$1,500 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2019 WinStar Labor Day River Poker Series
$1,500 Main Event
Day: 1b
Quan Donot Nguyen Leads the Way on Day 1b of the 2019 WinStar River Main Event
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Fifty players advanced out of the 412 entries that took their shot on Day 1b of the 2019 WinStar Labor Day River Poker Series $1,500 Main Event. The big turnout brought the total field size up to 705 entries, which accounts for Day 1a's 293 runners but is still awaiting Sunday's Day 1c tally.
Of those to enter Saturday’s heat, there were far more recognizable faces visible in the crowd throughout the day than were present when chips went into bags. Players such as James Mackey, John Richards, Nathan Gamble, Phil Mader, and Michael Wang were just a few of the acclaimed players in the field to find themselves with no chips.
Three players finished with over 500,000 when the day concluded after a 12-hand bubble, which burst with 7:30 remaining in Level 16 (3,000/6,000/6,000). Quan Donot Nguyen knocked out [Removed:341] on the last hand of the night after flopping two pair and holding against Bala’s pocket queens. The hand vaulted Nguyen to the top of the leader board as play came to a close, finishing the day with 619,000 in chips.
James Mordue (566,000) finished the day second in chips. Mordue was spotted with over 200,000 in front of him after the dinner break and continued to climb from there, including one such hand where he flopped top two pair with ace-queen and earned a knockout against another player's ace-king. Rounding out the top three is Mason Vieth who ended play with 504,000 in chips.
Jeff Banghart (379,500), Alex Greenblatt (220,000), and Ray Henson (79,000) were a few well-known players to advance.
Day 1c will be the final opportunity at advancing to Monday’s Day 2. Those who have yet to earn their way will have unlimited opportunities on Sunday, starting at noon. The top 12 percent of the total field will play their way into Day 2, joining the 86 who have already made it across the first two flights.
PokerNews will provide live coverage of all the happenings on Day 1c, so make sure to come back for updates as the tournament unfolds.
End Of Day 1b Chip Counts (full)
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
619,000 | |
|
566,000 | 116,000 |
|
504,000 | -91,000 |
|
465,000 | 193,000 |
|
440,500 | 94,500 |
|
411,000 | 411,000 |
|
379,500 | 379,500 |
|
344,500 | 344,500 |
|
|
311,500 | 311,500 |
|
297,500 | 227,500 |
|
296,000 | 296,000 |
|
274,500 | -500 |
|
|
269,500 | 57,500 |
|
268,500 | 268,500 |
|
259,500 | 259,500 |
|
249,500 | 197,000 |
|
|
248,000 | -12,000 |
|
246,500 | 246,500 |
|
230,000 | 140,000 |
|
220,000 | 75,000 |
|
207,000 | -23,500 |
|
192,000 | 192,000 |
|
187,000 | 17,000 |
|
179,500 | 5,500 |
|
175,000 | 175,000 |
Bala Bubbles To End Play on Day 1b
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
[Removed:341] recently lost a pot to Rickie Merritt in which Merritt bet a flop of 
and called a raise from Bala to 45,000, only to check-shove over a 60,000-chip bet on the turn 
. Bala folded and found himself with just over 100,000 left in his stack.
On a subsequent hand, Bala opened to 14,000 from middle position and action folded around to Quan Donot Nguyen, who defended his big blind. Nguyen checked to Bala on the flop 
and quickly called when Bala went all in for his remaining 100,000 or so.
[Removed:341]: 
Quan Donot Nguyen: 
Nguyen had flopped top two and was out in front against Bala's queens. The turn came to give Bala one card left to improve for his tournament life. The river fell .
"Stone bubble," Bala said when the carnage was complete. The dealer sent the pot Nguyen's way and the tournament director made the announcement that play was finished with 7:30 remaining on the clock in Level 16.
Stay tuned for official chip counts on Nguyen, Merritt and the other remaining 48 players to advance from today's heat. A recap of the day's action will also be provided shortly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
619,000 | 349,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Copp Fades a Draw to Double
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Mykel Comroe raised to 15,000 from early position, and was called by Matt Dalka on the button, Scott Squyres in the small blind, and Keith Copp in the big blind.
Squyres checked the 
flop to Copp, who jammed for 53,500. Comroe folded, Dalka jammed for around 180,000, and Squyres folded.
Keith Copp: 
Matt Dalka: 
Copp's top pair and open-ended straight draw needed to dodge Dalka's flush and straight draws to survive the bubble, and the 
turn and 
river were safe, sending a relieved Copp a double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
175,000 | |
|
136,500 | -103,500 |
Marocha Bubbles the Bubble
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Vishal Marocha jammed for 39,000 on the button, and Justin Jones made the call in the big blind.
Vishal Marocha: 
Justin Jones: 
Marocha failed to find a pair on the 
runout to fall two spots shy of a cash.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
275,000 | 43,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Kinney Doubles on the Bubble
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Craig Kenney on the button was contemplating a three-bet shove from the small blind for his last 120,000 in chips. He tanked for a few minutes, then made the call.
Craig Kenney: 
Opponent: 
Kenney's kings got a big sweat after the 
flop gave his opponent a flush draw, but he managed to survive the turn and 
river to double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
260,000 | 132,000 |
Hand-for-Hand Play Begins
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
With 52 players remaining in today's Day 1b flight, the hand-for-hand process has begun. Two minutes will run off the clock for every hand completed, until two more players fall to end play for the evening.
Marocha Down, Marocha Up
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Hand #1:
Vishal Marocha jammed for 71,500 on the button, and the small blind called off his last 49,000.
Vishal Marocha:
Opponent: 
Marocha lost an out on the flop when his opponent flopped a flush draw, and neither player improved on the 
turn or 
river to secure the double for the small blind.
Hand #2:
The very next hand, Marocha jammed for his last 22,500 from the cutoff, and the big blind called.
Vishal Marocha:
Opponent: 
Marocha's kings held on a 
runout to double him up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
51,000 | -35,000 |
Magableh Wins a Big One Preflop
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Abdul Magableh opened to 15,000 from under the gun and was called by a player two to his left. Rickie Merritt also called from the hijack before [Removed:341] three-bet to 53,000 out of the big blind.
With action back on Magableh, he thought for over a minute and put in a four-bet to 144,000. The other early-position player and Merritt both quickly folded. Bala then took his time thinking about his decision, ultimately letting his hand go. As the pot was sent to Magableh, he questioned Bala as to what he had, letting him know along the way that he had made a good fold. He briefly flashed to confirm his claim and stacked his chips, bringing him close to 400,000 with the end of the night drawing near.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
395,000 | 370,200 |
|
|
272,000 | -28,000 |
|
|
250,000 | -160,000 |