Main Event
Day 1a Started
2015 WinStar River Poker Series
Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2015 WinStar River Poker Series
Buy-in
$2,400
Prize Pool
$2,793,600
Entries
1,164
Level
31
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
50,000
$2.5 Million Guaranteed River Poker Series Main Event Starts Today!
Just over an hour north of Dallas and a few hundred feet into the State of Oklahoma lies WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, home of the River Poker Series.
First opened in 2004, WinStar World Casino quickly became the largest casino in the Sooner State. Then, following an expansion in 2013, it became the largest casino in the U.S. Currently, the property boasts nearly 1,500 rooms and over 500,000 square feet of total gaming space.
This year, the River Poker Series began on August 27. Today, at 12 p.m. local time, the venue will play host to the 2015 River Poker Series $2,500 Main Event. The Main Event boasts a big $2.5 million prize pool. The tournament will feature three starting flights, guarantee $1 million to the winner, and allow players to reenter.
Day 1a will kick off today at 12 p.m. local time, with Day 1b taking place on Saturday and Day 1c on Sunday. For $2,500, players will begin with 25,000 in tournament chips and the levels on the first day will last 40 minutes. On Day 2 and Day 3, level time will be increased to 60 minutes.
First taking place in 2008, the River Poker Series Main Event featured a $3 million prize pool and attracted 1,450 entries. Jim Carroll took the title that year for $700,000 after he defeated Young Cho in heads-up play. In 2009, Bobby Hempkins won $710,000 after topping a field of 1,500 entries, and in 2010, Khoueng Souvoravong beat a field of 1,436 to win $646,690.
Another big field came out in 2011, and Bronson Tucker won $640,400 for topping a field of 1,355 entries. In 2012, it was Aaron Massey taking the title and $651,559 in prize money when he finished first in a field of 1,394 entries.
In 2013, the buy-in was upped to $2,500 after previously being $2,100. Khaophone Inthavong emerged from the field of 1,108 entries that year to earn the $473,900 top prize, and then in 2014 it was Jason Helder winning the event for a cool $1 million thanks to the first-place guarantee. Helder topped a field of 1,323 entries.
Since its inception, the River Poker Series Main Event has attracted an average of 1,367 entries and awarded tens of millions of dollars in prize money. Another field of 1,300-plus is anticipated this year, and with the guarantee you will see the winner awarded $1 million.
Of those expected to be in the field are Maria Ho, Allen Kessler, Chris Tryba, David "ODB" Baker, Ray Henson, and TJ Cloutier. The cards will be in the air at 12 p.m. Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for live coverage from this event.
Level: 1
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
Shuffle Up and Deal!
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
The cards are in the air for the 2015 River Poker Series $2,500 Main Event from WInStar World Casino.
Thornton and McVicker Chop Big First Event
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
The $2,500 Main Event isn't the only event on the schedule. The 2015 River Poker Series started on Thursday, Aug. 27 and will run through Tuesday, Sept. 8. While most of the events are finished, there is still a $1,100 reentry event on Sept. 7 to go along with the Main Event. There have also been a handful of tournaments that have wrapped up.
One of those to finish already was the first event of the series, a $400 reentry event with a $300,000 guaranteed prize pool. That event drew a big field of 1,558 entries and saw the top 80 spots reach the money. There was a deal struck for the top two spots, and it was Schuyler Thornton and Jesse McVicker taking one and two for $77,404 each.
Notables in the Field
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 |
Massey Takes an Early One with Ace-King High
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Aaron Massey won this event back in 2012, topping a field of 1,394 entries to win $651,559. He's back in action this year and has already begun his run at another title on Day 1a.
On the 
flop, Massey checked to his opponent. The player bet 400, and Massey made the call to see the 
land on the turn. Massey checked, and his opponent checked.
The river was the 
, and both players checked one final time.
Massey quickly turned over the 
, and his opponent mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
26,000 | 1,000 |
More Names in the Field
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
25,000 | 25,000 |
|
25,000 | 25,000 |
|
25,000 | 25,000 |
|
25,000 | 25,000 |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | 25,000 |
|
25,000 | 25,000 |
|
25,000 | 25,000 |
|
25,000 | 25,000 |
Skinner Flops a Set; Busquet Busts
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Joseph Skinner doubled his stack early by eliminating Olivier Busquet. Skinner said he flopped a set of sixes on an 
board. There was a bet of 600 before Skinner called, then another call before Busquet shoved all in with 
. Skinner was the only caller.
The board was no help to Busquet, in fact it only made things worse when it ran out 
, giving Skinner quad sixes.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
45,000 | 45,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Busquet is Back
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Shortly after busting, Olivier Busquet reentered and is now sitting with another former WPT Borgata winner, Dwyte Pilgrim.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
25,000 | 25,000 |