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Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
Players are now on a 15-minute break.
2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Thunder Valley
$1,700 Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Thunder Valley
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1b
Buy-in
$1,700
Prize Pool
$627,210
Total Entries
414
Level
31
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
120,000
Entries
273
Players Left
65
Players Left 1 / 414
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Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
There was 5,600 in the board with three-way action between Riki Sankey, who was under the gun, and opponents in the hijack and on the button. Action was on the turn with a board of 
and all three players checked.
The river fell 
and Sankey bet 3,000. The hijack folded and the player on the button threw out chips to call.
Sankey tabled 
.
"Aces up," said the dealer as the player on the button leaned forward to confirm, tossing his cards to the muck after doing so.
"There's always an ace on the flop," he said as the pot was sent Sankey's way and he stacked his newly-acquired chips.
Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
Van Ho raised to 1,500 from the hijack over one early-position limper. Paul Chai was on the button and called, as did the limper to take action three ways postflop.
The flop came 
and the player in early position checked. Ho went all in and Chai asked for a count.
"Ten thousand, exactly!" responded the player in seat nine (to Ho's direct left) instantaneously after eyeing the stack. The dealer counted it out to be 9,900. Chai then announced a call, getting a quick fold from the early-position player afterward.
"Do you have an overpair?" asked Chai.
Ho shook his head, tabling 
"I have pocket eights," said Chai, turning over 
.
Ho was in need of hitting an ace or a king to avoid going bust and was unable to hit it as the turn 
and river 
fell to secure the pot and the knockout for Chai instead.
Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
Joe Elpayaa opened to 500 in middle position, the player on the small blind blind three-bet to 2,100, and Elpayaa called.
The small blind checked the 
flop, Elpayaa bet 1,800 and got the call. Both players then checked the 
turn.
The river brought the 
, and the small blind check-called a 6,500 bet from Elpayaa. who showed down 
to take down the pot.
Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team is at Thunder Valley to live report action from both the $1,700 Main Event and $3,250 High Roller, but those are just a couple of the dozen gold ring events at the stop. As such, we thought we’d profile some of the preliminary tournaments and those who struck it big.
In Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Knockout, 142 entrants created a $32,660 prize pool. That was distributed to the top 22 players including Niv Decalo (10th - $578), Andrew Duffy (13th - $497), Brian Borst (19th - $404), and Kevin Weinmann (22nd - $383).
In the end, it was recreational player Randy Gil taking home the title, $8,762 in prize money, and his first gold ring.
“It feels good. It was a long day but it’s worth it. It means a lot because it is a WSOP Circuit ring. I finished second a few times before. It’s nice to finally break through and get first place,” Gil said after his win.
To claim victory, he had to defeat two-time ring winner Jasthi Kumar in heads-up play.
“He is a great opponent, he is tough,” Gil said. “You gotta be on your game when you play against him. He is a very good player, he has a lot of cashes, and he is very respected in the poker community. It was definitely nice to get it against him.”
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Gil | Roseville, California | $8,762 |
| 2 | Jasthi Kumar | San Ramon, California | $5,413 |
| 3 | Denis Lee | Fremont, California | $3,731 |
| 4 | Peter Dirksen | San Francisco, California | $2,636 |
| 5 | Daniel Guevara | N/A | $1,912 |
| 6 | Chet Sickle | Manteca, California | $1,423 |
| 7 | Christopher Vezzetti | N/A | $1,089 |
| 8 | Hakeem Mashal | Davis, California | $857 |
| 9 | Roberto Rosales | Fontana, California | $694 |
Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
There was roughly 17,600 in the pot on the river with a board of 
. Action was heads up and the small blind had bet 5,000 into Jeff Dewitt, who was in middle position. After about 25 seconds, Dewitt put out a raise to 12,000. His opponent took less than 10 seconds before putting in chips to call.
Dewitt tabled 
for aces and jacks. His opponent then turned over the second-best hand of 
, showing his hand was best until the river. Unfortunately for him, Dewitt not only got there on the river but also got two bets worth of value after doing so, vaulting him up to nearly two starting stacks prior to the first break of the day.
Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
There was around 3,000 from preflop action as the dealer announced a heads up pot and spread a flop of 
. A player in early position checked to Van Ho, who was in the hijack and bet 1,400. His opponent called.
The turn came 
and Ho's opponent checked again. Ho grabbed 6,700 and put it out forward, announcing "all in" as he let go of the chips. His opponent deliberated for a bit and sent his cards to the muck.
Level: 3
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 200
