Heshmati Leads Way to Day 2 of WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley $3,250 High Roller
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.
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and Murray checked. Tran made a continuation-bet of 3,000 and Murray announced a check-raise to 9,500, which Tran called.
to bring the river 
, where Murray checked again. Tran threw out a bet of 21,000, sending Murray into the tank. After about 100 seconds, he called.
and Murray sent his cards into the muck.
flop, with Miller coming along with a call. Miller checked again on the 
turn, and Hesmati bet 6,800.
left him with the second-best hand and no chips to play as a result.
and action checked to Villaman, who put out a continuation-bet of 3,300. Rodriguez thought for a bit, deciding to check-raise to 8,500. Heshmati got out of the way and Villaman went all in for around 17,500. Rodriguez called.
made Jha's two ladies turn into three, giving him the double shortly after re-entering.
and Villaman checked to Demersseman, who made a continuation-bet of 1,800. Miller folded. 
. Niv Decalo had checked from early position to put action on Ian Steinman, who was in middle position and bet 1,500. The next two players to act were Ray Villaman in the hijack and Adam Demersseman in the cutoff. Both players called. Decalo got out of their way and action proceeded with three players still in contention of the pot.
. Steinman put out a final bet of 23,000. Villaman went into the tank, setting aside calling chips and seeming as if he were about to make the call. Better judgment won over for him and he sent his cards to the muck. Meanwhile, Demersseman, having had time to think over his decision during Villaman's turn to act, threw out chips to call shortly after action fell upon him. 
