Indiana World Series of Poker Circuit Stop Goes to 22-year-old Student

The final table of the WSOP Circuit championship event at the Horseshoe Southern Indiana got underway just after 2 p.m. Tuesday with nine returning players vying for the top prize of $143,064 plus a seat in the 2009 WSOP main event.

Ray Lynn started the day in critical condition, with fewer than five big blinds. He managed to triple up early, but when he moved in again with KQ, he ran into AQ and was busted in 9th place. Ray is from Washington, DC and has three WSOP cashes, including one final table, on his poker resume. He won event #8, the $500 No Limit Hold'em event here at the Horseshoe just a few days ago, pocketing over $36,000.

Dean Schultz was the second shortest stack at the start of play, but never managed to build on that. He ended up getting his last chips in with A5 suited against AJ suited and reported to the rail in 8th place. By far the most accomplished player at this final table, Dean Schultz is a rounder from Stow, Ohio. He has accumulated 58 cashes, many final tables, and almost $300,000 in tournament earnings.

Derek Whelan was the third-shortest stack at the start of the final table. He lost most of those in a confrontation with Samuel Oberlin. Derek had flopped a flush draw and got all in. Samuel had flopped trips and they held up to cripple Derek's stack. Derek was eliminated in 7th place soon after. Derek is a father of two who has recently taken up poker. He is from Newfoundland, making him the lone non-US-based player at this final table.

Jamin Stokes was the first player to jump the line. He started the day second in chips, but lost most of them when he ran pocket Tens into pocket Kings. He busted out in 6th place soon after. Jamin is from Grand Rapids, MI, with almost a quarter million in tournament earnings. He won the $1,500 No Limit event here in October, 2005.

Joey Couden was 6th in chips at the start of final table action. In a blind versus blind confrontation, his pocket 5s lost out to A4 and he was left with very few chips. He made a valiant attempt at getting back into contention, quadrupling up, then doubling, but still busted out in 5th place when his slow-played pocket Aces got cracked by T5 on a J 5 5 flop. Joey is from Reynoldsburg, Ohio, and has been playing poker for about 5 years. This is his third final table and his biggest cash to date.

Len Ashby was the local favorite, from Louisville, Kentucky. He was playing well until he decided to semi-bluff all-in with an open-ended straight draw on the turn against Jerry Martin's top pair. Jerry looked him up and Len missed his draw. Len was felted in fourth place. He has five final tables to his name prior to today, including a win in Pot Limit Omaha at the 2007 World Poker Open.

David Kopacz was fourth in chips at the start of the day and moved up to take the chip lead when he busted Jamin Stokes in 6th place. Then he doubled up Jerry Martin on a questionable play and seemed to tilt off the rest of his chips, finishing 3rd. David is from Hopkinsville, KY, and won event #9, the $1,000 No Limit event just a few days ago.

David and his wife Stacy have a very interesting story. David is a slot junkie and in an effort to get him away from the slot machines, his wife paid tuition for both of them in the Camp Hellmuth poker boot camp. His poker education is already paying off with his $53,330 win in event #9 and this third place finish today. He has not completely given up the slot machines, however. He won a $90,000 jackpot at Harrah's Metropolis just last week.

At the start of heads-up play, Jerry Martin had a commanding chip lead with over 1 million chips to Samuel Oberlin's 230,000. Then Samuel got all-in with pocket Queens against Jerry's KJ. The Queens held up and Samuel doubled up. After a few other smaller confrontations, Samuel had taken the chip lead from Jerry. Then on a J 5 4 flop, they got all the chips in the middle. Jerry held J7 for top pair, but Samuel had those pocket Queens again and they were good to earn Samuel first place, a seat in the 2009 WSOP Main Event, and the gold and diamond circuit championship ring. Jerry had to settle for second place.

Samuel Oberlin is a 22 year old student from Grand Rapids, MI. He has two previous cashes including one at the WSOP this year. Needless to say, this is his biggest cash to date.

Jerry Martin is married with one child and from Indianapolis, IN, and has been playing poker for about three years. He finished 8th in the circuit championship here back in April and placed 158th in the WSOP Main Event this past summer, which was good for $41,816. His second place finish today is his highest finish and largest cash to date.

Here are the final money results:

Place -- Payout -- Player

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