The World Poker Tour continued to push with a vengeance into the Florida market as it co-hosted two regional tournament series in August and announced another poker room partnership. Here’s a recap of the events:
WPT JACKSONVILLE: Tampa’s Chris Conrad, who has had much success in this corner of the country, outlasted 460 players in the first World Poker Tour regional main event at Jacksonville’s Orange Park Poker Room on Aug. 16, Conrad, who owns Winter Bayou Challenge and Beau Rivage Spring Break undercard titles, topped Ray Leone when his flopped set of nines beat Leone’s aces.
Conrad earned the WPT trophy and $143,145. Leone of Jacksonville won $90,245. The WPT regional series attracted nearly 2,000 players from across the country and generated a combined prize pool of more than $1 million. Jacksonville’s next WPT tournament is a $3,500 main event Nov. 19-22.
• Brent Rasmussen, 18, of St. Petersburg, Fla., won the main event’s “Last Player Standing Under 21” surfboard. Local craftsman Mike Whisnant created the unique trophy.
WPT HARD ROCK HOLLYWOOD: The Summer Splash attracted a ton of players, including a whopping 1,600 for the first event, a $350 no-limit hold’em tournament that had a $480K prize pool. Gil Nagar won that title and $52K. But the $2K main event was the culmination of this series and popular online pro Brian Hastings captured the first-place prize of nearly $214K.
WPT IN TAMPA BAY: With events in the northern and southern ends of the state it was only natural the WPT would look for a home that could serve Central Florida as well. Derby Lane in St. Petersburg, Fla., has signed a deal to host three upcoming WPT events in the coming calendar year:
• Dec. 9-20: 12 Days of Poker
• March 17-24: Derby Lane & WPT Poker Challenge
• July 14-16: Derby Lane & WPT Rebound Tournament
More details will be announced later.
WPT Jacksonville
Orange Park Kennel Club
Aug. 5-17
Event 1 • $340 NLHE
Entrants: 501 • Prize Pool: $150,300
WINNER: Richard Malone, $21,000
Event 2 • $230 NLHE
Entrants: 183 • Prize Pool: $36,600
WINNER: Thomas Abernathy, $6,693
Event 3 • $340 NHLE
Entrants: 110 • Prize Pool: $33,000
WINNER: Lars Smith, $9,144
Event 4 • $340 Bounty
Entrants: 135 • Prize Pool: $40,500
WINNER: Robert Hudson, $5K
Event 5 • $230 Omaha/8
Entrants: 90 • Prize Pool: $18,000
WINNER: James Hagan, $5,640
Event 6 • $340 NLHE
Entrants: 109 • Prize Pool: $32,700
WINNER: Alan Epsteinm $10,000
Event 7 • $560 NLHE
Entrants: 206 • Prize Pool: $103K
WINNER: Donte Larson, $26,059
$1,500 Main Event
Entrants: 460 • $622,350 Prize Pool
WINNER: Chris Conrad, $143,145, Tampa, FL
Event 9 • $340 NLHE
Entrants: 65 • Prize Pool: $19,500
WINNER: Donald Yaughn, $6,500
Event 10 • $340 NLHE
Entrants: 55 • Prize Pool: $16,500
WINNER: Hitold Wasne, $6,270
Event 11 • $340 NLHE
Entrants: 51 • Prize Pool: $15,300
WINNER: Joe Gaskinis, $2,843
WPT Summer Splash
Hard Rock Hollywood
Aug. 12-22
Event 1 • $350 NLHE
Entries: 1,600 • Prize Pool: $480K
WINNER: Gil Nagar, $52,272
Event 2 • $200 NLHE
Entries: 101 • Prize Pool: $20,200
WINNER: Robert Sazlaburu, $6,463
Event 3 • $200 NLHE
Entries: 153 • Prize Pool: $30,600
WINNER: Tang Cao, $9,791
Event 4 • $300 NLHE
Entries: 74 • Prize Pool: $22,200
WINNER: Phillip West, 7,549
Event 5 • $260 NLHE
Entries: 208 • Prize Pool: $54,080
WINNER: Harvey Freedman, $12,139
Event 6 • $300 NLHE
Entries: 38 • Prize Pool: $11,400
WINNER: Andrew Conroy, $2,910
Event 7 • $125 NLHE
Entries: 360 • Prize Pool: $45,000
WINNER: Christopher Lewis, $12,293
Event 8 • $300 NLHE
Entries: 97 • Prize Pool: $29,100
WINNER: Barry Hutter, $9,893
Event 10 • $350
Entries: 45 • Prize Pool: $15,750
WINNER: Griffin Malatino, $7,086
Event 11 • $200 NLHE
Entries: 176 • Prize Pool: $35,200
WINNER: Michael Laake, $11,263
$2K Main Event
Entries: 391 • Prize Pool: $782K
WINNER: Brian Hastings, $213,877
Event 13 • $125 NLHE
Entries: 246 • Prize Pool: $30,750
WINNER: Rafael Tome, $7,000
Event 14 • $125 NLHE
Entries: 237 • Prize Pool: $29,625
WINNER: James Ladeira, $8,595
Event 15 • $125 NLHE
Entries: 84 • Prize Pool: $20K
WINNER: Kevin Spires, $4,456
Event 16 • $80 NLHE
Entries: 303 • Prize Pool: $24,240
WINNER: Billy Hayes, $4,500
Event 17 • $125 NLHE
Entries: 43 • Prize Pool: $5,375
WINNER: Zohair Karim, $1,523
Event 19 • $260 NLHE
Entries: 157 • Prize Pool: $40,820
WINNER: Steven Morens, $5,600
