2016 WinStar River Poker Series

Main Event
Day: 1c
Event Info

2016 WinStar River Poker Series

Final Results
Winner
Prize
$587,120
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,400
Prize Pool
$2,500,000
Entries
1,054
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000

Luther Takes Three-Way All In

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 400 ante

We found three players all in with cards facing skyward. The hijack was the shortest of the three with only about 25,000, while Gary Luther had a hair under 85,000 in the small blind and the big blind was putting everyone at risk.

Luther: {10-Spades}{10-Hearts}
Big blind: {a-Hearts}{q-Clubs}
Hijack: {5-Spades}{5-Clubs}

The flop was {j-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}{j-Hearts}, and the turn brought a {k-Hearts}, so the player with ace-queen had a fair few outs to the river. An {8-Diamonds} was a blank on the river, and Luther took down the big pot with jacks and tens.

Player Chips Progress
Gary Luther
Gary Luther
200,000

Tags: Gary Luther

Ray Qartomy Makes the Right Call Against Tim James

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 400 ante
Ray Qartomy
Ray Qartomy

A pot of around 100,000 between Ray Qartomy and Tim James caught our attention. The board was {10-Diamonds}{7-Clubs}{3-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}, Qartomy checked and James was all in for easily 150,000. Qartomy called, rolled over {6-Hearts}{3-Hearts} for two pair and James tabled {J-Hearts}{10-Hearts}. He needed help on the river to stay alive but bricked when it came {9-Clubs} and was eliminated.

Qartomy had to call the floor to color up his massive stack and it looked to about 650,000.

Player Chips Progress
Ray Qartomy us
Ray Qartomy
650,000 490,000
Tim James
Tim James
Busted

Level: 15

Blinds: 2,000/4,000

Ante: 400

Kevin Eyster Soars Into Lead

Level 14 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante
Kevin Eyster
Kevin Eyster

We missed the preflop action but we found Kevin Eyster, John Gordon and a third player at a flop of {A-Spades}{8-Clubs}{7-Spades}. Eyster bet, the unknown player moved all in. Gordon tanked for a bit, mucked and the cards were tabled.

Eyster: {A-Clubs}{7-Clubs}
Player: {10-Spades}{9-Clubs}

The board finished {K-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts}, Gordon regretted his fold, the player was eliminated and Eyster stacked around 400,000 after the hand.

Player Chips Progress
Kevin Eyster us
Kevin Eyster
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 2X Winner
400,000 170,000

Lopez Shoves Dark on Grabel

Level 14 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante

Kevin Grabel opened the action preflop and found four callers, with one micro stack all in. The flop fell {9-Diamonds}{9-Clubs}{6-Hearts}, David Lopez checked and Grabel bet 20,000. Lopez tossed in a call and announced he was all in in the dark. The turn was {5-Diamonds}, the dealer announced Lopez's action and Grabel tossed in calling chips.

Grable: {A-Spades}{A-Clubs}
Lopez: {10-Hearts}{9-Hearts}
Short stack: {J-}{J-}

The river came {9-Spades}, Lopez made quads and celebrated with a clap, A visibly angry Grabel left the area.

Player Chips Progress
David Lopez us
David Lopez
280,000 172,000
Kevin Grabel us
Kevin Grabel
Busted

James Holds With Eights

Level 14 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante

Tim James opened to 7,500 under the gun, and Chino Rheem called in middle position. A player on the button shoved all in for just over 57,000, and James reshoved, forcing Rheem to fold.

James: {8-Spades}{8-Hearts}
Button: {k-Spades}{10-Clubs}

The race went to James as neither improved on the {5-Diamonds}{3-Spades}{6-Spades}{a-Clubs}{9-Hearts} runout.

Player Chips Progress
Tim James
Tim James
195,000

Level: 14

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 400

Rheem Keeps it Friendly with Ho

Level 13 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

Maria Ho opened to 5,200 in late position and Chino Rheem called from the big blind saying, "I can't fold this in the big blind, I have a discount."

The flop came {K-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts}{3-Hearts}, Rheem check-called 6,000 and the turn came {6-Diamonds}. Both players checked, the river came {4-Hearts} and Rheem bet 8,000. Ho thought for a bit, thumbed her chips and then pushed her cards back to the dealer.

Player Chips Progress
Chino Rheem us
Chino Rheem
WPT 3X Winner
167,000 -13,000
Maria Ho us
Maria Ho
87,000 -28,000

Mermelstein Wakes Up

Level 13 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

A player shoved all in for 28,400 in middle position, and Aaron Mermelstein called in the small blind. The big blind folded.

Mermelstein: {a-Hearts}{a-Spades}
Opponent: {a-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds}

Mermelstein was miles ahead, but his opponent did flop a gutshot as {q-Hearts}{j-Hearts}{2-Clubs} hit the felt. No king appeared on the final two streets though, and the two-time WPT champ collected the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Aaron Mermelstein us
Aaron Mermelstein
WPT 2X Winner
220,000 120,000

Tags: Aaron Mermelstein