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Brett Bader Wins WSOPC Harrah’s Cherokee Main for $364K; Max Young Ships High Roller

Patrick Mandelle August 17, 2022 4 min read

August 17, 2022

The 2022/2023 season of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit recently wrapped up a stop at Harrah’s Cherokee in North Carolina. The series, which awarded 17 gold rings, marked the first of four visits the tour will play to the property this season.

Among those to capture rings were Shannon Hamblen, who topped a 2,726-entry field to win Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold’em for $120,742; Michael Esquivel claiming his first-ever piece of WSOP gold besting a 443-entry field to win Event #10: $400 NLH for $29,108; and Eric Rivkin besting 423 runners to win the final tournament, Event #17: $400 NLH Double Stack, for $28,146 and his third career gold ring.

Here’s a look at the winners from the WSOP Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee Main Event and High Roller.

Brett Bader Wins Main Event for $364,104

This past weekend, the $1,700 Main Event attracted 1,558 entrants through two starting flights to create a $2,360,370 prize pool. It set a record for the largest WSOP Circuit Main Event at the venue to date.

The prize pool was paid out to the top 233 finishers including Michael Lech (11th – $30,618), Luke Blindert (13th – $24,842), Hamid Izadi (16th – $20,343), Shiva Dudani (27th – $11,817), Susan Murphy (31st – $8,629), Brett Apter (36th – $7,483), and Asher Conniff (38th – $6,553).

The final table was a stacked affair filled with accomplished poker players including MSPT champ Chris Meyers (9th – $38,083) and 10-time ring winner Jeff Trudeau (6th – $77,351), but it wound up being Brett Bader (pictured above) and Matthew Wantman battling it out for the title.

Bader, 31, wound up the victor to claim the $364,104 top prize, a seat into the 2023 Tournament of Champions, and his third career ring, the first since 2017.

“It hasn’t really sunk in, to be honest,” Bader told WSOP officials after his win. “I haven’t been here in a few years, and the last time I was I finished runner-up to Leif Force in the $1k.”

He added: “I’m just really grateful and glad I ran well,”

WSOPC Harrah’s Cherokee Main Event Final Table Results

Place	Player	Hometown	Prize
1	Brett Bader	Coconut Creek, FL	$364,104
2	Matthew Wantman	Stoneham, MA	$225,047
3	Amir Atabaki	Atlanta, GA	$170,095
4	Thong Ho	Summerville, SC	$129,670
5	David Dowdy	Ball Ground, GA	$99,714
6	Jeff Trudeau Jr.	Winter Garden, FL	$77,351
7	Bryan Emory	Plantation, FL	$60,535
8	David Moses	Asheville, NC	$47,799
9	Chris Meyers	Kenmore, NY	$38,083

Max Young Wins High Roller for 7th Career Ring

Meanwhile, Event #16: $2,200 NLH High Roller saw 205 runners create a $410,000 prize pool. That was offered up to the top 31 finishers, and some familiar names to cash but fall short of the final table were John Verdeaux (10th – $6,757), BJ McBrayer (15th – $5,672), Jesse Cohen (21st – $4,303), Ari Engel (25th – $3,618), and Jason White (31st – $3,391).

Coming out on top to claim $100,234 and his seventh career gold ring was Max Young, who marked his first victory in three years.

“It feels really, really good,” said the 37-year-old Young. “This is pulling me out of the worst downswing I’ve ever been in. It’s just been crazy.”

He added: “I’ve been studying with Chip Leader Coaching and Joe McKeehen’s my coach, he’s been helping me a lot, especially with sizing and stuff. Just getting some new perspective, so that’s been great.”

WSOPC Harrah’s Cherokee High Roller Final Table Results

Place	Player	Hometown	Prize
1	Max Young	North Palm Beach, FL	$100,234
2	Shankar Pillai	East Brunswich, NJ	$61,949
3	Thomas Newton	Smyrna, GA	$43,581
4	Marshall White	Boone, NC	$31,292
5	Matthew Higgins	Rossville, GA	$22,943
6	Angela Jordison	Bend, OR	$17,184
7	Anthony Dorlan	Hendersonville, TN	$13,153
8	James Anderson	Pittsburgh, PA	$10,295
9	Bradley Anderson	Missoula, MT	$8,244

WSOP Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee Winners

Tournament	Entries	Prize Pool	Winner	Hometown	Prize
Event #1: $400 NLH Double Stack	573	$189,090	Stuart Moody	Cary, NC	$25,241
Event #2: $400 NLH	2,726	$899,580	Shannon Hamblen	Smyrna, TN	$120,742
Event #3: $400 NLH	691	$228,030	Christopher Reaves	N/A	$41,728
Event #4: $400 Seniors NLH	925	$305,250	Richard Fowlkes	Englewood, FL	$51,755
Event #5: $600 NLH	414	$213,210	Josh Vanhoose	Hustonville, KY	$43,181
Event #6: $400 NLH 6-Max	786	$259,380	Brandon Zuidema	Corona, CA	$47,422
Event #7: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha	365	$120,450	Dominique Morrison	Neptune, NJ	$25,290
Event #8: $400 NLH Monster Stack	2,493	$822,690	Eric Snyder	Brevard, NC	$113,839
Event #9: $1,100 NLH	415	$404,625	Matthew Emmel	Charlotte, NC	$84,297
Event #10: $400 NLH	443	$146,190	Michael Esquivel	Clarendon Hills, IL	$29,108
Event #11: $250 Ladies NLH	198	$39,600	Donna Phillips	Mebane, NC	$9,550
Event #12: $1,700 Main Event	1,558	$2,360,370	Brett Bader	Coconut Creek, FL	$364,104
Event #13: $400 NLH	473	$156,090	Russell Brooks	Atlanta, GA	$30,623
Event #14: $400 NLH	581	$191,730	Matthew Stuff	Clarksville, TN	$35,501
Event #15: $250 Seniors NLH	914	$182,800	Richard Taylor	Canton, GA	$31,055
Event #16: $2,200 NLH High Roller	205	$410,000	Max Young	North Palm Beach, FL	$100,234
Event #17: $400 NLH Double Stack	423	$139,590	Eric Rivkin	Laguna Woods, CA	$28,146

The WSOP Circuit will now head to Hard Rock Tulsa from August 17-28 followed by Horseshoe Council Bluffs just outside Omaha from September 15-26. From there it will be stop at Aruba Hilton (September 22-October 2), Thunder Valley Casino (September 29-October 10), and Isle of Capri in Pompano Beach, Florida (October 13-24).

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