If you enjoy player promotions then the Isle of Capri in Lake Charles, La., has one of the best in the state. Every day poker room manager David Stewart puts on fun ways for his players to win extra money at the tables. One of those ways is the 7-2 offsuit bonus. Every player who wins with 7-2 offsuit will be awarded a $100 bonus.
Also, instead of Aces Cracked, Stewart hosts a Kings Cracked Day as well as Double the Minor Jackpot and Triple the Minor Jackpot.
And if this still isn’t enough to entice you to visit this cozy eight-table poker room, the bad-beat jackpot was almost $300K at press time, just waiting to burst.
For more info, follow Stewart on Twitter @LCLAPOKER
HARRAH’S NOLA: Typically, tournament circuit has its largest numbers the opening weekend and for the main event. But each event for the World Series of Poker Circuit at Harrah’s New Orleans had fields of more than 250 entries as many were playing catch up in the WSOPC national championship point race.
Event 2 ($580 no-limit hold’em) had one of the best heads-up matches of the series as Caufman Talley of Lafayette, La., was tangled with Troy Davis of Denham Springs, La., for his fifth circuit ring. He held a large chip lead, but Davis wouldn’t be intimidated as the match took about five hours for Davis to overcome Talley and earn his first WSOPC ring and $35,523. Talley settled for $21,951.
In the main event, Ben Mintz was one of the showcase players looking to “DefendNola” as he posted updates on Twitter, but a bad beat put him out eighth. Eventual winner Luke Graham of Port St. Lucie, Fla., defeated multiple pros to take home the title and his shot at the national championship, also at Harrah’s NOLA.
Speaking of the national championship, big names Joe Tehan, Brock Parker and Max Steinberg made the final table from the 127-player field. With the first bracelet of 2013 on the line, a circuit pro (for the third straight year) was crowned champ. Jonathon Hilton earned the title and $355,599.
— Matt Stroud is Ante Up’s Louisiana Ambassador. Email him at matt.anteup@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @acadianapkrplyr and visit facebook.com/acadianapokerplay ers.
WSOP Circuit, Harrah’s New Orleans
Event 1 • $365 NLHE
Entries: 367 • Pool: $110,100
Joseph McKeehen, $24,219
Event 2 • $580 NLHE
Entries: 296 • Pool: $148K
Troy Davis, $35,523
Event 3 • $365 PLO
Entries: 136 • Pool: $48,900
Ray Henson, $13,203
Event 4 • $365 NLHE
Entries: 498 • Pool: $240K
David Hobson, $48K
Event 5 • $365 NLHE
Entries: 276 • Pool: $82,800
Nancy Birnbaum, $19,875
Event 6 • $365 NLHE
Entries: 325 • Pool: $97,500
Daniel Lowery, $22,912
Event 7 • $365 NLHE
Entries: 350 • Pool: $105K
Trey Brabham, $24,147
Event 8 • $365 NLHE
Entries: 333 • Pool: $99,900
Eric Fields, $22,980
Event 9 • $1,125 NLHE
Entries: 273 • Pool: $273K
Jerry Monroe, $65,524
$1,675 Main Event
Entries: 762 • Pool: $1.14M
Luke Graham, $228,600
Event 11 • $365 NLHE
Entries: 308 • Pool: $92,400
Stephen Hesse, $21,176
Event 12 • $365 NLHE
Entries: 170 • Pool: $13,769
Brian Green, $13,769
