Danny Freitas Wins Record-Breaking WSOPC Playground Main Event

On August 23rd, Season 4 of the WSOP International Circuit kicked-off at the Playground Poker Club in Kahnawake, Canada, with the series offering seven rings during its 12-day run. The event was run in partnership with the partypoker LIVE tour, and proved a popular draw, as was reflected in the fact all of its events reached their guarantees.

All told, the WSOP Circuit Playground attracted 8,169 total entries, resulting in an overall prize pool worth $992,493 in excess of its $4 million guarantee. Furthermore, attendance records were set in two of its tournaments, namely its opening C$330 Colossus, and its C$1,100 Main Event.

C$1,100 Main Event

The inaugural C$1,100 Main Event drew a record field of 2,401 competitors, with its c$2,328,970 ($1,791,254) prize pool ensuring that 287 players would see a return on their buy-ins. The final table was then reached on Day 4, and after Danny Freitas and Maxime Boulais outlasted their fellow opponents, the duo subsequently agreed an ICM deal which saw Freitas lock up $244,930 and Boulais $210,070, whilst leaving C$50,000 and the ring for the eventual winner.

When play resumed, Freitas made the most of his huge chip lead and before long the deciding hand was played with Boulais all-in preflop holding J-8 to his opponent’s K-9. The J-Q-4-10-9 board made both players straights, but Freitas’ was the higher, thus securing for him an impressive first place prize of C$294,930 ($226,836).

Consequently, Freitas now boasts US$277,414 in career earnings, with his previous biggest score coming less than a week earlier after making the final table of Event #1: C$330 Colossus, eventually finishing in 6th place for a C$22,000 ($16,899) payday.

Top 10 Results

1st: Danny Freitas C$294,930 ($226,836)
2nd: Maxime Boulais C$210,070 ($161,569)
3rd: Yuan Li C$137,970 ($106,115)
4th: Unknown C$100,000 ($76,912)
5th: Nathan Hall C$72,000 ($55,377)
6th: Eric Vanauken C$52,000 ($39,994)
7th: Mike Leah C$37,000 ($28,457)
8th: Bahman Ataeianfar C$27,000 ($20,766)
9th: Maxime Hebert C$21,000 ($16,151)
10th: Maxime Theroux C$18,000 ($13,844)

C$330 Colossus

The C$330 Colossus also drew a record-breaking field of 3,503 players, resulting in a huge C$1,019,373 (US$783,019) prize pool. On Day 3 of the tournament, the remaining 37 players were quickly reduced to 5 hopefuls, who subsequently agreed a money deal, while leaving $25,000 and the ring still to play for.

In the end, the title was contested heads-up between Jason Mandanici-Turcot and Trevor Delaney, and an hour and 45 minutes into their battle Delaney shoved all-in preflop holding A-2 into the A-Q of his opponent. The ensuing 10-4-7-9-J board sealed the deal, and so Mandanici-Turcot collected $125,130 (US$96,117) for his victory, while Delaney had to settle for a runner-up finish worth C$54,605 ($41,944).

Other Highlights

Other players collecting WSOP Circuit rings includes local pro Robert Cheung, who bested a field of 1,262 to take down Event #5: The Closer for C$45,500 ($35,134). Cheung captured his first gold ring after winning the 2015 WSOP Circuit Southern Indiana $365 Turbo Event for $10,416, and following his latest victory now has $1,609,512 in life time earnings.

Another local player, Marc-Olivier Carpentier-Perrault, also claimed a title after winning the C$5,300 Super High Roller event for C$100,000 ($76,114), while British Columbia player Dallis Kerbrat became the series’ youngest champion after the 19 year-old triumphed at Event #3: Monster Stack for C$38,650 ($29,689), representing his only tournament cash to date.

Elsewhere, Raymond Latinsky finished atop a field of 288 entries in Event #6: High Roller to win a ring and a C$78,000 ($59,369) first place prize. Finally, bringing the series to a close was Event #7: Pot Limit Omaha, which drew 186 entries and was won by Gino Roland Frenette for C$20,000 ($15,223).

Next Stop

The WSOP International Circuit has since moved on to Rotterdam in the Netherlands (Aug 31-Sept 3), after which it will head to the King’s casino in the Czech Republic (Sept 20- Oct 8), and then the Belmond Copacabana Palace in Brazil (Sept 25-Oct 2).