April 07 2012, Chad Holloway
The 2011-2012 World Series of Poker Circuit continued in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on March 29. The Horseshoe Council Bluffs will host 12 ring events, many of which have already been completed. On Saturday, April 7, the stop will culminate in a $1,600 Main Event, which the PokerNews Live Reporting Team will
Keep reading for an update on completed ring events thus far, including Event #2: $350 No-Limit Hold’em Re-Entry. That event drew 585 players over two starting days, making it the largest poker tournament ever held in the greater Omaha area.
After three days of play, 29-year-old professional poker player Stephen Kats emerged victorious and captured the $35,745 first-place prize. Kats, a graduate from University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in business, is no stranger to Council Bluffs; in fact, it’s the venue where he captured his first gold ring.
“I’m happy I won,” Kats said after claiming his second WSOP Circuit ring. “It was a long session with a lot of grinding . . . Whatever happens, happens. It’s all about thinking positive in this game.”
With several events yet to be determined, the race for the WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs Casino Champion is undecided. Whoever captures that title, along with the eventual winner of the Main Event, will automatically qualify for the Second Annual $1 Million National Championship. That event is limited to 100 players, and so far only a handful of players have qualified:
National Championship Qualifiers
| Jonas Mackoff | Harrah’s Rincon Casino Champ |
In addition to the qualifiers, players who earn enough points on the National Leaderboard will be able to buy-in to the National Championship:
WSOPC National Leaderboard Top Ten*
| Mark “P0ker H0” Kroon | 157.5 | 1 | 7 | $62,973 |
| Daniel Blakeman | 150 | 1 | 6 | $141,388 |
| Chris Parsons | 150 | 0 | 7 | $74,942 |
| Benjamin Kramer | 150 | 1 | 10 | $52,354 |
| Stephen Kats | 140 | 1 | 10 | $52,354 |
| Michael Cooper | 135 | 0 | 8 | $55,659 |
| Dan Natarelli | 135 | 1 | 6 | $44,646 |
| Rex Clinkscales | 135 | 0 | 9 | $39,780 |
*Leading up to the WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs stop.
Don’t miss your chance to qualify for the National Championship. There are still a few opportunities to play, so be sure to check out one of the remaining stops on the WSOP Circuit schedule.
Remaining 2011-2012 WSOPC Schedule
| Circuit Event | Harrah’s St. Louis | April 12 – 23, 2012 |
| Circuit Event | Harrah’s Chester | April 26 – May 7, 2012 |
| Circuit Event | Harrah’s New Orleans | May 10 – 21, 2012 |
*Photos courtesy of Eric Harkins and ImageMasters.
Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook today! In the meantime, see who qualifies for the National Championship this week by following our Live Reporting Team’s coverage from the Horseshoe Council Bluffs.
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