$1,500 Main Event
Day 1c Completed
2019 WinStar Labor Day River Poker Series
$1,500 Main Event
Day: 1c
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
The final heat of the 2019 WinStar Labor Day River Poker Series $1,500 Main Event has come to a close after 15-plus levels of play. Action was loaded from the time cards went in the air until the bubble burst, with the day seeing 537 entries whittled down to the 65 that found themselves still standing when chips went into bags.
Leading the way among the largest flight of the three is Troy Stidd, who finished the day with 552,000 in chips. Amit Sehgal (520,000) and Katherine Offutt (510,000) round out the top three on the leader board, finding themselves as the only other two other players to bag over a half-million.
A handful of other notable players found their way into Day 2 on their final opportunity. Defending champion Will Pengelly will enter Day 2 with 284,000 in chips. Joining him include Chuck Barker (370,000) Will Berry (247,000), Lokesh Garg (153,000), and Kelly Minkin (85,000).
Some players who played and were not fortunate enough to find themselves on the Day 2 roster were Michael Wang, Ben Keeline, Andy Philacheck, Dejuante Alexander, and TJ Cloutier.
The 537 entries from Day 1c brings the three-day total number of buy-ins to 1,242. Though the official payout information has yet to be posted, the $1.5 million guaranteed prize pool will have been easily surpassed, with all 151 players returning to Day 2 having made it into the money. Payout information will be released before the start of Day 2.
Day 2 will start Monday at noon local time. Since all three Day 1 flights finished during Level 16 (3,000/6,000/6,000), that level will revert back to its beginning to start the day. All levels on Day 2 are one hour in length, meaning there will be a full 60 minutes on the clock when cards fly. Breaks will occur at the end of every two levels with a 45-minute dinner break after the sixth level of play for the day.
PokerNews will be on hand for all the action as the tournament progresses through the rungs on the payout ladder. Be sure to come back and see who navigates their way to Day 3.
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
552,000
552,000
|
552,000 |
|
520,000
520,000
|
520,000 |
|
510,000
320,000
|
320,000 |
|
422,000
152,000
|
152,000 |
|
402,000
402,000
|
402,000 |
|
370,000
82,000
|
82,000 |
|
339,000
-131,000
|
-131,000 |
|
332,000
104,000
|
104,000 |
|
||
|
330,000
8,000
|
8,000 |
|
329,000
-24,000
|
-24,000 |
|
|
325,000
325,000
|
325,000 |
|
325,000
325,000
|
325,000 |
|
311,000
311,000
|
311,000 |
|
|
302,000
302,000
|
302,000 |
|
300,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
299,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
|
291,000
171,000
|
171,000 |
|
284,000
108,000
|
108,000 |
|
268,000
118,000
|
118,000 |
|
250,000
8,000
|
8,000 |
|
248,000
248,000
|
248,000 |
|
247,000
77,000
|
77,000 |
|
|
244,000
244,000
|
244,000 |
|
243,000
243,000
|
243,000 |
|
234,000
234,000
|
234,000 |
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Steven McCartney opened to 17,000 in the cutoff and Mstr Lynch three-bet all in for around 90,000 from the small blind. James Jewell was in the big blind and went all in over the top of Lynch. McCartney folded.
Mstr Lynch: 
James Jewell: 
Lynch found his pair of jacks up against an even better pair in that of Jewell's queens. He would get a small sweat on the 
runout, turning an open-ended straight draw. However, he was unable to improve to anything beyond his pair of jacks and found himself as the 66th place finisher.
Players are now in the process of bagging and tagging their chips. Stay tuned for chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
242,000
97,000
|
97,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Chad Smith raised to 17,000 from middle position, and Laura Lett three-bet shoved for 142,000 in the cutoff. Smith snapped her off, leaving himself just 20,000 behind.
Laura Lett: 
Chad Smith: 
Smith shook his head upon seeing he was a victim of a classic cooler, and a 
runout brought no sweat for Lett, doubling her up while leaving Smith with just over three big blinds with the big blind looming.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
304,000
259,400
|
259,400 |
|
20,000
-222,000
|
-222,000 |
Level: 16
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 6,000
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
The final 66 players are off on a fifteen-minute break. When they return, bubble play and hand-for-hand play will resume.
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
A player had his last 68,500 in from under the gun, and James Jewell, who had him covered by just 1,000, had called on the button.
Opponent: 
James Jewell: 
Jewell spiked his king on the 
flop, and faded the 
turn and 
river to eliminate his unlucky opponent, bringing the field to the direct bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
145,000
101,500
|
101,500 |
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
John Richards found himself down to around 23,000 and went all in from the cutoff. Brian Lane gave him action from the small blind.
John Richards: 
Brian Lane: 
"Nines? I can beat that!" said Richards.
The flop then came .
"All I need is an ace," he amended as the turn fell 
. The river was just as unrelenting, coming to send Richards to the rail in 68th place.
With 67 remaining, the tournament is now in hand-for-hand play until the last two eliminations occur to end play for the evening.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
135,000 | |
|
Busted |
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Cory Van Kleeck jammed for 31,000 from the small blind, and John Richards went into the tank in the big blind, sitting with around 65,000.
"I like to gamble," Richards told Van Kleeck, before eventually calling.
Cory Van Kleeck: 
John Richards: 
Van Kleeck found a set on the 
flop, but Richards stayed alive when the turn gave him a gutshot. The river filled up Van Kleeck, and he doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
67,000
67,000
|
67,000 |
|
|
34,000
34,000
|
34,000 |