Ruppert Captures Second Ring in Choctaw Event #4
In the Live Blog for Day 1a, we updated you on the first three preliminary ring events that took place earlier this week here in Choctaw. In case you missed those, here they are again for your reading pleasure:
- WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant Ring Event #1 No-Limit Hold’em
- WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant Ring Event #2 $580 No-Limit Hold’em Re-Entry
- WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant Ring Event #3 $365 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo
Keeping with that theme, here's a look back at Ring Event #4 $365 No-Limit Hold’em, with help from the WSOP Media Coordinator Lukas Willems, who has been in Choctaw all week monitoring the preliminary action.
Aaron Ruppert joined the elite club of two-time WSOP Circuit champions Tuesday morning at Choctaw Resort. The Oklahoma-based pro bested 338 entrants in Event 4, a $365 No-Limit Hold’em tournament, to take home $23,326 and, of course, his second WSOP Circuit gold ring. Ruppert’s first victory came last year at Horseshoe Council Bluffs in a $350 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo tournament when he bested 178 entrants to win $13,983.
“I won [a ring] last year in Council Bluffs and this one is a little bit more [prize money] than that one, so hopefully the trend continues,” Ruppert said of his wins. Ruppert is a familiar face on the WSOP Circuit and close friends with three-time champion Huy Nguyen. Both are highly successful players in their own right, but Ruppert says his success is a direct result of the relationships he’s formed in the poker community, not only with Nguyen, but with others as well.
“The number one reason I’ve gotten pretty good at poker is just from talking to my friends and going over strategy all the time,” Ruppert said. “To have Huy [Nguyen] and a bunch of other friends who are probably better than me at poker; to learn from them and to learn from each other, it’s key. You can’t be overconfident and think you can do it yourself. You’ve got to use your friends to get better.”
If that’s true, Ruppert is certainly indebted to his colleagues. The 32-year-old from Norman, Okla. has almost $175,000 in career earnings at the WSOP including back-to-back WSOP Main Event cashes and two Circuit victories. Amazingly, Ruppert says poker isn’t even his first love. His true passion lies in meteorology, a hobby he went to grad school for and practices to this day. When he’s not on the felt Ruppert can be found chasing storms and even appeared on the Discovery Channel’s “Storm Chasers” for a season.
“Weather is my number one love, poker might be number two now,” Ruppert said. One thing is clear, whatever Ruppert sets his mind to, be it storm chasing or tournament poker, the sky is the limit.
WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant Ring Event #4 No-Limit Hold’em
| Buy-in | Entrants | Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|
| $300+$65 | 338 | $101,400 |
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Ruppert | Norman, OK | $23,326 |
| 2 | Herman Toney | Spring, TX | $14,418 |
| 3 | Alexander Mendoza | Conroe, TX | $10,518 |
| 4 | Jeremy Cook | Jefferson City, MO | $7,802 |
| 5 | Pavlin Karakikov | Harwood Heights, IL | $5,877 |
| 6 | Billy Taylor | Durant, OK | $4,495 |
| 7 | Darin Brock | Irving, TX | $3,488 |
| 8 | Alex Gyr | Dallas, TX | $2,746 |
| 9 | Wesley Parnell | Dallas, TX | $2,192 |