3-Bet: Justin Lapka, Michael Brown & Gary Ware Win WSOP Circuit Rings at Choctaw Durant

The World Series of Poker Circuit is underway in full swing, following a record-breaking 55th annual WSOP in Las Vegas. The circuit kicked off with events in Choctaw, Oklahoma, and Tallinn, Estonia, and has already seen several exciting finishes.

In this 3-bet report, we’re focusing on the electrifying results from three recently concluded live tournaments at the 2024 WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant.

Justin Lapka (cover image – left) unexpectedly found himself the champion of the $1,700 WSOP Million Dollar Main Event, outlasting a field of 1,017 players and taking home $252,258, his third WSOP Circuit ring and an entry into the 2025 Tournament of Champions. Lapka had initially planned a quiet retreat in Minnesota but changed his mind at the last minute, proving that sometimes spontaneity pays off. Gregg Merkow finished as the runner-up, earning $168,169.

Another notable win came from Michael Brown (cover image – centre) from Texas, who secured his second Circuit ring and a career-best $68,326 in Event #5: $500 No-Limit Hold’em The Gargantuan. He emerged victorious from a massive field of 1,048 players, defeating Jamie Kempf from Texas in the final heads-up match. Kempf’s second-place finish earned her $42,229.

In Event #13: $600 Mystery Bounty, (cover image – right), also from Texas, maintained his composure to secure the top prize of $52,900, which included $28,000 in bounties. This victory marked Ware’s first WSOP Circuit ring and secured his entry into the prestigious 2025 WSOP Tournament of Champions. Rodney Baker finished as the runner-up, earning $15,326.

Justin Lapka Pulls Out Surprising Victory in Event #18: $1,700 WSOP Million Dollar Main Event ($252,258)

Justin Lapka, from Minnesota, pulled off a surprising win in the $1,700 WSOP Million Dollar Main Event in Choctaw. Originally intending to enjoy a relaxing break at his cabin following a gruelling summer in Las Vegas, Lapka made a spontaneous decision to join the tournament, a choice that would prove to be life-changing.

Starting the final table fifth in chips, Lapka quickly built a substantial stack, trailing only the chip leader, Kalyan Chivukula. In a thrilling showdown, Lapka ultimately dominated the competition, claiming his third WSOP Circuit ring and a career-high live cash prize of $252,258. Gregg Merkow from Texas, his final opponent in a tense heads-up battle, put up a valiant effort but ultimately had to settle for the runner-up prize of $168,169.

Reflecting on his win, Lapka admitted, “I wasn’t even planning on coming to Choctaw. A week ago, I was just planning to take time away from poker after the (World Series of Poker) long grind and then just come to Minnesota.”

This victory is particularly meaningful for Lapka, as his previous successes were primarily online, where he had secured both Circuit rings and two WSOP bracelets. This victory, his first major live tournament win, boosted his total live earnings to $889,832.

The win at Choctaw not only earned Lapka his largest live cash but also represented a personal triumph over his struggles with live tournaments. He candidly shared his frustration with his live poker results, saying, “Live’s been really frustrating for me. In my ten-year career, my biggest score was like the Main Event for $70k or something, and there have been times that I just wanted to give up playing live. There’s always been the bigger buy-ins, and then I lose, lose, lose, come home, play online, and build it back up with smaller buy-ins.” This win, he said, “just kind of means the world.”

In addition to the cash prize, Lapka’s victory earned him a coveted spot in the 2025 WSOP Tournament of Champions. He also expressed his excitement about celebrating this monumental achievement with family and friends at his cabin back in Minnesota.

When asked about the difference between winning live and online, Lapka humorously remarked, “Oh yeah, by far. When I win something online, nobody knows that anything happened, and I just go eat food alone at some bar. (laughs)”

Lapka’s story serves as an inspiring testament to the importance of perseverance and seizing unexpected opportunities. He encourages fellow players facing similar challenges to “keep putting the volume in, keep travelling, enjoy your experience when you’re travelling.” He emphasizes that while wins may be few and far between, the journey itself is just as important.

The $1,700 buy-in Main Event at Choctaw drew a massive field of 1,017 players, generating a total prize pool of $1,540,755. The top 152 finishers received a share of the prize money, with the minimum cash prize set at $2,577.

The event also saw notable players like two-time WSOP bracelet winner and 2024 WSOP Event #3 runner-up Michael Wang (16th for $10,248), WSOP Online Event #8 finalist Matthew Wantman (20th for $8,503), Brian Green (57th for $4,849), Daniel Pearlman (92nd for $7,153), 16-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Maurice Hawkins (110th for $3,717 for 110th) and Adam Levy (136th for $3,436) making deep runs.

The Indian-American contingent also made their presence felt, with Shubham Gupta and Anwesh Baisyat putting on a strong showing and finishing 15th for $10,248 and 33rd for $7,185, respectively.

Once we got down to the final table, the action really heated up. It was a whirlwind of eliminations, with Kaleb Harwell, Tim Faro, Derek Normand, and Nicolas Splawn all getting knocked out in quick succession. The tension was palpable as another Indo-American, Kalyan Chivukula and Mack Khan, were next to go, setting up a dramatic showdown between Gregg Merkow and Justin Lapka.

The heads-up battle was intense, but Lapka’s skill and determination ultimately prevailed. This unexpected victory was a major moment for Lapka, who’s been grinding away at both live and online poker for years. He envisions inviting loved ones he hasn’t seen in a year or two, cherishing the opportunity to reconnect and create lasting memories in the cosy cabin setting.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Justin Lapka – $252,282
2. Gregg Merkow – $168,169
3. Zak Baron – $118,278
4. Mack Khan – $84,475
5. Kalyan Chivukula – $61,281
6. Nicolas Splawn – $45,165
7. Derek Normand – $33,828
8. Tim Faro – $25,754
9. Kaleb Harwell – $19,936

Michael Brown Doubles His Ring Count With Impressive Win in Event #5: $500 No-Limit Hold’em The Gargantuan ($68,326)

Michael Brown from Flower Mound, Texas, took home the gold in Event #5: $500 No-Limit Hold ’em The Gargantuan at the WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant. This was his second circuit ring and his most significant win yet, worth $68,326. This victory also gets him into the 2025 Tournament of Champions.

“It’s been a while since the last one, and this one’s a lot bigger money-wise, so it’s awesome,” Brown said, thinking back to his first circuit ring win in 2019 at the WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold ’em.

The final heads-up battle was intense, with Brown facing off against Jamie Kempf from Royse City, Texas. Brown came out on top, but Kempf didn’t go home empty-handed, earning a respectable $42,229 for her second-place finish.

Brown recalled the key moment: “We started out pretty even, then she got ahead by maybe 20%, then I got ahead, and we just kind of went back and forth. But I caught her by flopping a straight, and that really helped.”

After this win, Brown had another great run in WSOPC Event #15: $250 No-Limit Hold ’em, finishing 14th and adding $538 to his winnings. With this win, his total live tournament earnings are now at $167,509, according to his Hendon Mob profile.

The $500 buy-in tournament attracted 1,048 players, creating a prize pool of $440,160. The top 158 players got a share of the money, with payouts starting at $494.

Some notable players who cashed in the event were Jason Solchenberger (11th for $5,070), Ryan Sigillo (13th for $4,167), Trevor Spriggs (16th), David Soskin (18th) – each for $3,479, Robert Rojas (22nd for 2,549), Donald Foran (25th for $2,237), Phillip Darby (28th) and Donald Martin (29th) for $1,997 each.

Indo-American players Shubham Gupta and Ankush Verma also had good runs in the tournament, finishing 13th for $1,368 and 128th for $988, respectively.

As the field got smaller, the tension grew. Sung Lee’s elimination in 10th place for $5,070 signalled the start of the final table showdown.

The final table action was fast and furious. George Bryant was the first to go, finishing in ninth place. The eliminations continued with Javier Urreiztieta, Alonso Fernandez, and Richard Philip following suit in eighth, seventh, and sixth places.

The momentum kept going as Mark Toulouse, who had won the 2023 WSOPC Event #14: $250 NLHE Turbo, was knocked out in fifth place.

With Minh Van Ho eliminated in fourth and Nicolas Burnett eliminated in third, Jamie Kemph and Michael Brown were left for the final heads-up battle. They went at it, but Brown’s straight on the flop sealed the deal, leading him to victory.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Michael Brown – $68,326
2. Jamie Kempf – $42,229
3. Nicolas Burnett – $30,780
4. Minh Van Ho – $22,757
5. Mark Toulouse – $17,069
6. Richard Philip – $12,992
7. Alonso Fernandez – $10,037
8. Javier Urreiztieta – $7,871
9. George Bryant – $6,269

Calm & Confident Gary Ware Conquers Event #13: $600 Mystery Bounty ($52,900, $28,200 in Bounties)

Texas native Gary Ware is living proof that good things come to those who wait, and sometimes, a little bit of luck doesn’t hurt either. The 76-year-old veteran snagged his first-ever WSOP Circuit ring in Event #13: $600 Mystery Bounty at Choctaw, Durant, taking home $24,700 in prize money, an additional $28,000 in bounties, and a coveted seat in the 2025 WSOP Tournament of Champions.

Ware credits his win to a newfound sense of calm that washed over him during the final table. After pulling out a massive $20,000 bounty with just six players remaining, he felt “more relaxed,” and that zen-like state carried him all the way to victory, defeating his final opponent, Rodney Baker, who took home $15,326.

This win is a big deal for Ware. Before this, his biggest poker accomplishment was a 71st-place finish in a Seniors Event back in 2023. This one day of winnings more than doubled his earnings from the past 12 years, a feat he describes with a chuckle as “proof that miracles do happen.”

Ware has been around the poker scene for a while, even playing at a WSOP Main Event feature table in 2009 alongside legends then-World Champion Peter Eastgate and multi-time WSOP bracelet and ring winner J.C. Tran. But this recent win is one he’ll remember forever.

The $600 buy-in event attracted 404 players, all hungry for a piece of the $127,260 prize pool. The top 41 players made it into the money, each guaranteed at least $770, but the real drama unfolded at the final table.

Debbie Lee was a standout player in the bounty department, narrowly missing the final table but amassing $7,700 in bounties.

The eliminations came fast and furious, with players like Sung Lee (11th) and Duc Quang Nguyen (12th) for $1,812 each, Rodney Spriggs (14th for $1,511), and Luis Armando Gonzalez Martinez (36th for $780) all bowing out.

Several Indian-American players, including Shishir Khetan (15th for $1,511), Venkat Chivukula (20th for $1,118), and Srinivas Reddy Vummal Reddy (38th for $770), also had solid showings.

At the final table, Jarrod Wilson was the first to exit in ninth place, followed by 2023 WSOPC Seniors Event #2 runner-up Steven Wampler (8th), Joshua Thibodaux (7th), and Matt Bernhard (6th). The next three to fall were William Truss (5th), Sebastian Matthews (4th), and Indo-American Rajanikanth Nadam (3rd), leaving Spriggs and Ware to battle it out for the ring.

Spriggs snagged the second-largest bounty of $10,000, but in the end, Ware’s cool head prevailed, and he walked away with the ring, the cash, and a ticket to the Tournament of Champions. This just goes to show a little bit of luck, a whole lot of skill, and a dash of zen can go a long way!

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Gary Ware – $52,900
2. Rodney Baker – $15,326
3. Rajanikanth Nadam – $11,105
4. Sebastian Matthews – $8,057
5. William Truss – $5,998
6. Matt Bernhard – $4,547
7. Joshua Thibodaux – $3,511
8. Steven Wampler – $2,763
9. Jarrod Wilson – $2,216

Content and Images Courtesy: WSOP & Poker.Org