Anthony Spinella Wins WSOPC Harrah's Las Vegas Main Event for $192,199
Anthony Spinella is the latest champion of the 2019/2020 World Series of Poker Circuit season after he topped a field of 665 entries to walk away with the Harrah's Las Vegas $1,700 Main Event title, a $192,199 top prize, and a seat into the 2020 Global Casino Championship.
The win marks Spinella's 50th cash in WSOP events bringing his career earnings to over $1 million and marks his second WSOPC gold hardware, but his first live tournament win as his first WSOPC ring and bracelet came from online events. When asked if he prefers playing online over live play he answered, "They both have their appeal. It's nice to be able to play at home and be in the same vicinity as my son but it's also nice to get out and play live."
Spinella was very excited about his win and it came at a perfect time right before the holidays. "Yeah it feels amazing," Spinella said, "My son is definitely getting a new dinosaur."
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anthony Spinella | Playa del Carmen, Mexico | $192,199 |
| 2 | Nipun Java | Los Angeles, CA | $118,764 |
| 3 | Jimmy Lee | Edmonton, AB | $87,339 |
| 4 | Raul Martinez | London, UK | $64,983 |
| 5 | Tim Reilly | Natick, MA | $48,923 |
| 6 | Adam Owen | Folkestone, UK | $37,275 |
| 7 | Kfir Nahum | Sunnyvale, CA | $28,746 |
| 8 | Stephen Graner | Henderson, NV | $22,442 |
| 9 | Benjamin Craig | Veronon Hills, IL | $17,738 |
Final Day Action
The final day of the Main Event saw 13 players return from Day 2, each guaranteed at least an $11,509 payday and play started with an early bust out after Matt Affleck lost a flip against Spinella. The very next hand saw James Hundt flop a set of snowmen but Kfir Nahum spiked his open-ended staright on the river ending Hundt's tournament run.
Next on the chopping block was Rene Lazaro when his pocket aces were cracked by Adam Owen's set of eights, setting the stage for the unofficial final table.
Final Table Action
After the elimination of Stan Jablonski a full level passed before the next body dropped when Benjamin Craig couldn't connect with his three-outer and fell to Nipun Java's pocket fours in ninth place.
Next up on was Stephen Graner who doubled up his short stack twice before getting it in once again. Unfortunately for Graner, a third double-up wasn't in the books for him and he took his exit in seventh place.
The very next hand saw Nahum's exit after an all-club flop gave him the flush. Nahum got all his chips in the middle against Spinella who held the ace of spades and it was an unfortunate river for Nahum as a fourth club fell on the river giving Spinella the nuts and ending Nahum's run in sixth place.
A few hands later would see Spinella's elimination train continue after he three-bet Owen's initial raise then called his four-bet jam holding the weapons of mass destruction while Owen heald ace-ten off. The flop gave Owen a glimmer of hope drawing to Broadway but he wouldn't complete eliminating him if sixth place ($37,275).
Once five-handed action began, it didn't take long for Tim Reilly to move his short stack in the middle holding a suited queen-eight and he was quickly called by Java from the big blind holding an ace-jack offsuit. Reilly was live and flopped a gut-shot staright-draw but couldn't connect with the turn nor river ending his run in fifth place ($48,923).
The four-way battle lasted two-full levels before Raul Martinez would hit the rail. Martinez grinded his short stack as long as he could before getting the rest of his chips in the middle holding a made hand of twos and was called by Spinella who held pocket sevens. Martinez was unable to find a third deuce on the runout ending his night in fourth place ($64,983).
The chips were dispersed evenly amongst the three remaining players until they returned from their 30-minute dinner when Jimmy Lee lost back-to-back hands to Java leaving him third in chips. A few orbits went by before Lee got the rest of his chips in holding a made hand of fives and was called by Spenilla who held an ace-ten offsuit. Lee's hand was good until Spinella turned an ace ending his tournament in third place ($87,339).
Heads-Up
The heads-up battle saw not only two bracelet winners but also two ring winners slug it out in a battle of champions. Java started the match with a huge uphill battle as he walked in with only 3.5 million in chips while Spinella held majority of the chips in play with 16 million. The tussle last less than one full level before Nupa took his exit in second place for a respectable $118,764 while Spinella took home the $192,199 first-place money along with his second gold ring.
WSOPC Harrah's Las Vegas Ring Winners
Joining Spinella at the 2020 Global Casino Championship will be Harrah’s Las Vegas Casino Champion Mark Liedtke. He finished runner-up in the opening event, notched a cash in Event #3, and then won Event #4: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack for $17,309 and his first gold ring. Add in two more cashes, including 19th in the Main Event, and he ended atop the leaderboard with 112.5 points.
| Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $250 NLH Multi-Flight | 362 | $72,400 | Joe Walters | $14,838 |
| Event #2: $400 NLH Multi-Flight | 219 | $75,000 | Haresh Thaker | $17,520 |
| Event #3: $600 NLH Multi-Flight | 188 | $100,000 | Jon Aldalur | $24,298 |
| Event #4: $400 NLH Monster Stack | 225 | $74,250 | Mark Liedtke | $17,309 |
| Event #5: $400 NLH Bounty | 86 | $19,780 | Steve Foutty | $6,042 |
| Event #6: $250 Seniors Event | 219 | $43,800 | Wayne Keller | $10,301 |
| Event #7: $400 HORSE | 120 | $39,600 | Christina Hill | $10,956 |
| Event#8: $400 NLH Double Stack | 331 | $109,230 | Ashraf Chehata | $23,575 |
| Event#9: $400 NLH Turbo | 170 | $56,100 | Al Cutler | $14,100 |
| Event #10: $2,200 NLH High Roller | 86 | $172,000 | Brett Apter | $52,084 |
| Event #11: $1,700 NLH Main Event | 665 | $1,007,475 | Anthony Spinella | $192,199 |
| Event #12: $400 NLH Turbo | 192 | $63,360 | Corey Paggeot | $15,447 |
| Event #13: $400 Mixed PLO/NLH | 96 | $31,680 | Conrad Simpson | $8,978 |
| Event #14: $400 NLH Turbo | 130 | $26,000 | Rene Lazaro | $7,042 |
That wraps it up for the live coverage of the $1,700 Main Event at Harrah's Las Vegas but stay tuned as the PokerNews live reporting team will return in 2020 bringing you all the live updates from the WSOP Circuit $1,700 Main Event Choctaw Durant.
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