All posts by BJ Nemeth

Davy Jones Ridout Wins the Final Trophy of WPT Tampa for $11,162

2021 WPT Tampa
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 20
$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Entries:  98
Prize Pool:  $32,830
June 22, 2021

Event 20 Champion Davy Jones Ridout
Event 20 Champion Davy Jones Ridout

“I’m so grateful and so happy that I got to play the last tournament,” said Davy Jones Ridout. “I was the last guy here, and I’m walking out with a nice guitar trophy.”

Event 20 wasn’t the final tournament that began during the 2021 WPT Tampa series, but it was the last one to finish, highlighted by more than an hour of three-handed play with nobody busting in an empty tournament room.

But eventually the dam burst, with Ben Miner busting in third place, and then Ridout defeated Wilmer Chavira heads-up for the title, the trophy, and $11,162.

“The final table was fantastic,” said Ridout, who was smiling and laughing through most of the final table regardless of the size of his chip stack.. “The other players were really fun, and I had a great time.”

Ridout’s final words were in appreciation of the staff here at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa.

“The tournament was awesome, and the dealers were amazing,” said Ridout. “The staff was really awesome. I couldn’t ask for anything else.”


1st:  Davy Jones Ridout  –  $11,162 + Trophy
2nd:  Wilmer Chavira  –  $6,402
3rd:  Ben Miner  –  $4,005
4th:  Eric Tarikas  –  $2,708
5th:  Justin Fulbright  –  $2,052
6th:  Mark “Bud” Wiser  –  $1,642
7th:  Rishi Srivastava  –  $1,445
8th:  Sherman Supley  –  $1,313
9th:  Grant Missonis  –  $1,116
10th:  Eric Mutschler  –  $985

Event 20 - Final Three Players
Event 20 – Final Three Players

Event 20: Davy Ridout Wins! ($11,162); Wilmer Chavira Finishes as Runner-Up ($6,402)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  20,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  1 of 98

Davy Ridout
Event 20 Champion Davy Ridout

A little while after Ben Miner was eliminated in third place, Wilmer Chavira got it all in from the button for about 300,000 with Kc4s, but he was dominated by the AsKd of Davy Ridout, needing to improve to stay alive.

The board came Qh10c7hJc8h, and Ridout won the pot — and the final event of the 2021 WPT Tampa series — with an ace-high straight.

Congratulations to Davy Ridout!

1st:  Davy Ridout  –  $11,162 + Trophy
2nd:  Wilmer Chavira  –  $6,402
3rd:  Ben Miner  –  $4,005
4th:  Eric Tarikas  –  $2,708
5th:  Justin Fulbright  –  $2,052
6th:  Mark “Bud” Wiser  –  $1,642
7th:  Rishi Srivastava  –  $1,445
8th:  Sherman Supley  –  $1,313
9th:  Grant Missonis  –  $1,116
10th:  Eric Mutschler  –  $985

Wilmer Chavira
Runner-Up Wilmer Chavira

Event 20: Ben Miner – 3rd Place ($4,005)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  20,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 98

There was a full hour after the elimination of Eric Tarikas in fourth place where the final three players seemed to be playing cautiously. There were some all-in bets, but no calls.

They started out three-handed play nearly even in chips, but Ben Miner slowly lost chips until he was the clear short stack.

Eventually, Davy Ridout got it all in from the button for 680,000 with KcQs, and he needed to improve to stay alive against the JdJc of Wilmer Chavira in the big blind.

The board came Kd3s2h2d5d, and Ridout paired his king on the flop to win the pot and double up in chips.

Davy Ridout  –  1,410,000  (47 bb)
Wilmer Chavira  –  380,000  (13 bb)

A few minutes later, Ben Miner was all in from the big blind for 140,000 with Jh9h, and he needed to improve to stay alive against Davy Ridouts’s Kd7s in the small blind.

The board came Ac6s4hJc5c, and Miner paired his jack on the turn to stay alive and double up in chips.

Ben Miner  –  310,000  (10 bb)
Davy Ridout  –  1,250,000  (42 bb)

About five minutes later, Ben Miner was all in from the big blind for about 200,000 with Kh8h, and he needed to improve to stay alive against Davy Ridout’s AsJs in the small blind.

The board came Qs8s6hKs5d, and Ridout turned an ace-high flush to win the pot and eliminate Miner in third place.

Ben Miner  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($4,005)

Here are the approximate chip counts for the start of heads-up play, followed by the payouts:

Davy Ridout  –  1,525,000  (51 bb)
Wilmer Chavira  –  425,000  (14 bb)

1st:  $11,162 + Trophy
2nd:  $6,402

3rd:  Ben Miner  –  $4,005
4th:  Eric Tarikas  –  $2,708
5th:  Justin Fulbright  –  $2,052
6th:  Mark “Bud” Wiser  –  $1,642
7th:  Rishi Srivastava  –  $1,445
8th:  Sherman Supley  –  $1,313
9th:  Grant Missonis  –  $1,116
10th:  Eric Mutschler  –  $985

Event 20: Eric Tarikas – 4th Place ($2,708)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 98

Eric Tarikas
Eric Tarikas

Eric Tarikas was all in from the big blind for 80,000 with Qd8h, and he needed it to hold to stay alive against Ben Miner’s 9s6d in the small blind.

The board came AsQsKh3d5c, and Tarikas won the pot with a flopped pair of queens to double up in chips.

Eric Tarikas  –  175,000  (12 bb)
Ben Miner  –  650,000  (43 bb)

A few minutes later, Tarikas was once again all in from the big blind, this time for about 190,000 with 8s8c, and he needed it to hold to stay alive against the AcQs of Davy Ridout on the button.

The board came AsQhJhQd4s, and Ridout flopped two pair and turned a full house to win the pot and eliminate Tarikas in fourth place.

Davy Ridout  –  725,000  (48 bb)
Eric Tarikas  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($2,708)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is about 655,000 (44 big blinds), and the remaining players are all guaranteed at least $4,005 each.

Event 20: Justin Fulbright – 5th Place ($2,052)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 98

Justin Fulbright
Justin Fulbright

Justin Fulbright was all in from the button for about 200,000 with As2d, and he needed to improve to stay alive against the JhJd of Wilmer Chavira in the small blind.

The board came Qs10h2c3s6c — Fulbright paired his deuce on the flop, but improved no further. The pocket jacks held up for Chavira to win the pot and eliminate Fulbright in fifth place.

Wilmer Chavira  –  660,000  (44 bb)
Justin Fulbright  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($2,052)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is about 490,000 (33 big blinds), and the remaining players are all guaranteed at least $2,708 each.

Zhuang Ruan Wins the Final $5K Event for $66,837

2021 WPT Tampa
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 21
$5,000 Eight-Max NLH (Re-Entry)
Entries:  33
Prize Pool:  $156,750
June 22, 2021

Event 21 Champion Zhuang Ruan
Event 21 Champion Zhuang Ruan

On the final day of the 2021 WPT Tampa series, the final event was an afternoon $5,000 buy-in eight-max no limit hold’em event, and it attracted 33 players to generate a total prizepool of $156,750.

The final four players finished in the money, and Zhuang Ruan defeated Filipp Khavin heads-up for the title, the trophy, and $66,837.


1st:  Zhuang Ruan  –  $66,837 + Trophy
2nd:  Filipp Khavin  –  $41,309
3rd:  Arthur Conan  –  $27,114
4th:  Philip Shing  –  $21,490

Event 20: Eric Tarikas Taking Some Hits

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 98

Eric Tarikas
Eric Tarikas

Wilmer Chavira moved all in under the gun for 190,000, and Eric Tarikas moved all in over the top from the small blind with AsKc. Chavira turned over Ks10c, and needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came Jd6s2s10d4h, and Chavira paired his ten on the turn to win the pot and double up in chips.

Wilmer Chavira  –  410,000  (27 bb)
Eric Tarikas  –  260,000  (17 bb)

A few minutes later, Justin Fulbright was all in from the big blind for 110,000 with KsKh, and he needed it to hold to stay alive against the AdQh of Tarikas.

The board came Qd5h4sKd10h — Tarikas paired his queen on the flop to give himself additional outs, but Fulbright turned a set of kings to clinch the pot and double up in chips.

Justin Fulbright  –  235,000  (16 bb)
Eric Tarikas  –  135,000  (9 bb)

With five players remaining, the average chip stack is about 392,000 (26 big blinds), and the remaining players are all guaranteed at least $2,052 each.

Event 20: Mark Wiser – 6th Place ($1,642)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 98

Mark "Bud" Wiser
Mark “Bud” Wiser

Mark “Bud” Wiser raised under the gun to 31,000, Wilmer Chavira reraised from the cutoff to 62,000, and chipleader Davy Ridout moved all in from the button.

Wiser tanked for a while before he called all in for about 43,000, and Chavira quickly folded.

Wiser turned over 10d3c, and needed to improve to stay alive against Ridout’s QsQd.

The board came KcQc4s2c8h — Ridout flopped a set of queens and Wiser turned a club flush draw, but he improved no further. Ridout won the pot with his set to eliminate Wiser in sixth place.

Davy Ridout  –  810,000  (68 bb)
Mark Wiser  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($1,642)

With five players remaining, the average chip stack is about 392,000 (33 big blinds), and the remaining players are all guaranteed at least $2,052 each.

Event 20: Rishi Srivastava – 7th Place ($1,445)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 98

Rishi Srivastava
Rishi Srivastava

Davy Ridout raised from the cutoff to 40,000, Rishi Srivastava moved all in button for 175,000, and Ridout tanked for a while before he said, “I call.”

“That sucks,” said Srivastava, as he showed AdJc.

Ridout turned over AcKs, and Srivastava needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came Qs5h4h2s2h — Srivastava turned four additional outs to a chop, but improved no further. Ridout won the pot with his king to eliminate Srivastava in seventh place.

Davy Ridout  –  625,000  (52 bb)
Rishi Srivastava  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($1,445)

With six players remaining, the average chip stack is about 327,000 (27 big blinds), and the remaining players are all guaranteed at least $1,642 each.

Event 21: Money Bubble Bursts With Four Players Left

$5,000 Eight-Max NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 17:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 33

Event 21 - Final Four Players
Event 21 – Final Four Players

After the elimination of Dustin Goldklang in fifth place, the final four players are in the money, guaranteed at least $21,490 each.

Shortly after Goldklang’s elimination, Arthur Conan doubled thru chipleader Zhuang Ruan, with Conan’s Ah10h holding up against Ruan’s Ac9d.

Here is the lineup, with their updated chip counts after Conan’s double-up.

Seat 1.  Arthur Conan  –  72,000  (12 bb)
Seat 2.  Filipp Khavin  –  125,000  (21 bb)
Seat 3.  Philip Shing  –  53,000  (9 bb)
Seat 4.  Zhuang Ruan  –  415,000  (69 bb)

And here are the payouts they’re playing for:

1st:  $66,837 + Trophy
2nd:  $41,309
3rd:  $27,114
4th:  $21,490