2018 World Series of Poker Circuit
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
Coconut Creek, Florida
$1,675 Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 827
Prize Pool: $1,240,500
February 16-19, 2018

The World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event concluded late Monday night at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek in South Florida. The $1,675 buy-in series headliner saw Kammar Andries of Ocoee, FL claim the title along with $241,898 and the tour’s token prize, a gold ring. In addition, he punched his ticket into the Circuit season-ending Global Casino Championship.

The 2018 WSOP Circuit marked the property’s first time to host the tour and the series went off without a hitch. In total, there were 13 gold ring events including a $365 re-entry opener with a total prize pool of over $525,000, a $3,250 buy-in High Roller that drew more than 70 entries and, of course, the $1,675 Main Event. With a $1,000,000 guarantee, the finale drew players from around the world. Over the course of two starting flights, the field topped out at 827 entries generating a total prize pool of more than $1,200,000.

Day 2 saw 155 players return to play for one of the 90 in-the-money spots including Mukul Pahuja, Matt Stout, Wally Maddah, Phil Hui, and Ian O’Hara. Andrew Pacifico returned with the lead but he was unable to ride it to the last day of the tournament. The bubble came and went as Florida’s Jerry Wong, TK Miles, Paul Balzano, Wally Maddah, and O’Hara were among those to finish in the money. The field narrowed to only 15 remaining by the time Day 2 wrapped and it was Altman that claimed the lead with Day 3 around the corner.

The decisive day moved fast to start as it took barely 90 minutes to trim the field to 10 and consolidate to the unofficial final table. Altman retained his lead until only three players remained. He lost a huge hand with queens versus kings for an unexpected exit against Andries.

Altman flopped a queen but Andries returned the favor with a king on the turn.

“I didn’t even flinch when the queen came out,” Andries said of the big hand. “The king came and I knew that was it.”

Andries went into a heads-up play with better than a two-to-one advantage against Mike Linster. The match was over after 16 hands and Andries had to take a moment away from The Pavilion to appreciate what he accomplished.

For Andries, the win marked a successful series that included a fourth, eleventh, and fourth place finish followed by his Main Event win.

“I took a week off from work to take a legit shot,” Andries said. “I wanted to be serious and I wanted to win a ring.”

“My wife stayed home with the kids,” he said of his wife Jackie. “She’s been supportive since I met her.”

Andries, a physical therapist by trade, finished off his big series with the WSOP Circuit Main Event win and he looks forward to taking part in the Global Casino Championship later in the year.

Congrats to Andries and everyone else for a great ending to the series.

Main Event final table results:

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

$1,675 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 32: 60,000/120,000 with a 20,000 ante

Kammar Andries limped his button and Mike Linster raised to 400,000. Andries called to the flop and Linster bet 275,000. Andries called again and Linster checked the turn.

Andries bet 500,000 and Linster announced “all in”. Andries quickly called and Linster said, “you got me.”

Andries:
Linster:

Andries was head with tens up and Linster could not come back on the river. Linster had to settle for the $149,480 runner-up payout while Andries collected $241,898 for the win along with the WSOP Circuit gold ring and seat in the Global Casino Championship.

1st: Kammar Andries – $241,898
2nd: Mike Linster – $149,480

$1,675 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 32: 60,000/120,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 827

The dinner break is over as Mike Linster and Kammar Andries take their seats to resume the heads-up match for the World Series of Poker Circuit title.

Seat 4: Mike Linster – 5,250,000 (53 bb)
Seat 9: Kammar Andries – 11,290,000 (113 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $241,898 + Gold Ring
2nd: $149,480

$1,675 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Return to Level 32: 60,000/120,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 827

Soon after Brian Altman’s exit, the clock ran out on Level 31. Mike Linster and Kammar Andries decided to take their one-hour dinner break before resuming the heads-up match.

Seat 4: Mike Linster – 5,250,000 (53 bb)
Seat 9: Kammar Andries – 11,290,000 (113 bb)

$1,675 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31: 50,000/100,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 827

Brian Altman was left with a short stack after Kammar Andries’ big double and moved all in for 550,000 from the button. Mike Linster called from the big blind to put the former chip leader at risk.

Linster:
Altman:

Altman had two live cards but blanked the entire board for the shocking exit in third place.

Mike Linster – 4,900,000 (49 bb)
Brian Altman – Eliminated in 3rd place ($110,107)

$1,675 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31: 50,000/100,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 827

Brian Altman opened to 225,000 from the button and Kammar Andries three-bet to 750,000 from the small blind. Mike Linster released his big blind and Altman four-bet to 1,450,000. Andries moved all in for 5,595,000 and Altman called

Altman:
Andries:

Andries was dealt another top hand but it looked bad on the . If Andries was unhappy, it didn’t last long. Only until the two-out on the turn. Altman could not find a one-out save on the river to send the massive pot to Andries.

Kammar Andries – 11,100,000 (110 bb)
Brian Altman – 915,000 (9 bb)

$1,675 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31: 50,000/100,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 827

Mike Linster opened to 225,000 and Kammar Andries called in the small blind. Jason Hill moved all in from the big blind for 1,065,000. Linster folded and Andries called.

Hill:
Andries:

Both players hit the flop but Andries stayed hot with trip tens. Hill added nine spade outs on the turn but Andries made quads on the river to send Hill out in fourth place.

Kammar Andries – 5,750,000 (57 bb)
Jason Hill – Eliminated in 4th place ($82,171)

$1,675 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31: 50,000/100,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 827

Brian Altman opened to 205,000 from the button and LaVann Williams moved all in for 2,200,000 from the small blind. Kammar Andries reshoved for 2,400,000 and Altman folded.

Williams:
Andries:

Williams ran into a big blind monster and Andries improved to top set on the flop. The turn left Williams drawing dead to the river.

Kammar Andries – 4,800,000 (48 bb)
LaVann Williams – Eliminated in 5th place ($62,124)

$1,675 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31: 50,000/100,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 827

Kammar Andries limped from middle position and short-stacked Dafney Adisson moved all in for 190,000 from the small blind. Brian Altman moved all in from the big blind and Andries called at risk after counting out his stack worth 1,300,000.

Adisson:
Altman:
Andries:

Andries was ahead and paired the flop. Altman picked up an open-ended straight draw on the turn but the sent the pot to Andries. Adisson was eliminated in sixth place while Andries more than doubled his stack.

Kammar Andries – 2,900,000 (29 bb)
Brian Altman – 5,000,000 (50 bb)
Dafney Adisson – Eliminated in 6th place ($47,573)