The race atop the all-time WSOP Circuit rings list got even tighter on Thursday at Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe as Daniel Lowery won ring number 19 to pull within one of Ari Engel’s 20, and two of leader Maurice Hawkins’ 21.
Lowery topped a 113-entry field to earn just under $10,000 and claim his first title since March this year, when he won the Seniors event in Tulsa. The ring is Lowery’s fourth in Lake Tahoe — his most at any Circuit venue — with previous wins in 2017 and twice in 2014.
Was it magic at Lake Tahoe?
While Lowery says he’s not a superstitious person, that may have changed a bit after receiving a gift on break that may have helped lead him to victory.
“It was definitely the lucky jelly bean," Lowery said. "I went on break, and my nine-year-old, Gus, asked me if I’d busted, and I said no. I said I had to go back and play, and he said ‘wait, wait, wait!’ So, I came back and he dug into his jelly beans and he said, ‘This is going to be your lucky jelly bean.'
"It was kind of a joke, but I was rubbing it about every hand and just ran like God for a while.”
Seriously, the last thing anyone needs playing against this poker giant is to know that he’s being aided by magic beans. It was already going to be a tough task for Lowery’s final opponent, runner-up Mark Vail. Vail stormed into the chip lead three-handed after eliminating well-decorated pro Adam Owen with two huge hands before Lowery eliminated another top pro in David Avina to set up the final heads-up battle.
Following the elimination of two players with multiple rings and millions in earnings, Lowery's final battle would be against a player, Vail, with just $25,000 in career earnings. It might’ve been the matchup Lowery was least looking forward to.
“It isn’t always easier to play against inexperienced players. The last four or five times I've gotten heads-up with somebody that had no results, they just beat me to death, so I don’t usually look forward to that, but it worked out well on this one.”
The Circuit ring race tightens
As for Lowery tightening up the race atop the all-time Circuit rings list, the now 19-time champ made a surprising admission after his win, saying his heart hasn’t really been in playing as much most of the year. Lowery says it’s been most notable since Hawkins won his latest rings in New Orleans, while he was sidelined during that series by an illness.
“The last two or three times I’ve done this interview, I was excited, and I’m just going to be honest... I had a chance to tie Maurice three-ways at 19, then he went on to win that tournament, got 20, and then a day or two later, he got 21, and it took the wind out of my sails as far as being motivated, especially when Ari went on to win his 20th.
Lowery continued, “I wanted to win 20 before the other guys, but I didn’t, so I don’t know. The race is still close, but I’m not as motivated. I really haven’t been motivated to play poker in general since April, so that kind of diffused the whole race in my heart. I’ll just put it that way.”
Asked if this win may have sparked the fire a bit, Lowery said it may still take a bit more, but the possibility is there.
“If I could win another one here in the next three days, then I’ll probably go on and play a couple more before the end of the year. That would motivate me, I guess. My heart’s still in the Circuit.”
Event #2: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha results:
- Daniel Lowery - $9,767
- Mark Vail - $6,306
- David Avina - $4,231
- Adam Owen - $2,956
- Greg Ketchum - $2,153
- Dennis Moore - $1,638
- Anonymous - $1,305
- Edward Jackson-Spivack - $1,090
- Gary Neese - $958
- Marcus Lofton - $887
