Donovan Dean is a two-time Cherokee Main Event champion after a three-day battle in the flagship tournament at the latest World Series of Poker Circuit stop at Harrah's Cherokee Casino in North Carolina. The victory wraps up a 12-day festival that also saw Susan Faber win her first two WSOP Circuit rings.
Two opening flights drew 1,451 players to the $1,700 Main Event for a prize pool of $2,198,265. The surviving 158 players made Day 2 and played 10 Levels on Sunday before the final nine bagged up to return on Monday to decide the winner.
Dean entered the final day as the chip leader by a wide margin and he never dropped below second place in the standings. He fought his way to heads-up play with his opponent, AJ Rebhan, and after about an hour, he was pushed the final pot.
Third ring for Dean
This is the third WSOP Circuit ring for the crusher out of Alabama. Dean won the Cherokee Monster Stack in 2016 for his first ring and the Cherokee Main Event in 2022 for his second title. The top score of $326,206 is the second largest of his career, short of his last Cherokee Main Event win for $356K in 2022.
"It's always good to come out on top," Dean said in a post-win interview with PokerOrg. "That's what you play for. I came in with the most chips. I just put as much pressure as possible."
"I guess in the main event. I probably have more success because I play super aggressive. So, the money means more to other people, so they, you know, play tighter. I can play super aggressively, and it helps pick up more chips."
Dean also shared a personal note about his little brother, who had suffered a four-wheeler accident earlier in the week. "I found out about the accident right after I bought in," Dean revealed. "He's in the hospital right now, and I'm going to visit him. I know he'll be fired up."
And another one for Faber
Earlier in the stop, WSOP bracelet winner and Mint Hill, NC resident Susan Faber held off 16-time champion Maurice Hawkins to win her first Circuit ring. The victory would have tied Hawkins at the top of the all-time leaderboard with Circuit King Ari Engel and that seemed to add an extra layer of sweetness for her during the post-win interview.
Well, Faber wasn't done. A few days later, she picked up her second WSOPC ring in the $600 Turbo, topping a field of 174 entries for the top prize of $21K.
Not to be outdone, a second Susan — Susan Green from Brevard, NC — picked up $31K and her first ring in the $400 NLH on the very same day. Preliminary research indicates this is the first time that two Susans won a WSOP Circuit ring on the same day.
The Susans headline a group of winners from the stop that also includes Jack Rose (Seniors event) and Jennifer Germany (Womens event). The Circuit will now pack up and head across the country to Graton Casino and Resort in Rohnert Park, California — north of the Bay Area. That series will run from August 15-26 with a Main Event that starts on Friday, August 23.
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WSOPC Cherokee Main Event (Summer 2024) final table results
| Rank | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Donovan Dean | $326,206 |
| 2 | AJ 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 'Chico' Pho | $26,281 |
