Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2017 WinStar River Poker Series
Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2017 WinStar River Poker Series
Buy-in
$2,500
Entries
926
Level
32
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
30,000
Java, Alexander Survive Day 1b and Look to Continue Monster 2017s
Level 16
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
The wee hours of Saturday night saw 38 players bag up to end Day 1b of WinStar River Poker Series $2,500 Main Event, and two of 2017's hottest players were among that number.
Nipun Java finished fourth in the counts with 362,000. He's already pushing toward $500,000 in cashes this year and has three major wins to his credit. He pocketed two bracelets at the World Series of Poker this year, first taking down the $1,000 Tag Team and then the $1,000 Online Championship for about $312,000 combined. He followed that up by topping a four-way chop in a 3,173-entry field in the $570 Deep Stack at Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open for $230,848.
The aces were good to Java on Day 1b. As the dinner break approached about midway through, he had about double the 25,000 starting stack and doubled that up with a set of bullets that he slowplayed, successfully inducing an opponent to turn second pair into an all-in bluff shove. Later, Java won another sizable pile in what looked to be a three-bet pot, taking it down against two players on a queen-high flop and obliging an opponent who begged to see the blades.
What DJ Alexander lacks in trophies compared to Java this year, he makes up for in cash. He has three six-figure scores, headlined by a monster $754,499 for a runner-up finish in the WSOP $1,500 Millionaire Maker. He also has two fourth-place scores, one just an hour down the road at WSOPC Choctaw and another just this week at WPT Legends of Poker in California.
PokerNews' own Valerie Cross profiled Alexander here.
What's more, the Houston native pledged five percent of that $161,490 Legends score to the disaster relief fund for his hometown. Java said via Twitter he'll be following suit here, and since the players who advance from Day 1 are in the money, that means more help for Houston has been assured.
Alexander finished in the middle of the pack with 197,000.
Everyone who bagged is looking up at Mo Khan, who wound up with 656,000 after a late heater that saw him flop a set of jacks against a player who flopped top pair with ace-queen and then win a sizable preflop all in with king-queen against king-jack.
Others advancing included 2017 bracelet winner Gaurav Raina (461,000), Patrick Eskandar (403,000), WPT Player of the Year Ben Zamani (275,000), Mike Dentale (252,000) and Brandon Steven (164,000).
Among those firing and bricking were Kevin Eyster, Anthony Spinella, Will Berry, Aaron Mermelstein, TJ Cloutier, Grant Hinkle and WinStar Ambassador Maria Ho. Overall, the flight drew 312 entries.
They'll all have one more chance to punch Day 2 tickets when Day 1c rolls around at noon Sunday. PokerNews will be providing more coverage of that final starting flight, so come right back here to see who makes it through to Monday.
End of Day 1b Counts (full)
Level 16
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
656,000
211,000
|
211,000 |
|
461,000
86,000
|
86,000 |
|
||
|
403,000
313,000
|
313,000 |
|
362,000
17,000
|
17,000 |
|
||
|
361,000 | |
|
|
331,000 | |
|
317,000
22,000
|
22,000 |
|
315,000
238,000
|
238,000 |
|
|
292,000
52,000
|
52,000 |
|
290,000 | |
|
275,000
182,000
|
182,000 |
|
275,000 | |
|
252,000
166,000
|
166,000 |
|
223,000 | |
|
198,000 | |
|
197,000
-58,000
|
-58,000 |
|
195,000 | |
|
|
186,000
115,000
|
115,000 |
|
|
177,000 | |
|
164,000
108,400
|
108,400 |
|
157,000 | |
|
|
152,000 | |
|
|
150,000 | |
|
131,000
14,000
|
14,000 |
|
|
131,000 | |
Bag 'Em
Level 16
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Just 38 players remain, so Day 1b is over. We'll bring full chip counts shortly.
Photos: WinStar River Poker Series Main Event Day 1b
Raina Takes a Big One
Level 16
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Gaurav Raina bet 44,000 from the big blind on a board of 
and a player in the hijack called off for slightly less. The cutoff came along as well, causing Raina to raise his eyebrows and double-check his cards. The river was a 
and Raina bet small, only about 40,000. The cutoff folded immediately.
"Full house," Raina announced tabling 
.
The all-in player mucked 
face-up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
375,000
214,600
|
214,600 |
|
|
||
Alexander Eliminates Weers
Level 16
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Todd Weers got 15th in this event last year but will need some Day 1c magic to make it happen again as he just busted the last few crumbs he had. He stuck the last 11,500 in from middle position, and big blind DJ Alexander called blind.
Weers: 
Alexander: 
The board bricked out for both players: 
. That meant queen-high was a winner, and Weers said he'll be back to fire tomorrow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
255,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
|
Busted |
"It's a Big Hand for My Range"
Level 16
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
We found Mo Khan on the button and calling the all-in shove of a player who had about 80,000 in middle position.
Khan: 
Opponent: 
The board ran out 
, keeping Khan's kicker best.
"Optimistic call my man," said Brandon Steven.
"It's a big hand for my range," Khan said with a laugh.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
445,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
Couple All Ins
Level 16
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
- Mike Dentale finally found a spot to shove his dwindling stack and the player to his left immediately shoved all in. Dentale wasn't frustrated and turned over
. He was up against . He flopped a ten and turned another one to double up. Tablemate DJ Alexander said that it was him wishing Dentale good luck that got the job done. - At the table next to them, Mo Khan busted a player when he flopped a set of jacks against
. The flop came ace-high, but also had a jack and Khan didn't give up the lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
315,000 | |
|
|
86,000
-22,000
|
-22,000 |
Java Shows the Blades
Level 16
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Two players checked to Nipun Java in the cutoff and he bet 29,000 into approximately a 75,000 pot with 
on the felt. Small blind William Hesser tanked a bit and mucked, and the third player quickly folded as well.
"Show one time?" Hesser pleaded.
Java asked if Hesser folded a queen. Hesser said he had jacks, and Java flashed .
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
345,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
|
||