Graton Casino & Resort hosted the World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Main Event on August 21. Michael Persky’s spirited fight at the final table bore fruit as he won the $175,595 first-place prize and his first gold ring. Still, his poker career earnings increased to almost $250,000.
The Novato-based player was in great form in the series as he finished second in Event No.3. He told reporters that he loves his family a lot and struggles being far away from them for a long period when competing in huge tournaments. Persky loves visiting the Bay Area due to its wide array of poker games.
The recent $1,500 Buy-In No-Limit Hold’em event featured 616 players who exceeded its initial $500,000 guarantee to form a $933,240 prize pool. Also, it had two starting flights, and each of its leading 93 entrants won over $2,500.
Each entrant who advanced to Day 2 cashed. They included Ian Steinman, Matt Wantman, Rayo Kniep, Josh Prager, Brandon Zuidema, Wendy Freedman, and Darryll Fish.
Yet, half of them got busted in the day’s first two levels. The remaining players set a nine-handed final table before 11 p.m.
The Top Nine Finalists’ Prizes
- Michael Persky-$175,595 and 840 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points
- Dan Sarasin-$100,528 and 700 POY points
- Jasthi Kumar-$80,315 and 560 POY points
- Ben Underwood-$60,122 and 420 POY points
- Paul Vlahos-$45,532 and 350 POY points
- Zhengxiong Zouxu-$34,890 and 280 POY points
- Kurt Watkins-$27,055 and 210 POY points
- Avenes Rastomyan-$21,233 and 140 POY points
- Ben Ludlow-$16,868 and 70 POY points
Action Highlights
Persky had the sixth-largest stack when the final day’s action began. He had a laid-back playing strategy that helped him extend his run in the tournament.
Ben Ludlow was the first finalist to leave the table in ninth place. Avenes Rastomyan followed him in eighth place. Still, Kurt Watkins, Zhengxiong Zouxu, and Paul Vlahos got busted in seventh, sixth, and fifth place, respectively.
Persky knocked out Ben Underwood in the fourth position. The former’s A-J dominated the latter’s A-2, and the board gave him a crucial chip lead. Persky maintained the lead after doubling up in three-handed action.
It came at Jasthi Kumar’s (five-time gold ring champion) hand. He urgently needed to shove with Q-4, but Persky used A-K to face him. Yet, the board revealed two other kings that sent Kumar parking in the third position.
His exit set up a heads-up battle between Sarasin and Persky, who had even chips. Also, they had a friendly atmosphere when Sarasin got an early lead.
Sarasin used K-9 to stake his chip in preflop in the tournament’s final hand, and Persky faced him with A-Q. Unfortunately, the flop revealed two aces, which busted Sarasin as the runner-up with $100,528, hence earning Persky the gold ring. Hard Rock Hotel and Casino will hold the next WSOP Circuit stop, whose $1,700 Buy-In Main Event will occur between August 25-28.
