Tunica Mississippi has casinos, a nice view of the Mississippi River, some cotton and not much else. Great people too, but there’s not much to do in Tunica that doesn’t involve the casinos. Paul Wasicka last made major No Limit Texas Hold’Em Poker news at a couple of tournaments in Las Vegas. One was on a major network, the NBC Heads Up Championship, the other was in the centerpiece of poker playing for the largest first place prize ever awarded. He won the former and placed the latter. After his latest victory his live tournament winnings total almost 8 million dollars.

In Tunica, a city with far less buzz than Las Vegas, Wasicka went back to farming victories. He won $139,422 and his buy-in to the 2010 WSOP Main Event when he prevailed in the 2009-2010 WSOP Circuit Event at Harrah’s Tunica. Wasicka who finished runner-up to Jaime Gold at the World Series of Poker Main Event probably had some sympathy for 2nd place finisher Larry Gurney though Wasicka made considerably more than the $94,488 Gurney won.

This past World Series Antonio Esfandiari made a deep run in the event and gave a large share of credit to his mindset coach Sam Chauhan. Gavin Smith recently won a tournament and cites Chauhan as an influence, and Josh Arieh is also rumored to be a client. So it is little surprise that Wasicka credits Chauhan’s teachings for his recent hot run.  Chauhan may not even know the first thing about Texas Hold’em Rules but you can’t argue with his results.

The positive thinking must be working Wasickastarted the second day of the $5,150 buy-in event seventh in chips with 35 remaining players and had an overwhelming chip lead going into the final table with 25% of those in play.

Jerry Saucier went out in ninth place early in the final table action. He couldn’t get his AJ to topple Carter Phillips KK. Saucier did manage an Ace on the turn, but because Carter hit a king on the flop it was just a taunting consolation. Saucier a retiree from Alabama won $12,368 for ninth place.

The next to go was Robert Thornhill. A bit of trickery by Larry Gurney induced a shove from a hand that needed some help. Gurney limped-in pre-flop and Thornhill shoved. He knew he was in trouble when Gurney dispatched the other limpers by making an all-in re-raise. Thornhill turned over pocket eights, and saw Gurney holding the same hand Phillips just had: pocket kings. It got worse as Gurney also made a set. Thornhill won $14,617.

Wasickagot the honors dispatching his friend Matt Stout in seventh place. His AK improved when yet another King hit the board. Stout won $17,990.

Another big name at the table, red-hot Dwyte Pilgrim was the next to get the heave-ho. Pilgrim took a bad beat then turned around and shoved into the pocket Aces of Robert Robb. A player so nice they named him twice.  He thought he was seeing double when the flop brought two more aces. It would have been tough for Pilgrim to overcome the two aces but four sealed an early final table demise. Sixth place paid Pilgrim $26,985.

The big names kept tumbling because Carter Phillips shoved on the button with pocket sixes. Invariably Gurney turned over a higher pair as he was running that way on that day and his Jacks held. Phillips added $35,980 to his lifetime winnings and walked away wondering what might have been.

Wasicka might have wondered if there was a big name hex as they fell like dominos. Looking around the table he had to recognize he was the last remaining name, still he had a chip stack that had to make him feel comfortable. Wasicka insured he wasn’t the next to go when he dispatched Shane Zell. Zell moved all-in for his remaining 100,000 chips with A10. Wasicka made the call also with A10 but his were suited clubs. Those clubs turned into a flush and Zell, the local boy from nearby Memphis went home with almost $45,000.

Robert Rob made it to third place and $62,965 but could go no further. Heads up play only lasted a level or two and at its conclusion Wasicka had a live multi-table circuit victory championship.