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.
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
|
132,000 |
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
|
43,000 |
|
|
Busted |
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
|
-103,500 |
[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
|
349,000 |
|
|
Busted |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
619,000 | |
|
566,000
116,000
|
116,000 |
|
504,000
-91,000
|
-91,000 |
|
465,000
193,000
|
193,000 |
|
440,500
94,500
|
94,500 |
|
411,000
411,000
|
411,000 |
|
379,500
379,500
|
379,500 |
|
344,500
344,500
|
344,500 |
|
|
311,500
311,500
|
311,500 |
|
297,500
227,500
|
227,500 |
|
296,000
296,000
|
296,000 |
|
|
274,500
-500
|
-500 |
|
|
269,500
57,500
|
57,500 |
|
268,500
268,500
|
268,500 |
|
259,500
259,500
|
259,500 |
|
249,500
197,000
|
197,000 |
|
|
248,000
-12,000
|
-12,000 |
|
246,500
246,500
|
246,500 |
|
230,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
|
220,000
75,000
|
75,000 |
|
207,000
-23,500
|
-23,500 |
|
192,000
192,000
|
192,000 |
|
187,000
17,000
|
17,000 |
|
179,500
5,500
|
5,500 |
|
175,000
175,000
|
175,000 |
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.
$1,500 Main Event
Day 1b Completed