Donovan Dean Wins WSOP Circuit Main Event at Harrah's Cherokee for Second Time
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The 20-event World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) stop at Harrah's Cherokee in North Carolina has reached its conclusion. Donovan Dean, for the second time since 2022, wrapped the series by taking down the $1,700 buy-in Main Event, a $1.5 million guaranteed tournament, for $326,206 and a shiny gold ring.
Susan Faber also made headlines during the series, having won two rings. She first defeated Maurice Hawkins heads-up to win Event #5: $600 No-Limit Hold'em for $33,493. The World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner would then capture her second ring in Event #16: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Super Turbo, beating out 174 entrants for another $21,884.
Dean Runs it Back
In December 2022, Dean won the Harrah's Cherokee Main Event, beating out 1,502 entrants for a $356,963 payday. The Alabama native was up to his old tricks the past few days.
Main Event action began Aug. 9 with the first of two Day 1 starting flights, and concluded with Monday's final table. Dean bagged a huge chip lead heading into the final table with nearly twice the stack of his nearest competitor, Tommy Doyle.
WSOPC Harrah's Cherokee Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Donovan Dean | $326,206 |
| 2 | Andrew Rebhan | $217,454 |
| 3 | Tommy Doyle | $153,664 |
| 4 | Michael Hunsucker | $110,186 |
| 5 | Tuan Nguyen | $80,192 |
| 6 | Brett Bader | $59,249 |
| 7 | Justin Hall | $44,450 |
| 8 | Srinivasa Vadlamudi | $33,870 |
| 9 | Sokchheka Pho | $26,218 |
Doyle would bow out in third place, which paid him $153,664. That left only two players battling for a ring — Andrew Rebhan and Dean. Rebhan came close to winning his first ring at Cherokee last year in a $400 buy-in no-limit hold'em tournament, but he inevitably fell in third place.
He'll have to wait a bit longer to finally claim his first ring as he lost heads-up to Dean at the final table on Monday. Second place paid $217,454, while the champion earned $326,206.
Dean won his third ring, all at Harrah's Cherokee. On top of winning the Main Event in 2022, he won a $365 buy-in Monster Stack event in 2016. The newest victory puts his overall live tournament winnings just north of $1.7 million, according to The Hendon Mob. He ranks fourth all time among those from Alabama. Shannon Shorr has a stranglehold on the lead, however, with $13.2 million in cashes.
The Cherokee stop wrapped on Monday with three other players capturing Circuit rings — Garry Kilpatrick (Event #18), Robert Reed (Event #19), and Ken Phuong (Event #20). World Series of Poker Circuit action will now move across the country to Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park, California starting Aug. 15 with the first of 18 ring events.
Full WSOP Circuit Cherokee Results
| Event | Entries | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Opener | 600 | Russell Brooks | $34,713 |
| Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Mini Main | 2,936 | Dane Cass | $110,723 |
| Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold'em | 677 | Donald Levine | $38,381 |
| Event #4: $400 Seniors Event | 1,063 | Jack Rose | $54,611 |
| Event #5: $600 No-Limit Hold'em | 305 | Susan Faber | $33,493 |
| Event #6: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better | 347 | Warren Sheaves | $23,488 |
| Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed | 822 | Chris Conrad | $44,287 |
| Event #8: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha | 307 | Han Feng | $33,504 |
| Event #9: $400 Monster Stack | 2,897 | Howard Marsh | $109,702 |
| Event #10: $1,100 No-Limit Hold'em | 556 | Jarrett Mullins | $103,126 |
| Event #11: $400 No-Limit Hold'em | 525 | Joe Rivage Laro | $31,913 |
| Event #12: $300 Ladies Event | 209 | Jennifer Germany | $11,794 |
| Event #13: $1,700 Main Event | 1,451 | Donovan Dean | $326,206 |
| Event #14: $400 No-Limit Hold'em | 507 | Tyler Nasim | $31,030 |
| Event #15: $400 No-Limit Hold'em | 513 | Susan Green | $31,406 |
| Event #16: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo | 174 | Susan Faber | $21,884 |
| Event #17: $300 Seniors Event | 794 | Lawrence McKinney | $31,339 |
| Event #18: $400 No-Limit Hold'em | 459 | Garry Kilpatrick | $28,929 |
| Event #19: $2,200 High Roller | 135 | Robert Reed | $66,435 |
| Event #20: $400 Double Stack Closer | 393 | Ken Phuong | $17,232 |
*Images courtesy of 8131 Media/Omar Sader.
