Samuel Taylor Wins the World Series of Poker Circuit Foxwoods Main Event for $149,020

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Samuel Taylor

On Monday, Samuel Taylor became the first Main Event winner of the 2015/16 World Series of Poker Circuit season. Taylor, a college student who plays poker to support himself, topped a field of 461 entrants to take down the WSOP Circuit Foxwoods Main Event for $149,020 and his first gold ring.

"Poker's good because it lets you play poker and go to school," the economics major, who only has one semester left, told WSOP officials. "I had the sickest feeling about this tournament."

The score marked the biggest of Taylor's career, but he'd actually notched two other six-figure scores. The first came in January 2013 when he placed third in the World Poker Tour Borgata Winter Poker Open $560 No-Limit Hold'em Big Stack Reentry for $137,261, and he followed that up with a fifth-place finish in the 2013 WSOP Event #17: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em for $118,145. Taylor also finish 300th in the 2014 WSOP Main Event for $33,734.

Taylor, a friend and protégé of two-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Chris Leong, also earned an entry into the 2016 WSOP Global Casino Championship.

Final Table Results

PlacePlayerHometownPrize
1Samuel TaylorNew York, NY$149,020
2Johanssy JosephSpring Valley, NY$92,184
3Mitch GarshofskyLas Vegas, NV$67,232
4Brandon MillerParamus, NJ$49,904
5Soukha KachittavongWoonsocket, RI$37,428
6Jeremy MeachemOak Bluffs, MA$28,556
7Matt Buonomo-$22,180
8Chris TrybaEvergreen, CO$17,328
9Joseph TieriWest Shokan, NY$13,881

Notable finishes: Tim Reilly (11th - $11,159), Bryan Leskowitz (20th - $6,376), Cate Hall (32nd - $3,604), Brad St. Vincent (50th - $2,633)

Samuel Taylor Wins the World Series of Poker Circuit Foxwoods Main Event for 9,020 101
Chris Tryba

According to updates from the event, the third and final day saw 10 players return to action, but two of them fell within the first four hands. Then, on Hand #40, Brandon Miller opened for 60,000 from the hijack only to face a three-bet to 160,000 from WSOP bracelet winner Chris Tryba. Miller responded by moving all in and Tryba called off.

Tryba: AQ
Miller: AK

Tryba had a major kicker issue, and he failed to get lucky as the board ran out AA256. Tryba had to settle for eighth place and a $17,328 consolation prize.

As for Taylor, he only notched two eliminations at the final table, and they were the two that counted. On Hand #208 of the final table with three players remaining, Mitch Garshofsky got his stack all in preflop holding the A6 against the QJ of Taylor. Unfortunately for Garshofsky, the 9K10 flop gave Taylor a straight. The 8 turn left Garshofsky drawing dead, and he was bounced in third place for $67,232 after the 6 was run out on the river.

Heads-up play between Taylor and Johanssy Joseph lasted less than 20 hands, and in what would be the last of the tournament, the latter shoved all in holding the K10 and the former called with the A3. The board ran out 77JA7, and Joseph earned $92,184 for his runner-up finish while Taylor emerged as the WSOP Circuit Foxwoods champion.

The WSOP Circuit will next be at the Horseshoe Baltimore from August 20-31.

*Photos and data courtesy of the WSOP.

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PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.

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