The race for the World Sequence of Poker Circuit’s all-time ring chief has seen one other shift on the high.
Ari Engel has now pulled forward of Maurice Hawkins, taking the lead with 19 WSOP Circuit rings. Only a week in the past, the 2 had been neck-and-neck, however Engel’s victory on Saturday has made him the frontrunner.
Engel reached an unprecedented milestone through the 2025 March On-line Tremendous Circuit on WSOP.com Pennsylvania, profitable the $35,000 assured NLH Large $500 occasion, which had 86 entries. His victory earned him $10,141 and put him within the lead on the all-time leaderboard.
In the meantime, Hawkins, who was tied with Engel simply days in the past, just lately gained the $1,700 Most important Occasion at WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Baltimore, taking house $140,752. Nonetheless, Hawkins’ win sparked controversy when, on the remaining desk, he eradicated Divyam Satyarthi in third place regardless of Satyarthi holding one of the best hand.
Engel v Hawkins: A Timeline
Hawkins’ journey to the all-time ring chief standing started in earnest within the early 2010s. By 2017, Hawkins reached the WSOP Circuit summit when he gained his tenth ring. This victory formally established him because the all-time chief on the time.
Nonetheless, Hawkins’ reign on the high was interrupted in 2018 by Valentin Vornicu. Vornicu briefly overtook Hawkins, securing his twelfth ring to push Hawkins into second place. However Hawkins wasn’t to be outdone for lengthy. By April 2019, he clinched his twelfth ring, sharing the highest spot as soon as once more. Simply two weeks later, he achieved his thirteenth ring, formally reclaiming the number-one place the place he would stay for a big stretch of time.
Although Hawkins had cemented his place on the high, his reign was not with out challenges. In 2021, Josh Reichard briefly tied Hawkins with 14 rings. Hawkins’ response was swift, as he rapidly gained his fifteenth ring in early 2023 to keep up his lead. At that time, Hawkins appeared untouchable.
Whereas Hawkins dominated the Circuit within the 2010s, a brand new challenger started to emerge on the horizon: Ari Engel. Engel’s ascent on the WSOP Circuit leaderboard was regular however unmistakable. By 2023, Engel was inside placing distance of Hawkins. That yr, Engel gained a powerful 5 rings, pushing his whole from 11 to 16 to take pole place for the primary time.
Hawkins added one other ring to his assortment in 2023, bringing his whole to 16 as properly. The 2 gamers had been locked in a lifeless warmth, each vying for the highest place.
Engel’s second breakthrough got here in 2024. He secured his seventeenth ring, briefly pulling forward of Hawkins to take the lead as soon as once more. Hawkins, who had lengthy been the face of WSOP Circuit dominance, was now in a race to reclaim his place.
In January 2025, Engel gained one other ring within the on-line circuit, bringing his whole to 18 rings. Regardless of Engel’s lead, Hawkins was removed from executed. In early 2025, Hawkins responded to Engel’s surge with two extra WSOP Circuit victories, bringing his whole to 18 rings—tied as soon as once more with Engel on the high. The rivalry was heating up as soon as extra, with every participant answering the opposite’s success with spectacular wins of their very own.
Then, on March 8, 2025, Engel as soon as once more made his mark. He claimed his nineteenth ring in a victory through the March On-line Tremendous Circuit on WSOP.com PA, regaining his place on the high of the all-time leaderboard. Engel’s victory pushed him forward of Hawkins as soon as extra—at the least for now.
YearEventBuy-inPlaceEarnings
2025WSOP Circuit – Horseshoe Baltimore (Maryland) – WSOPC Occasion #10: MAIN EVENT$1,7001st$140,752
2025WSOP Circuit – Harrah’s Pompano Seashore (Florida) – WSOPC Occasion #15: Grand Grasp 40/40/40$4001st$16,137
2023WSOP Circuit – Harrah’s Cherokee (North Carolina) – WSOPC Occasion #13: MAIN EVENT$1,7001st$259,160
2023WSOP Circuit – Harrah’s Cherokee (North Carolina) – WSOPC Occasion #16: No-Restrict Maintain’em Excessive Curler$2,2001st$54,599
2020WSOP Circuit – CHOCTAW DURANT (Oklahoma/Dallas) – Ring Occasion #8: No-Restrict Maintain’em (1 Day)$4001st$16,898
2020WSOP Circuit – HORSESHOE TUNICA – Occasion #8: No-Restrict Maintain’em Monster Stack$4001st$31,372
2019WSOP Circuit – HARRAH’S CHEROKEE (North Carolina) – Occasion #4: No-Restrict Maintain’em (BB Ante)$6001st$44,297
2018WSOP Circuit – HARRAH’S NEW ORLEANS – Occasion #8: No-Restrict Maintain’em Excessive Curler Re-Entry (100K Assure)$2,2001st$71,680
2017WSOP Circuit – HORSESHOE COUNCIL BLUFFS (Omaha/Iowa) – Most important Occasion #10: MAIN EVENT$1,6751st$97,561
2017WSOP Circuit – PALM BEACH KENNEL CLUB (Florida) – Occasion #12: No-Restrict Maintain’em Re-Entry$3651st$13,527
2016WSOP Circuit – PALM BEACH KENNEL CLUB (Florida) – Occasion #10: MAIN EVENT$1,6751st$95,921
2016WSOP Circuit – HARRAH’S CHEROKEE (North Carolina) – Ring Occasion #10A/B: MAIN EVENT$1,6751st$279,722
2016WSOP Circuit – HORSESHOE COUNCIL BLUFFS (Omaha/Iowa) – Occasion #11: MAIN EVENT$1,6751st$113,152
2016WSOP Circuit – HORSESHOE COUNCIL BLUFFS (Omaha/Iowa) – Ring Occasion #9: Monster Stack No-Restrict Maintain’em$3651st$19,477
2014WSOP Circuit – PALM BEACH KENNEL CLUB (Florida) – Occasion #1: No-Restrict Maintain’em Re-Entry Million Greenback Assure$5801st$183,498
2009WSOP Circuit – HORSESHOE SOUTHERN INDIANA (Louisville/Indiana) – Occasion #10: No-Restrict Maintain’em$1,0601st$39,816
2009WSOP Circuit – CAESARS PALACE (Las Vegas) – Occasion #1: No-Restrict Maintain’em$1,0601st$40,355
2008WSOP Circuit – HARRAH’S ATLANTIC CITY (New Jersey) – Occasion #4: No-Restrict Maintain’em$5601st$48,380
Calum Grant
Senior Editor & Reside Occasions Government
Calum has been part of the PokerNews workforce since September 2021 after working within the UK power sector. He performed his first hand of poker in 2017 and instantly fell in love with the sport.
Calum has written for numerous poker retailers however discovered his house at PokerNews, the place he has contributed to numerous articles and reside updates, offering insights and reporting on main poker occasions, together with the World Sequence of Poker (WSOP).
