September WSOP Circuit
Seminole Casino Coconut  Creek
Event 1
$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 243
Prize Pool: $80,190
September 13, 2018

The WSOP Circuit Coconut Creek series kicked off with a big opening tournament that cruised past its $50,000 guaranteed prize pool. There were 243 entries in the one-day ring event and Coco Poker regular John DePersio dominated late to win the first title of the series along with $19,649.

Those 243 entries pushed the prize pool over $80,000 and the tournament paid out the last 27 spots. The stacks were deep and the structure paced to give them plenty of play for their buy-in. There were still 72 players around when registration closed after the dinner break but they quickly played down to the bubble.

Two-time WSOP bracelet winner and former WPT Player of the Year Ben Zamani took care of the money bubble in a cooler with kings versus queens. He knocked one player out in the three-way pot and the remaining 27 players were in the money.

Plenty of local regulars cashed in the first tournament of the series including Carey Pickus, Andrew Blake, Luke Doolittle, Errol Rosen, Michael Kopjanski, John Gorsuch, and WSOP bracelet/WSOP Circuit winner Tristan Wade.

None of them would make it to the final table where DePersio entered with a big chip advantage. He knocked Zamani and former Seminole Hard Rock Poker Player of the Year Ory Hen out in one hand and followed that up with a knockout of Haim Toorgeman, the second biggest stack.

It was not a wire-to-wire win for DePersio. Both Michael Ortiz and Rodney Moret-Rojas spent some time with the lead but big hands kept coming DePersio’s way at opportune times. Ortiz took a bad beat from Moret-Rojas to finish in third place and the heads-up battle began with near identical stacks.

Both DePersio and Moret-Rojas were going for their second career WSOP Circuit ring and it was DePersio taking the top prize when he cracked kings for the title. Moret-Rojas picked up his first ring earlier this year during our first WSOP Circuit series but had to settle for the $12,139 second-place prize.

DePersio added another ring to his collection and he continues a nice run. He has only cashed in three WSOP Circuit events but all finished at a final table and two with a title.

Congratulations to John and thanks to all the players for a great start to the series.

Event 1 results:

1st: John DePersio – $19,649 + WSOPC ring
2nd: Rodney Moret-Rojas – $12,139
3rd: Michael Ortiz – $8,770
4th: Tom Bielecky – $6,454
5th: Nagui Yassa – $4,835
6th: Jorge Gomez – $3,685
7th: David Moreno – $2,855
8th: Haim Toorgeman – $2,248
9th: Ory Hen – $1,798
10th: Ben Zamani – $1,460
11th: Chris Conrad – $1,460
12th: John Gorsuch – $1,460
13th: Jean Mimy – $1,204
14th: Michael Kopjanski – $1,204
15th: Kenneth Isaacs – $1,204
16th: Tristan Wade – $1,009
17th: Harvey Freedman – $1,009
18th: Luke Doolittle – $1,009
19th: Theo Tran – $858
20th: Charlies Rizzo – $858
21st: Andrew Blake – $858
22nd: Evan Kahan – $740
23rd: Errol Rosen – $740
24th: Brian Tansy – $740
25th: Matthew Bianchini – $648
26th: Michael Pasaribu – $648
27th: Carey Pickus – $648

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 29: 30,000/60,000 with a 10,000 Ante

Only a few hands into the new level, John DePersio opened his button, Rodney Moret-Rojas three-bet, and DePersio moved all in with his chip leading stack. Moret-Rojas quickly called with a monster.

Moret-Rojas:
DePersio:

DePersio had an over card and paired his ace on the flop. The turn was no help to Moret-Rojas and the river closed out the tournament. Moret-Rojas fell short of his second WSOP Circuit ring and earned $12,139 while DePersio won his second along with $19,649.

Congratulations to John and a tournament recap will come later this morning.

1st: John DePersio – $19,649 + WSOPC ring
2nd: Rodney Moret-Rojas – $12,139

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 29: 30,000/60,000 with a 10,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 243

With no major pots, John DePersio continued to extend his lead as they moved into Level 29. They decided to forgo the scheduled break and continue to play it out.

Seat 3: John DePersio – 2,200,000 (37 bb)
Seat 8: Rodney Moret-Rojas – 1,445,000 (24 bb)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 28: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 243

The heads-up battle got underway between John DePersio and Rodney Moret-Rojas with each aiming for their second WSOP Circuit ring.

Seat 3: John DePersio – 1,900,000 (38 bb)
Seat 8: Rodney Moret-Rojas – 1,750,000 (35 bb)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 28: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 243

Rodney Moret-Rojas open-shoved for 945,000 from his button, John DePersio folded his small blind and Michael Ortiz quickly called from the big.

Moret-Rojas:
Ortiz:

Moret-Rojas was in deep trouble with kicker issues and Ortiz flopped two pair on the board. The turn was safe for Ortiz but Moret-Rojas hit Broadway on the river. They counted down the stacks to make sure and Ortiz was all in for 730,000. He was sent out in third place.

Rodney Moret-Rojas – 1,750,000 (35 bb)
Michael Ortiz – Eliminated in 3rd place ($8,770)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 27: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 243

With the board reading and approximately 400,000 in the pot, Rodney Moret-Rojas bet 450,000 and John DePersio sat back to think it out. He had 675,000 behind and moved all in after checking his cards and cutting down his stack. He got a quick call and was in trouble.

DePersio:
Moret-Rojas:

DePersio flopped tens up but Moret-Rojas was better with the jacks but the spiked on the river to give the full house double up.

John DePersio – 1,795,000 (45 bb)
Rodney Moret-Rojas – 750,000 (19 bb)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 27: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 243

Without a showdown, Rodney Moret-Rojas slid his way into the lead at the three-handed table as the blinds went up once again. Most of his new stack came against John DePersio but no one is in the danger zone at this point.

Seat 3: John DePersio – 965,000 (24 bb)
Seat 5: Michael Ortiz – 880,000 (22 bb)
Seat 8: Rodney Moret-Rojas – 1,800,000 (45 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $19,649 + WSOPC ring
2nd: $12,139
3rd: $8,770

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 26: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 243

Short-stacked Tom Bielecky open-shoved from under the gun for 210,000 and Michael Ortiz called in the small blind. Rodney Moret-Rojas slow peeled his cards and reluctantly folded.

“It was good,” he said.

Bielecky:
Ortiz:

Ortiz caught a short-handed monster and Bielecky couldn’t catch up on the board for his second fourth-place WSOP Circuit finish.

Michael Ortiz – 1,080,000 (36 bb)
Tom Bielecky – Eliminated in 4th place ($6,454)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 25: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 243

Michael Ortiz opened to 55,000 from the button and Rodney Moret-Rojas moved all in from the small blind for 350,000. Tom Bielecky released his big blind and Ortiz called.

Moret-Rojas:
Ortiz:

Moret-Rojas was in fine shape for a double and improved more on the flop. The turn and river completed the board for Moret-Rojas’ double up.

Rodney Moret-Rojas – 735,000 (31 bb)
Michael Ortiz – 980,000 (41 bb)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 25: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 243

It was three-ways to the flop between Nagui Yassa in the small blind, John DePersio in the big, and Rodney Moret-Rojas in middle position.

Yassa and DePersio checked, Moret-Rojas bet 80,000 and Yassa moved all in for 744,000. DePersio called and Moret-Rojas folded.

DePersio:
Yassa:

Yassa was ahead with top pair but needed to dodge clubs and along with the remaining tens and nines in the deck. The turn made no difference but DePersio filled his flush on the for another huge knockout.

John DePersio – 1,950,000 (81 bb)
Nagui Yassa – Eliminated in 5th place ($4,835)