Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2016 WinStar River Poker Series
Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2016 WinStar River Poker Series
Buy-in
$2,400
Prize Pool
$2,500,000
Entries
1,054
Level
31
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000
A November Nine Appetizer? Vayo Leading WinStar Final Table
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 5,000 ante
It's down to just nine players out of 1,057 runners at the WinStar River Poker Series $2,500 Main Event, and the leader in the race for the $1 million first prize is November Niner Gordon Vayo.
Vayo had a blazing hot Day 2, moving into a spot among the leaders very early on and never relinquishing his massive stack. Seemingly every time someone played back at him, he either had the goods or outdrew a better hand. After scoring a few knockouts of short-stacked players, he busted start-of-day leader Andy Philachack when Philachack shoved under the gun with 
and Vayo woke up with 
on the button. The board ran out 
, leaving the king kicker a winner unimproved.
One of the only challengers to Vayo was Nathan Gamble, but he drew a seat on Vayo's right with two tables left. Vayo kept him at arm's length blind-versus-blind when Gamble raised to 120,000 at 20,000/40,000/4,000 and Vayo called. Vayo called 175,000 on the 
flop and then bet 330,000 when Gamble checked to him on an 
turn. Both checked the 
river and Gamble's 
lost to 
.
Gamble wound up falling in 11th. The day began with 107 players, all of them in the money, and some others who joined Gamble on the rail were TJ Cloutier, Rob Salaburu, Chris Staats, Rex Clinkscales, Ben Zamani, Brandon Steven, Mike Wang, Kevin Eyster, and Jake Bazeley.
Defending champ Maxx Coleman, who topped a three-way chop here last year, also made a run but busted 32nd when his queens were bested by a Ray Qartomy set of fives.
Vayo will take 6,845,000 in chips into the final table with the blinds heading to 40,000/80,000/10,000. Joining him will be Grant Hinkle (4,865,000), Ben Ector (3,840,000), Long Duc Nguyen (3,085,000), Chino Rheem (2,590,000), Daniel Fuhs (2,000,000), Layne Flack (1,555,000), Dean Bobel (945,000), and Jeff Duvall (675,000).
The final table continues Tuesday at noon local time and will play to a winner, with coverage here on PokerNews.
Final Table Chip Counts
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
6,845,000 | 945,000 |
|
4,865,000 | 265,000 |
|
3,840,000 | 190,000 |
|
3,085,000 | 485,000 |
|
2,590,000 | 640,000 |
|
2,000,000 | -800,000 |
|
1,555,000 | -795,000 |
|
945,000 | 305,000 |
|
675,000 | -805,000 |
Rheem Doubles Through Vayo
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 5,000 ante
Gordon Vayo opened on the button and called the shove of Chino Rheem, who had about 900,000 in the small blind.
Vayo: 
Rheem: 
The 
improved both players as Vayo flopped a set and Rheem an open-ender. An 
turn gave Rheem a straight but Vayo added a flush draw. The 
river was a blank.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,900,000 | -1,800,000 |
|
|
1,950,000 | 950,000 |
Chino Rheem Rivers a Set
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 5,000 ante
Chino Rheem opened to 140,000 and Long Duc Nguyen called from the small blind. The flop came 
, Nguyen check-called 175,000 and the turn came with the 
. Both players checked, the river came with the 
and Nguyen checked.
Rheem bet 475,000, Nguyen called and Rheem announced he had a set and rolled over pocket fours. Nguyen had bad news when he showed him pocket sevens for a flopped set.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,000,000 | -200,000 |
Level: 27
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Ante: 5,000
Ray Qartomy Eliminated in 10th Place ($25,038)
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Gordon Vayo opened to 110,000, Long Duc Nguyen called in the big blind, Layne Flack called from the small blind and Ray Qartomy called in the big blind with 250,000 behind.
The flop fell 
, action checked around the table and Qartomy called everyone a chicken by making clucking noises. The turn came the 
, action checked to Nguyen and he bet exactly 250,000. Qartomy hollywooded for a bit and then pushed his chips in the middle.
Qartomy: 
Nguyen: 
The river fell the , Qartomy lept from his chair in disbelief and was the first casualty of the final table.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,600,000 | 660,000 |
|
Busted |
Final Table Draw and Counts (full)
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
| Seat | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jeff Duvall |
| 2 | Ben Ector |
| 3 | Long Duc Nguyen |
| 4 | Layne Flack |
| 5 | Ray Qartomy |
| 6 | Grant Hinkle |
| 7 | Gordon Vayo |
| 8 | Chino Rheem |
| 9 | Daniel Fuhs |
| 10 | Dean Bobel |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,700,000 | 200,000 |
|
|
4,600,000 | 2,850,000 |
|
|
3,650,000 | 150,000 |
|
|
2,800,000 | |
|
|
2,350,000 | 350,000 |
|
|
1,940,000 | -60,000 |
|
|
1,480,000 | 180,000 |
|
|
1,200,000 | 400,000 |
|
|
640,000 | -185,000 |
|
|
380,000 | -420,000 |
Photos: WinStar River Poker Series Main Event Day 2
Nathan Gamble Eliminated in 11th Place ($25,038)
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Action folded to the small blind, where Grant Hinkle opened for a raise. Nathan Gamble shoved all in for about 1.5 million, and Hinkle snapped with . Gamble had 
and the board ran out dead for both players. Gamble rapped the table and headed for payouts.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |