The flagship Main Event of the World Series of Poker Circuit stop in Hammond drew out a round number of 900 entrants into this $1,700 buy-in and six returned on Monday with hopes of the ring around their finger.
Five years ago, Evan Bethyo had a brush with this very title when he finished in sixth place at the Main Event here in Hammond for $53,394. Little did he know then that in five years he would be at the final table once again, only to put on a dominant performance to conquer his first-ever WSOPC ring and $228,398.
Bethyo beat Josh Reading in heads-up play after entering with the lead and not giving up any ground. Scott Wright finished in third and Joe Batterman finished in fourth, while Xing He and Rich Alsup rounded out the final day's finishers.
The long-awaited win
"The monkey is off my back now," Bethyo said just moments after his win. "I've been grinding for a long time. Had a few final tables, a few big scores, but it was getting to the point where I just wanted the hardware. I wanted to be a champion more than I wanted the money."
Evan Bethyo on Day 2 of the Hammond Main Event. From two tables left yesterday to the final table today, Bethyo only lost the lead once when Wright doubled through him in the first level of play. After that level was finished he ended up retaking the chip lead and holding it until the last hand of heads-up was played.
Big stack play
The big stack has its advantages, Bethyo says, but it's not that easy. "Honestly neither sized stack is easy to play," he explained. "The big stack is a luxury, but you have to be aggressive. People think that if you have a big stack that you can just fold away, but you still have to selectively be aggressive because otherwise people around you are just going to be making moves."
John Reading was the last obstacle for Bethyo's big stack dominance on Monday. "One thing I noticed deep in tournaments is that you have to make selective aggressive plays to win or get second and the big money in the tournaments. I'm not saying that you can't win if you're tight, but you will have more frequent success making more money if you are selectively aggressive."
Next stop: Elgin
Bethyo admitted to never opening a poker book in his life when asked about his poker-playing style. He falls heavily into the feel-player category and uses his over 15 years of playing and cashing in poker tournaments to his advantage.
A fresh bankroll should serve Bethyo well at the upcoming WSOP. "I go to Vegas every summer. I'm going to be down there for the series, and I'll be going over to play Elgin." Elgin will be the next Chicagoland stop for the WSOP Circuit with a stay at Grand Victoria Casino from April 3-13.
With that, Bethyo walked over to the payout cage to collect a new career-high score and his WSOP Circuit ring.
WSOPC Hammond final table results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evan Bethyo | $228,398 |
| 2 | John Reading | $152,272 |
| 3 | Scott Wright | $105,678 |
| 4 | Joe Batterman | $74,644 |
| 5 | Xing He | $53,677 |
| 6 | Rich Alsup | $39,311 |
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