Max Young Wins WSOPC Choctaw to Claim Fifth Career Ring

Max Young has claimed a fifth career WSOP Circuit ring after taking down the $1,700 WSOP Circuit Choctaw Main Event on Monday. The tournament drew an impressive sized field of 893 players, and following four days of action the Oregon player managed to finish off his final opponent, Jared Hemingway, to win a first place prize of $263,815.

Reaches All 2018 Goals

Setting yearly goals is certainly a good way to improve one’s play. While most players would be content to make just some of them come true, Max Young, on the other hand, has gone the whole hog and achieved them all. At the start of 2018, Young set himself the task of topping the $443,524 in winnings he made in 2017. Following his latest victory, the player now boosts this year’s earnings to $579,850, and as he subsequently commented:

“I can’t believe it. I had set really high goals for myself this year and I’d gotten about halfway there. I didn’t think I had a chance, but I’m always going to try and I just reached all of them.”

All told, Young has now amassed $1,158,345 in live winnings since his first cash in 2011. Furthermore, he has now captured five coveted WSOP Circuit rings, two of which were earned in 2017, and three in 2018.

$1,700 WSOPC Choctaw Main Event

The $1,700 WSOP Circuit Choctaw Main Event proved a popular draw and featured a prize pool $352,895 in excess of its $1 million guarantee. Among the notable players cashing in a money spot was Bart Bogard in 81st ($3,328), Blair Hinkle in 73rd ($3,328), Harry Arutyunyan in 72nd ($3,612), Chris Staats in 60th ($3,923), Marty Gorenc in 51st ($4,316), Dann Turner in 46th ($4,316), Ray Qartomy in 38th ($4,789), Joshua Vizcarra in 31st ($6,088), Mina Greco in 20th ($11,283), and Eric Bunch in 18th ($13,542).

Final Table

Young scored three elimination at the final table of nine on his way to victory. First, Nivedan Nasina went all in preflop holding K-10, but was called by Young (A-K) before exiting the competition in 6th.

Three-handed play then saw Young (Jh-9s) call Jonathan Bloyen’s (8h-6s) all in on a 9h-9d-7s-3h board. A harmless 8d on the river sealed Bloyen’s fate, and so he was bounced from the tournament in 3rd place, in the process ushering in heads-up play.

Heads-Up Recap

Young entered the final battle at a 11.4 million to 15.3 million chip disadvantage against Jared Hemingway. That all changed pretty quickly, though, and by the time the deciding hand was reached, Young was out in front.

The hand saw Hemingway three-bet holding pocket twos, only to receive a shove from Young with A-9. Hemingway made the call, but the 9-8-4-K-8 board which ensued subsequently ensured that he would be this year’s runner-up, while Max Young deserves max credit for his stunning win.

Prior to the WSOPC Choctaw Main Event, Young had taken part in WSOPC Lake Tahoe, and bagged Day 1 chip leads in two of its preliminary events. The most he manged in the end, however, was a 7th place finish at a $400 event for $2,081, and reflecting back on his latest win, Young said:

“The first one I made like three mistakes. I misclicked once. I should’ve four-bet jammed once and then I limp-jammed with a bad hand against a guy that was a little too aggressive. I was just not taking the best lines. I knew better, but I was getting maybe a little impatient or something. But in this tournament, I just decided I wasn’t going to make any mistakes.”

Final Table Results

1: Max Young $263,815
2: Jared Hemingway $163,024
3: Jonathan Bloyen $120,083
4: Rolando Lozano $89,616
5: Roberto Deleon $67,753
6: Nivedan Nasina $51,884
7: Terry Presley $40,235
8: Wayne Lovell $31,590
9: Charles Johnson $25,110

Next Stop

The WSOP Circuit’s next stop is Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas from Nov.14-27. Harrah’s Cherokee in North Carolina will then host the tour from Nov.22 until Dec. 3, followed by the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles from Dec.1-12.