$3,250 High Roller
Day 1 Completed
2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Thunder Valley
$3,250 High Roller
Day: 1
Heshmati Leads Way to Day 2 of WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley $3,250 High Roller
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
The 2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Thunder Valley $3,250 High Roller got a late-afternoon start time of 4 p.m. on Thursday. When the day started, just six players were registered. That number nearly tripled over the first two hours of play, and it reached a total of 35 entries by end of day.
Mike Heshmati found himself atop the leader board upon the conclusion of Day 1, finishing the day with 172,500 in chips. Heshmati joined the tournament during the first two hours of play and chipped up slightly by the first break, taking his 40,000 starting stack to just over 46,000. That was only the beginning of his day, however.
As the day went on, he found himself over 60,000 moving into Level 9. He continued to build from there, eclipsing a six-figure stack shortly after the last level of the night. Less than two hours later, he found himself as the chip leader when eight hours and a dozen 40-minute levels of play had been completed.
Rounding out the top three include a few familiar faces to the Thunder Valley Poker room. Ian Steinman (157,000) and Noel Rodriguez (145,000) will enter the day second and third in chips, respectively.
Other notable players to find bags also happen to be well-known inside the venue. JC Tran (130,500) and Brett Murray (101,000) both will also enter Day 2 with six-figure stacks.
The field is sure to grow before Day 2 begins at noon on Friday as late registration will remain open cards are in the air for the beginning of Level 13. Like Day 1, levels will last 40 minutes each and play will occur until a winner has been determined.
PokerNews will be on hand to catch all the action. Be sure to come back for it all.
End of Day 1 Chip Counts
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Play has concluded on Day 1 with 14 players advancing through conventional means and one more early Day 2 registrant already logged. Official chip counts are as follows: stay tuned for a full recap of the day's action.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
172,500 | 70,500 |
|
157,000 | 9,600 |
|
145,000 | 3,000 |
|
130,500 | -64,700 |
|
111,000 | 23,100 |
|
107,500 | 14,900 |
|
104,500 | -17,500 |
|
101,000 | -5,000 |
|
80,000 | -18,800 |
|
73,500 | 33,500 |
|
47,500 | -11,500 |
|
46,000 | 1,500 |
|
43,000 | 8,000 |
|
41,000 | -7,200 |
|
40,000 | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
Condon Ousts Richardson on Last Hand of the Night
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Short-stacked Paul Richardson got the remainder of his stack in on a 
flop, with Alex Condon making the call.
Paul Richardson: 
Alex Condon: 
Condon's top pair was well ahead, and held through on the 
turn and 
river. Richardson's elimination came on the last hand of Day 1.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted |
Grybas Finds a Bag Before Play Concludes
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Steve Grybas just registered for the tournament and was told that he cannot be seated after the announcement was made for the last hands of the evening. As a result, his starting stack of 40,000 was placed straight into a bag along with a listed city of Las, Vegas. He was overheard celebrating having advanced to Day 2 while the other 16 players still had work to do.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
40,000 | 40,000 |
Three More Hands
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
"All right high rollers, complete the hand you're on, deal three more hands."
The tournament director has spoken and the 16 players across three tables will all play three more hands before bagging and tagging their chips for the evening.
Park Finds Value on River
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Peter Park opened to 3,600 from the cutoff and received a call from Mrityunjay Jha, who was on the button. The two saw a flop of 
and Park checked. Jha threw out a bet of 4,100 and received a call from Park.
The turn came 
and saw both players check, bringing the river 
. Park threw out a bet of 5,000 and Jha thought for a few minutes before tossing out a chip to call.
Park showed 
for two pair, kings and tens. Jha mucked and the dealer sent Park the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
92,600 | 57,600 |
|
|
59,000 | -11,800 |
Richardson Folds Out Steinman
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Paul Richardson was on the button and opened to 4,200. Ian Steinman defended his big blind to take postflop action heads up.
The flop fell 
and Steinman checked. Richardson made a continuation-bet of 5,200 and Steinman called. Both players checked the turn 
.
The river fell 
and Steinman checked once more. Richardson threw out a bet of 9,500 and Steinman thought for a few seconds before sending his cards to the muck.
Meanwhile, Alex Condon was eliminated on an adjacent table not long ago and has just rebought, having taken his new seat at Table 41.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
147,400 | 12,400 |
|
|
78,500 | 15,500 |
|
|
40,000 | 5,000 |
Level: 12
Blinds: 800/1,600
Ante: 1,600
Richardson Doubles with Ten High
Level 11
: 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Niv Decalo bet 6,000 from the small blind into two opponents, with a 
flop showing. Only Paul Richardson made the call, from the button.
Decalo then checked the 
turn, and Richardson went all in with his last 8,500. Decalo made the call.
Paul Richardson: 
Niv Decalo:
Neither player had anything better than a gutshot straight draw, but Richardson had the better high card. The ten-high played when a harmless 
came in on the river, giving Richardson the double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
63,000 | 20,400 |
|
|
35,000 | -16,500 |