Joe Saleh Continues Amazing Mid-Major Run with WSOPC IP Biloxi Ring Win

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Yousef "Joe" Saleh

This weekend, the World Series of Poker Circuit is at Mississippi��s IP Biloxi for the $1,700 Main Event, which is being live reported here on PokerNews.

In the week leading up to that tournament, a series of side events has played out awarding gold rings and points for both the Casino Championship race and Global Casino Championship leaderboard.

Yousef "Joe" Saleh Captures First Ring

In Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold��em, 665 runners competed over four starting flights, which generated a $219,449 prize pool.

The top 91 players got paid including Greg Whitworth (10th - $3,289), David Nicholson (13th - $2,826), Craig Flood (20th - $2,197), Rodney Crosby (32nd - $1,583), Cecil White (43rd - $1,188), and Martin Zentner (57th - $815).

"If you keep playing the way you��re playing and work on it a little bit, you will be a champion."

Coming out on top was Yousef "Joe" Saleh, who claimed a $34,004 first-place prize and his first gold ring.

��I feel good. I already made two final tables this series. It��s awesome,�� Saleh said after the win. ��I believe in goals for myself. Last year, I wasn��t in poker that much. I played here at the IP the series and didn��t do anything. Then after that, I wanted to take it seriously. There��s a guy, Cory Waaland, who inspired me who said: ��If you keep playing the way you��re playing and work on it a little bit, you will be a champion.�� I just kind of took it seriously from this day. But it��s still a hobby, I don��t play for a living. I love the game, but it has ups and downs.��

As for his heads-up opponent, Easton Oreman, Saleh said: ��He played perfect. We both kind of played perfect. We swapped the chip lead about six times. I went down to one million, four big blinds. But I just kept playing my game and got lucky. You have to take advantage of being lucky, you cannot be lucky and just waste it. You can��t just believe it��s going to happen every day. It doesn��t.��

It was just the latest score for Saleh in a career year. In 2017 he cashed for just $826, and in 2018 that went up in $3,381. Thus far in 2019, he has $227,741 in tournament cashes which included wins on the WSOP Circuit, RunGood Poker Series, and Heartland Poker Tour. In August, he won the HPT Vicksburg for $36,895 and back in March took down the RGPS Tunica for $34,650.

Just last month Saleh was deemed ��Breakout Player of the Year�� at the inaugural Gulf Coast Poker Awards and also won the Poker Gras $600 Main Event for $34.195.

Event #2 Final Table Results

PlacePlayerHometownPrize
1Yousef "Joe" SalehMeridian, Mississippi$34,004
2Easton OremanKenner, Louisiana$21,322
3Jesse LottSelmer, Tennessee$15,903
4Aaron GaminoNashville, Tennesse$12,047
5Gavin MunroeGautier, Mississippi$9,278
6Philip WalshGulfport, Mississippi$7,269
7Greg UrbanskiMobile, Alabama$5,798
8Joseph HebertMetairie, Louisiana$4,711
9Bobby MoreePearl River, Louisiana$3,900

Robert Cheung Nabs Ring No. 3

Robert Cheung
Robert Cheung

In Event #5: $400 NLH 6-Handed, 107 entries created a $25,310 prize pool, which was paid out to the top 17 players. Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Daniel Boylen (10th - $912), Burnie Burns (13th - $650), and Todd Bartlett (16th - $650).

In the end, Canada��s Robert Cheung, a WSOP bracelet winner, beat Pricilla Giroir in heads-up play to win the tournament for $9,921 and his third career ring.

"Everyone was laughing, making jokes��having fun is more important than winning a tournament.��

��I feel good. I love it here. The people and the players here are nice and friendly and the casino is very nice,�� said Cheung. ��I��m very impressed with the tournament area. Everyone was laughing, making jokes��having fun is more important than winning a tournament.��

The Canadian businessman added: ��I have my business in Vancouver and whenever I can, I love to travel. Since the WSOP in summer this Vegas, I haven��t played any tournament. Everything went very smooth today. Everything has to go smooth to win a tournament.��

Event #5 Final Table Results

PlacePlayerHometownPrize
1Robert CheungVancouver, BC, Canada$9,921
2Priscilla GiroirLafayette, Louisiana$6,134
3Hanh NguyenBiloxi, Mississippi$4,100
4Colby HufmanKansas$2,831
5Jerry GiroirLafayette, Louisiana$2,021
6BJ McBrayerTuscaloosa, Alabama$1,495

WSOPC IP Biloxi Ring Winners

Here��s a look at all those who��ve won rings at the IP Biloxi stop thus far:

TournamentEntriesPrize PoolWinnerPrize
Event #1: $400 NLH Double Stack148$48,840Jonathan Honeycutt$12,946
Event #2: $400 NLH665$219,449Yousef "Joe" Saleh$34,004
Event #3: $250 NLH147$29,400Charles Brady$7,791
Event #4: $400 NLH One-Day90$29,700Russell Boyette$8,815
Event #5: $400 NLH 6-Handed107$35,310Robert Cheung$9,921
Event #6: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha79$26,070William Pollard$8,068
Event #7: $400 NLH 8-Handed153$50,490Trace Henderson$13,382
Event #8: $400 Monster Stack332$109,560Shawn Quillin$24,264
Event #9: $600 NLH145$74,675Corey Harrison$20,027
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PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.

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