Monday, January 21, 2019 2:52 AM Local Time
Day 3 Chip Leader Jeremy Joseph
January 21, 2019 (Thunder Valley) - Just one day remains in the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event at Thunder Valley, and the total field of 608 has been winnowed down to just 17. Leading the way at the end of Day 2 is Las Vegas,NV pro Jeremy Joseph.
The final 17 players will return on Sunday at noon to determine a winner, who will take home a $193,439 first-place prize. Each player returning is currently guaranteed at least a cash of $9,718, with a final-table cash worth at least $17,943. The eventual winner will also add a WSOP Circuit ring to his resume and will automatically book a seat into the 2019 Global Casino Championship...READ MORE
Monday, January 21, 2019 2:29 AM Local Time
Action has ended for the night in the main event after 11 hour-long levels of play reduced the field from 169 to just 17, led by Las Vegas, NV's Jeremy Joseph. Joseph's 2,595,000 in chips narrowly leads Paul Chai and Tony Bracy while feared pros such as 12-time ring winner Valentin Vornicu and September's main event champ, Brett Murray, remain in the hunt as well.
Here are the final 17, who will return to decide the majority of the prizepool beginning at noon on Sunday:
1 - Jeremy Joseph 2,595,000
2 - Paul Chai 2,450,000
3 - Tony Bracy 2,045,000
4 - Paul Camby 1,505,000
5 - Brett Murray 1,400,000
6 - Christopher Tham 1,230,000
7 - Paul Richardson 940,000
8 - Thomas Kornechuk 900,000
9 - Valentin Vornicu 795,000
10 - Ferit Bulutoglu 745,000
11 - Yifu He 715,000
12 - Vito DiStefano 650,000
13 - Ryan Jaconetti 605,000
14 - Hong Zhang 505,000
15 - Yanki Koppel 415,000
16 - Sue White 390,000
17 - Toko Luu 290,000
Monday, January 21, 2019 12:36 AM Local Time
Dan Turner
After losing a big hand against Thomas Kornachuk, Dann Turner was left short and moves all in for 285,000 from the small blind. Paul Richardson takes several minutes to think before calling and the two players turn over their hands.
Paul Richardson:
Dann Turner:
The flop comes down and Richardson is still ahead. A falls on the turn, giving Turner a straight draw, but the on the river does not help. Richardson takes down the pot with his ace high and Turner is eliminated from the tournament in 18th.
Paul Richardson - 745,000
Dann Turner - Eliminated
Monday, January 21, 2019 12:30 AM Local Time
Eighteen players remain in the Main Event, and they've redrawn for seats at the final two tables:
Table 1
Seat 1: Paul Camby, Guernville, CA 940,000
Seat 2: Hong Zhang, Moraga, CA 550,000
Seat 3: Paul Chai, Santa Clara, CA 1,735,000
Seat 4: Toko Luu, San Jose, CA 855,000
Seat 5: Vito DiStefano, Oakland, CA 1,080,000
Seat 6: Yifu He, Sunnyvale, CA 815,000
Seat 7: Tony Bracy, West Sacramento, CA 1,740,000
Seat 8: Brett Murray, Santa Rosa, CA 1,370,000
Seat 9: Valentin Vornicu, San Diego, CA 1,450,000
Table 2
Seat 1: Dann Turner, Cleveland, OH 230,000
Seat 2: Paul Richardson, San Ramon, CA 645,000
Seat 3: Yanki Koppel, Santa Clara, CA 530,000
Seat 4: Ryan Jaconetti, Yuba City, CA 750,000
Seat 5: Jeremy Joseph, Las Vegas, NV 1,890,000
Seat 6: Thomas Kornechuk, Auburn, WA 1,245,000
Seat 7: Ferit Bulutoglu, Mountain View, CA 830,000
Seat 8: Christopher Tham, San Francisco, CA 885,000
Seat 9: Sue White, Gilroy, CA 580,000
Monday, January 21, 2019 12:12 AM Local Time
Players will now be taking a 10-minute break and will return to play one more round before bagging up for the night.
Monday, January 21, 2019 12:11 AM Local Time
Dann Turner opens to 52,000 from late position, Thomas Kornechuk calls from the big blind and the flop comes down . Action checks to Turner, he bets 40,000, Kornechuk calls and a falls on the turn.
Both players check, the comes on the river and Kornechuk checks to Turner who moves all in. Kornechuk snap-calls, Turner tables and is playing the board. Kornechuk shows for aces over kings, taking down the pot and doubling through Turner.
Thomas Kornechuk - 1,400,000
Dann Turner - 245,000
Monday, January 21, 2019 12:01 AM Local Time
Stuart Tuvey depleted down to a short-stack, moving all in for 343,000 and Chris Tham calls, players turn over their hands.
Chris Tham:
Stuart Tuvey:
The board runs out and Tham's jacks takes down the pot, eliminating Tuvey from the tournament.
Chris Tham - 930,000
Stuart Tuvey - Eliminated
Sunday, January 20, 2019 11:41 PM Local Time
Paul Chai raises to 224,000 from the big blind, Dann Turner is sitting in the small blind and moves all in for 1,047,000. Chai thinks for several minutes, but in the end makes the fold, showing the , surrendering the pot to Turner.
Dann Turner - 1,425,000
Paul Chai - 2,050,000
Sunday, January 20, 2019 11:38 PM Local Time
Vito Distefano three-bets to 100,000 from the cutoff, Tony Bracy four-bets to 445,000 from the big blind, Distefano calls and the dealer fans out on the flop.
Bracy moves all in for 258,000 and Distefano calls. Bracy tables for a pair of jacks and Distefano shows for a lower pair of dimes. The rest of the board bricks off and Bracy scoops in a double from Distefano.
Tony Bracy - 1,525,000
Vito Distefano - 1,665,000
Sunday, January 20, 2019 11:07 PM Local Time
Level: 25
Blinds: 12,000/24,000
Ante: 4,000
Sunday, January 20, 2019 10:47 PM Local Time
Tony Bracy opens to 48,000 from early position, Arish Nat calls from the hijack and Paul Chai three-bets to 450,000 from the button. Bracy folds, Nat moves all in for around 560,000 and Chai calls, players turn over their hands.
Paul Chai:
Arish Nat:
The flop comes down and Nat takes a commanding lead. A lands on the turn, giving Chai the lead right back. The falls on the river and Chai wins the pot with his bigger full house, eliminating Nat from the tournament.
Paul Chai - 2,725,000
Arish Nat - Eliminated
Sunday, January 20, 2019 10:41 PM Local Time
With over 120,000 in the pot and the board showing on the turn, Hong Zhang leads 60,000 into Vijay Ramani, who had carried the action on previous streets. Ramani calls the 60,000, and the two see the river card, the . Zhang grabs a stack of green 25,000 chips and sets them forward, easily covering Ramani's remaining chips, a little over 150,000.
Ramani quickly calls all in, and Zhang flips over for the flush. Ramani says "Good game," as he mucks his cards, and he later said he J-9 for two pair.
Hong Zhang - 1,300,000
Vijay Ramani - Eliminated
Sunday, January 20, 2019 10:19 PM Local Time
Jed Hoffman moves all in for 207,000 and, after getting and verifying a count, Hong Zhang calls.
Hoffman -
Zhang -
The board misses both players completely, Zhang's ace and ten play as kickers, and Hoffman heads to the rail:
Hong Zhang - 1,050,000
Jed Hoffman - Eliminated
Sunday, January 20, 2019 10:06 PM Local Time
Level: 24
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 3,000
Sunday, January 20, 2019 9:58 PM Local Time
The players will now be taking their last 15-minute break of the night
Sunday, January 20, 2019 9:48 PM Local Time
Shortly after losing a big hand, Craig Varnell moves his remaining 172,000 all in from the cutoff, He Yifu calls from the small blind and the two turn over their hands.
He Yifu:
Craig Varnell:
The flop comes down and Varnell picks up a flush draw. A on the turn has Varnell in need of a five or spade, but the on the river does not help as he was eliminated by Yifu's ace high.
He Yifu - 920,000
Craig Varnell - Eliminated
Sunday, January 20, 2019 9:43 PM Local Time
Valentin Vornicu opens from early position for 35,000, and action folds around to Thomas Tran on the button, who moves all in for around 280,000. The remaining players fold and Vornicu calls:
Vornicu -
Tran -
There's no help from the all-small board, and Tran is off to the cashier's cage for 24th-place money.
Valentin Vornicu - 1,210,000
Thomas Tran - Eliminated
Sunday, January 20, 2019 9:39 PM Local Time
Vito Distrefano opens to 40,000 from under the gun, Scott Saechao calls from the cutoff, Craig Varnell defends his big and the flop comes down .
Action checks to Saechao who bets 60,000, Varnell folds and Distrefano moves all in. Saechao calls his 215,000 stack all in and will be at risk. Distrefano tables for a flush and straight draw, Saechao shows for an over pair of cowboys.
The falls on the turn, completing Distrefano's straight and the on the river does not help Saechao as he is eliminated by Distrefano in 25th.
Vito Distrefano - 1,685,000
Scott Saechao - Eliminated
Sunday, January 20, 2019 9:03 PM Local Time
Ryan Jaconetti opens, Thomas Kernochuk moves all in for 134,000 and Jaconetti calls, players turn over their hands.
Thomas Kernochuk:
Ryan Jaconetti:
The board runs out and Kernochuk's aces takes down the pot, doubling through Jaconetti.
Thomas Kernochuk - 305,000
Ryan Jaconetti - 694,000
Sunday, January 20, 2019 8:54 PM Local Time
Level: 23
Blinds: 8,000/16,000
Ante: 2,000