Main Event Day 1b | 2014 WinStar River Poker Series

08-31-2014 03:51 UTC

Ho Folds to River Ship

Josh_Cahlik

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 400 ante

Andy Philachack was in early position and raised to 5,500. Maria Ho called from two seats over and the rest of the table folded. The flop came down and Philachack continued out for 11,000. Ho flatted to see the on the turn. Philachack slowed with a check, Ho fired 16,500, and Philachack stuck around.

The river put two pair on the board with the and Philachack wasted no time shipping all in. This was, in fact, a bet for Ho's stack of roughly 48,000. She thought for approximately 45 seconds before flicking her cards into the muck. Philachack took down the pot and now has around 170,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andy Philachack	170,000
Maria Ho	48,000 -35,000	-35,000

Tags: Maria Ho Andy Philachack

08-31-2014 03:42 UTC

Kogel Wins Flip To Survive

[user272102]

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 400 ante

Nate Kogel and another player would get all their chips in the middle pre-flop with Kogel's opponent having him covered by just 600 in chips. They were racing as Kogel held and his opponent had . The flop moved Kogel quickly into the lead as it came and nothing would change on the turn or river. Kogel doubled up to 110,000 in chips in the process of winning that hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nate Kogel	110,000 52,000	52,000

08-31-2014 03:34 UTC

Bowker Gone, Sengphet Soars

Josh_Cahlik

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 400 ante

We missed the action, but arrived at the table just as Kyle Bowker gathered his belongings and exited the tournament area. Back at the table, La Sengphet was stacking chips after delivering the final blow to Bowker.

Sengphet is having a successful day here so far. The recent knockout brought her stack up to around 165,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
La Sengphet	165,000 47,000	47,000
Kyle Bowker	Busted

Tags: Kyle Bowker La Sengphet

Level: 14

Blinds: 1,200/2,400

Ante: 400

08-31-2014 03:29 UTC

Jordan Morgan Having a Tough Go At It

[user272102]

Level 13 : 1,000/2,000, 300 ante

Jordan Morgan opened for 4,000 from middle position and it was folded around to the player in the big blind who thought for about thirty seconds before putting in a raise to 11,200. Morgan quickly folded.

The very next hand Morgan raised again to 4,000 and it was folded once again to the big blind (a different player this time) who tossed out the call. The flop came and the player in the big blind check-called a 4,200 bet from Morgan. He would check-call again on the turn with Morgan's bet being 7,100 this time. The river was the and both players would check and Morgan would muck after his foe showed .

Morgan, who recently won his first World Series of Poker bracelet, is still alive but is down to 35,700 in chips after those two hands.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jordan Morgan	35,700 -10,300	-10,300

Tags: Jordan Morgan

08-31-2014 03:15 UTC

Assorted Chip Counts

Josh_Cahlik

Level 13 : 1,000/2,000, 300 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Seneca Easley	120,000 -30,000	-30,000
La Sengphet	118,000 80,000	80,000
Dan Martin	115,000 101,000	101,000
Bryan Campanello	100,000 -17,000	-17,000

Maria Ho	83,000 9,000	9,000
Kyle Bowker	78,000 -12,000	-12,000

Robbie Beck	62,000 40,000	40,000
Nate Kogel	58,000 -47,000	-47,000
Katherine Bowen	50,000 11,000	11,000
Jordan Morgan	46,000 -24,000	-24,000

Huy Nguyen	41,000 -8,000	-8,000
Ralph Massey	37,000 -8,000	-8,000
Tom Marchese	27,000 -16,000	-16,000

08-31-2014 03:13 UTC

Maria Ho, More Than Just a Poker Player

[user272102]

Level 13 : 1,000/2,000, 300 ante

Earlier today, David "ODB" Baker sent out the following tweet:

David Baker @audavidb

1 big reason The River is growing despite heavy competition is @MariaHo she is a great ambassador for @WinStarWorld and reason many are hereAugust 30, 2014

Reply Retweet Favorite

Follow @audavidb

Truer words have never been spoken as Ho has been passionate in her support of the WinStar River Poker Series and the number of big names in the poker world that have flocked here is clearly impacted by her role as the ambassador for the tournament. PokerNews sat down with Ho over the most recent break to ask her a few questions.

PN: Can you tell us a little bit about your relationship with Winstar? How did it start and how did it get to where it is today?

Maria Ho: It was about five years ago and I was researching tournaments to play and I saw one here with a good guarantee and decided to come out here on my own. I made the trip and found this hidden gem of a tournament. I got to talking with the poker room manager, played the tournament, and after the series was over we continued talking about the potential of being an ambassador and they eventually brought me on.

PN: Poker players think you do a great job and are a key component to the success this tournament has. What about your role as ambassador here is important to you?

Maria Ho: People don't know what a great value this tournament is and I want to spread the word around. I try to my best at representing poker in a good way and I take that responsibility very serious. I wouldn't tell players to come here if I didn't think it was a good value for them. I want poker to continue to do well and thrive and will do everything I can to help make that happen.

PN: What would you say is your greatest poker accomplishment?

Maria Ho: My consistency. I've been able to play for ten years without going broke. I'm still looking for that big marquee win but my game continually evolves and I'm able to adapt as the game adapts.

PN: What would you say is your greatest life accomplishment?

Maria Ho: Being able to provide for my family and friends and work with charities that I believe in. It's good to be able to use some of my success to help others.

PN: When I first interviewed you over five years ago, you said your family didn't like you playing poker. Has that changed since then?

Maria Ho: *laughs* No, no, not really. They are very traditional and still don't like it but they know I've been able to do good with it so that helps some.

PN: Where do you see yourself going from here?

Maria Ho: I'm going to continue playing and want to continue doing other things that are related to poker like my being an ambassador here and being a commentator for the Heartland Poker Tour. I'm open to anything related to poker.

PN: Who are your favorite players to play with?

Maria Ho: Daniel Negreanu for one. He's so fun. I was playing at a table at the World Series of Poker this summer and the table had been quiet for the last two hours... not a word had been said. Daniel moved to our table and he had everyone talking within two minutes.

Also Phil Ivey. I like watching how people play against him. It's fascinating.

PN: Who are your least favorite players to play with?

Maria Ho *laughs again* Basically anyone that is young, looks like they play a lot online, and is aggressive.

PN: Where do you see poker going from here? Is there still room for growth?

Maria Ho: I think there is, especially if poker slowly makes it way back into the United States. It might decline for a little until that happens but I don't think poker has reached it's ceiling.

Tags: Daniel Negreanu David "ODB" Baker Maria Ho Phil Ivey

08-31-2014 02:52 UTC

Easley Thriving

Josh_Cahlik

Level 13 : 1,000/2,000, 300 ante

Just before the break, we caught a hand with Seneca Easley that put his stack right around the 150,000 chip mark. The hand began with Easley opened to 3,500 from early position. Action trickled around to the cutoff and he made it 8,800 to go. The button and blinds folded and Easley flatted the three-bet.

The flop came down and Easley checked to the raiser. His opponent continued at the pot for 9,000 and Easley came over the top with a check-raise, moving forward enough to put his opponent all in. Easley's opponent called for roughly 45,000 and the hands were turned over.

Easley:
Opponent:

Easley's pocket jacks were int he lead and they stayed that way through the turn {(qh}) and the river (). Easley scored the elimination and boosted this stack to around 150,000.