2017 WinStar River Poker Series

Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2017 WinStar River Poker Series

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
109
Prize
$347,134
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,500
Entries
926
Level Info
Level
32
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
30,000

Level: 12

Blinds: 1,000/2,000

Ante: 300

Aces Hold

Level 11 : 800/1,600, 200 ante

We found three players all in preflop at the table nearest the media desk. Jeff Rackers stood up with excitement and tabled his {a-Hearts}{a-Diamonds}. He was up against {a-Clubs}{k-Spades} and {q-}{q-}, with the board running out eight-high and dead for everyone. Rackers got shipped 41,200 from an opponent who covered him, and he took all of the chips of the player with queens.

Player Chips Progress
Jeff Rackers
Jeff Rackers
110,000 110,000

Tags: Jeff Rackers

Berry Settles for a Chop

Level 11 : 800/1,600, 200 ante

Will Berry opened early and got two callers, and one of them was the big blind, who checked the {6-Spades}{a-Clubs}{q-Hearts} flop. Berry bet 5,500 and only a middle player called. Berry shoved all in on the {9-Hearts} turn for 18,300. After about 90 seconds in the tank, his opponent called with {a-}{3-}. He smiled when Berry tabled {a-Spades}{3-Spades} of his own, and they chopped the pot after the {9-Spades} completed the board.

Player Chips Progress
Will Berry us
Will Berry
29,000 7,800

Tags: Will Berry

The Greatest Fold

Level 11 : 800/1,600, 200 ante

"PokerNews!" Robert Harris called out because he just had to tell someone about the fold he just saw.

"The greatest fold you will ever see," Harris said as he explained the action:

Edgar Perez had flopped a set of queens on a {q-}{9-}{x-} flop and the turn was another {9-}. Perez bet 15,000 and Valy Fabian min-raised to 30,000. Without any hesitation, Perez folded and showed pocket queens for queens full.

It turned out Perez made a good fold because Fabian had quad nines.

"I need a table change," Harris said after finishing the story. I will not play with you," he said to Perez.

"We all need a table change."

Player Chips Progress
Valy Fabian us
Valy Fabian
169,000
Robert Harris us
Robert Harris
72,800
Edgar Perez
Edgar Perez
61,000 15,000

Tags: Edgar PerezValy FabianRobert Harris

Mermelstein Gets Lucky

Level 11 : 800/1,600, 200 ante

After an early player opened to 3,400 and Aaron Mermelstein three-bet to 9,000, the big blind shoved in for 30,300. The opener mucked, and the two-time WPT champ tanked a couple of minutes before calling for most of his own stack with a sigh.

Mermelstein: {k-Spades}{q-Clubs}
Big blind: {q-Hearts}{q-Diamonds}

The board ran out {7-Spades}{k-Diamonds}{a-Clubs}{7-Clubs}{a-Hearts}, bringing the king Mermelstein needed.

Player Chips Progress
Aaron Mermelstein us
Aaron Mermelstein
WPT 2X Winner
76,000 54,800

Tags: Aaron Mermelstein

Robert Wolf Almost Mucks Then Wins

Level 11 : 800/1,600, 200 ante

Robert Wolf raised from early position and two players called from the small and big blinds.

As the flop came {a-Clubs}{k-Hearts}{2-Hearts}, Wolf seemed to be having trouble breathing and walked away from the table for a second to cough. The dealer told him not to go too far and he returned to his seat and was offered help and water from his tablemates. He took a few sips and coughed some more, but was fine and called the flop bet from his opponent who bet 10,000.

They both checked the {j-Clubs} turn and then Wolf called 12,000 when his opponent bet the {q-Diamonds} on the river.

Wolf won the hand with {a-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}.

Player Chips Progress
Robert Wolf us
Robert Wolf
95,000 33,000

Tags: Robert Wolf

Jesus Cantu Keeps Rolling

Level 11 : 800/1,600, 200 ante

Jesus Cantu called an early position raise to 4,000 before another player shoved all in for 19,500. Cantu got a count and called the all in, showing {a-Clubs}{7-Clubs}. He was against {j-}{j-}.

The flop was safe for the pocket jacks {q-Spades}{6-}{3-}, but the turn was a precursor of worse things to come {7-Spades}. Cantu would win the hand and continue to add to his mountain of chips, while his opponent headed to the rail when the {a-Spades} completed the board and gave Cantu the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Jesus Cantu us
Jesus Cantu
280,000 21,500

Tags: Jesus Cantu

Updates Chip Counts

Level 11 : 800/1,600, 200 ante
Player Chips Progress
Jesus Cantu us
Jesus Cantu
258,500
Matthew Lapossie ca
Matthew Lapossie
WPT 1X Winner
225,000 65,000
Maxx Coleman us
Maxx Coleman
WSOP 1X Winner
176,300 34,300
Andy Philachack us
Andy Philachack
146,000 -14,000
George Bronstein us
George Bronstein
121,000 49,700
David Coker us
David Coker
78,000 29,000
Greg Jennings us
Greg Jennings
72,700 40,700
Rex Clinkscales us
Rex Clinkscales
65,400 31,400
Jim Carroll us
Jim Carroll
49,000 17,000
Aaron Massey us
Aaron Massey
48,300 -700
Will Berry us
Will Berry
21,200 -3,800
Aaron Mermelstein us
Aaron Mermelstein
WPT 2X Winner
21,200 6,800
Chris Staats us
Chris Staats
18,500 -9,500
Sam Phillips us
Sam Phillips
Busted
Matt Bond us
Matt Bond
Busted

Level: 11

Blinds: 800/1,600

Ante: 200