Raymond Lantz, a 31-year-old sales manager from Gibson City, IL is the winner of Circuit Event #2 at Harrah’s St. Louis.
Lantz outlasted a field of 288 players to take the down the $500 (+60) buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event, which generated a prize pool of $139,680.
Among the players in event #2 were 2008 WSOP Main Event third place finisher, Dennis Phillips and multi-platinum recording artist Nelly, who finished in the bubble.
Phillip’s co-host of “The Final Table” poker radio show, Paul Harris was one of the final nine players.
Final Nine Players: -
Jesse Menley Hillsboro, MO 1 250,000
Paul Harris St. Louis, MO 2 343,000
Gary Hieronymus Robinsonville, MS 3 100,000
Steve Heeley St. Louis, MO 4 268,000
Raymond Lantz Gibson City, IL 5 259,000
Mark Koeln St. Louis, MO 6 587,000
Kevin Shimp Quincy, IL 7 198,000
Tim Hart Ofallon, IL 8 65,000
Jon Sexton Memphis, TN 9 151,000
Ninth Place
Final table play began shortly after 5pm with blinds and antes at 5,000/10,000/2,000. The first elimination of the night took place when Tim Hart moved all-in from the button with As10s and got a call from Harris, who tabled AdQs. The board hit fifth street without a spade, 10 or the needed connector and Hart walked away to collect $2,891 for ninth. Hart is a 27-year old web developer from Ofallon, IL.
Eighth Place
The next hour was a doubleuppalooza as the short stacks turned, rivered and two-outered their way to survival. A nasty two-outer went the other way however when short-stacked Gary Hieronymus was all-in with pocket aces against Raymond Lantz’s pocket queens. The flop was harmless enough for Hieronymus- Kh 7h 7d with a benign six on the turn. However, a river queen abruptly ended the 63-year old retired school superintendent’s tournament run. With a sigh, Hieronymus headed over to the payout table to collect $3,408.
Seventh Place
Things picked up a bit as the next player busted soon after. Mark Koeln was all-in from the button with pocket 4’s and got a call from Kevin Shimp, who turned over Ah-Jc. Shimped flopped a jack and after blanks hit the turn and river, Koeln’s day was done. The 25-year old St. Louis real estate agent pocketed a $4,204 commission.
Sixth Place
The sixth place finisher was Steve Heeley, a 42-year old financial advisor from St. Louis. He was all-in with AK vs. Shimp’s pocket deuces. A third duck on a QdJs2c flop left Heeley needing running aces kings or a ten. Blanks hit the turn and river and Heeley’s tournament run was over.
This was Heeley’s second cash in two events so far at Harrah’s St. Louis. Sixth place paid $6,300
Fifth Place
Harris was the next player to be eliminated all-in from the cutoff with pocket tens against Jesse Menley with pocket aces. The queen-high board was no help to Harris and after determining that the two players were exactly even in chips, Harris was out. This was Harris’ third major tournament cash of 2010, having gone deep at the WPT in Biloxi and the WSOP Tunica Circuit Events. Fifth place paid $8,395
Fourth Place
Players returned from a shortened dinner break to blinds and antes of 12,000/24,000/4,000. Shortly after play resumed, Jon Sexton was all-in from the small blind with pocket sixes vs. Shimp’s AdQc. The flop came Qd5d7c, leaving Sexton needing some help. A 4d opened up some non-diamond outs for Sexton, but it was a 2d that hit the river. Sexton, a 21-year old poker pro from Memphis, TN picked up $10,504 for fourth place.
Third Place
Jesse Menley moved all-in pre-flop with AdKc and Shimp made the call with pocket kings. Menley failed to improve on a Jc7s8d8c10c board, resulting in a third place finish for the 34-year old from Hillsboro, MO.
Second Place
Blinds were now at 12,000 and 24,000 with 4,000 antes. With more than a 6-1 chip lead over Lantz heads up, it appeared that Shimp would make quick work of his opponent; however, Lantz had other plans for the tourney’s conclusion.
Lantz doubled up through twice to pull even in chips before more chips went his way in a number of marginally-sized pots seen to the river. In the final hand of the evening, the two players saw a flop of 8c10cQd. Shimp threw out 100,000 in chips.
Whether it was posturing or a miscue, Lantz checked. After Shimp’s bet was pointed out to him, he raised to 500,000. Lantz re-raised all-in and Shimp snapped called. Lantz turned over 9hKs while Lantz tabled two pair, 8’s and 10’s. The turn came Qc and the river was an 8s to give Lantz the win worth $33,942 and a WSOP Circuit Event gold ring.
Lantz is a 31-year old sales manager from Gibson City, IL. He came to the circuit events here at Harrah’s St. Louis along with a few friends from his local home game. This was his third World Series of Poker Circuit cash.
Still to come are 10 more events and nightly (single-day) non-ring $230 and $340 buy-in events which begin at 4 pm and 7pm. The WSOP Circuit at Harrah’s St. Louis runs through April 15th.
Final Results:
1 Raymond Lantz Gibson City, IL $33,942
2 Kevin Shimp Quincy, IL $20,645
3 Jesse Menley Hillsboro, MO $14,694
4 Jon Sexton Southaven, MS $10,504
5 Paul Harris Chesterfield, MO $8,395
6 Steven Heeley Ballwin, MO $6,300
7 Mark Koeln St. Louis, MO $4,204
8 Gary Hieronymus Robinsonville, MS $3,408
9 Timothy Hart O’Fallon, MO $2,891
10 Thomas Gajeski Defiance, MO $2,528
11 John John Fulgenzi Chatham, IL $2,528
12 Preston Derden Houston, TX $2,528
13 Clyde Lorance Springfield, MO $2,081
14 Armen Kara Brea, CA $2,081
15 Paul Fehlig St. Louis, MO $2,081
16 Michael Berra St. Louis, MO $1,732
17 Scott Stringer Chicago, IL $1,732
18 James Gorman Edwardsville, IL $1,732
19 David Jones Tulsa, OK $1,523
20 Nicholas Lanzi Raleigh, NC $1,523
21 Michael Beaty Columbus, KS $1,523
22 Charles Crook Ballwin, MO $1,355
23 Gary Bean Decatur, IL $1,355
24 Keenan Ballo Chicago, IL $1,355
25 Jess Yawitz St. Louis, MO $1,229
26 Blaine Crosby Bloomfield, MO $1,229
27 Timothy Kasper Vanderbilt, MI $1,229
28 Vince Burgio West Hills, CA $1,117
29 Jessie Bryant Conway, AR $1,117
30 Igor Holdaiy St. Louis, MO $1,117
