When Dwyte Pilgrim makes a promise, he delivers. Just three weeks after winning his first-ever WSOP Circuit gold ring at Caesars Atlantic City, Pilgrim put on yet another astounding display of poker acumen by triumphing in a Circuit championship. This time, history was made on the other coast, at the Harrah’s Rincon Casino and Resort, near San Diego.

Pilgrim’s latest “gold ring” championship came in the $5,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament which attracted 106 entries, generating $503,100 in prize money. The winner’s share amounted to $125,775, plus a $10,000 seat into the 2009 WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas coming up in July. Pilgrim was also presented with his second gold ring, the ultimate token of achievement on the WSOP Circuit. The official ring presentation was made by Tournament Director Jimmy Sommerfeld.

Pilgrim’s victory was hardly a surprise considering what was written about him immediately following his previous WSOP Circuit victory in Atlantic City back on March 7th:

Dwyte Pilgrim’s previous successes came in the form of six previous cashes, five of which took place at the December 2008 WSOP Circuit event at Harrah’s Atlantic City. Indeed, Pilgrim had five cashes during that ten day tournament series – which is a stunning accomplishment given the sizes of many tournament fields in Atlantic City. It appears Dwyte Pilgrim is a player to keep a close eye on in the months and years ahead. A not-too-bold prediction: Burgeoning with self-confidence, a blossoming bankroll, and obvious natural talent, tournament poker has not seen the last of Dwyte Pilgrim.

Sure enough, 26-year-old Dwyte Pilgrim – burgeoning with self-confidence, a blossoming bankroll, and obvious natural talent – claimed another victory. With each and every accomplishment, Pilgrim is growing a little taller in stature in the highly-competitive jungle of high-stakes tournament poker. His first big step was cashing five times last December in his initial series of poker events. Then, it was winning a gold ring in a WSOP Circuit preliminary event. Now, it is winning a WSOP Circuit championship. For Pilgrim, the next step is as obvious as it is daunting – winning a WSOP gold bracelet.

It’s been an astonishing four-month rush for the former loan officer from Brooklyn, NY. He only started playing live tournaments last December. The Guyana-born poker pro is very quickly becoming the next possible poker star, blessed with everything anyone would want in a celebrity – personality, likability, and great poker talent.

The Main Event at Rincon attracted a wide-diversity of poker talent comprised of both professionals and amateurs. At least a quarter of the field won their way into the championship as satellite qualifiers. The Main Event attracted five former WSOP gold bracelet winners -- including Bob Slezak (2001), Steve Billirakis (2006), Robert Cheung (2007), Jason Young (2008), and David Daneshgar (2008). In addition, several former WSOP Circuit gold ring winners participated -- including Michael Binger (2008 Harvey’s Lake Tahoe champion), Matthew Stout (2008, Harrah’s Atlantic City), Dwyte Pilgrim (2009, Caesars Atlantic City), and Christopher Tryba (2009, Harrah’s Rincon). Other notable players entering -- included Eric Lynch (poker author and nine-time WSOP in-the-money finisher) and Paul Smith (poker coach and radio talk show host).

The top nine finishers collected payouts. All the action took place over two very long days inside the Rincon Pavilion Showroom. At the end of day one, only 16 of the original 106 players survived. Esther “E-Tay” Taylor was the chip leader. The Las Vegas poker pro was competing to become the first WSOP Circuit Main Event winner in history. The previous highest finish by a female player was by Jennifer Harman, way back in the Circuit’s inaugural season of 2005 at the Rio in Las Vegas. Kathy Liebert was the highest previous female finisher at Rincon, finishing third here in 2007.

Players battled down to the final nine survivors on day two. Those players took seats at the final table which began at 3:30 pm. When final table play commenced, Christopher Tryba began as the chip leader. Like Pilgrim, he too was competing to become a two-ring winner. Tryba won an event here at Rincon a few days earlier. Ranked eighth in chips was Pilgrim, never once deterred from what would become a resounding victory.

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by Nolan Dalla