$1,700 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2019 WSOP International Circuit Aruba
$1,700 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2019 WSOP International Circuit Aruba
Buy-in
$1,700
Prize Pool
$407,535
Entries
269
Level
27
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
50,000
Entries
133
Players Left
22
Russell and Villanola Bag Big Stacks After Day 1a of $1,700 Main Event
Level 17
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
It was an exciting day at the World Series of Poker International Circuit event in Aruba as for the first time in many years, a large poker tournament was held in the country. Tournament organizers and staff at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Casino and Resort held their breath as they weren't quite sure what to expect, but the numbers didn't disappoint as a total of 133 entries were recorded for the first of two flights.
After 17 levels, the field reached its 16% threshold and play was halted with just 22 players remaining. Among those bagging chips, Matt Russell and Friman Villanola were the two front runners with 418,000 chips and 413,000 chips respectively.
Russell had a successful summer in Las Vegas where he made two final tables but is still searching for his first piece of WSOP jewelry, whether that comes in the form of a ring or a bracelet. He made a late charge after the dinner break and finished on top of the counts. As for Villanola, he picked up two massive pots throughout the day, one of which brought an end to Day 1a. Villanola flopped bottom set against top two pair and it was no doubt that the chips were going in the middle.
Some other big stacks making it through to Day 2 include Dave Grandin (313,000), Charles Furey (289,000), Kristy Arnett (234,000) and power poker couple in Aruba, Clyde Hinton (216,000) and Debbie Hinton (155,000). Both Clyde and Debbie put on quite the show today on separate tables as they were eliminating players left, right, and center towards the end of the night. Clyde is coming off his first WSOP Circuit victory in Event #8 where he claimed over $10,000 while Debbie has also had a successful series this week.
It wasn't all roses for everyone today as many notables were also forced to the rail throughout. Some of the big names that will be forced to return on Day 1b include Garry Gates, Ronnie Bardah, June Jenkins, the Vazquez brothers Francisco and Facundo, Christian Harder, Ray Henson, and Heather Alcorn.
The action will resume tomorrow at 2 p.m. local time where the cards will go back in the air with each player receiving a starting stack of 30,000 chips. A bigger turnout is expected for the second and final starting flight and there should be no question that the $250,000 guarantee will be reached. The players will play another 17 levels and will finish at the same time as Day 1a.
The PokerNews live reporting team will be back on the tournament floor to bring you all of the live updates throughout the entire event.
End of Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 17
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
418,000 | 63,000 |
|
413,000 | 8,000 |
|
313,000 | 197,000 |
|
256,000 | 74,000 |
|
234,000 | 14,000 |
|
216,000 | 6,000 |
|
209,000 | 209,000 |
|
|
188,000 | 188,000 |
|
|
157,000 | |
|
156,000 | -36,000 |
|
|
155,000 | -166,000 |
|
|
153,000 | 84,500 |
|
141,000 | -10,000 |
|
136,000 | 136,000 |
|
126,000 | 126,000 |
|
118,000 | 118,000 |
|
114,000 | -23,000 |
|
|
112,000 | 35,500 |
|
|
102,000 | -19,500 |
|
|
75,000 | 75,000 |
|
28,000 | 28,000 |
Villalona Wins Monster Pot to End the Night
Level 17
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
In the last hand of level 17, there was a huge pot brewing on Table 13. The board read 
with around 65,000 in the middle already. Friman Villalona was faced with a bet of 30,000 and he shoved all in. His opponent had around 70,000 remaining and went into the tank before making the call.
Villalona turned over 
for a set of fours while his opponent held 
for two pair. The 
paired the board on the river but it was not the safe card for Villalona. With that elimination, play has concluded at the end of level 17 and Villalona appears to have bagged the chip lead.
A full recap of the day's action will follow shortly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
405,000 | 223,000 |
It's the Hinton Show
Level 17
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
While Debbie Hinton is busy at one table eliminating Garry Gates, her husband Clyde is waking up to premium hands in the big blind. The action folded around to the button who shipped all in for around 50,000. Clyde Hinton looked down at his cards in the big blind and quickly called.
Clyde Hinton: 
Opponent: 
The flop came 
to give Hinton a bit of a sweat with his opponent pairing his queen. However, the 
and 
runout was safe for Hinton who brought the field down to the bubble on Day 1a.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
210,000 | 55,500 |
Gates Bows Out Late
Level 17
: 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
As the night is starting to wind down, the short stacks are left with the choice of getting their chips in the middle to double up, or come back tomorrow and re-enter. That was the predicament Garry Gates found himself in with just a little over 10 big blinds.
Gates shoved all in from early position for 65,000 and Debbie Hinton asked for a count before making the call from the cutoff. The rest of the table folded and the cards were tabled.
Debbie Hinton: 
Garry Gates: 
The flop was safe for Gates as his pair of eights were still in the lead but it was the 
on the turn that paired up Hinton. Gates was unable to catch up on the river and he was ousted from the tournament.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
321,000 | 101,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 17
Blinds: 3,000/5,000
Ante: 5,000
Down to Three Tables
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
June Jenkins was the latest to hit the rail after she got her last 47,000 chips in the middle with 
against Debbie Hinton's 
. The flop brought an ace for Hinton and Jenkins was unable to catch up in order to stay alive.
The field is now down to just three tables as the players are heading on another 15-minute break. When they return, there will only be five more eliminations needed before the night comes to an end.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
355,000 | |
|
|
220,000 | 73,000 |
|
|
220,000 | 103,000 |
|
|
192,000 | -5,100 |
|
|
154,500 | 9,500 |
|
|
137,000 | |
|
|
121,500 | 56,500 |
|
|
116,000 | -84,500 |
|
|
70,500 | 27,000 |
|
|
68,500 | -35,500 |
|
Busted |
Fuhrman Kicks Vazques to the Rail
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Steven Fuhrman raised it up to 8,000 in the cutoff and Francisco Vazquez three-bet shoved all in for 49,500 from the small blind. Fuhrman asked for a count and gave it some thought before making the call.
Steven Fuhrman: 
Francisco Vazquez: 
Fuhrman had Vazquez pipped by one on the kicker which came into play on the 
runout. Fuhrman's nine-kicker was good enough and Vazquez was eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
182,000 | 34,500 |
|
Busted |
Contreras Sets Up a Turn Shove
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
The action folded around to Derrick Contreras in the small blind who made it 18,000 to go. The big blind called and the flop fell 
. Contreras continued with a bet of 20,000 and the big blind stuck around to see the on the turn.
Contreras had just under a pot-sized pet remaining and shipped all in for 71,500. His opponent leaned back in his chair and threw his hands on his head. He thought for over a minute before deciding to ditch his cards to the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
151,000 | 18,000 |