Shots from the High Roller
2020 World Series of Poker Circuit Thunder Valley
$3,250 High Roller
Day: 1
Jesse Lonis Captures Gold Ring with Wife By His Side
Level 3
: 100/200, 200 ante
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 #2: $400 NLH Knockout One-Day, 195 runners created a $44,850 prize pool that was paid out to the top 30 players. Among those to get a piece of it were Ken Jorgensen (21st - $475), Alon Eldar (20th - $475), Arish Nat (12th - $744), Tyler Koher (8th - $1,134), Rian Mullins (5th - $2,577), and Kelly Giannetti (3rd - $4,805).
In the end, 24-year-old Jesse Lonis of Little Falls, New York beat Patrick Testoni in heads-up play to win the title, $11,062 first-place prize, and his first gold ring.
“I have come close to winning a few times, but this is my first straight up victory, so it was nice to finally get the victory and a ring,” he said after the victory with his wife nearby. “The other players were great, but I started to feel very confident once we got down to four-handed because of my big chip lead that made able to put a lot of pressure on.”
Lonis, who plays poker for a living, added: “I am just doing the tournament grind and it is tough to win, but when you seal them it’s nice.”
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jesse Lonis | Medford, Oregon | $11,062 |
| 2 | Patrick Testoni | Santa Cruz, California | $6,835 |
| 3 | Kelly Giannetti | Davis, California | $4,805 |
| 4 | James Mendoza | Glendale, California | $3,448 |
| 5 | Rian Mullins | Evanston, Illinois | $2,577 |
| 6 | Soutong Saeturn | N/A | $1,892 |
| 7 | Benson Xu | N/A | $1,448 |
| 8 | Tyler Koher | N/A | $1,134 |
| 9 | Haixia Zhang | Los Gatos, California | $908 |
Level: 3
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 200
Ajayi's Flop Raise Fold Out Rodriguez
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
With the board showing 
on the turn, Dapo Ajayi checked from the hijack, and Noel Rodriguez bet 3,000.
Ajayi raised to 7,800, and Rodriguez thought it over briefly, then folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | -12,000 |
|
25,500 | -17,500 |
Steinman Finds Two Pair
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
Joe Kuether checked from the small blind on a 
flop, Ian Steinman bet 400, Kuether raised to 1,600, and Steinman made the call.
Kuether bet 3,000 on the 
turn, and Steinman again called. The river fell 
, Kuether checked, Steinman bet 3,500 and Kuether made the call.
Steinman's 
for two pair was the winner, with Kuether mucking.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
50,000 | |
|
40,000 |
Checking It Down with Ajayi & Rodriguez
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
Dapo Ajayi opened the button for 400 and Noel Rodriguez defended out of the big blind.
Action went check-check on the 
flop and repeated itself on both the turn and 
river.
Rodriguez tabled the 
for a pair of sixes and it was good as Ajayi sent his hand to the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
43,000 | 500 |
|
|
42,000 | -500 |
Three-Way Pot Goes to Dunst
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
Tony Dunst opened to 400 from middle position, Noel Rodriguez called from the hijack, and the big blind also called.
The three players went to the 
flop, the big blind checked, Dunst bet 500 and got two calls.
Action again checked to Dunst on the turn, and he bet 1,200 with the 
hitting the board. Both opponents again called.
The river came , the big blind checked for a third time, Dunst bet 4,500, and both opponents folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
37,000 | -3,000 |
|
35,000 | 4,000 |
Stamm Three-Bets, C-Bets, Takes It
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
Tim McDermott opened to 300 from early postion, David Stamm three-bet to 1,000 from the button, and McDermott called.
The flop came 
, and McDermott check-folded to a 600 continuation bet from Stamm.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
46,000 | 3,000 |
|
30,000 | -4,000 |
A Look at the Upcoming World Series of Poker Circuit Schedule
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| January 9-20, 2020 | Thunder Valley Casino (Sacramento area, California) |
| January 16-27, 2020 | Horseshoe Tunica (Tunica, Mississippi) |
| January 30 - February 10, 2020 | Potawatomi (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) |
| February 6–17, 2020 | Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa (Tampa, Florida) |
| February 14-25, 2020 | Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino (Las Vegas, Nevada) |
| February 20 – March 2, 2020 | Horseshoe Hammond (Chicago, Illinois) |
| February 25 – March 8, 2020 | WSOP.com Online Circuit (Nevada) |
| February 27 – March 10, 2020 | Horseshoe Bossier City (Shreveport, Louisiana/Texas) |
| March 5-16, 2020 | Harrah’s Atlantic City (Atlantic City, New Jersey) |
| March 7 – 18, 2020 | The Bicycle Casino (Los Angeles, California) |
| March 12-23, 2020 | Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa (Tulsa, Oklahoma) |
| March 19-30, 2020 | Bally’s (Las Vegas Strip, Nevada) |
| March 26 - April 6, 2020 | Horseshoe Council Bluffs (Omaha, Nebraska/Iowa) |
| April 8-19, 2020 | Harrah’s Cherokee (North Carolina) |
| April 23 – May 4, 2020 | Horseshoe Tunica (Tunica, Mississippi) |
| May 7-18, 2020 | Harrah’s New Orleans (New Orleans, Louisiana) |
| August 2020 | Global Casino Championship Harrah’s Cherokee |
All stops will release their series’ event schedules as they get closer. Every stop is confirmed to offer at least a dozen official gold ring events starting at the $250 buy-in level and include a $1,700 Main Event.
Michael Lin Kicks Off Stop w/ Victory in Event #1: $400 NLH Opener
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
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 #1: $400 NLH Opener, 1,319 entrants created a $435,270 prize pool that was paid out to the top 197 players. Among those to go deep and cash were Gregory Fils (20th - $3,046), Catherine Whidden (12th - $5,547), Jeff Lennon (7th - $11,091), Marco Maldonado (5th - $18,564), and Jim Fraser (3rd - $32,361).
In the end, Michael Lin beat out Thunder Valley juggernaut Josh Prager to win the title for $70,181 and his first gold ring.
“This is my dream and I have worked so hard for this; I have won other events before but WSOP is the pinnacle,” Lin told WSOP officials. “I was really short Day 1 and had less than 80,000 [chips] so I thought I was going home the first day, but the rest is history.”
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Lin | Mission Viejo, California | $70,181 |
| 2 | Josh Prager | Yuba City, California | $43,374 |
| 3 | Jim Fraser | N/A | $32,361 |
| 4 | Andre Parishan | N/A | $24,387 |
| 5 | Marco Maldonado | San Antonio, Texas | $18,564 |
| 6 | Mario Samareta | Elk Grove, California | $14,276 |
| 7 | Jeff Lennon | N/A | $11,091 |
| 8 | Michael Needle | Santa Cruz, California | $8,707 |
| 9 | Elliott Layus | N/A | $6,918 |