World Series of Poker Circuit Championship Claimed by Ceci

The Harrah's New Orleans Bayou Poker Challenge WSOP Circuit Championship Final Table started off with a bang. On the first hand of play, three players were all-in with aces, queens and Jacks. Chip leader Timothy 'TK' Miles held the Aces and sent two players packing.

2007 Borgata Poker Classic runner-up Chuck Kelley was next to go when his A-8 got out-drawn by Nick Ceci's 8-7, earning Chuck 7th place. Defending champ Lou 'the Big Easy' Esposito was fighting for his life from the get-go, but got crippled when his K-7 was out-kicked by Jeff Tims' K-8. He departed on the next hand in 6th place. Jeff did not get to enjoy those chips for long as he found himself semi-bluffing all-in with K-J on a queen-high flop. Gabe Costner, 4th place finisher at the WPT World Poker Open in January, made an incredible call with pocket 7's and held on to send Jeff to the rail in 5th place.

Gabe was next to go when he got all-in with 7-4 on a J-4-4 flop. This was the day for coolers as Nick Ceci held A-4 for the better kicker, booting Gabe to the curb in 4th place. Floyd Vanderford had survived most of Day 2 on a short-stack and made it all the way to 3rd place before he had to make a move with an inferior hand. He was happy with 3rd place in his first major tournament.

It only took about 50 hands to get from nine players down to the final two. Nick Ceci and Timothy 'TK' Miles battled for about 80 more hands to reach the penultimate hand: On a Q-4-4 flop, they got all the chips in the middle. TK held A-Q and was crushed by Nick's 4-3. After that, TK's stack was crippled and it took just five more hands for Nick to finish him off.

Nick Ceci, of Peachtree, Georgia, finished in first place, earning $382,928 (which includes $11,000 for the WSOP main event seat & travel) and the WSOP Circuit Championship ring. Timothy 'TK' Miles finished in 2nd place, earning $210,610.

Final table money results:

Place Payout Player

1 $382,928 Nick Ceci

2 $210,610 Tim 'TK' Miles

3 $107,699 Floyd Vanderford

4 $83,766 Gabe Costner

5 $71,799 Jeff Tims

6 $59,833 Lou Esposito

7 $47,866 Charles Kelley

8 $35,900 Ed Jatho

9 $23,933 Marc Fratter

Click here to read live coverage from the final table.

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