Ari Engel Captures 16th WSOP Circuit Ring to Dethrone Maurice Hawkins
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Ari Engel entered the $400 buy-in Omaha/8 event at the World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) stop in Hammond, Indiana tied for first with 15 rings, and exited the tournament on Tuesday alone at the top.
The Canadian poker star outlasted 117 entries to win $10,749, defeating Tan Nguyen heads-up for the title in the process. Engel won his third Circuit ring at Horseshoe Hammond, a popular card room not far from Chicago. Nguyen, an Indiana resident, received $6,643 for his second-place finish.
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Engel Does it Again
In May, Maurice Hawkins claimed his 15th WSOPC ring at Harrah's Cherokee in North Carolina, putting him alone in first place all-time. But Engel tied him up with his 14th and 15th ring at Graton Resort & Casino in August.
Josh Reichard, who won his 14th last spring, had been just one off the lead. That all changed on Tuesday when Engel extended his previously shared record with Hawkins, while Reichard is now two wins behind.
Engel, who is also a two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, now has $8.4 million in live tournament cashes, according to The Hendon Mob.
WSOPC Hammond Event #7 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ari Engel | $10,749 |
| 2 | Tan Nguyen | $6,643 |
| 3 | Joseph Chiaro | $4,545 |
| 4 | Alejandro Mitre | $3,200 |
| 5 | Jeffrey Aaron | $2,323 |
| 6 | Michael Boik | $1,737 |
| 7 | Anthony Dejesus | $1,341 |
| 8 | Derrick Rose | $1,070 |
| 9 | Robert Williams | $883 |
History of Success
Poker commentator Norman Chad laid out some stats on X that showed just how dominant Engel has been over the years in Circuit events, and also bracelet events.
https://twitter.com/NormanChad/status/1711935108830408979
Engel's first Circuit ring came in 2007 in Atlantic City. But his dominance in WSOPC events has gone to the next level this year with not one, not two, not three, not four, but five rings in 2023, and there's still nearly three months left to rack up some more. His WSOP bracelets came in 2019 and 2021, one in no-limit hold'em and the other in Omaha/8. He's proven he can win at a high level in both hold'em and non-hold'em variants.
Ari Engel's WSOP Circuit Rings
| DATE | EVENT | BUY-IN | PRIZE (IN USD) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2023 | WSOPC Hammond Event #7: $400 Omaha/8 | $400 | $10,749 | |
| August 2023 | WSOPC Graton Event #11: Pot-Limit Big O | $400 | $6,564 | |
| August 2023 | WSOPC Graton Event #10: H.O.R.S.E. | $400 | $6,647 | |
| July 2023 | WSOPC MI Event #12 - $20,000 NLH 6-Max | $215 | $8,926 | |
| March 2023 | WSOPC PA Super Series Event #18 - $50,000 NLH Main Event 8-Max | $525 | $22,546 | |
| February 2022 | WSOPC NV/NJ $50,000 GTD PLO BIG $500 6-Max 3x Re-entry | $500 | $14,412 | |
| February 2021 | WSOPC Planet Hollywood Event #3: $50,000 GTD PLO BIG $500 6-Max | $500 | $16,350 | |
| March 2018 | WSOPC The Bike Event #5: $365 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better | $365 | $9,730 | |
| March 2016 | WSOPC NJ Event #7: $580 No-Limit Hold'em | $580 | $17,221 | |
| October 2014 | WSOPC Hammond Event #6: $580 H.O.R.S.E. | $580 | $17,921 | |
| August 2013 | WSOPC Foxwoods | $580 | $29,634 | |
| February 2013 | WSOPC Palm Beach Event #7: No-Limit Hold'em | $580 | $26,501 | |
| October 2012 | WSOPC Hammond Event #8: No-Limit Hold'em | $1,125 | $55,503 | |
| May 2012 | WSOPC Philadelphia Event #6: Mixed Pot Limit Hold'em/Pot Limit Omaha | $345 | $8,292 | |
| April 2009 | WSOPC Las Vegas Event #16: $1,060 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em | $1,060 | $22,353 | |
| March 2007 | WSOPC Atlantic City Event #3: $300 No-Limit Hold'em | $300 | $63,018 |
