$1,500 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2019 WinStar Labor Day River Poker Series
$1,500 Main Event
Day: 2
Bunch Takes Chip Lead Into Final Day of WinStar River Main Event
Level 25
: 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Day 2 of the 2019 WinStar Labor Day River Poker Series $1,500 Main Event saw 151 players return to play under one roof for the first time after three initial Day 1 flights throughout the weekend. Play began with the entire field having made it into the money, already guaranteed a first-level payout of $2,645.
The day was scheduled to play to whichever came first between the conclusion of 10 one-hour levels or the field reaching the official final table of nine players. It appeared as if the 10 full hours would be a lock, though a slightly-shortened end did become a possibility as just 10 players were still standing when the day came to an end.
When play finished, Eric Bunch found himself atop the chip counts after ending the day with 7.865 million in chips. A few of the other nine players looking up at him are Spencer Champlin (6.75 million), Eluterio Rodriguez (1.77 million), and Viet Vo (620,000).
Day 3 Seating Assignments
| Table | Seat | Player | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 1 | Eric Bunch | 7,865,000 | 98 |
| 41 | 4 | Chuck Barker | 125,000 | 2 |
| 41 | 5 | Katherine Offutt | 2,460,000 | 31 |
| 41 | 7 | Jeremy Liu | 3,075,000 | 38 |
| 41 | 8 | Kris Burchfield | 3,040,000 | 38 |
| 42 | 1 | Eluterio Rodriguez | 1,770,000 | 22 |
| 42 | 2 | James Jewell | 4,300,000 | 54 |
| 42 | 4 | Jim Harris | 850,000 | 11 |
| 42 | 5 | Viet Vo | 620,000 | 8 |
| 42 | 7 | Spencer Champlin | 6,750,000 | 84 |
Day 2 Action
There was no bubble in play when the day began and it didn’t take long for the rungs on the payout ladder to be climbed. Players such as Shawn Rice, Ray Henson, WinStar Ambassador Maria Ho were all eliminated before the first break of the day, with plenty more joining them along the way.
Will Berry (52nd place - $5,644), defending champion Will Pengelly (40th place - $6,525), and Kelly Minkin (31st place - $8,465) were a few other well-known players to find themselves with no chips to play as the day progressed.
Family affairs were another theme on Day 2, with brothers Tim- (58th place - $5,115) and Brandon Gilliam (37th place - $6,525) both making it through several payout levels through the day. They were not the only pair of related genes in the field, as they were both outdone by the father and son duo of Keith Copp (21st place - $13,580) and Kramer Copp (15th place - $19,929).
Copp's elimination came during the final level of the night, shortly after Don Goodman was eliminated in 16th place, which also came in the last level. It set off a slew of bust outs, with Copp, Joe Cho (14th place), Caibin Ai (13th place), James Mordue (12th place), and Craig Kinney (11th place) all seeing their visions of advancing to Day 3 crushed within the final hour of play on Day 2.
The final 10 players will return on Tuesday to play down to a winner. Play will resume at noon local time, beginning with a full hour on the clock for the beginning of Level 26 (40,000/80,000/80,000). Come back to PokerNews to see who reigns supreme en route to a $300,005 first-place prize on the final day of the WinStar River Main Event
End of Day 2 Chip Counts
Level 25
: 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
7,865,000 | -35,000 |
|
6,750,000 | 550,000 |
|
4,300,000 | 1,600,000 |
|
3,075,000 | 275,000 |
|
3,040,000 | -260,000 |
|
2,460,000 | 60,000 |
|
1,770,000 | -905,000 |
|
850,000 | -450,000 |
|
620,000 | -980,000 |
|
125,000 | 5,000 |
Play Ends For The Day
Level 25
: 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
The final ten players are bagging up for the evening. Stay tuned for full chip counts and a Day 3 seat draw, as well as a full recap of the day's action.
Offutt Leaves Barker With Crumbs to End the Day
Level 25
: 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
On the last hand of the evening, Eric Bunch raised to 150,000 from the hijack, and Chuck Barker three-bet shoved for 1.2 million in the cutoff. Katherine Offutt called off her last 1.08 million, and Bunch folded.
Katherine Offutt: 
Chuck Barker: 
Offutt told her rail the good news, and Barker couldn't make a miracle happen on a 
runout, leaving him with fewer than two big blinds to start play tomorrow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,460,000 | 1,160,000 |
|
|
125,000 | -2,370,000 |
Jewell Takes from Vo Before Night Ends
Level 25
: 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
A four-way limped pot between Eluterio Rodriguez in the cutoff, James Jewell on the button, Jim Harris in the small blind, and Viet Vo in the big blind saw a flop of 
. Harris checked to Vo, who bet 150,000. Rodriguez folded, Jewell called, and Harris folded.
Action went heads up to the turn 
and Vo fired another 255,000. Jewell called. The river fell 
and Vo fired a third barrel of 330,000. Jewell called.
Vo tabled 
for two pair, sevens up. Jewell showed 
for a higher two pair, winning the pot with his kings and jacks and leaving Vo short with just seconds left on the clock on Day 2.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,170,000 | 1,470,000 |
|
|
540,000 | -1,060,000 |
Craig Kinney Eliminated in 11th Place ($24,338)
Level 25
: 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Action folded to Eric Bunch, who was on the button and announced he was all in to put the players in the blinds at a decision for their stacks. Craig Kinney was in the small blind and called off the just-under 2 million that remained in his stack.
Eric Bunch: 
Craig Kinney: 
The two found themselves in a massive coin flip situation with just minutes left on the clock before the end of the night. The flop came in Bunch's favor, coming 
to give him top set. Kinney was then in need of spiking a ten to improve to Broadway. The turn and river 
filled him up to trips, but it gave Bunch a full house and sent Kinney home in 11th place shortly before the evening's conclusion.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,900,000 | 1,750,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Burchfield With a Late-Night Double
Level 25
: 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Kris Burchfield raised to 125,000 from the cutoff, then called a three-bet to 325,000 from Eric Bunch on the button.
Burchfield checked the 
flop to Bunch, who bet 250,000. Burchfield check-raised all in for 1.245 million, and Bunch called.
Kris Burchfield:
Eric Bunch:
Burchfield ended up with a full house on a turn, river runout to earn the double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,150,000 | 770,000 |
|
|
3,300,000 | 2,150,000 |
Play Slowing Near End of Night
Level 25
: 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
The tournament clock has just ticked below the 10-minute mark for time remaining in the evening and the pace of play among 11 remaining players has slowed down to reflect it. It is looking as if play will end upon the completion of the level, as it is highly unlikely at this point that the field will reach nine beforehand.
James Mordue Eliminated in 12th Place ($24,338)
Level 25
: 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
James Mordue jammed for 425,000 from under the gun, and Spencer Champlin called in the hijack.
James Mordue:
Spencer Champlin: 
Mordue, who had been grinding a short stack for the better part of two levels, finally succumbed when the 
board failed to deliver him an ace.
"Good job, guys!" a smiling Mordue told the table. He asked to thank Yoli, Daniel and Jade for their support before making his way to the payout desk.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,200,000 | 600,000 |
|
Busted |