Hollywood Aurora’s Tournament of Champions is Chicagoland’s most unique tournament as weekly tournament winners along with the runners-up advance to the TOC every December. The latest, in December, had 72 players going after the $11,816 first prize.
Chicago Ridge’s Mugni Reci, who started playing hold’em four years ago, went heads-up with Jim Jendryk, who won Hollywood’s inaugural charity tournament. Reci came out on top to take home Hollywood’s huge TOC trophy.
The rest of the top 10 was as follows: Jendryk, Aurora, Ill., $5,908, Alfred Corradini, Aurora, Ill., $2,954; Laddie Nudera, Algonquin, Ill., $2,215; Russell Burns, Dekalb, Ill., $1,477; Joseph Barilla, Sycamore, Ill., $1,329; Darrnell Stroud, Lombard, Ill., $1,182; Keith Nelson, Naperville Ill., $1,034; Ty Thiel, Oswego, Ill., $886, and Bill Watkins, Sheridan, Ill., $739.
Every Wednesday at noon Hollywood runs its $160 tournament that started in March 2005, making it Chicagoland’s oldest continuous running tournament.
Promotions for the Hollywood Poker Open are running at Aurora and Joliet. The tournament has a $120K prize pool and will be May 26 when 10 players will advance to the $500K HPO in Las Vegas at the M Resort. Cash players can qualify with a minimum of 20 hours. For more information, go to hollywoodpokeropen.com.
CPC: The Horseshoe has become known for drawing record-breaking tournament fields. The Chicago Poker Classic’s opening $350 tournament could end up the biggest in history with a $1 million guarantee. The CPC, which runs Feb. 20-March 4, will have six Day 1s for the opening event, and more than $500K will be added. The CPC points leader will win $50K. The $3,200 main event starts March 1 at noon. For more details, go to chicagohorseshoe.com.
• Harrah’s will have three Saturday NLHE deepstack events: Feb. 16, March 16 and April 20. Buy-in is $100 for 10K chips.
SOUTHERN INDIANA: Horseshoe Casino in Southern Indiana will host its Midwest Regional Championship on March 1-10 and will have nine events ranging from a $150 re-entry H.O.S. to the $760 main event. Registration starts Feb.18. Call 800-660-9744 or you can visit horseshoe-indiana.com for updates.
— “Chicago” Joe Giertuga is Ante Up’s Chicagoland Ambassador. Email him at chicago.joe@comcast.net.
