saul. The 5♠5♣4♠ flop gave Payne an open-ended straight draw, but it would not come in as the Q♠ blanked on the turn followed by the 10♦ river. Payne, who won a gold ring earlier in the week, took home $22,342 for his sixth-place finish.
Saul was the next to go when his A♦10♠ failed to overcome the A♣K♦ of Justin Liberto, and then Joe Kuether’s A♦A♣ eliminated David Bivins 5♥5♦ in fourth place.
In Level 27 (20,000/40,000/5,000), Liberto opened for 80,000 from the button only to have Kuether three-bet to 210,000 from the small blind. Liberto pushed back to the tune of 490,000, and then called when Kuether moved all in for 1.5 million.
Liberto: J♥J♣
Kuether: A♠Q♣
The Q♥8♠8♦ flop was kind to Kuether by pairing his queen, but his lead was short-lived as the dealer burned and turned the J♦. Liberto made a full house, and Kuether needed another queen on the river to stay alive. That didn’t happen though as the 6♠ blanked. Kuether took home $52,280 for his third-place finish.
Bowker and Liberto began heads-up play fairly even in chips, but Bowker managed take the lead. In Level 28 (25,000/50,000/5,000), Bowker opened the button for 100,000 and Liberto called, which brought about a J♠9♣6♠ flop. Liberto bet 85,000, Bowker raised to 260,000, and Liberto moved all in for 1.15 million. Bowker called and the cards were turned up.
Bowker: 9♠5♠
Liberto: 10♠8♦
Bowker was ahead with nines and a flush draw, but Liberto was drawing to an open-ended straight draw. The 9♦ turn improved Bowker to trips, but it’d be the harmless 5♥ on the river that would give him the win. Liberto earned $71,644 for his runner-up finish.
Congratulations to Kyle Bowker, winner of the WSOP Circuit Harrah’s Philadelphia Main Event for $115,920, a gold ring, and a seat into the 2014 National Championship.
The 2013/2014 WSOP Circuit continues at The Lodge Casino in Blackhawk, Colorado, which is happening now through May 5. You will be able to find a recap from that Main Event upon its completion right here on PokerNews.com
Photos and data courtesy of the WSOP.
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