 If ever there was a poker tournament where two champions deserved to be crowned, it was the $560 buy in No Limit Hold'em event which recently completed at Caesars Atlantic City. Two players Michael J. Morusty (Ithaca, NY) and Luis Nargentino (Queens, NY) dominated the competition from start to finish. They ultimately ended up together in a showdown in what some observers described as a duel that was as foreseeable as it was inevitable. After 23 hours of combined play over two consecutive days, the two New Yorkers faced off for the WSOP Circuit title.
Coming out on top was the elder amateur player Morusty, who was ecstatic following his first major tournament victory, after several near-misses. He is a 54 year old union plumber who plays poker recreationally. However, Morusty has done quite well as a part-timer. He was the runner up in a tournament held recently in Las Vegas. Morusty also finished fourth in the 2009 Seniors World Championship which took place at last year's WSOP. He pocketed over $100,000 for that finish. But this experience was all the sweeter by virtue of the sweet taste of victory. Morusty officially collected a cash prize totaling $39,731 plus his first gold ring, which is the ultimate token of achievement presented to all tournament champions who win WSOP Circuit events around the country.
This was the second of 12 WSOP Circuit events on this year's Caesars Atlantic City schedule. The tournament attracted 256 entrants. After most of the field was eliminated on day one, which clocked in at 14 hours, three tables of survivors returned on day two and played another lengthy session, lasting another 11 hours. The top 27 finishers collected prize money from a $124,160 prize pool. Among those who finished in the money were two former WSOP gold bracelet winners, Chris Reslock (2007 $5,000 buy in Seven Card Stud cahmpion), an Atlantic City local who finished 20th, and Michael "Little Man" Sica (2003 $3,000 buy in No Limit Hold'em), who came in 24th.
Final table play began on a Friday evening inside the Palladium Arena at Caesars. Dapper dressed Micheal J. Morusty, adorned in a blue suit and tie with a black fedora, arrived at the finale with a slight chip lead over rival Luis Nargentino. The remaining seven players were outchipped by more than 2 to 1 by the two big stacks.
The final hand of the tournament can be seen here: http://www.twitvid.com/ED96F
Michael J. Morusty, a union plumber from Ithaca, NY was the champion. This marked his first major tournament victory following a number of notable high finishes. Morusty was not only the best-dressed poker player in the $560 buy in No Limit Hold'em tournament, he was also the most skilled and most fortunate player over the two day duration. Morusty won a well-deserved victory at Caesars Atlantic City and earned a hearty round of applause from the large crowd, as he tipped his trademark fedora in gratitude.
An interview with the new poker champion, Michael J. Morusty can be seen here: http://www.twitvid.com/C66E9
The WSOP Circuit at Caesars Atlantic City continues through March 14. This year's schedule includes 12 gold ring events, along with multiple second-chance tournaments, single table and mega satellites, plus cash games going around the clock inside the Caesars Poker Room. This marks the fifth straight year that Caesars Atlantic City has been a part of the WSOP Circuit. This is the seventh WSOP Circuit stop of the 2009-2010 season following previous tournaments held in Chicago, Southern Indiana, Lake Tahoe, Harrah's Atlantic City, Tunica, and Council Bluffs.
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by Nolan Dalla
 Tonight's event went rather quickly. Fifteen minutes at most. Only four players started. Fred Walker quickly knocked out two of them, took the chip lead, made an offer to his final opponent, and event #23, H.O.R.S.E, the final one before tomorrow's championship final table at the Horseshoe Council Bluffs WSOP Circuit, was in the books.
First officially paid $2,421, but the two finalists chopped evenly, with Walker throwing in an extra $400. This has been a great series for Walker, 73, a retired pool hall owner. He's had four cashes and three final tables, the others being a second in another H.O.R.S.E tournament, and a fifth in Omaha hi-lo. He also has four WSOP cashes: a third in both 7-stud and razz, a 9th in razz, and a 47th in stud hi-lo.
Walker 73, a retired pool hall owner from Omaha, has been playing poker all his life, and obviously is a stud specialist. He plays hold'em now only out of necessity because stud has gotten so scarce. His key to the game, he said, is keeping a close watch on his opponent's open cards to see what cards he needs are still available. Tonight he had a good run and was never short chipped. He also had high praise for the way the tournaments here have been run. "Very high class," he said.
This event had 26 players and a $5,055 prize pool. When it got to four, Frank Dukich had the lead with 80,000 chips.
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by Max Shapiro - WSOP Media Director
 Here's one for the books: a liver transplant that not only saved someone's life, but his poker game as well.
Tim McReynolds is an attorney from Omaha who used to do corporate mergers and later had his own law firm. Four years ago his liver began failing, along with his mental acuity. He started playing poker two years ago, but was terrible at it because his mind wasn't working very well. Then, last August, he had a liver transplant. He rebounded in health, and his mind immediately regained its sharpness, along with his poker game.
Tonight he tried playing H.O.R.S.E for the first time, and thanks to his new liver and rejuvenated brain, he won it. McReynolds' operation was in August. Afterwards, the doctors told him he had six months to live. That date arrived Feb. 15, McReynolds still feels great, so every new day is a freeroll for him. He also went back to doing corporate mergers.
Before poker, McReynolds used to be a blackjack card-counter until he got thrown out of three casinos. Until tonight he played only hold'em, and came third in a tournament at Caesars Palace recently. In any event, despite his win tonight, he still considers himself a novice. First place officially paid $5,028, but most of the money had been distributed in two deals.
This event had 36 players, a prize pool of $10,476, and only four players for the final table. Before that, the final nine made a deal allowing everyone to get back his buy-in.
Heads-up, McReynolds had 165,000 chips to 55,000 for Ray Babb. Soon after, Babb doubled through in a stud round with 12,000-24,000 limits, making two pair against McReynolds' pair of 8s.
The match continued for about a dozen hands after that. Finally, the two made a deal: chop the remaining money evenly and deal one hand, with the winner getting the title. Babb started with (8-7)6 and his next two cards were 7s, giving him trips. That's how he ended after a queen and jack were dealt to him. McReynolds began with (A-K)10. He picked up a 10 on fourth street and another on the river, and his three 10s beat Babb's three 7s. Babb, 68, is a rancher from Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin. Second officially paid $2,829.
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by Max Shapiro - WSOP Media Director
 Timothy Morgan has had a lot of cashes, 19 along with nine final tables in 2009 alone, but no wins. He came close a number of times, including a second in the Southern States Poker Championship. Tonight he got heads-up in the 18th event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $500 no-limit hold'em. At that point, he had better than a 2-1 chip lead, but was afraid of bubbling a win again.
So he made an even-money chop in order to bring home his first title along with the diamond-and-gold trophy ring. "I did it for my wife Lisa," he said. "She's put up with my shenanigans for a long time." First place paid $24,045, but he and Joel Wassom got $18,330 each for their split in this event.
Morgan, 57, is a full-time player from Pompano Beach, Florida. He used to be a commercial diver in the New England area doing salvage, bridge and underwater demolition work. He later bought a marine salvage and towing business which his wife now runs. He's been playing poker for 20 years, seriously since the Moneymaker revolution.
This $500 event attracted 153 players. The prize pool was $74,205. The second-day final table was totally dominated by Danny Walker until the very late stages when Morgan began grinding him down, sometimes three-betting him, until he finally knocked Walker out by flopping two small pair to beat Walker's pocket kings.
As a side note, Doug "Rico" Carli had tournament payouts the past two days, extending his world's record for Circuit cashes to 42.
The final table began with blinds of 1,500-3,000, 15 minutes left. About four laps ahead of everyone else in chips was Walker, with 423,000.
Three-handed, Walker still led, but by now not nearly as much, and after losing a couple of pots to Morgan, dropped back into second place behind him. Soon after we had another confrontation between the two players. When the flop came Q-8-6, Walker bet 55,000, Morgan made it 120,000 to go and Walker, with pocket kings, moved in. Morgan turned up 8c-6c for two pair, and won after a jack and deuce came. Finishing a disappointing third, Walker settled for $7,421. Walker is a 25-year-old gambler from Omaha. His cashes include a win and a second in Circuit events here, three final tables at the L.A. Poker Classic, and a 30th in a $1,500 7-card razz event at the WSOP.
Despite being well in front, with about 800,000 chips to around 350,000 for Wassom, Morgan agreed to the chop and first-place honors. Wassom, 40, is from Dickens, Iowa, where he is a security/safety director.
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by Max Shapiro - WSOP Media Director
 Natasha Barbour was a college student at the University of South Florida studying microbiology, but her heart was really in poker. She would even take her books with her into the casino, playing while studying. Then, a year ago, after doing well at the tables, she decided to drop out af school and pursue her real love.
Tonight she struck gold in the form of a gold-and-diamond championship ring when she joined a handful of women, perhaps seven or eight, ever to win a WSOP Circuit open tournament. Her victory, in event 10, $300 no-limit hold'em, was worth $12,444. The effervescent 23-year-old from Miami could barely contain her excitement and delight throughout the final table, her first ever as she follows the Circuit tournament trail. Her previous best tournament finish was a 30th in the Bayou Poker Challenge at Harrah's New Orleans.
Heads-up, Barbour enjoyed a lead of better than 3-1 over Dale Johnson. He quickly doubled up and drew about even when his pocket deuces beat her A-6 suited. But the crusher came a couple of hands later. She looked at pocket aces on the button/small blind and just limped. Johnson bit and moved in with Qc-3c and was down to 61,000 after losing the pot. On the next and final hand he pushed in with Ks-7h and she called with Jd-9d ("My favorite hand," she said.) The board came 10-4-5-9-Q to give her a winning pair of 9s, and the young lady became the newest member of a very elite group. Johnson, cashing $6,530 for second, is a 62-year-old truck driver from Columbus, Nebraska.
Tonight Natasha said she played a very steady game and was able to make big laydowns.
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by Max Shapiro - WSOP Media Director
 After exactly two hours of heads-up play and numerous chip-lead changes, Carl Haney, a 46-year-old computer programmer from Des Moines, Iowa, captured the 12th event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluff's $300 No-limit Hold'em.
The final table got going with blinds of 1,500-3,000 and 300 antes, 22 minutes left. We had two big chip leaders. Scott Westphalen had 197,000 of the 822,000 chips in play, and Tucker Stone had 173,600.
With blinds now 5,000-10,000 and 1,000 antes, Hinrichs had a 2-1 chip advantage over Haney, but after he pulled even they made their deal and began playing their 10-minute rounds. They both played carefully during the long match, with not many all-ins. On the final deal, Hinrichs committed his chips with Qh-Jc to Haney's Qs-5h, losing when a board of Q-4-A-3-2 gave Haney a wheel. Hinrichs, 27, is a salesman from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
First place officially paid $12,919. However, when he and Mitch Hinrichs were just about dead even half-way through the match, they agreed to take out $9,000 each and play for the remaining $1,696 and the diamond-and-gold trophy ring. They also agreed to speed things up by playing 10 minute rounds, and by the time they were through, the limits had bounced up five times to 20,000-40,000 with 5,000 antes. It ended when Haney, holding Q-5 to Hinrichs' Q-J, sucked out by hitting a runner-runner straight.
Haney, who's played poker for more than 20 years, prefers tournaments over cash games, playing mostly online and averaging one live event a month. He had a cash in a $500 event earlier this week and was the "bubble boy" in another $500 event here last year. He describes himself as a conservative player ("Even if I'm not I want them to believe it," he added), and his strategy at this final table was to let the wilder players knock each other out.
This event had 137 players and a $30,867 prize pool.
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by Max Shapiro - WSOP Media Director
 Elton Nolde is a 40-year-old golf superintendent from Ogallala, Nebraska who wrote on his bio sheet that he's won satellites but never a tournament. That changed tonight when he was the victor in the third event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $500 No-limit Hold'em, which brought him $26,086. "A lot better than winning tournament chips in satellites," he remarked.
Besides winning the majority of his races tonight, he credited his win to changing his style of play. Early in the event, he said, he found himself chasing and playing "stupid" cards. He re-analyzed himself and reformed, vowing to play very tight and avoid getting into situations where he was not in control, a strategy that was to work well for him. The key hand came when was heads-up with Jon Chovanec, starting with roughly 450,000 chips to about 750,000 for Chovanec. A few hands later he won a big pot, holding A-Q to Chovanec's K-Q, He won easily with aces-up to take a big lead and soon nailed down his win.
This event had 166 players and an $80,510 prize pool. Second-day final table action got underway with blinds of 3,000-6,000 and 500 antes, 30 minutes left. In front with 325,000 chips was Fred Winter, holder of two Circuit rings.
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by Max Shapiro - WSOP Media Director
 Aided by a rooting section of two friends (one of whom finished eighth tonight), and getting hit by the deck in the late stages, Tom Wentzel won the second event of the WSOP Circuit tour at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, $200 limit hold'em. It paid $4,611.
(This 4 p.m. tournament was a one-day event. The opening tournament,, $300 no-limit, is two days, with 11 remaining players coming back on the second day.)
Wentzel, 41, is in sales for a consultant firm and hails from Plymouth, Minnesota. He has two prior WSOP final tables, one at Tunica and one here. He's been playing poker since he was a kid, about eight years seriously. He splits his online time between tournaments and cash games, and in casinos, mostly tournaments, about 10 a year. This is only his second limit hold'em event, but he plays enough live limit to have felt comfortable. Tonight he was down to about 4,000 chips with four tables left, but started building from there.
This event drew 66 players who made a prize pool of $12,804. The final table started at midnight at level 14 and three minutes later moved up to level 15 with blinds of 2,000-4,000 and limits of 4,000-8,000.In a near-tie for the chip lead were Adam Clayman with 98,000 and Wentzel with 97.500.
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by Max Shapiro - WSOP Media Director
 At 28, Paul Wasicka admits that he was a bit affected by his huge success at the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event.
"It's weird experiencing that much success that young in your career," he said. "It toys with you a bit, you lose motivation and question why you're playing."
Wasicka looked to Sam, a mindset coach who consults with players and mixed martial artists. "I want to give Sam credit, he's done wonders for my game both on and off the felt."
Freshly signed on with newly-launched Victory Poker, a rejuvenated Wasicka hit the road and says he has been living out of his suitcase following various tournament circuits over the last few months.
Wasicka's path led him to the mid south for the Harrah's Tunica Circuit Main Event.
He started the second day of the $5,150 buy-in event seventh in chips with 35 remaining players and had the chip lead going into the final table.
Heads up play began four hours into the final table. With blinds and antes at 5,000/10,000/2,000,
Wasicka's and Gurney's comparable stacks set the stage for what could have been a long night, but after winning a 270,000 pot, the game started to go Wasicka's way.
He eventually built up more than a 5-1 chip lead. Shortly after the next level, both players saw a flop of 8s-9h-6c. Gurney moved all-in for his remaining 300,000 with pocket fours. For the tournament win, Wasicka called with 8d-9d.
It was still a bit suspenseful even after a benign 2d hit the turn but it was all over after a 5c on the river.
The 2006 Main Event runner-up had come to the mid-south and staked his claim as the new reigning WSOP Harrah's Tunica Circuit Event Champion.
"Other the heads-up championship, this was my first major tournament win," said Wasicka. "This is something that I've been searching for, for a very long time."
"This is just awesome, it was always about the money but now it was about just taking one down."
Wasicka admits that he was a bit affected by his huge success at the '06 Main Event.
"It's weird experiencing that much success that young in your career," he said. "It toys with you a bit, you lose motivation and question why you're playing."
Wasicka looked to Sam, a mindset coach who consults with players and mixed martial artists. "I want to give Sam credit, he's done wonders for my game both on and off the felt."
Freshly signed on with newly launched Victory Poker, A rejuvenated Wasicka said that he has been living out of a suitcase, following various tournaments and that he won't be off the grind anytime soon.
After his Circuit Event win, Wasicka said that he is heading back to the road.
"Its not going to stop for the next month, heading to LA now and then I'm going to hit the Circuits "
Event #19 concludes the Circuit stop at Harrah's Tunica. The next Circuit Event begins February 18th at Horseshoe Council Bluffs.
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by Alan Fowler - WSOP Assistant Media Director
 Tournament director Kevin Ferguson said it was the second biggest comeback he had ever seen in his twenty years in poker. Down to less than two big blinds at one point during final table play, Robert Hahs survived seven all-ins to win Event #15 at the World Series of Poker Circuit Events at Harrah's Tunica.
Hahs is a farmer from Jackson, MO. Through day one, he relied mostly on skill to make it through the 230-player field, but it was a bit of luck that helped him during the final table.
Final table play began with blinds and antes at 3,000/6,000/1,000. Lee Efford took a 200,000 chip stumble after he ran his K-Q into Rusty Farrin's pocket kings on a queen high board. Soon after, Efford moved his remaining stack all-in after flopping top pair with Kc-10c on a Qc-Kh-7s flop.
He got a call from David Dao who showed 7h-Qh for two pair. A three on the turn and ace on the river resulted in the first elimination of the night. Efford collected $1,341for ninth.
This was Hahs' first major tournament victory.
"I feel great," said Hahs. "It's a beautiful ring and I'm proud of this win."
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by Alan Fowler - WSOP Assistant Media Director
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