Event 1: Martin Ryan Earns Fifth WSOP Circuit Ring

2018 World Series of Poker Circuit
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
Coconut Creek, Florida
Event 1
$365 No Limit Hold’em Re-Entry
Entries: 318
Prize Pool: $95,400
February 8, 2018

Martin Ryan, Event 1 Champion

The World Series of Poker Circuit series kicked off with a bang in the opening event and it nearly doubled its $50,000 guarantee coming out of the gates. Event 1 drew 318 entries and Martin Ryan outlasted everyone to earn his fifth career WSOP Circuit ring along with $22,416.

That entry count in the $365 buy-in tournament created a prize pool worth $95,400 and the last 33 players earned a piece. A min-cash picked up $570 but all were aiming for that top prize and the gold ring.

The tournament drew plenty of familiar faces with Jeff Kessler, Nancy Thomas, Bryce McVay, and Joelle Guarino making the dinner break along with WSOP bracelet winner, plus four-time WSOP Circuit champ, Phil Hui and 2016 Coco Poker Open winner Stuart Paterson.

There were 70 players remaining on that hour-long break from the tables and the pace was quick after they returned to their seats. They were on the verge of the money bubble two hours later and in the money soon after the post-dinner break.

Ryan was at or near the top of the counts during that time and traded the lead with McVay and Chris Halkitis along his way to the final table. When the tournament reached ten players, they joined together as one with Edward Novak leading closely followed by Ryan and McVay.

The action was fast at the start of the final table with Marc Anderson, Nancy Thomas, Paulius Bikus, and Jeff Charlton hitting the payout desk early. Chris Halkitis had a tough run at the final table and had to settle for a fifth-place payout with Danny Calway-Fagen following on his heels.

Novak’s final table lead evaporated as McVay built a huge stack in three-hand action. Ryan doubled twice through McVay to take the lead and then he eliminated Novak to set up the heads-up match for the ring.

It took only ten minutes to finish it off with Ryan knocking out McVay with flopped two pair. It was a tough finish for McVay but he banked $13,862 for his runner-up finish. Ryan was happy with his win, his fifth career WSOP Circuit title, and took him more than $22,000 along with a new ring.

“I was chip leader for most of the way until we reached the final table,” Ryan commented. “And I just took it back. I’m very aggressive, everyone knows that. I can play.”

The 56-year-old Trinidad resident earned his first WSOP Circuit ring at the end of 2016 and added three more within a few months.

Ryan plans to return tomorrow morning for Flight A of Event 2 and hopes to make Day 2 early so he can take a day off on Saturday.

“I want to qualify tomorrow so Saturday I can go to the flea market” he laughed.

Congratulations to Ryan for the great run and a fine accomplishment with enough rings to fill one hand.

Event 1 results:

1st: Martin Ryan – $22,416 + Gold Ring
2nd: Bryce McVay – $13,862
3rd: Edward Novak – $10,068
4th: Danny Calway-Fagen – $7,436
5th: Dennis Rodriguez – $5,583
6th: Chris Halkitis – $4,258
7th: Jeff Charlton – $3,298
8th: Paulius Bikus – $2,593
9th: Nancy Thomas – $2,069
10th: Marc Anderson – $1,676
11th: Richard Shtrax – $1,676
12th: Dani Dayan – $1,676
13th: Jeff Kessler – $1,378
14th: Jeff Silverstein – $1,378
15th: Michael Goldfarb – $1,378
16th: Carmelo Maldonado – $1,149
17th: Vinicius Monteiro – $1,149
18th: Richard Vielhak – $1,149
19th: Matthew Ewert – $971
20th: Elliot Press – $971
21st: Zaki Lichaa – $971
22nd: Donald Dowler – $833
23rd: John Gorsuch – $833
24th: Phil Hui – $833
25th: John Spadavecchia – $724
26th: Ricardo Eyzaguirre – $724
27th: Waymond Jones II – $724
28th: Joelle Guarino – $638
29th: Stuart Paterson – $638
30th: Osvaldo Legrand – $638
31st: Ebrahim Figueroa – $570
32nd: Vito Polera – $570
33rd: Robert Irby – $570

Event 1: Martin Ryan Eliminates Bryce McVay for the Title

$365 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 28: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante

Bryce McVay

Bryce McVay needed to make a move to get back even in the heads up match but could not make up any ground. His final stand came when he moved all in for 370,000 and Martin Ryan called with a chance to lock up another WSOP Circuit ring.

Ryan: Ah2d
McVay: Kc5s

Ryan was in good shape, needed to dodge the live cards, then hit aces up on the Ad4d2h flop. The Td turn left McVay with three out, any non-diamond three, but the Ts river ended the tournament. McVay earned $13,862 for his runner-up finish while Martin Ryan banked $22,416 plus his fifth career WSOP Circuit ring.

Full recap to come shortly.

1st: Martin Ryan – $22,416 + Gold Ring
2nd: Bryce McVay – $13,862

Martin Ryan

Event 1: Edward Novak – 3rd Place ($10,068)

$365 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 28: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 318

Edward Novak

Martin Ryan opened to 110,000 from the button and Edward Novak moved all in from the small blind for 420,000. Bryce McVay released his big blind and Ryan called after taking his time to cut out the chips.

Novak: AhTd
Ryan: Ac5c

Novak was ahead for the double up but Ryan hit the Kc9d5s flop to take the lead. The 3s turn was no help to Novak and he was eliminated in third place after the 9s river.

Martin Ryan – 2,480,000 (50 bb)
Edward Novak – Eliminated in 3rd place ($10,068)

Event 1: Martin Ryan Doubles Again

$365 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 318

Bryce McVay opened to 85,000 from the button and Martin Ryan three-bet to 445,000 from the small blind. Edward Novak folded his big blind and McVay announced all in after a minute’s thought. Ryan quickly called for a race to stay.

Ryan: KhQd
McVay: 9d9c

Ryan needed to catch but missed the 5d5h4h flop. The 6d turn left Ryan with six river outs and he binked the Kc to move into the lead.

Martin Ryan – 2,075,000 (52 bb)
Bryce McVay – 570,000 (14 bb)

Event 1: Martin Ryan Doubles Through Bryce McVay

$365 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 318

Martin Ryan

Bryce McVay was pushing around his big stack, often open-shoving when he could, and he did it again after Edward Novak folded his button. Martin Ryan called in the big blind trying for a double.

McVay: JdTs
Ryan: Ah2d

Ryan was ahead and moved further out front on the AdKc3c flop. McVay couldn’t fill hit gutshot on the 5d turn or 7d river to double up Ryan.

Martin Ryan – 955,000 (24 bb)
Bryce McVay – 1,650,000 (41 bb)

Event 1: Danny Calway-Fagen – 4th Place ($7,436)

$365 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 318

Danny Calway-Fagen went on a big heater at the final table but he was unable to recover from sending a big double to Bryce McVay. He was down to approximately 425,000 and moved all in from under the gun. McVay reshipped from the small blind with his big stack and Martin Ryan released his big.

McVay: AsJd
Calway-Fagen: 6d5d

Calway-Fagen had two live cards to stay in the game and hit the 6c4s3c flop to take the lead. It was short-lived when McVay paired the Jh turn. Calway-Fagen could not find a save on the 9s river and he went from leader to out in fourth place.

Bryce McVay – 2,050,000 (68 bb)
Danny Calway-Fagen – Eliminated in 4th place ($7,436)

Event 1: Dennis Rodriguez – 5th Place ($5,583)

$365 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 318

Dennis Rodriguez

Action folded to Dennis Rodriguez in the cutoff and he moved all in for 425,000. Bryce McVay followed up with a shove of his own for 575,000 from the button and Martin Ryan asked to have the stacks broken down. He mucked his small blind followed by Danny Calway-Fagen releasing his big.

Rodriguez: Ah9c
McVay: AcKh

Rodriguez was dominated and then crushed after the KdQd7s flop. The board finished with the 4d turn and 6h river to send him out in fifth place while McVay moved over 1 million.

Bryce McVay – 1,100,000 (37 bb)
Dennis Rodriguez – Eliminated in 5th place ($5,583)

Event 1: Bryce McVay Doubles Through Danny Calway-Fagen

$365 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 25: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 318

Danny Calway-Fagen opened to 48,000 from the cutoff and Bryce McVay moved all in from the big blind for 326,000. Calway-Fagen didn’t wait too long before he called trying to knock out his third straight player at the final table.

McVay: 8d8c
Calway-Fagen: AhJd

They were racing with McVay trying to hold to stay in the game. The dealer kept it low for McVay and he had his double after the 6h5s3s3d9d run out.

Bryce McVay – 680,000 (28 bb)
Danny Calway-Fagen – 595,000 (25 bb)

Event 1: Chris Halkitis – 6th Place ($4,258)

$365 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 25: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 318

Chris Halkitis

Two hands after Jeff Charlton was eliminated, Danny Calway-Fagen was back in action. He opened to 60,000 from the button and Chris Halkitis moved all in for approximately 300,000 from the big blind. Calway-Fagen called with a chance for another knockout.

Halkitis: 2d2c
Calway-Fagen: KdKc

Calway-Fagen woke up with a big hand and he moved into the chip lead as the board ran Qd6s5hKhTc to send Halkitis out in sixth place.

Danny Calway-Fagen – 910,000 (38 bb)
Chris Halkitis – Eliminated in 6th place ($4,258)