2019 WSOP Circuit – February

Coconut Creek WSOP Circuit in Review

Zach Donovan, WSOP Circuit Main Event Champion

The 2019 World Series of Poker Circuit at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek marked the property’s third time to host the global tour. The series ran February 7th through 18th and in that time 14 new gold ring champions were crowned and an entry into the season-ending Global Casino Championship was awarded.

Zach Donovan earned his entry as the Main Event champion.

Another GCC was set to be awarded to the Casino Champion but this series had a familiar face. Martin Ryan was his seat after earning Casino Champion titles during our September series and he did it again this time around once more after two runner-up finishes. Since he already owns a seat in the game, a second was not awarded this series.

Martin Ryan

Here’s a look at the full series results:

That’s a wrap for the World Series of Poker Circuit at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. Thank you to everyone who played! Stay tuned for details on future South Florida series.

Main Event: Zach Donovan Notches Emotional WSOPC Main Event Win

2019 February WSOP Circuit
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
$1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 805
Prize Pool: $1,219,575
February 15-18, 2019

(Coconut Creek, FL) — The headliner on the Coco WSOP Circuit schedule was the $1,000,000 Guarantee Main Event and it drew a stellar group of players to the four-day tournament. There were 805 entries taking a shot at the big title and it was Zach Donovan standing out among them all, running big at the final table to take the WSOPC Main Event ring along with more than $240,000.

It was an emotional win. Donovan wasn’t expecting to play in the Main Event this weekend. Unfortunately for Donovan and his family, his grandfather passed away on Friday and he planned to spend the weekend with his family. Instead, they convinced him that playing was exactly what his grandfather would want.

“I guess he was with me the whole time. We won.” he commented when it was done.

So Donovan played Flight B and went on to book his second career WSOP Circuit win.

The tournament featured two starting flights that pushed the prize pool over $1,200,000. Some of the best players from around the country and South Florida came for the Main Event including Brian Altman, Martin Ryan, Robert Mizrachi, Jessica Dawley, Sam Panzica, Tristan Wade, and Tony Ruberto.

Donovan came into Day 2 with a below average stack among the 171 returners but he ran it up and finished Day 2 second in chips. He made his move after the Main Event made it into the money with 81 getting paid and he entered Day 3 behind only Jason Young.

It did not take long to reach the final table and Donovan took over the lead shortly after they reached ten-handed play. With only a few exceptions, he held the lead throughout and sat behind a castle of chips until he sent Young out in third place.

Sokchheka Pho made the most of a long heads-up battle and briefly held the lead until Donovan reasserted himself to take the title.

“I felt in control most of the way,” Donovan said after the victory. “Near the end, I felt like I might tilt.”

“But no one likes that,” Donovan laughed.

Pho took home more than $150,000 for outlasting all but one player while Donovan earned $243,916 along with a seat in the WSOP Global Casino Championship later this year.

Congratulations to Donovan and everyone who made a big run. Thanks to our players for another great series and Main Event.

Main Event final table results:

1st: Zach Donovan – $243,916 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: Sokchheka Pho – $150,374
3rd: Jason Young – $110,859
4th: Hamid Izadi – $82,626
5th: Warren Sheaves – $62,406
6th: Chad Eveslage – $47,746
7th: Jack Shea – $36,990
8th: Jessica Dawley – $29,014
9th: Mike Azzaro – $23,038
10th: Brandon Duvdivani – $18,513

Click the link below for full Main Event results:

Continue reading Main Event: Zach Donovan Notches Emotional WSOPC Main Event Win

Main Event: Zach Donovan Loses the Lead; Bounces Back To Win

$1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 33: 120,000/240,000 with a 40,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 805

Zach Donovan

The swingy match continued and then ended with two big hands. Sokchheka “Chico” Pho pulled his way into a small lead over Zach Donovan before the first big hand of heads-up.

Donovan opened his button to 550,000 and Pho called to see the 8d6s5h flop. Pho checked, Donovan bet 600,000 and Pho check-raised to 1,600,000. Donovan called, the turn was Th and Pho announced: “all in”. Donovan quickly called for 8,665,000 to get an expletive from Pho.

Donovan: 9s7h
Pho: 6h5s

Donovan flopped the nine-high straight and improved to the ten-high straight on the turn. Pho needed his two pair to turn into a boat but the Ks river put Donovan up to nearly a ten-to-one lead.

A few hands later, Pho moved all in for his last 1,700,000 and Donovan called with a chance to end the tournament.

Donovan: Jh7h
Pho: AdKs

Pho was ahead with big slick but Donovan jumped to the front after the Jc8h5h flop. The board finished 7s turn and Jd river to give Donovan all the chips and the Main Event title.

1st: Zach Donovan – $243,916 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: Sokchheka “Chico” Pho – $150,374

Sokchheka Pho

Main Event: Back and Forth

$1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 33: 100,000/200,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 805

Zach Donovan

Zach Donovan and Sokchheka Pho have been trading good-natured barbs along with chips. The first 30 minutes saw Pho pull nearly even with Donovan but the door quickly closed and Donovan pushed his advantage to better than three-to-one.

Seat 1: Sokchheka Pho – 5,275,000 (26 bb)
Seat 2: Zach Donovan – 18,875,000 (94 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $243,916 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: $150,374

Main Event: Heads-Up Underway

$1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 33: 100,000/200,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 805

Sokchheka Pho (left) versus Zach Donovan (right)

After a short break to readjust the seats for heads-up play, Zach Donovan and Sokchheka Pho are now playing for the Coco WSOP Circuit Main Event title. Donovan holds a better than two-to-one lead but the stacks are deep to set up a potentially long match for the ring.

Seat 1: Sokchheka Pho – 6,475,000 (32 bb)
Seat 2: Zach Donovan – 17,675,000 (88 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $243,916 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: $150,374

Main Event: Jason Young – 3rd Place ($110,859)

$1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 33: 100,000/200,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 805

Jason Young

Jason Young open-shoved from the button for ~4,100,000 and Zach Donovan called in the small blind with the bigger stack.

Young: AcTd
Donovan: AsQh

Young was dominated and outkicked and the Js5h2s3h9c run out could not keep him in the game. He went out in 3rd place for $110,859 and the result also pushed him to the top of the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Player of the Year race.

Zach Donovan – 17,675,000 (88 bb)
Jason Young – Eliminated in 3rd place ($110,859)

Main Event: Hamid Izadi – 4th Place ($82,626)

$1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 32: 80,000/160,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 805

Hamid Izadi

Jason Young opened the action to 325,000 from under the gun and Hamid Izadi called on the button to see the 5h4h3d flop. Young announced all in and Izadi took his time to think it through. After a couple minutes, Izadi called for his last 2,750,000.

Young: Ah6s
Izadi: Jh9h

Young was ahead with ace-high and the open-ended straight draw with Izadi looking for hearts or jacks or nines. The 4c turn was no help to Izadi and he was sent out in fourth place after the Qc river.

Jason Young – 6,500,000 (40 bb)
Hamid Izadi – Eliminated in 4th place ($82,626)

Main Event: Zach Donovan Doubles Through Jason Young

$1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 32: 80,000/160,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 805

Zach Donovan

After Jason Young doubled, he went on to chip up into the lead before another big hand. Zac Donovan three-bet shoved for 4,565,000 from the small blind after Young opened his button. After getting a count, Young said: “let’s go.”

Donovan: 5s5h
Young: 6s6d

Donovan was dominated and the former chip leader began gathering his belongings. The rail was yelling as the flop came AcAd4d and the Jc turn was harmless. But the two out 5d river drew an “ohh” from Donovan followed by a little celebration of getting back in the game.

Zach Donovan – 9,370,000 (59 bb)
Jason Young – 3,640,000 (23 bb)

Main Event: Sokchheka Pho Doubles Through Zach Donovan

$1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 32: 80,000/160,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 805

Sokchheka Pho

Jason Young and Hamid Izadi folded and Zach Donovan announced all in from the small blind. Sokchheka Pho quickly called in the big for 2,345,000.

Pho: Ad8s
Donovan: Kd3h

Pho was ahead for the double, paired the Ac4s2c flop, and dodged Donovan’s wheel draw on the Ks turn and Qd river to double.

Sokchheka Pho – 4,770,000 (30 bb)
Zach Donovan – 6,935,000 (43 bb)