Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Foxwoods
Main Event
Day: 1a
Ostapchenko Bags Huge Lead After Day 1a of the Foxwoods Main Event
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Day 1a of the World Series of Poker Circuit $1,700 Main Event at Foxwoods in Connecticut is in the books. The day attracted 161 entries and when the dust settled after fifteen levels of play just 31 remained with chips to bag for the night.
Bagging the lead was Andrew Ostapchenko who survived with an astonishing 736,000. That is more than twenty times the starting stack and more than double the second-largest stack. He was spotted from early in the day collecting chips and gained a considerable amount as play progressed including a hand where he flopped quads in a preflop all-in flip to surge up the counts. Ostapchenko’s great Day 1 was a continuation of his week of success as he took home $97,220 from Parx Casino in Philadelphia earlier this week.
The other big stacks, some distance behind the leader, include Guang Li, (355,000) and Vinny Pahuja (332,000) as the only other two with over 300,000.
Also among the notable players to bag for the night was Mukul Pahuja with 210,000, 13-time ring winner Maurice Hawkins who used a late-night surge to bag a decent amount at 198,000, and Stanley Lee who finished with 163,500.
However it was not a profitable day for the majority of the field, as many players who entered the day did not make it to the end including Allen Kessler, Matt Brady, Nicholas Palma and Joseph Giulino.
Day 1b will begin Saturday, August 24 at noon local time. Flight B will take center stage where many players, returning or new, will converge on Foxwoods for their last chance at making Sunday’s Day 2.
Just as with Flight A, PokerNews will provide all the coverage so make sure to tune in then!
End of Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
736,000 | 285,000 |
|
355,000 | |
|
|
332,000 | 332,000 |
|
225,500 | 50,500 |
|
210,000 | 2,000 |
|
198,000 | 48,000 |
|
182,000 | 77,000 |
|
170,000 | |
|
169,500 | 169,500 |
|
|
169,000 | 143,000 |
|
164,000 | 164,000 |
|
163,500 | -6,500 |
|
152,000 | 152,000 |
|
150,000 | 35,000 |
|
148,000 | 148,000 |
|
139,000 | -86,000 |
|
120,500 | -4,500 |
|
|
114,000 | 114,000 |
|
105,000 | 105,000 |
|
101,500 | 101,500 |
|
|
101,000 | 101,000 |
|
91,000 | |
|
89,500 | 5,500 |
|
84,500 | 84,500 |
|
82,000 | -40,000 |
End of Play
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Day 1a has reached its conclusion. Full chip counts and recap to follow.
Li Squeezes Pahuja Out, Sends One Home
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
A player moved all in for 30,000 from the cutoff, Mukul Pahuja called on the button and Guang Li moved all in from the big blind. Pahuja folded and the remaining two turned over their cards.
Opponent: 
Guang Li: 
The board ran out 
and Li's cowboys held on for the pot, sending an appointment home
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
355,000 | 75,000 |
|
|
208,000 | 88,000 |
Garshofsky Forces Out Rossitto
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Action was on the river with a dangerous looking board reading 
. Mitch Garshofsky made a bet of 30,000 over to his opponent Michael Rossitto who stared down Garshofsky for a bit before ultimately relinquishing his hand into the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
130,000 | 5,000 |
|
|
122,000 | 40,000 |
Neal Stacks Another, Sends Israelashvili Home
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Roland Israelashvili moved all in for his last 45,000 and Gregory Neal was the only player to call, the two tabled their hands.
Roland Israelashvili: 
Greg Neal: 
The dealer spread out 
on the flop, shifting the lead to Neal. A 
came down on the turn card and Israekashvili was now drawing to just an ace to stay alive.
A 
completed the board, failing to hit Israelashvili as he was eliminated by the two pair of Neal.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
346,000 | 81,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 15
Blinds: 1,500/3,000
Ante: 3,000
Ostapchenko Continues to Roll
Level 14
: 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
The board showed 
and there was around 13,000 in the pot. A player moved all in on the river for 12,000 and Andrew Ostapchenko snap-called.
The player tabled 
for a pair of tens and Ostapchenko turned over 
, giving him a flush and the pot, eliminating his opponent.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
451,000 | 31,000 |
A Few of the Larger Chip Stacks in the Room
