{"id":9566,"date":"2025-07-31T03:58:36","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T03:58:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/31\/alex-cruz-wins-first-wsop-circuit-ring-at-choctaw-main-event\/"},"modified":"2025-07-31T03:58:36","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T03:58:36","slug":"alex-cruz-wins-first-wsop-circuit-ring-at-choctaw-main-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/31\/alex-cruz-wins-first-wsop-circuit-ring-at-choctaw-main-event\/","title":{"rendered":"Alex Cruz Wins First WSOP Circuit Ring at Choctaw Main Event"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>The poker calendar isn\u2019t slowing down even as players recover from the World Series of Poker. The <a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/poker\/world-series-of-poker-circuit\/\">WSOP Circuit<\/a> made its second stop of the season at Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, Oklahoma, where 18 rings were awarded over 12 days of action. The $1,700 buy-in no-limit hold\u2019em main event drew 968 players and wrapped up with a breakout win for Alex Cruz from Midland, Texas.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><em><strong>Good to know<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Cruz earned $241,412 and his first WSOP Circuit ring<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><strong>The Choctaw main event generated a prize pool of $1.3 million<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><strong>The tournament spanned three days and attracted 968 entries<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<p>Cruz\u2019s victory marks his first recorded live tournament win, a moment he says felt destined.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cI was due,\u201d<\/em> Cruz told reporters after the final hand. <em>\u201cYou know, some things are just meant to be. I had a really good feeling about this one. My friend even texted me, I think you are going to win this. Sometimes you just get gut feelings.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The road to victory wasn\u2019t easy. Cruz was the shortest stack with five players left and still battling from behind at four-handed play. He managed a critical double-up holding A<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2660.png\" alt=\"\u2660\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">7<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2660.png\" alt=\"\u2660\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\"> against A<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2666.png\" alt=\"\u2666\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">Q<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2665.png\" alt=\"\u2665\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">, spiking a runner-runner flush to stay alive. That momentum carried him through several more key hands, including a big knockout with pocket aces that leveled him with fellow contender Alex Rindone.<\/p>\n<div class=\"main-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-items box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"box-100 space-org-3-item relative border-tb mt-1 \">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-logo-title-box box-100 text-left relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-box box-25 relative img-radius\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/katsubet-casino\/\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<amp-img alt=\"Katsubet\" src=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Katsubet.png.webp\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" layout=\"fixed\"><br \/>\n\t\t<\/amp-img><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-title box-25 relative py-10\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/katsubet-casino\/\" title=\"Katsubet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Katsubet<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t<strong>5BTC or 111% + 111 Free Spins!<\/strong><br \/>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"pt-1\">New players only. Exclusive 111% Welcome Bonus  + 111 Free Spins<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating box-25 relative mb-10\">\n<div class=\"rating-box text-center box-100  relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating-box relative\">\n<div class=\"stars\"><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-rating-notice relative\">Casino<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/katsubet-casino\/\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">\tVisit Site<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As play reached the last few players, Cruz\u2019s stack grew, and he went into heads-up play against Rindone with a big lead. Rindone doubled up twice to stay in the fight, but Cruz methodically chipped away again.<\/p>\n<p>On the final hand, Cruz shoved the button holding Q<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2666.png\" alt=\"\u2666\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">4<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2665.png\" alt=\"\u2665\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">, and Rindone called with J<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2665.png\" alt=\"\u2665\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">10<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2666.png\" alt=\"\u2666\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">. The board fell A<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2660.png\" alt=\"\u2660\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">6<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2663.png\" alt=\"\u2663\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">3<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2663.png\" alt=\"\u2663\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">8<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2666.png\" alt=\"\u2666\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">4<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2663.png\" alt=\"\u2663\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\">, sealing the win for Cruz and locking up the largest score of his poker career.<\/p>\n<p>The final table featured several experienced players, including Peter Clive, who finished third for $111,537, and Eliaan Pilo, who finished fourth. Rindone, from Davenport, Texas, added another major result to his r\u00e9sum\u00e9 after winning the PokerAtlas Tour Dallas event last year.<\/p>\n<p>Two other finalists, Jacob Thibodeau and Ahmad Popal, share a curious connection\u2014both have career-best finishes in the WSOP Main Event, and both finished 74th in different years.<\/p>\n<div class=\"main-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-items box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"box-100 space-org-3-item relative border-tb mt-1 \">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-ins box-100 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-logo-title-box box-100 text-left relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-box box-25 relative img-radius\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/betus\/\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<amp-img alt=\"BetUS\" src=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/BetUS.png.webp\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" layout=\"fixed\"><br \/>\n\t\t<\/amp-img><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-logo-title box-25 relative py-10\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/betus\/\" title=\"BetUS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">BetUS<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-terms-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t<strong><strong>Get 125% \/ $2,500 on 1st deposit!<\/strong><\/strong><br \/>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"pt-1\">New players only. Exclusive Welcome Bonus of up to $2,500<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating box-25 relative mb-10\">\n<div class=\"rating-box text-center box-100  relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-rating-box relative\">\n<div class=\"stars\"><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><span class=\"star on\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-rating-notice relative\">Casino &#038; Sports<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button box-25 relative\">\n<div class=\"space-org-3-item-button-ins box-100 text-center relative\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/site\/betus\/\" title=\"Visit Site\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">\tVisit Site<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Final Table Payouts<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Alex Cruz \u2013 $241,412<\/li>\n<li>Alex Rindone \u2013 $160,932<\/li>\n<li>Peter Clive \u2013 $111,537<\/li>\n<li>Eliaan Pilo \u2013 $78,692<\/li>\n<li>Marcus Dickey \u2013 $56,535<\/li>\n<li>Rohini Telukutla \u2013 $41,373<\/li>\n<li>Jacob Thibodeau \u2013 $30,853<\/li>\n<li>Bradley Ritschel \u2013 $23,453<\/li>\n<li>Ahmad Popal \u2013 $18,180<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/poker-news\/alex-cruz-wins-first-wsop-circuit-ring-at-choctaw-main-event\/\">Alex Cruz Wins First WSOP Circuit Ring at Choctaw Main Event<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/\">iGaming.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The poker calendar isn\u2019t slowing down even as players recover from the World Series of Poker. The WSOP Circuit made its second stop of the season at Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, Oklahoma, where 18 rings were awarded over 12 days of action. The $1,700 buy-in no-limit hold\u2019em main event drew 968 players and wrapped [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-poker"],"blocksy_meta":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9566"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9566\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}