2018 World Series of Poker Circuit
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
Coconut Creek, Florida
Event 8
$365 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Buy)
$25,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 39
Rebuys/Add-Ons: 191
Prize Pool: $30,800
February 14, 2018

Event 8 was the only non-Hold’em game on the World Series of Poker Circuit schedule and it drew a smaller but talented field. It was structured as a two-day event but after a long day of play, Greg Kolo earned his first career WSOP Circuit ring along with $13,860.

The $365 Pot Limit Omaha tournament featured a $25,000 guaranteed prize pool and offered $100 rebuy/add-on options instead of the standard re-entry format. The tournament drew 39 players who hit the rebuys and add-ons 191 times to push the prize pool over $30,000.

There were a lot of chips in play under those circumstances and the tournament played out at a deliberate pace. There were three tables remaining at dinner break and they did not reach the final table until midnight. Former WSOP Circuit winner Matt Stout was one of the big stacks but Kolo took the lead after he knocked out Event 2 runner-up Karthik Ramakrishnan in third place.

Stout battled back with two double ups but he was unable to fade a flush draw on the final hand to finish the tournament in second place. Kolo earned a WSOP Circuit ring to go along with his WSOP Pot Limit Hold’em bracelet from 2014.

It was a redemption of sorts for the Cleveland circuit regular after he finished second in a WSOP Circuit Pot Limit Omaha tournament in October.

“I made some mistake in Hammond,” he commented. “I wasn’t quite ready but I should have won.”

Kolo did not begin the final table with the chip lead but he ran hot once it started.

“I had aces or kings four or five times,” he laughed. “So that helped.”

Kolo defeated a tough final table and now he can be called a WSOP Circuit champion as well as a WSOP bracelet winner.

Event 8 results:

1st: Greg Kolo – $13,860 + Gold Ring
2nd: Matt Stout – $9,240
3rd: Karthik Ramakrishnan – $4,620
4th: Bob Garlic – $3,080

$365 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Buy)
$25,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19: 5,000/10,000

The next hand after Matt Stout doubled, they saw a flop and the chips went in the middle with two pot-sized bets.

Stout:
Kolo:

Stout was ahead with two pair and a double belly buster draw against bottom pair/flush draw but Kolo’s flush hit on the turn. Stout had four river boat outs but blanked the to go out in second. Kolo finished in the top spot to claim a Pot Limit Omaha WSOP Circuit ring along with his Pot Limit Hold’em WSOP bracelet in 2014.

1st: Greg Kolo – $13,860 + Gold Ring
2nd: Matt Stout – $9,240

$365 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Buy)
$25,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19: 5,000/10,000
Players Remaining: 2 of 39

Greg Kolo continued to put the pressure on Matt Stout to extend his lead. Stout was down to 109,000 when Kolo potted to 30,000 from the button. Stout re-potted to 90,000 and Kolo finished putting him all in.

Stout:
Kolo:

Stout was ahead for the double and the flop did not change that. Kolo picked up a flush draw on the turn but the river gave Stout another double.

Matt Stout – 218,000 (22 bb)
Greg Kolo – 472,000 (47 bb)

$365 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Buy)
$25,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18: 4,000/8,000
Players Remaining: 2 of 39

Greg Kolo extended his advantage before Matt Stout took a stand with the flop reading . He moved all in for 84,000 and Kolo called with a chance to earn the ring.

Kolo:
Stout:

Kolo was ahead with the six-high straight and needed to dodge hearts or running cards. The turn changed nothing but Stout had his double when his flush completed on the river.

Matt Stout – 175,000 (22 bb)
Greg Kolo – 515,000 (64 bb)

$365 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Buy)
$25,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 17: 3,000/6,000
Players Remaining: 2 of 39

The WSOP Circuit ring is on the table and the heads-up match is underway with WSOP bracelet Greg Kolo leading against WSOP Circuit winner Matt Stout.

Seat 3: Greg Kolo – 456,000 (76 bb)
Seat 4: Matt Stout – 234,000 (39 bb)

1st: $13,860 + Gold Ring
2nd: $9,240

$365 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Buy)
$25,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 17: 3,000/6,000
Players Remaining: 2 of 39

With the board reading , Greg Kolo bet 25,000 and Karthik Ramakrishnan tried to go all in. His stack was bigger than the pot and he was limited to a 111,000 raise. Kolo put him all in and Ramakrishnan called.

Ramakrishnan:
Kolo:

Ramakrishnan was ahead with a set of sevens against Kolo top and bottom two pair. That changed on the turn to give Kolo a bigger boat and Ramakrishnan was eliminated in third place for $4,620.

Greg Kolo – 456,000 (76 bb)
Karthik Ramakrishnan – Eliminated in 3rd place ($4,620)

$365 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Buy)
$25,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 17: 3,000/6,000
Players Remaining: 4 of 39

Joe Rahman and Chris Conrad were the short stacks coming back from break and Rahman went out on the first hand back.

A few hands later, Matt Stout opened to 21,000 and Chris Conrad moved all in for 31,000 from the button. Stout quickly called and Conrad had the bigger hand.

Stout:
Conrad: 

Conrad was in the lead for a double but Stout hit top set on the flop. Conrad had a gutshot outs as well but missed the turn and river to exit on the bubble.

Matt Stout – 225,000 (38 bb)
Chris Conrad – Eliminated

Payouts:

1st: $13,860 + Gold Ring
2nd: $9,240
3rd: $4,620
4th: $3,080

$365 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Buy)
$25,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 17: 3,000/6,000
Players Remaining: 6 of 39

The Pot Limit Omaha event took its final break of the day with six players remaining, Matt Stout leading and making the money when four remain.

They’ll play two more 30-minute levels before bagging up for a Day 2 return.

Seat 1: Bob Garlic – 143,000 (24 bb)
Seat 2: Karthik Ramakrishnan – 162,000 (27 bb)
Seat 3: Greg Kolo – 119,000 (20 bb)
Seat 4: Matt Stout – 176,000 (29 bb)
Seat 5: Joe Rahman – 46,000 (8 bb)
Seat 6: Chris Conrad – 49,000 (8 bb)

$365 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Buy)
$25,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 10: 600/1,200
Players Remaining: 15 of 39

The Pot Limit Omaha tournament is cruising its way down towards the final table and only two remain with 15 players. Even after they make the final table, they’ll have some work to do with four of the ten making the money.

Matt Stout looks like the current leader with 165,000 but they still have time to catch him.

$365 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Buy)
$25,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 9: 500/1,000
Players Remaining: 20 of 39

The numbers are in and the rebuy options were heavily utilized. The tournament drew 39 entries and they put another $19,100 in the prize pool via 191 rebuys and add-ons. They pushed the prize pool over the $25,000 guarantee to run it up to $30,800.

Players will need to do more than make the final table to get paid with the last four splitting the prize pool. A min-cash grabs $3,080 but they all want the $13,860 top prize and WSOP Circuit ring.

2018 World Series of Poker Circuit
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
Coconut Creek, Florida
Event 8
$365 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Buy)
$25,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 39
Rebuys/Add-Ons: 191
Prize Pool: $30,800
February 14-15, 2018

1st: $13,860 + Gold Ring
2nd: $9,240
3rd: $4,620
4th: $3,080