David Valdez Claims Second WSOPC Thunder Valley Gold Ring
PokerNews is in town to live report both the $3,250 High Roller and $1,700 Main Event here at the World Series of Poker Circuit Thunder Valley, but that is just one of the gold ring events that will have played out by the end of the series.
In Event #3: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha, 67 runners created a $22,110 prize pool that was reserved for the top 11 finishers. Among those to go deep but fall shy of making the final table were Alfredo Girabaldi (11th - $432) and Willie Smith (10th - $532). At the final table, Jared Minghini (8th - $703), Anthony Trifiletti (5th - $1,469), and Chet Sickle (3rd - $2,918) all bowed out before the title came down to Brendon Thomson and David Valdez.
Eventually the latter prevailed to claim his second career WSOPC gold ring.
“It is sweet, it always feels good to win something. I kind of sucked out at the end there, but sometimes you need that,” he said after winning the tournament, which was originally scheduled for two days but played out in one. His previous ring came as Thunder Valley last year when he took down the $400 Monster Stack for $40,411.
“The money was a bit more the first time I won, but the feeling is still the same, it is always fun to win,” he added.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Valdez | Vacaville, California | $7,021 |
| 2 | Brendon Thomson | Sacramento, California | $4,339 |
| 3 | Chet Sickle | Manteca, California | $2,918 |
| 4 | Benjamin Primus | Center Moriches, New York | $2,033 |
| 5 | Anthony Trifiletti | Livermore, California | $1,469 |
| 6 | Russell Garrett | Redding, California | $1,104 |
| 7 | Richard St. Peter | Susonville, California | $862 |
| 8 | Jared Minghini | N/A | $703 |
| 9 | Carlos Zapata | Chile | $597 |