Maurice Hawkins Wins 16th World Series Of Poker Circuit Ring

Maurice Hawkins – Photo Credit: World Series of Poker

Maurice Hawkins captured his 16th World Series of Poker Circuit gold ring by successful the principle occasion hosted at Harrah’s Cherokee that wrapped up on May 13. The victory places him second on the all-time checklist for gold rings instantly behind Ari Engel and his 17 titles. Hawkins took house $259,160 in prize cash to take his profession earnings above $5.65 million.

“It feels great to win. I love poker more than people know and I want to say thank you to everyone who notices my passion for the game,” stated Hawkins to reporters on the scene after the win. The money was additionally the second largest of his profession.

This was the primary title and fifth final-table end of the yr for Hawkins. The 912 Card Player Player of the Year factors he secured because the champion had been sufficient to maneuver him into thirty third place within the 2024 POY standings offered by Global Poker.

The $1,700 buy-in no-limit maintain’em occasion noticed a subject of 981 runners construct up the prize pool to $1,486,215 because of a robust turnout throughout two beginning flights. The prime 145 gamers all took house a minimum of $2,854 in prize cash. Day 2 had 101 gamers return, and so they had been in a position to make it right down to the ultimate desk of 9 that superior to the final day of the match.

Hawkins was in fourth chip place when playing cards obtained into the air on the ultimate day of play, however he had lower than half the stack of the chip leaders on the prime. He awakened with pocket kings early to ship Trace Henderson out in ninth place to begin his journey up the chief board. Hawkins then stored the robust begin going by additionally eliminating Mark Merritt in eighth place in simply the primary 10 minutes of play.

That gave Hawkins the stack he wanted to make a deep run on the remaining desk. He struck once more by taking out Christopher George in fourth place. Matt Higgins additionally scored his third knockout on the remaining desk when he took out poker skilled James Calderaro in third place. That set the chip counts at 22.25 million for Hawkins and 17.35 million for Higgins when heads-up play started.

Higgins obtained the lead for some time earlier than Hawkins took it again. The remaining two gamers solely obtained all of it in between them as soon as. Hawkins held AQ, and that had the A5 of Higgins coated and dominated. The board modified nothing, in order that despatched Higgins to the rail in second place simply shy of including to his gold ring complete of 5. The good six-figure additionally took Higgins’ profession earnings to simply shy of $2 million.

Here is a take a look at the payouts and POY factors awarded on the remaining desk:

The subsequent match sequence of the WSOP Circuit sequence schedule are already underway with stops going down at Caesars Southern Indiana, and Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, California.