Event 7: Rafaello Locatelli Defeats Martin Ryan to Win Second Ring and $25,667

2019 February WSOP Circuit
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
Event 7
$600 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Entries: 178
Prize Pool: $91,670
February 12-13, 2019

(Coconut Creek, FL) — The World Series of Poker Circuit at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek rolled on Wednesday in South Florida. Event 7 of the 14-tournament series concluded in The Pavilion as a 178-entry field in the $600 buy-in no limit hold’em six-max tournament narrowed to just one player remaining — Raffaello Locatelli. Locatelli was victorious in the two-day event to the tune of his second ring and a $25,667 score.

“I’m really happy,” Locatelli said of his gold ring win. “I’m looking forward to the third one.”

Event 7 drew a strong field of 178 short-handed grinders. It took 21 Day 1 levels for the event to narrow to the final seven and it was a start-studded affair. Play resumed the following Day 1 at 1pm and those same seven players returned to battle to a championship.

Martin Ryan — a nine-time ring winner — lead the action and had sights on an impressive 10th ring. Seminole regulars Wally Maddah and Bryce McVay as well as Nolan Burton were also still in, though, and Locatelli had his work cut out for him.

Charlie Townsend bowed out of the restart first, finishing seventh. Maddah was next to go in sixth after getting nearly felted by a timely Locatelli river. Locatelli nabbed Burton in fifth, hit a three-outer on the river to bust McVay fourth and got it in good and held to eliminated Denis Cyr third.

His toughest and most decorated foe was Ryan and that marked his final obstacle to a follow-up ring. Locatelli began heads-up with a slight disadvantage, but big action changed that quick. Few pots went unraised and it was only a matter of time until he regained the lead and had the best of holding a pair on the flop. Ryan owned a flush draw and was at risk. A blank turn and blank river were no help and the nine-time ring winner bowed out second for $15,867.

For Locatelli, the win marked his second ring and moved him over $180,000 in earnings. Joining him in the money in the tough field were John Holley, Phil Hui, Raminder Singh and Paul Balzano.

Final results:

1st: Raffaello Locatelli – $25,667 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: Martin Ryan – $15,867
3rd: Denis Cyr – $11,392
4th: Bryce McVay – $8,189
5th: Nolan Burton – $5,886
6th: Wally Maddah – $4,231
7th: Charlie Townsend – $3,043
8th: Alan Throw – $3,043
9th: John Holley – $2,189
10th: Sean Small – $2,189
11th: Phil Hui – $1,576
12th: Raminder Singh – $1,576
13th: Paul Balzano – $1,137
14th: Justin Sharpe – $1,137
15th: Edward Jaffy – $1,137
16th: Riley Fuller – $1,137
17th: Fred Dabus – $1,137
18th: Jose Parra – $1,137

Event 7: Raffaello Locatelli Wins Second Ring and $25,667; Martin Ryan – 2nd Place ($15,867)

$600 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 26: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 178

Raffaello Locatelli

Raffaello Locatelli raised the button to 90,000. Martin Ryan called and the pair saw a flop of Qs8d6s. Ryan checked and Locatelli C-bet a pile of of blues. Ryan moved all-in and Locatelli called.

Locatelli: QdTh for top pair
Ryan: Ts3s for a flush draw

Turn and river: Qh3d

No spade for Ryan. Locatelli defeated the nine-time ring winner sending him home as the runner-up for $15,867.

Locatelli’s championship performance earned him his second gold ring $25,667.

Martin Ryan

A full recap will be posted later this evening. In the meantime, here is a look at the final results:

1st: Raffaello Locatelli – $25,667 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: Martin Ryan – $15,867
3rd: Denis Cyr – $11,392
4th: Bryce McVay – $8,189
5th: Nolan Burton – $5,886
6th: Wally Maddah – $4,231
7th: Charlie Townsend – $3,043
8th: Alan Throw – $3,043
9th: John Holley – $2,189

Event 7: Heads-Up Update

$600 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 25: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 178

  1. Martin Ryan – 2,000,000
  2. Raffaello Locatelli – 1,560,000

1st: $25,667 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: $15,867

3rd: Denis Cyr – $11,392
4th: Bryce McVay – $8,189
5th: Nolan Burton – $5,886
6th: Wally Maddah – $4,231
7th: Charlie Townsend – $3,043
8th: Alan Throw – $3,043
9th: John Holley – $2,189
10th: Sean Small – $2,189
11th: Phil Hui – $1,576
12th: Raminder Singh – $1,576
13th: Paul Balzano – $1,137
14th: Justin Sharpe – $1,137
15th: Edward Jaffy – $1,137
16th: Riley Fuller – $1,137
17th: Fred Dabus – $1,137
18th: Jose Parra – $1,137

Event 7: Denis Cyr – 3rd Place ($11,391)

$600 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 25: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 178

Denis Cyr

Denis Cyr open-jammed the button for about 250,000. Martin Ryan folded his small blind while Raffaello Locatelli snapped from the big.

Locatelli: AcQc
Cyr: Ah2s

Runout: Qd6c3s9h4c

Locatelli held and Cyr was eliminated in third place.

Denis Cyr – Eliminated in 3rd place ($11,391)

Event 7: Three-Handed Stalemate; Martin Ryan Leads

$600 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 25: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 178

Denis Cyr has been shortstacked hanging on for dear life while Martin Ryan and Raffaello Locatelli are big stacked and battling back and forth.

Seat 1: Raffaello Locatelli – 1,322,000
Seat 2: Denis Cyr – 188,000
Seat 3: Martin Ryan – 2,050,000

1st: $25,667 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: $15,867
3rd: $11,392

Event 7: Bryce McVay – 4th Place ($8,189)

$600 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 178

Bryce McVay

Raffaello Locatelli raised to 53,000 from the cutoff. It was on Bryce McVay in the small blind and he three-bet. Martin Ryan folded his big sending it back to Locatelli. Locatelli slid forward a stack of blue for a four-bet. McVay five-bet shoved.

“I made a mistake,” Locatelli said alluding to the strength of his hand.

It was unclear to the table whether Locatelli’s stack of blue already had McVay covered or if he needed to add addition chips to call the all-in bet.

Locatelli announced a reluctant, “call” making it official and getting the cards face up.

McVay: QcQh
Locatelli: Kh2h

Runotu: 8s6s4hJdKs

Locatelli did the unthinkable spiking the three-outer on the river. His pair of kings was best and McVay’s queens were null and void. McVay was eliminated in fourth place while Locatelli took another.

“Sorry, man,” Locatelli said shaking McVay’s hand. “I thought you were full of shit.”

Locatelli took a big chip lead to three-handed play.

Bryce McVay

Bryce McVay – Eliminated in 4th place ($8,189)

Event 7: Nolan Burton – 5th Place ($5,886)

$600 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23: 8,000/16,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 178

Nolan Burton

Raffaello Locatelli raised the cutoff to 42,000 and Nolan Burton three-bet the button to 72,000. Denis Cyr and Bryce McVay folded their blinds and it was back on Locatelli. He called and it was on to the flop.

Flop: Ts9c6h – Locatelli checked. Burton shoved and Locatelli snap-called.

Locatelli: 8s7s for a straight
Burton: Jd8d for a gutshot draw

Turn and river: 3s2c

Burton was caught red-handed, busting in fifth place for $5,886.

Raffaello Locatelli – 1,300,000
Nolan Burton – Eliminated in 5th place ($5,886)

Event 7: Martin Ryan versus Denis Cyr

$600 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23: 8,000/16,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 178

Denis Cyr opened to 55,000 from the cutoff and Martin Ryan defended his big blind.

Flop: 8h7s6d – Ryan checked. Cyr C-bet 110,000. Ryan called and it was turn time.

Turn: 8h7s6d4h – Ryan checked a second time. Cyr kept his foot on the pedal, betting 225,000 (leaving himself about 420,000 behind). Ryan reached deep into his chip-leading stack, announcing “all-in.” Cyr was at risk, but folded. Ryan took the pot.

Martin Ryan – 1,530,000
Denis Cyr – 420,000

Event 7: Charlie Townsend – 7th Place ($3,043)

$600 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22: 6,000/12,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 178

Charlie Townsend

Charlie Townsend flopped a set versus Martin Ryan, but it wasn’t good enough. The duo went on to get it on the turn and Ryan spiked a gutshot straight sending Townsend home in seventh place.

Charlie Townsend – Eliminated in 7th place ($3,043)