2014 WinStar River Poker Series

Main Event
Day: 1c
Event Info

2014 WinStar River Poker Series

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a9
Prize
$1,000,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,400
Prize Pool
$3,175,200
Entries
1,323
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
30,000

Willerson Bounces

Level 17 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Jim Willerson opened to 12,000 from under the gun and it folded around to the player in the hijack who three-bet to 25,000. Action came back to Willerson and he four-bet shipped for 59,500 total, sending his opponent into the tank. After over a minute, his opponent slid out a call.

Willerson: {9-Spades}{9-Diamonds}
Opponent: {A-Spades}{k-Clubs}

The board fell {2-Spades}{Q-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds}{J-Diamonds}{10-Spades}, giving Willerson's opponent the nut straight for the knockout. The World Series of Poker bracelet winner made a quick exit from the tournament room.

Player Chips Progress
Jim Willerson us
Jim Willerson
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Jim Willerson

Down to Double Digits

Level 17 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

There are 92 players remaining meaning the tournament is 41 eliminations away before they make the money and wrap up play for the night.

Level: 17

Blinds: 2,500/5,000

Ante: 500

It's a Brutal Game

Level 16 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

"God D***it!!! F***!"

Those were the words yelled from a player two tables over from the media desk. We walked over to see the cause of the commotion.

The board showed {9-Spades}{5-Clubs}{4-Hearts}{K-Hearts}{J-Clubs}. Sitting in front of our upset player was {Q-Hearts}{Q-Spades}. In front of his opponent... {J-Spades}{J-Diamonds}. The upset player wasn't eliminated but the loss crippled him down to less than 20,000 in chips.

"Brutal game," said an observer.

Indeed.

Rabinowitz Busts Bazeley

Level 16 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

Darren Rabinowitz raised to 8,000 from middle position and it folded to Jacob Bazeley who three-bet shipped for 42,000 from the cutoff. Action came back to Rabinowitz and he called.

Rabinowitz: {A-Diamonds}{k-Clubs}
Bazeley: {A-Spades}{Q-Spades}

Bazeley was behind and needed to improve but found no help through the {2-Spades}{8-Hearts}{10-Hearts}{4-Clubs}{10-Diamonds} runout. Rabinowitz scored the elimination and brought his stack to about 110,000.

Player Chips Progress
Darren Rabinowitz us
Darren Rabinowitz
110,000
59,000
59,000
Jacob Bazeley us
Jacob Bazeley
Busted

Tags: Darren RabinowitzJacob Bazeley

Bazeley Staying Alive

Level 16 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

Jacob Bazeley was standing up ready to go as his {K-}{10-} was in bad shape... until the dealer put a straight out on the board to create a three way chopped pot. "Nice try boys," Bazeley joked.

He would put his remaining 11,500 in the next hand and score a triple up when his {7-Hearts}{7-Spades} hit a set to best {8-Spades}{8-Hearts} and {A-Spades}{Q-Spades}. He was up to 42,500 after scooping that pot.

Player Chips Progress
Jacob Bazeley us
Jacob Bazeley
42,500
5,500
5,500

Steven Stacking

Level 16 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

We missed the action, but came upon the table to see Brandon Steven scooping double up chips. Steven's {A-Spades}{A-Clubs} held through a {4-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{7-Diamonds}{J-Hearts}{7-Hearts} run out and he's now sporting a sizable stack of approximately 165,000.

Player Chips Progress
Brandon Steven us
Brandon Steven
165,000
90,000
90,000

Tags: Brandon Steven

Rusnak's Aces Cracked

Level 16 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

We didn't catch the action but we saw Frank Rusnak shipping a double up to another player after his {A-}{A-} was outdrawn by his opponent's {A-Clubs}{Q-Clubs} on a board of {9-Clubs}{7-Clubs}{2-Clubs}{6-Hearts}{7-Hearts}. That hit sent Rusnak down to 145,000 in chips — still in good shape, but definitely a blow at this point of the day.

Player Chips Progress
Frank Rusnak us
Frank Rusnak
145,000
-115,000
-115,000