WSOPC - Only 99 participants in Council Bluffs

The field at the World Series of Poker Circuit event at the Horseshoe in Council Bluffs is very small, with only 99 players, because of the WPT events running in parallel.

Because of the countless preliminary events at the L.A. Poker Classics, most pros were already in Los Angeles before the WPT event. The additional trip to Iowa discouraged many players from attending the WSOPC event.

However, at least one player made the extra trip. Brandon Cantu from the USA, who placed 6th in a $2,500 tournament in Los Angeles just a few days ago. Unfortunately he was eliminated before the money. His bigest success to date was his first place at a $1,500 NLH tournament at the 2006 WSOP.

The last remaining pro in the tournament is Bernard Lee. He recently won the World Poker Finals in Mashantucket, in November 2007. He also managed a 12th place in a $2,500 event at the Borgata Winter Open.

The rest of the tournament field is made up mostly of locals.

The prize pool totals $469,150 and the top nine will be paid, with first place paying $168,894 and, as usual, a ticket to the $10,000 WSOP Main Event.