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2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 | Francis Lee
The next stage of the 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit was held at Caesar s in Atlantic City with 208 players starting out. The $5,000 buy in main event generated a prize pool which offered the winner a grand prize of $322,944 and entry to this year’s WSOP main event.
The field was packed with the usual well known pro’s found at these WSOP circuit events and there was some very tough starting tables for some of the competitors. Chris Klodnicki had the best of the first day as he stormed to the top of the chip rankings and stayed there right till the end of play. This first session saw just 53 players making it to day two, where the final table of nine would be decided and of course the bubble.
It didn’t take too long for the bubble to burst on day two as just 27 players was set to cash in. The unfortunate 28th place finisher and bubble boy tag went to Ryan Karp as he pushed with 
against a flopped set of Fours belonging to Matt Brady. This elimination set the wheels in motion as it didn’t take too long to reach the last nine players from this point onwards.
Alex Bolotin had amassed over $800,000 in chips and found himself going into the final table in the chip lead. Frank Vissa and Matt Bardy wasn’t too far behind both having over $600,000. The day one chip leader Chris Klonicki was still in the reckoning in a midfield position and Jason Young was short stacked but still had a chance with over $200,000 in chips.
Final Table Chip Rankings
- 1stAlex Bolotin $823000
- 2nd Frank Vizza $690000
- 3rd Matt Brady $635000
- 4th John Nixon $496000
- 5th David Zeitlin $415000
- 6th Chris Klodnicki $342000
- 7th Michael Michnik $319000
- 8th Samuel Chartier $228000
- 9th Jason Young $213000
Frank Vissa made the best start out of the nine finalists as he stormed to the top of the chip rankings and picked up a few eliminations along the way. His first came when picking up pocket Aces and found some action against David Zeitlin. Zeitlin was All In pre flop with pocket Sixes and received no miracle on the final board showing 
Vissa’s early aggression was unopposed as he won consecutive hands in a row, until the previous chip leader Chris Klodnicki decided to make a stand with pocket Jacks. Vissa’s luck seemed to be in as he tabled pocket Kings after all the chips went in, which was good enough to take the pot ending Klodnicki’s tournament in 8th place.
Play slowed down at this point from the hectic early start and it took a while for the next elimination to come about. Jason Young who started out as the short stack decided to make a move raising pre flop with pocket Jacks. He only found one caller in Samuel Chartier and the Flop came down 
Young moved All In seeing no over card on the Flop to his Jacks and found himself in the lead as Chartier had 
looking for a flush draw. The Turn came down 
completing Chartier’s flush meaning Young was drawing dead with one card to come.
Matt Brady virtually became the next victim at the hands of Vizza loosing the majority of his chips with pocket Tens against pocket Kings. Chartier hammered the final nail in his coffin beating 
with 
The three’s hit a flush on the final board showing 
ending Brady’s event in sixth place.
Three handed play didn’t take long to get to as both Vissa and Chartier continued to play aggressively and eliminated Alex Bolotin and Michael Michnik. Bolotin who started out the day as chip leader never really got into the action and decided to make a move with his short stack having 
It was an easy call for Vissa to make as he picked up in the big blind. Vissa hit top pair on the Flop which was enough to win the pot.
Michael Michnik exit in fourth place was down to bad luck as his 
looked certain to split the pot as his opponent Chartier also had 
There seemed no danger as the Flop came down 
but the sent the room quiet as another club would give Chartier a nut flush. Michnik looked on in disgust as his tournament went down the pan as the dealer peeled off the 
on the River.
During the early part of three handed play Chartier seized the advantage taking the chip lead off Vissa winning the biggest hand of the night. A lot of chips went in after the Flop came down 
and eventually Chartier forced Vissa to fold moving All In. Vissa went on to double up John Nixon before exiting the tournament a few hands later. Vissa’s last hand came when his 
was beaten by Nixon’s 
when a Jack came down on the River.
Chartier took a good chip lead into heads up against Nixon and made this tell in just five hands. The last hand for Nixon came when he found his dominated by No help came for Nixon which meant was Chartier the newest WSOP Circuit champion winning $322,944 in prize money.
Final Standings
- 1st Samuel Chartier $322,944
- 2nd John Nixon $177,619
- 3rd Frank Vissa $90,828
- 4th Michael Michnik $70,644
- 5th Alex Bolotin $60,552
- 6th Matt Brady $50,460
- 7th Jason Young $40,368
- 8th Chris Klodnicki $30,276
- 9th David Zeitlin $20,184
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