3-Bet: Jacob Hamed, Cherish Andrews & Jeffrey Copeland Win Live Titles

The live poker landscape has been buzzing with major events, including the WSOPC Harrah’s Cherokee and the Mid-States Poker Tour Main Event, both drawing hefty turnouts and offering up some unforgettable showdowns. In this 3-Bet Report, we’ll shine a light on a few standouts who recently claimed impressive wins.

At the WSOPC Harrah’s Cherokee, it was impossible to ignore Jacob Hamed (cover image – left). After battling through a field of 1,288 entries in Event #13: $1,700 Main Event, he pocketed a career-high $299,010. Even more remarkable, this marked his second ring of the series—his first came in Event #11: $800 Pot-Limit Omaha. In the final moments, Hamed faced Vaughn Steeves heads-up. Although Steeves fought hard and earned a personal best of $199,338, Hamed emerged on top of the heap, adding a new chapter to his growing poker legacy.

Another fierce contest played out at the same venue in Event #9: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em. Cherish Andrews (cover image – center) outlasted a field of 592 entries to claim the top prize of $108,971, her fourth ring, and a coveted seat in the 2025 WSOP Tournament of Champions. Her heads-up opponent, Norman Rodriguez, walked away with $72,650, but the real impact of Andrews’ victory reached far beyond the payout. With this result, Andrews closed in on the 2024 Global Poker Index Female Player of the Year race, inching closer to the number-one spot and fueling the excitement surrounding her ongoing campaign.

Jeffrey Copeland (cover image – right), a well-known local presence in St. Louis poker, just snagged his first Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) title at the $1,110 Main Event at Hollywood Casino. He battled past 402 entries to pocket a career-best $85,871—his 15th tournament win—right in his home venue. His final opponent, John Ro, earned $53,132 for second place, making it a memorable contest for both men.

Jacob Hamed Dominates WSOP Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee Main Event, Securing His Second Ring ($299,010)

The World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) touched down at Harrah’s Cherokee from November 28 to December 9, bringing an atmosphere so charged you could practically feel it in the air. With nearly two dozen ring events and over $4.10 Million guaranteed, poker players from around the world were drawn in by the sheer magnitude of these opportunities. It all built up to the $1,700 Main Event, promising a massive $1.50 Million prize pool and the kind of glory that poker dreams are made of.

And when the dust settled, Jacob Hamed emerged as the champion, taking home a cool $299,010 and his second WSOPC ring of the series! This was his biggest score yet, and capped off an incredible run at Cherokee that saw him finish eighth in the $400 Pot-Limit Omaha 8 or Better, second in the $600 PLO, a cash finish in the $400 Monster Stack, and even a previous win in the $800 PLO. By the end of it all, his live earnings had soared past $450,000. Not a bad couple of weeks at the tables!

Of course, winning the Main Event was no easy feat. Hamed had to outlast a field of 1,288 entries, including some seriously tough competition. He navigated his way through Day 2 and started Day 3 as the second-biggest stack, playing a smart and calculated game that always kept him in contention. He wasn’t afraid to mix it up either, pulling off some wild moves. One of his bold river jams became a story everyone present there will be talking about for long. That kind of fearless aggression helped shape an image his opponents couldn’t ignore.

The $1.95 Million prize pool paid out all the way down to 190th place, each player earning at least $3,427 for their efforts. A field like that naturally attracted plenty of big names, but the casualty list to the final table had many big names on it. Hans Schreiber (177th for $3,427), Brock Wilson (155th for $3,411), Yekaterina Lukina (132nd for $4,034), Carlos Loving (100th for $7,445), Brett Apter (43rd for $7,319), and Robert Hankins (26th for $10,162) all hit the payouts desk without bagging for the final day.

Several Indo-American players—Dipanjan Chattopadhyay (190th for $3,427), Rohit Kwatra (180th for $3,427), and Pradip Patel (60th for $5,560) also made the money line.

The final table took shape after Jeffrey Rothwell crashed out in 11th place for $18,901. From there, players like Haifeng Shen, Eric Schneider, Nathan Powell, Dale Roesel, Eric Snyder, Gunner Stever, Kyle Cartwright, and Johnny Price all fell out quickly, leaving just Hamed and Steeves to battle heads-up for the championship.

Vaughn Steeves had stood out throughout the tournament with some jaw-dropping plays—he caught bluffs, applied pressure at the right moments, and seemed to thrive when the stakes were high. By all accounts, he looked like the one to beat. But once heads-up play began, Hamed found another gear.

One especially gutsy bluff on the river was a turning point that put Hamed firmly in the lead. He didn’t just take the chip lead; he seized control of the narrative. Shortly after that, they played a hand that would decide it all. Hamed shoved over a limp and got called, finding himself momentarily behind. Then a ten hit the turn, giving him the pair he needed to claim it all.

With that last card, Hamed sealed his second Circuit ring in a single week—and the Main Event title to boot! Winning two rings at one stop is an impressive feat, but to take down the Main Event trophy makes it truly extraordinary.

Hamed’s friends and supporters were behind him every step of the way, and he credited their energy for keeping him going. And then there’s the quirky detail that definitely piqued our interest: his love for borscht, a soup he jokingly thanked for his run-good. “Wanna win rings? Eat borscht,” he teased with a grin. After watching him run circles around a world-class field, who are we to argue?

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Jacob Hamed – $299,010
2. Vaughn Steeves – $199,338
3. Johnny Price – $140,839
4. Kyle Cartwright – $100,977
5. Gunner Stever – $73,483
6. Eric Snyder – $54,289
7. Dale Roesel – $40,729
8. Nathan Powell – $31,035
9. Eric Schneider – $24,026
10. Haifeng Shen – $18,901

Cherish Andrews Snags Fourth Ring in WSOPC Harrah’s Cherokee Event #9: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em ($108,971)

The WSOPC Harrah’s Cherokee in North Carolina just delivered another chapter you won’t soon forget. This time, the spotlight fell on Cherish Andrews, who walked away as the champion of Event #9: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em. To the casual observer, it might look like just another big score, but anyone paying attention knows this was much more than that. Andrews has her eyes on the 2024 Global Poker Index (GPI) Female Player of the Year title, and this result pushes her dangerously close to that coveted milestone.

After a heads-up clash with Norman Rodriguez—a determined opponent from New York who never backed down—Andrews claimed the top prize of $108,971. It wasn’t her biggest cash ever, but still her seventh-best, and it came with a seat in the 2025 WSOP Tournament of Champions. While Rodriguez earned $72,650 for his valiant effort, the real story here is Andrews’ pursuit of poker’s top honors. By adding 310.07 points to her GPI POY total, she’s now less than 100 points behind Foxen, who holds the lead.

If that setup sounds familiar, it’s because Andrews has been here before. Two years ago, she was locked in a tug-of-war with Angela Jordison right up to the final moments of the season. Now, as she once again finds herself near the top of the leaderboard, the poker community can almost feel the tension building. With total live earnings now past the $2 million mark, Andrews has shown time and again that she’s not one to fade away quietly.

This $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em event drew 592 entries and built a prize pool of $577,200. Just making the money was no small feat—81 players managed to do that, pocketing at least $2,354. Players like Carlos Loving (71st) and Daniel Weinman (54th) ended their runs with $2,354, while Christian Harder (32nd) and Brad Albrinck (27th) took home $3,130. Notables Brett Apter (24th) and Ryan D’Angelo (21st) also battled deep, each earning $3,642 before heading to the rail.

As the field thinned, Carl Norris’ elimination in tenth place lit the fuse for a series of swift exits that set the final table into motion. Jovani Price, Sean Hampson, Drew Dodge, Christopher Thiel, Russell Sullivan, Kenneth Harbaugh, and Dave Alfa all saw their hopes slip away in rapid succession, leaving the stage for Andrews to take charge.

By the time it came down to the last two, Andrews held about a quarter of all the chips in play—an intimidating stack that only grew stronger with each passing hand. Some observers described her arrangement of chips as a “three-stack high fortress,” and it certainly felt like she was holding court, daring anyone to challenge her position.

Norman Rodriguez tried. He fought with grit and determination. But in the end, Andrews’ focus and execution were too much. This victory handed her a fourth WSOP Circuit ring, another milestone in a career that’s been anything but ordinary. While Rodriguez was picking up his first live ring, Andrews added to a collection that already included online WSOP bracelets, further proving her versatility and skill in the game.

This win doesn’t just look good on a résumé; it also tightens the race for GPI Female Player of the Year. Andrews is right on the heels of the current leader, and everyone knows that one more strong performance could put her name back on top of the standings. With the year still unfolding, and tensions rising each time the chips are shuffled, one thing is clear: Cherish Andrews has placed herself squarely in the conversation among poker’s elite. If she can keep up this kind of form, she might soon leave no doubt as to who stands at the summit of women’s poker in 2024.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Cherish Andrews – $108,971
2. Norman Rodriguez – $72,650
3. Dave Alfa – $50,391
4. Kenneth Harbaugh – $35,577
5. Russell Sullivan – $25,575
6. Christopher Thiel – $18,725
7. Drew Dodge – $13,969
8. Sean Hampson – $10,622
9. Jovani Price – $8,235

Jeffrey Copeland Grabs First MSPT Title in the $1,110 Main Event ($85,871)

The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Stop $1,110 Main Event in St. Louis, Missouri ran from December 3 to 8, and what a week it turned out to be. When the dust finally settled, a well-known local player took center stage. Jeffrey Copeland, who’s been quietly collecting wins around town, added another line to his resume—his very first MSPT title—along with an $85,871 payday. This is the largest single score of his career, pushing his lifetime earnings close to the $800,000 mark. Even sweeter, he pulled it off right in his own backyard at Hollywood Casino.

Congratulations to Jeff Copeland @copelandpoker of Lake St Louis, MO on winning the $1,110 Main Event @HollywoodSTL

📍: St Louis, MO

This was a tough Final Table and Jeff outlasted 402 runners and takes home $85,871 and the🏆❗️

Results: https://t.co/18jFeazTnS pic.twitter.com/H3xw9xelVs

— MSPT (@msptpoker) December 9, 2024

“I can’t even describe it right now,” Copeland said, clearly still riding the wave of adrenaline. “It’s something we all dream about as poker players. Not only to win but to take down an MSPT—that’s what we’re all chasing. Doing it in my home casino just makes it beyond words.”

This wasn’t some stroll in the park. Copeland had to outlast a tough field before finding himself heads-up against New York’s John Ro. Ro fought hard and earned $53,132 for second place—nothing to sneeze at—but Copeland was the one raising the trophy in the end.

John Ro Eliminated in 2nd Place ($53,132)https://t.co/Dx0rfZDGAH

$1,110 Main Event Day 2 @HollywoodSTL

Live Updates: https://t.co/18jFeaArdq pic.twitter.com/o8z731BKRm

— MSPT (@msptpoker) December 9, 2024

The $1,110 buy-in Main Event drew 402 entries across three starting flights, building a prize pool of $388,480 that comfortably surpassed the guarantee. The top 43 finishers walked away with at least $2,245, and everyone who made it that far had to return on Day 2 to fight for the crown.

When Day 2 got underway, there was a sense of anticipation in the air. Familiar names and battle-tested competitors took their seats, each hoping this would be their day. MSPT regulars like Keith Heine (20th for $3,765), Josh Wisdom (17th for $4,389), Mark Lafata (15th for $5,169), and Timothy Thorp (12th for $6,339) all fell short but gave it a run to remember. Meanwhile, the exit of MSPT Hall of Famer Aaron Johnson in tenth place for $6,339 signaled that the final table was set and the real drama was about to unfold.

Copeland didn’t start the final table with the biggest stack, but once the cards were in the air, he made his intentions clear. One by one, he picked off his opponents. Brad Heitmeyer bowed out in ninth, then Bill Romer followed in eighth. After that came Umut Ozturk, who was leading the MSPT Player of the Year race, finishing in seventh. With each knockout, Copeland’s stack grew, along with his confidence. He continued his run by dispatching Benjamin Teston in sixth, then Brett Reichard in fifth, and Casey Blakeley in fourth, leaving the table short-handed and Copeland firmly in control.

The three-handed play brought its share of tense moments and unexpected double-ups. Cody Bartlett battled bravely but couldn’t withstand Copeland’s charge, exiting in third. That left only John Ro between Copeland and the win he’d been chasing. With the title on the line, Copeland entered the heads-up duel holding a 7:5 chip advantage, a solid spot but hardly a guaranteed finish.

Cody Bartlett Eliminated in 3rd Place ($38,704)https://t.co/Sri232tPoH

$1,110 Main Event Day 2 @HollywoodSTL

Live Updates: https://t.co/18jFeazTnS pic.twitter.com/Da52wMH5Iy

— MSPT (@msptpoker) December 9, 2024

Then came the final showdown: a flop of . Chips went in the middle at a breathless pace. Ro held , hoping to complete a straight. Copeland had , giving him top two pair. It was a nail-biting moment for both players—everything they’d worked for in this tournament was now riding on the turn and river. When the final cards didn’t improve Ro’s hand, Copeland’s pair held firm. Just like that, the room erupted, and Copeland had done it. He claimed the MSPT title he’d wanted so badly. Ro, while no doubt disappointed, still recorded the biggest payday of his career.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Jeffrey Copeland – $85,871
2. John Ro – $53,132
3. Cody Bartlett – $38,704
4. Casey Blakeley – $28,566
5. Brett Reichard – $21,547
6. Benjamin Teston – $16,477
7. Umut Ozturk – $12,968
8. Bill Romer – $10,238
9. Brad Heitmeyer – $7,509

Content and Images Courtesy: WSOP, Poker News & Card Player