The 2018 WSOP Circuit Bicycle Casino wrapped up this week with a triumvirate of well-known pros taking down the last three events. While one of them captured his fourth ring, the other two got their first taste of circuit gold.
You Say Tamayo, I Say Tamayo
Jonathan Tamayo hadn’t played a hand of pot-limit Omaha in two years, but that changed at the WSOP Circuit Bicycle Casino when he jumped in Event #11: $580 PLO. The tournament drew only 54 runners, and in the end, it was Tamayo emerging victorious to win $10,120 and his fourth ring.
“I ended up making the best hand on the river after getting it in a lot,” Tamayo told WSOP officials. “I had four cards. So, I was like ‘I have a flush draw and a gutter. Okay, let’s go.’ I had no idea what I was doing.”
In addition to the prize money, the 32-year-old Tamayo earned 50 points on the Global Championship leaderboard.
Final Table Results
1 Jonathan Tamayao (Humble, TX) $10,120
2 Paul Lui (Irvine, CA) $6,265
3 Vincent Moscati (Verplanck, NY) $4,105
4 John Misirian (North Hollywood, CA) $2,835
5 Jesse David (N/A) $2,080
6 Igor Zektser (Los Angeles, CA) $1,595
First-Time Winners
The WSOP Circuit Bicycle Casino, which saw David “The Dragon” Pham win the Main Event earlier this week, also crowned two first-time winners, albeit ones with plenty of World Poker Tour success.
The first was WPT Season 14 Player of the Year Mike Shariati, who bested a field of 116 entries to win Event #10: $1,125 NLHE Bounty for $17,405 and his first ring.
“It feels good,” said 43-year-old Shariati, who left Iran 25 years ago to pursue an education in the U.S. “Actually, I forgot how it feels. It’s been a while since I made a final table of a big tournament. I’m really happy because the WSOP is one of my favorite tournaments. I was fortunate to win it.”
Final Table Results
1 Mike Shariati (Irvine, CA) $17,405
2 Deborah Sternberg (Sacraento, CA) $10,755
3 Adam Swan (Goleta, CA) $7,655
4 Leopoldo Araneta (Monrovia, CA) $5,560
5 David Lilien (N/A) $4,120
6 Roy Salter (Porter Ranch, CA) $3,110
7 Joseph Cheong (La Mirada, CA) $2,395
8 Kyung Lee (Los Angeles, CA) $1,875
9 Avo Melkonyan (N/A) $1,875
The other first-time champ was Pat Lyons, who most know from winning the 2016 WPT Legends of Poker for $615,346. The 54-year-old Lyons navigated a field of 124 entries to win Event #12: $580 NLHE Re-Entry for $17,365.
“I’m very, very happy because I have a lot of luck in LA and I have a lot of luck at the Bicycle Casino,” said Lyons. “I love World Series events. I look forward to it. I’m emotional because I’ve been playing professionally, playing these World Series events since 2005.”
He continued: “I wanted to get a World Series ring and I knew that whether I had the best hand or worst hand, I was going to get a ring. Winning it here at the Bicycle Casino means so much to me. I’m a NorCal pro, but they take me in here as one of their own. That ring, I love that ring. The money. The money is great, but the ring is better.”
In final WSOP Circuit Bicycle Casino news, Ryan Buckholtz, who won Event #3:$365 NLHE for $10,615, earned a seat into the 2018 Global Casino Championship after earning 110 points at the stop. That was enough to give him Casino Championship honors.
Final Table Results
1 Pat Lyons (San Mateo, CA) $17,365
2 Phuoc Nguyen (San Jose, CA) $10,730
3 Daniel Jones (Fountain Valley, CA) $7,745
4 Ryan Buckholtz (Studio City, CA) $5,960
5 Kevin Eyster (Lafayette, LA) $4,225
6 Sterling Savill (Dover, FL) $3,225
7 Ramey McCullough (Oak View, CA) $2,500
8 Brian Snell (N/A) $1,965
9 Ben Keeline (Oswego, IL) $1,570
The WSOPC continue this weekend at both Harrah’s Atlantic City and Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa. Later this month, the circuit returns to Las Vegas for a dozen ring events at Planet Hollywood.
