Event #10: $3,250 High Roller

The 2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Thunder Valley $3,250 High Roller saw 35 entries across Thursday's Day 1 play for eight hours. Of those 35 entries, 15 players advanced to Day 2. However, late registration remained open until play began on Day 2, and six more entries found their way into the contest during that time to bring the total to 41.

Seven hours later, one of those six players found themselves the newest winner of a WSOP Circuit ring and an accompanying first-place prize of $44,413. Bryant Miller was that player, earning his third career Circuit ring and first career High Roller victory.

When asked about the final table, Miller said that it was "a really tough one." He gave credit to the field as a whole, stating there were a lot of good players when only one table remained. Over the course of the final table, Miller said he felt he only had four or five truly playable hands. Much to his fortune, he was able to make each hand count, making winning hands and building his stack as the final table progressed.

High Roller Final Results

Day 2 Action

It didn't take long for the 21 players entering Day 2 to be whittled back down to two full tables of eight players each, as the third table in play was broken after the conclusion of the first 40-minute level of the day. Action got started right away as Kelly Minkin, who was the last player to enter, got all in preflop with pocket jacks versus Niv Decalo's pocket kings. She barely covered and found herself left with crumbs, only to catch a few doubles including one with pocket aces to be back at starting stack 10 minutes later.

Meanwhile, Ian Steinman had entered the day second in chips and continued to build from there. Behind him was Noel Rodriguez, who also found himself atop the chip counts after flopping a full house and getting a full double against JC Tran when Tran hit a backdoor flush.

Tran was then short, busting soon after. Others to fall before the field reached nine included Lee Markholt and Brett Murray. When that number hit nine and all remaining players found themselves at the unofficial final table, two eliminations were still needed to make the money. At that time, Steinman had a commanding chip lead, but his momentum would prove to go Minkin's way.

Steinman was opening nearly every hand at the time and Minkin, who was in the middle of the pack, shoved all in from the big blind over the top. Steinman quickly called with pocket tens and was ahead of Minkin's ace-ten. An ace came on the flop, however, and she found herself with life. Short-stacked Ryan Awwad became the ninth-place finisher and Minkin began her ascent shortly thereafter, knocking out Mrityunjay Jha on the bubble when her ace-seven held against his jack-nine suited.

There were a few short stacks once play got into the money and it only took one level for Russell Garrett, Rodriguez, and Mike Heshmati to all make their way to the rail, with two of the knockouts coming from Minkin. All of a sudden, she entered four-handed play as the chip leader with nearly half the chips in play.

Steinman was the next to fall. He doubled Niv Decalo up with ace-ten to pocket kings to leave him as the shortest stack. Fifteen minutes later, he found himself shoving ace-ten into another big pair when Minkin woke up with pocket queens to send him to the payout desk.

Three-handed play then went on for about 20 minutes with no major hands: then the fireworks went off. All three players found themselves in a raised pot on the river with Miller going all in for more than a pot-sized bet. He was quickly called by Decalo and Minkin let the two have at it. Decalo had hit a straight on the river but found it second-best to Miller's turned full house. Decalo was down to just over one big blind and was eliminated on the next hand.

The tournament was then heads up, though not for long. Minkin and Miller got stacks all in preflop on either the first or second hand of play, with Minkin holding ace-queen suited and Miller holding pocket jacks. The runout came clean for Miller and he found himself claiming victory.

Miller felt like he was never out of contention even though Steinman and Minkin both had their turns looking as if they would run away with the tournament. At a minimum, he felt confident about locking up a top-three finish.

"I feel good. It was fun," Miller said after the win. "I bought in today, was kind of short, (and) got a few doubles early. (There were) not a lot of tough spots, (I) made a couple of good hands, (and) it was pretty much smooth sailing."

As for where the ship will sail next, Miller plans to fire the Main Event right away, which is currently in late registration. He said he isn't able to play tomorrow, so he hopes to keep the hot streak going and find a bag to advance to another Day 2.

Niv Decalo was all in for his last 16,000 from the big blind on the hand after he was crippled. Kelly Minkin was on the button and folded and Bryant Miller called off the necessary chips to take the hand to a runout.

Niv Decalo:   
Bryant Miller:   

The board ran out       for Miller's ace high to remain best, eliminating Decalo in third place for a payday of $18,107 for his efforts.

Bryant Miller	863,000	16,000
Niv Decalo	0	-16,000

Bryant Miller opened to 25,000 on the button and received a call from Kelly Minkin, who defended her big blind. The flop came     and Minkin check-called a continuation-bet of 15,000 from Miller.

The turn came   and Minkin checked again. Miller continued, firing another 40,000 into the pot. Minkin called. Both players checked the river   to take the hand to showdown.

Minkin tabled    for a pair of nines and Miller mucked.

Kelly Minkin	853,000	0
Bryant Miller	385,000	0

Niv Decalo limped in from the small blind and Kelly Minkin raised to 37,000 out of the big blind. Decalo went all in over the top for what was counted to be 264,000, sending Minkin into the tank.

After a few moments of Minkin studying Decalo, he gave off a microscopic shrug as if to ask her what she was going to do. She quickly responded by folding and the dealer sent the pot Decalo's way.

Kelly Minkin	889,000	54,000
Niv Decalo	303,000	-90,000

"All of it. One hundred sixty-one (thousand)," said Ian Steinman as he threw a T1,000 chip forward to announce that he was all in. Action folded back to Kelly Minkin, who instantly called from the big blind and just as quickly tabled her hand. Steinman followed suit.

Ian Steinman:   
Kelly Minkin:   

Steinman was at risk for his tournament life and was unable to improve as the board ran out      , sending him to the rail in fourth place at Minkin's expense, resulting in her continuing to grow her chip lead as a result.

Kelly Minkin	902,000	196,000
Bryant Miller	408,000	44,000
Niv Decalo	330,000	-12,000
Ian Steinman	0	-164,000

Just a few hands after tripling up with kings, Niv Decalo shoved opened from the button and Ian Steinman put him all in over the top from the big blind. Decalo called.

Niv Decalo:   
Ian Steinman:   

The flop came     to give Steinman outs to the nut flush and a wheel. However, Decalo was able to hold as the turn came   and the river   fell behind, securing the double to vault him to second in chips at the expense of Steinman.

Niv Decalo	473,000	194,000
Ian Steinman	242,000	-238,000

Noel Rodriguez went all in from the cutoff for 170,000 and action folded around to Kelly Minkin, who was in the big blind. She confirmed the amount and dropped in a stack of chips to call.

Noel Rodriguez:   
Kelly Minkin:   

Rodriguez found himself flipping for his tournament life as a slight underdog. He was unable to improve beyond Minkin's nines as the board ran out      , leaving him congratulating Minkin on a nice hand and wishing everybody at the table a good game, a feeling that was well-reciprocated.

With the pot, Minkin has now taken over the chip lead with five players remaining.

Kelly Minkin	648,000	224,000
Noel Rodriguez	0	-234,000

Bryant Miller defended his big blind versus an open from Ian Steinman out of the small blind to take action to the streets heads up.

The flop fell     and Steinman made a continuation-bet of 18,000. Miller called. Both players checked through the turn   and river   to take the hand to showdown.

Steinman showed    for ace high and quickly turned it over and tapped the table to wish Miller a nice hand as he showed    for a pair of nines, good for the pot along the way.

Ian Steinman	492,000	22,000
Bryant Miller	272,000	30,000

Action folded around to Mrityunjay Jha, who went all in from the small blind for his last 53,000. Kelly Minkin was in the big blind and called.

Mrityunjay Jha:   
Kelly Minkin:   

Jha found himself at risk of becoming the bubble boy as his jack-nine suited was behind Minkin's ace. The flop was of no help to him, coming    . The turn came   to give him a bit of life, but the river fell   to send him to the rail in eighth place, resulting in the tournament reaching seven players and making it into the money.

Kelly Minkin	305,000	39,000
Mrityunjay Jha	0	-53,000