3-Bet: partypoker Introduces Diamond Club Elite, Boulos Estafanous & Randall Hale Win WSOP Circuit Gold Rings

Online poker portal partypoker has added a new tier to its existing VIP rewards program. The brand has introduced the ‘Diamond Club Elite’ club that is a more elite program as compared to its existing ‘Diamond Club’. The super elite program will reward players who contribute at least $200,000 in rake over a year with up to 60% cashback, along with other benefits and sops.

The 2019 World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) stop at Potawatomi in Milwaukee has kicked off and claiming the top honors at the first event at the series i.e. the $400 NLHE Double Stack (1-Day) was Boulos Estafanous who won the event for $23,809.

Just before the WSOPC Potawatomi took off, the brand’s circuit stop at Horseshoe Tunica with its closing event, the $250 NLHE Double Stack attracted 254 runners. Outlasting them all was Randall Hale who defeated Randall Davenport heads-up to win his career’s first-ever WSOPC title, banking $12,447 in the process. With the runner-up finish, Davenport surged ahead of Carl Masters in the Horseshoe Tunica leaderboard to win a seat into the Global Casino Championship.

partypoker Introduces Diamond Club Elite

After introducing an Player Panel, global online poker brand partypoker has expanded its existing VIP program. The all-new ‘Diamond Club Elite’ club has been introduced to award the site’s top raking players.

The highest tier in the VIP program till now was the Diamond Club that awarded up to 50% cashback for those contributing $100,000 in rake over a 12-month period, along with other benefits.

From February 1 onwards, players who opt-in for the program and contribute at least $200,000 in rake over a year-long period will be rewarded with up to 60% cashback.

Marking the launch of the program, partypoker is awarding the first two players who contribute $200,000 in rake via either cash games or Sit N Go Jackpot tournaments, with $100 cashback till January 31, 2020.

“We are extremely excited to take partypoker to the next level and reward our most loyal players with the introduction of Diamond Club Elite,” partypoker Managing Director Tom Waters stated. “The opportunity for our players to earn 60% cashback along with a fabulous MILLIONS World package and a seat at MILLIONS Online makes us the clear number one choice for VIP players in the online poker industry.”

Members of the Diamond Club Elite will win VIP live event package to the Caribbean Poker Party (CPP) hosted annually in the Bahamas, and also get an entry into the $10,300 buy-in MILLIONS Online slated for November.

Members will benefit from exclusive VIP services at partypoker LIVE events, along with dedicated 24×7 support. partypoker will reward players with $10,000 in cash once they reach the halfway point i.e. raking $100,000 in 12 months. Once players reach the $200,000 rake target, an additional $20,000 cash bonus will be awarded.

Boulos Estafanous Wins 2019 WSOP Circuit Potawatomi $400 NLHE Double Stack (1-Day)

The just-started 2019 World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) stop at Potawatomi in Milwaukee saw its opening event crown a winner. Taking home the WSOPC ring was Boulos Estafanous who won the $400 NLHE Double Stack for $23,809.

The Milwaukee-based Circuit stop first debuted in 2017 and 61-year old Estafanous has not missed a single edition of the stop. He had to make do with a runner-up finish in the event last year but claiming the title this time was reclamation enough for Estafanous. “I’m always coming here. It is the third time I came,” Estafanous said. “I think I played better and… I can’t say lucky, but I get away from the bad luck,” Estafanous added.

The one-day event attracted 307 runners making for a $101,310 prize pool. The top 33 players earned a min-cash worth $605.

Michael Burns (33^rd for $605) was the first in-the-money elimination and players fell like bricks after that. It wasn’t long before the ten-handed unofficial final table was set. Falling whiskers short were Joseph Vanderwal (11^th for $1,780) and Steven Lauson (12^th for $1,780).

When the unofficial final table was set, Ed Veith was chip leading with 1,430,000, followed by Jeff Minnerly who held 1,350,000. Estafanous was the third largest stack with 1,180,000 in chips.

Final Table Recap

After Jeffrey Kohler, Nicola DiTrapani and Matthew Szabo fell in 10^th, ninth and eighth places respectively, the play slowed down for a while. Douglas Timmer went short stacked and busted in seventh place. Next to join the rail was Theresa Flores who was eliminated in sixth place.

Jeffrey Minnerly then hit the rail in fifth place, and Edward Veith was the next to bow out in fourth place.

Three handed, the play saw the final contenders jostle to survive but it was Michael Catt who would exit in third place.

Estafanous’ heads-up opponent was Bryan Skreens who wasn’t far in chips when their confrontation began. Estafanous dominated the play and finally eliminated Skreens in a hand where Skreens moved all in on the river and was called off by Estafanous. Though Skreens held pocket eights, Estafanous’ six-three had improved to a straight on the turn, enough for him to claim victory.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Boulos Estafanous – $23,809
2. Bryan Skreens – $14,720
3. Michael Catt – $10,691
4. Edward Veith – $7,897
5. Jeffrey Minnerly – $5,929
6. Theresa Flores – $4,521
7. Douglas Timmer – $3,502
8. Matthew Szabo – $2,754
9. Nicola DiTrapani – $2,197
10. Jeffrey Kohler – $1,780

Randall Hale Wins 2019 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Tunica $250 NLHE Double Stack

Although the 2019 World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Horseshoe Tunica was the first WSOPC stop for Randall Hale, he certainly didn’t make it look like he was new to the felts. Hale, who prefers to play cash games, won the closing event of the series i.e. the $250 NLHE Double Stack and walked away with his first-ever WSOPC gold ring, not to mention a first-place prize of $12,447.

Hale topped a 254-strong entry field on his way to victory and defeated Randall Davenport in the heads-up match.

‘’I don’t play tournaments. This is my first WSOP Circuit tournament. For me it was just something to do. It was fun,’’ Hall said. ‘’It is highly unlikely I will be playing more tournaments. I just like to play cash.’’

For Davenport, the runner-up finish proved significant since it improved his earlier score of 72.5 points on the venue leaderboard that saw him ride past Carl Masters’ score of 105 points to win the Casino Championship. Davenport has now topped the Horseshoe Tunica leaderboard and claimed a seat in the Global Casino Championship!

A prize pool of $50,800 was created at the event that paid out the top 27 finishers at least $410. The one-day event allowed unlimited re-entry during the registration period that remained open till Level 13.

Coming into the unofficial final table, Hale was among the shorter stacks with 290,000 even as Hamid Izadi led the way with 1.4 Million in chips. Davenport was also lingering near the lower rungs with 488,000 in chips.

Justin Sharpe (10^th for $925) went out first from the ten-handed table, leaving the remaining nine players on the final table.

Final Table Recap

Action on the final table saw Jody Akins bow out in ninth place. Next to go were Cody Norman and Hamid Izadi in eighth and seventh place respectively. Christopher Wingard ran out of chips next and exited in sixth place.

Brandon Butler had 818,000 in chips when the unofficial final table kicked off and his run was cut short in fifth place.

Charles Doumitt and Cary Marshall were eliminated in fourth and third place respectively, leaving only Randall Davenport and Hale in the field. Eventually, Davenport conceded the final hand to Hale and secured a runner-up finish that saw him claim the Global Casino Championship seat, while Hale snagged his first-ever WSOP Circuit title.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Randall Hale – $12,447
2. Randall Davenport – $7,690
3. Cary Marshall – $5,556
4. Charles Doumitt – $4,089
5. Brandon Butler – $3,063
6. Christopher Wingard – $2,334
7. Hamid Izadi – $1,808
8. Cody Norman – $1,424
9. Jody Akins – $1,139