Kammar Andries Wins First-Ever WSOP Circuit Coconut Creek ($241,898)
The WSOP Circuit made a stop at the Seminole Casino in Coconut Creek, Florida for the first time ever. The $1,675 Main Event attracted 827 entries through two starting flights, generating a total prize pool of $1,240,500.
Kammar Andries defeated a tough field to collect his first Circuit ring, a seat into the Global Casino Championship and the $241,898 first-place prize, eclipsing his previous biggest score of $11,619 that came the previous week when he took fourth in the $365 Monster Stack. The cash also represented his fourth cash and third final table in the series.
The Orlando physical therapist decided to take a week away from his practice to “take a legit shot” at a ring, rather than just come in for one event as per usual, Andries told WSOPC reporters.
After a private PLO cash session following the late-night Monster Stack finish went south, Andries decided not to play the Main Event and began the drive home. He told reporters, “First rest stop, I stopped and took a nap. I woke up, and it was like seven o’clock in the morning, and I just turned around and came right back.”
After firing a satellite upon his return and falling short of a seat, he bought directly in on Day 1A and finished the day around average chips among the 155 players advancing. He then had to return to Orlando Saturday to take care of some obligations before returning for Day 2.
Day 2 concluded with 2016 WSOPC Casino de Montréal Main Event winner Brian Altman way out in front of the remaining 15 players and Andries sitting fifth in chips.
According to the live updates, online and live crusher Joe Elpayaa was the first to go on the final day, running his ace-queen suited into the ace-king of Andries to finish in 15th place ($15,072). AJ Kelsall with more than half a million WSOP tournament earnings to his credit lost a couple flips to hit the rail in 11th ($18,521), followed by the series' High Roller winner Dominique Mosley in 10th ($18,521).
Official Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kammar Andries | $241,898 |
| 2nd | Mike Linster | $149,480 |
| 3rd | Brian Altman | $110,107 |
| 4th | Jason Hill | $82,171 |
| 5th | LaVann Williams | $62,124 |
| 6th | Dafney Adisson | $47,573 |
| 7th | Michael Foley | $36,892 |
| 8th | Kevin Schaffel | $28,966 |
| 9th | David Gunas | $23,024 |
| 10th | Dominique Mosley | $18,521 |
At the official final table, David Gunas lost most of his stack shoving with ace-six into the kings of Andries, and was out in ninth place ($23,024) soon after. Eighth place went to former November Niner Kevin Schaffel, who got short and shoved with pocket nines into the pocket jacks of Altman, finding no help from the board and having to settle for $28,966.
Michael Foley notched his 17th WSOP cash with his seventh-place finish ($36,892). Down to six players, things got interesting.
Six-handed play started with Altman way out front, but the tides soon turned with Andries catching fire. Dafney Adisson lost most of his stack with pocket fives all in against Andries’ pocket jacks and despite winning several all-ins, he ultimately fell in sixth place ($47,573) to Andries.
In that significant pot, Altman had Adisson and Andries both at risk. Andries had the best hand preflop with ace-ten and a ten on the flop held up to give Andries more than a double up, while dealing a blow to Altman’s stack.
Andries went on a tear from there, sending LaVann Williams home in fifth ($62,124) with aces against the ace-king of Williams all-in preflop. Next, Andries took care of Jason Hill, who got it in good with ace-queen against the ace-ten of Andries. Unfortunately for Hill, Andries seemed unstoppable, and two tens on the flop followed by another on the river solidified Andries’ run good and Hill was out in fourth ($82,171).
Down to Three
Altman was battling back three-handed, but was dealt a cooler that would see most of his chips heading over to Andries in the biggest hand of the tournament. Altman picked up pocket queens on the button and after a series of raises, he called Andries’ five-bet shove. Andries was well ahead with pocket kings and though Altman found hope with a queen on the flop, it was short-lived, as a king would follow on the turn.
Knocked to below ten big blinds, Altman got it in soon after against Mike Linster and couldn’t find help, bowing out in third place ($110,107). Linster entered heads-up with around a two-to-one chip deficit and battled for twenty hands. In the final hand, Andries limp-called on the button with ten-three.
He then called Linster’s continuation bet on the king-four-three flop, and found a ten on the turn that gave him two pair. Linster check-shoved with pocket sixes and Andries made the call. No six on the river ended the tournament with Linster taking second place for $149,480.
Linster’s WSOP cash prior to this one was in the 2017 WSOP Main Event where he took 47th place for a similar payday of $145,733.
Photo courtesy of WSOP Circuit
