Just 25,000 was in the middle on a turn board of J♠3♠3♥6♣, but that pot would grow large and quickly after a massive cooler.
Brenda Threadgill bet 20,000 from the big blind and was raised to 80,000 by Thai Ha under the gun. Threadgill then moved all in for about 300,000 and was instantly called by Ha creating the largest pot of the day.
The winner would be the massive chip leader, and it would be Ha.
Brenda Threadgill: 9♦6♦6♥5♦
Thai Ha: J♦J♥5♥4♥
Threadgill's turned full house of sixes full of threes was drawing to one out versus Ha's flopped jacks full of threes.
The 6♠ would fail to materialize on the river for Threadgill, as instead it was the A♠, ending Threadgill's day in horrific fashion, while sending Ha's stack to 800,000 and a massive chip lead.
Play is now continuing hand-for-hand with just one more elimination needed to send the final nine players to Day 2 in the money.
Thai Ha has ended Day 1b with a flourish, scoring the final two eliminations of the day to finish with almost a million chips.
Just over 100,000 was in the pot on a flop of K♥10♦6♦ as David Mzareulov committed his final 104,000 chips versus Ha.
David Mzareulov: A♥A♦7♦6♣
Thai Ha: J♥10♣8♦6♥
Ha's bottom two pair were the best made hand against Mzareulov's aces and flush draw, and after the board completed 9♥3♠, Ha had scored the final elimination of the day to send the final nine players into the money and on to Day 2.
Stay tuned for a complete recap of the day, which was dominated by Ha.
The second of three flights for the $1,100 Pot Limit Omaha Championship at the Champions Club Winter Poker Open is in the books after a dominant performance from Thai Ha, who bagged a massive chip lead to wrap up Day 1b.
Ha, who won the $400 Monster Stack event Friday to kick off the series, will bring 940,000 chips into Day 2 on Tuesday after solidifying an already strong chip lead late in the day.
A distant second among the nine players who advanced from Day 1b is Jason Daly with 399,000, with Jason Fitzpatrick, who bubbled Day 1a bagging the day’s third largest stack of 319,000 chips.
PLO Championship Day 1b Final Nine Chip Counts
Rank
Player
Country
Chip Count
1
Thai Ha
Vietnam
940,000
2
Jason Daly
United States
399,000
3
Jason Fitzpatrick
United States
319,000
4
Thomas Shipp
United States
271,000
5
Andrew Koenigsberg
United States
210,000
6
Kyle Bowker
United States
202,000
7
Ken Han
United States
168,000
8
Quan Tran
United States
100,000
9
Gabriel Andrade
Ecuador
73,000
Day 1b Breakdown
After 37 entries on Day 1a, Sunday saw a big jump in attendance for this event with 67 entries making their way into the Champions Club poker room for Day 1b.
With that notable bump of players, the total prizepool now sits at $100,360 with a final opening flight set to go on Monday at 5 p.m. which will likely send the final number soaring past the $150,000 guarantee.
The winner’s share of that prizepool will be determined once a final entry total is announced at the end of Day 1c registration on Monday, but Ha will almost undoubtedly be the front runner for it once the Day 2 field returns at 5 p.m. CT on Tuesday.
Ha’s stack is almost double that of Day 1a chip leader Steven McKuin, who bagged 507,00 chips to top his flight.
As mentioned, Ha held the chip lead late into the day, but two massive eliminations to conclude play Sunday sent that already sizeable stack into untouchable territory at day’s end.
Brenda Threadgill
The most notable pot came when he eliminated Brenda Threadgill two spots off the bubble in an over 600,000 chip pot where his flopped full house coolered Threadgill’s inferior turned full house.
The clash with Threadgill was more than enough to send him into Day 2 with the overall chip lead, but for good measure, he scored the day’s final knockout as well, busting David Mzareulov on the bubble to add another 100,000+ chips to his stack.
Such notables as Ray Henson, Brad Ruben, and Kris Burchfield will have to try again on Day 1c. Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick, who was the unfortunate bubble boy of Day 1a has secured his seat on Tuesday with a healthy stack.
The Final Flight on Monday
Day 1c will be the last chance to advance, and another healthy field is expected with players keen to earn their chance at Winter Poker Open glory.
PokerNews will again be on hand to capture all the excitement, so keep your browsers locked right here for complete live reporting on the road to Tuesday’s live-streamed final table here at Champions Club in majestic Houston, Texas.
