Entering the final table eighth in chips is Preston Derden, a 64-year old retiree from Houston, Texas. The unmarried father of two final tabled the Seniors Event at the WSOP in 2010 and has twelve WSOPC cashes.
Derden has been playing poker for 49 years and his favorite game is H.O.R.S.E. His ambition is to win a WSOP ring and bracelet and when asked if he had any superstitions, Derden replied: "I used to, but I thought it would be unlucky." A wily veteran with a great sense of humor, Derden is quick to remind people that he once won a tournament in Budapest for $820,000, though that translated to just $4,100 in US currency.
Our chip leader entering the final table is none other than John Nguyen of Fairview Heights, Illinois. Nguyen plays poker for a living but claims to have previously worked as a secret agent, whether or not that is true is classified.
Nguyen has one WSOP circuit ring from the stop in Hammond along with three cashes in the WSOP in Vegas. He has only been playing poker for two years after learning while in college. Needless to say, he is a fast learner. An avid golfer whose favorite player is John Juanda, Nguyen is in great shape to make a run at his second circuit ring.
Jesse White is a 46-year old single father of two from Billings, Montana. The self-employed construction worker started playing poker last year when "A funny looking guy named Tuni in Montana taught me a lesson."
While he has won a few small tournaments in Montana and Las Vegas, this is White's biggest poker accomplishment to date. His poker ambition? "To play another day for a bigger pot." White enters the final table fourth in chips.
Sam Barnhart is a 50-year old software analyst from Little Rock, Arkansas. He is single with no children and has been playing poker for 15 years. How did he get so good? Simple, he chalks it up to experience. Barnhart will have his work cut out for himself today as he starts the final table sixth in chips.
John Holley is a 49-year old professional fisherman from Destin, Florida. He was recently divorced and has three children, ages five, seven and eleven. Holley is a familiar face on the WSOPC circuit. He previously final tabled the Main Event in Biloxi, Mississippi where he finished in ninth place. In that event, he claimed to have had a vision that he'd make the final table after he did a good deed. In addition, Holley says his kids want to see him make a TV final table. Although today's final table will not be televised, a Holley victory would earn him a spot in the WSOPC Championship and a chance at that TV final table along with $1 million.
"This has been the most challenging year in my life going thru . . . the Gulf oil spill but God has told me to take it one step at a time," Holley confessed in Biloxi. A second WSOPC final table seems like a step in the right direction.
Kurt Jewell is no stranger to the World Series of Poker Circuit. Back in October he won $242,909 by defeating Jared Kenworthy in the circuit Main Event in Hammond. Jewell managed to lock up a seat in the WSOPC National Championship from that win and will compete for a WSOP bracelet in the $1 Million Freeroll in May.
Jewell, a 25-year old and former student, began playing the game in 2005 by learning online. He currently resides in Frankfort, Kentucky and pursues poker full time
Mary Harden of OoHewah, Tennessee begins the day in third chip position. Harden is a 37-year old single mother of two who learned to play poker from her father more than 13 years ago. Her favorite game is hold'em and her ambition is to win a big tournament in Las Vegas. As it is, she may have to settle for a big win in Tunica instead!
Welcome to Day 3 of the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event here at Harrah's Tunica. A field of 480 players began the quest a few days ago and after 16 levels on Day 1, 111 were left. Just about 10 more levels were played on Day 2 to dwindle the field down to just the final table of nine -- all with their eyes on the first-place prize of $148,612.
Leading the way into the final table is John Nguyen with 2,300,000. Hot on his heels is WSOP-C Hammond Main Event Champion Kurt Jewell, who will be looking to become the second player to capture two WSOP Circuit Main Event titles within the same season since Chris Ferguson did it back in 2005.
Joining the company of the man commonly referred to as "Jesus" in the poker community is quite the accomplishment. Jewell scored $242,909 for his victory in Hammond and could add another $148,612 to his pocket here if he can pull off the victory. He's got plenty of chips to do it and all eyes will be fixed on him.
Here is how the rest of the final table stacks up.
Seat 1
Mary Harden (Ooltewah, TN)
1,281,000
Seat 2
Kurt Jewell (Frankfurt, KY)
1,851,000
Seat 3
John Holley (Destin, FL)
586,000
Seat 4
Sam Barnhart (Little Rock, AR)
758,000
Seat 5
John Nguyen (Fairview Heights, IL)
2,300,000
Seat 6
Jesse White (Billings, MT)
923,000
Seat 7
Preston Durden (Houston, TX)
497,000
Seat 8
Brian Burney (Branson, MO)
901,000
Seat 9
Marco Palacios (Austin, TX)
440,000
Play starts at the top of the hour, so be sure to keep it here at PokerNews for all of the exciting action!
