$3,250 High Roller | 2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Thunder Valley

09-13-2019 09:47 UTC-7

$3,250 High Roller To Determine a Winner Today; Registration Open Until Beginning of Play

HillKerby

Day 2 of the 2019 World Series of Poker Thunder Valley $3,250 High Roller is set to get underway with 15 players and counting looking to become the next winner of a WSOP Circuit ring.

Thursday’s Day 1 drew a total of 35 entries, playing 12 40-minute levels before play concluded at around 1 a.m. local time. That number has the potential to continue growing, as registration remains open at present moment and will stay that way until Day 2 begins at noon local time.

Coming into the day atop the chip counts is Mike Heshmati, who finished Day 1 with 172,500 in chips. Ian Steinman(157,000) and Noel Rodriguez (145,000) find themselves as his next closest competitors, though they are far from the only formidable opponents with their eyes set on victory.

Also returning are several players with seven-figure lifetime earnings. JC Tran (130,500), Lee Markholt (104,500), Brett Murray (101,000), and Alex Condon (73,500) are a few more names headlining the list of Day 2 participants.

Play will resume at the start of Level 13 (1,000/2,000/2,000) with levels remaining 40 minutes in length for the duration of the tournament. As mentioned, registration will remain open until cards are in the air.

Prize pool information will be announced shortly after the close of registration. Keep it here at PokerNews all day long to see who reigns supreme as the day unfolds.

Tags: Alex Condon Brett Murray Ian Steinman JC Tran Lee Markholt Mike Heshmati Noel Rodriguez

09-13-2019 12:17 UTC-7

Minkin Making Early Fireworks

HillKerby

Level 13 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

There was an announcement in the air as cards were flying that one last entry was recorded for the high roller. A few seconds later, Kelly Minkin was seen being seated by the tournament director.

According to Dan Ross of Hold'em Media, Minkin went all in on her first hand and received action by Niv Decalo, who had dipped just below starting stack by that time.

Kelly Minkin:
Niv Decalo:

The board ran out clean and Minkin found herself down to one chip after her first hand in the tournament. She then doubled and was seen all in preflop against Decalo again for what had been run up to a total of 18,000.

Kelly Minkin:
Niv Decalo:

The flop came to give Decalo nothing more than a few backdoor draws. The turn opened up his outs to give him a gutshot straight flush draw, but the river was of no help and just like that, Minkin found herself back at starting stack as if she had just sat down again.

Player	Chips	Progress
Niv Decalo	53,000 10,000	10,000
Kelly Minkin	41,000 1,000	1,000

Tags: Kelly Minkin Niv Decalo

09-13-2019 13:20 UTC-7

Rodriguez Doubles Through Tran

HillKerby

Level 14 : 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

There was about 30,000 in the pot on a board of and action was heads up between Noel Rodriguez in the small blind and JC Tran in the cutoff. Rodriguez bet 20,500 and Tran went into the tank for a bit before pushing forward a stack of red T5,000 chips.

Rodriguez thought for a bit with his headphones hung around his neck. Eventually, he said that if Tran had a better full house, so be it as he dropped his remaining 88,500 into the pot.

Tran tabled for a rivered flush but it proved to be no good as Rodriguez had simultaneously turned over for a boat, having flopped fours full. The dealer confirmed the amounts and paid off Rodriguez, making him the likely chip leader at present time while Tran finds himself among the shortest stacks in the room.

Player	Chips	Progress
Noel Rodriguez	210,500 102,500	102,500
JC Tran	36,000 -96,500	-96,500

Tags: JC Tran Noel Rodriguez

09-13-2019 14:45 UTC-7

Murray's Tourney Shot Down By Steinman's Bullets

HillKerby

Level 16 : 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

"All in," said the dealer as Brett Murray shoved his last 60,000 or so in from the button. Moments later, Ian Steinman was sliding a stack of T5,000 chips forward to reraise. The two tabled their hands upon a fold out of the big blind.

Brett Murray:
Ian Steinman:

Murray's shove had run into Steinman's aces and he now found himself in need of significant improvement in order to stay alive. The flop was of little help, but the turn did give Murray some life. Unfortunately for him, the river would be the last card of his tournament life as his jacks were no good to Steinman's aces, resulting in his elimination from the tournament.

"Nice hand, dirtbag!" Murray said to Steinman with a smile on his face, having already stood up from his eight-seat at the table to walk behind the dealer over to Steinman in the one-seat in order to give him a fist bump.

Steinman reciprocated the smile and the fist bump.

"Did I play it well?" he asked Murray as the two shared a laugh. Meanwhile, Steinman had lost some chips since the break and has now gained them back, finding himself as the chip leader with 10 players left in the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ian Steinman	333,500 -4,000	-4,000

Brett Murray	Busted

Tags: Brett Murray Ian Steinman

09-13-2019 15:35 UTC-7

Lancaster Next To Fall

HillKerby

Level 17 : 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

Mrityunjay Jha opened to 11,000 from the hijack and received a call from Bryant Miller, who was in the small blind. Mike Lancaster was in the big blind and squeezed, reshoving all in for the last of his chips. Jha folded and Miller called.

Mike Lancaster:
Bryant Miller:

Lancaster was in need of spiking an ace or a jack in order to score a double and make his way back into contention. He was unable to improve beyond Miller's nines upon the completion of the runout , resulting in his departure from the tournament in 10th place.

Players are in the process of redrawing for an unofficial final table of nine, with only two more eliminations needed before play reaches the money. An updated seat draw and list of chip counts will be provided shortly.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bryant Miller	239,500 199,500	199,500
Mrityunjay Jha	170,000 -20,000	-20,000
Mike Lancaster	Busted

Tags: Bryant Miller Mike Lancaster Mrityunjay Jha

09-13-2019 17:04 UTC-7

Minkin Scores a Double

HillKerby

Level 19 : 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Ian Steinman opened to 16,000 from early position and action folded around to Kelly Minkin, who went all in from the big blind. Steinman looked back at his cards and quickly called.

Kelly Minkin:
Ian Steinman:

Minkin was behind but not for long as the flop came . The turn and river completed the runout and she counted out her stack to total 127,000, which Steinman paid off before beginning the next hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ian Steinman	477,000 -113,000	-113,000

Kelly Minkin	266,000 106,000	106,000

Tags: Ian Steinman Kelly Minkin

09-13-2019 17:11 UTC-7

The Streak Stops at Three; Awwad Eliminated by Steinman

HillKerby

Level 19 : 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Ian Steinman was on the button and opened to 16,000. Ryan Awwad went all in for his last 45,000 or so from the big blind and Steinman called.

Ryan Awwad:
Ian Steinman:

Steinman's queen high was ahead prior to the runout and nothing changed when all was said and done, leaving Awwad dry on chips after making the second-best hand as he become the ninth place finisher in the tournament.

The tournament is now officially on the bubble; one more elimination is needed until play is in the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ian Steinman	514,000 92,000	92,000

Ryan Awwad	Busted

Tags: Ian Steinman Ryan Awwad

09-13-2019 17:19 UTC-7

Minkin Eliminates Jha on Bubble

HillKerby

Level 19 : 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Action folded around to Mrityunjay Jha, who went all in from the small blind for his last 53,000. Kelly Minkin was in the big blind and called.

Mrityunjay Jha:
Kelly Minkin:

Jha found himself at risk of becoming the bubble boy as his jack-nine suited was behind Minkin's ace. The flop was of no help to him, coming . The turn came to give him a bit of life, but the river fell to send him to the rail in eighth place, resulting in the tournament reaching seven players and making it into the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kelly Minkin	305,000 39,000	39,000
Mrityunjay Jha	Busted

Tags: Kelly Minkin Mrityunjay Jha

09-13-2019 17:32 UTC-7

Russell Garrett Eliminated in 7th Place ($5,141)

HillKerby

Level 20 : 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Kelly Minkin opened to 25,000 out of the small blind and Russell Garrett went all in for his remaining chips over the top of her out of the big blind. Minkin quickly dropped in a stack of chips to call.

Russell Garrett:
Kelly Minkin:

Garrett was behind and found his luck run dry as the board ran out to make him the first in-the-money elimination at the hands of Minkin, bringing her up over 400,000 along the way.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kelly Minkin	424,000 119,000	119,000
Russell Garrett	Busted

Tags: Kelly Minkin Russell Garrett

09-13-2019 17:42 UTC-7

Noel Rodriguez Eliminated in 6th Place ($6,605)

HillKerby

Level 20 : 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Noel Rodriguez went all in from the cutoff for 170,000 and action folded around to Kelly Minkin, who was in the big blind. She confirmed the amount and dropped in a stack of chips to call.

Noel Rodriguez:
Kelly Minkin:

Rodriguez found himself flipping for his tournament life as a slight underdog. He was unable to improve beyond Minkin's nines as the board ran out , leaving him congratulating Minkin on a nice hand and wishing everybody at the table a good game, a feeling that was well-reciprocated.

With the pot, Minkin has now taken over the chip lead with five players remaining.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kelly Minkin	648,000 224,000	224,000
Noel Rodriguez	Busted

Tags: Kelly Minkin Noel Rodriguez