Following our extensive reporting on the EPT Barcelona, it’s time to change the tune. Another noteworthy event is currently underway and well worth noting. Enter the WinStar River Poker series, which has reunited a fair number of contestants. Quite the glitzy pow-wow in its own right, WinStar’s Main Event is definitely worth playing in or in the very least – spectating.
WinStar’s Main Kicks Off
The event kicked off with 807 contestants, not a modest number given the $2,500 buy-in to the WinStar River Poker Series Main Event. Held at the WinStar Casino in Oklahoma, we saw the competition quickly shed players, trimming down the bulk to just 20-odd people at the time we put together that piece.
And the competition is in fact beating on. The tournament winner will be announced later today, after the remaining players battle it out between themselves. It’s quite understandable why competition has been so fierce, too. The WinStar’s event comes along with a respectable cash prize worth $2 million, and apparently everyone wants a bite.
Many a famous player has been competing, starting with Maria Ho, Dan Heimiller, and Rainer Kempe through the less known but equally dangerous underdogs. Of course, a handful of notable pros did make it way ahead in the race, but were eliminated later on. Those that dropped out included Allen Kessler and Anthony Spinella.
Wendy Freedman, a player with respectable track record and a few titles to her name, did try to push through the final crop of players, but she got caught by Brian Green who left her little wiggle room and eliminated her in 26th place, sending her packing and $11,860 richer.
It’s worth noting that Freedman managed to win the $365 NLHE WSOP Circuit back in March 2018 and she also finished as the runner-up in the $1,675 NLHE WSOP Circuit in October, 2017. Her elimination was definitely a blow, but nothing she couldn’t stomach.
Looking at the Scores
Coming up with a genuine forecast of who the next winner may be is difficult enough. WinStar ambassador Maia Ho has had a rather rotten time at it, too. Meanwhile the chip leaders at one point, turned out to be Johny Deas, who seems not to have been very active in poker. He was followed closely by Stephen Brach and farther behind – Jeff Sowell.
The WinStar River Poker Series has been quite the event. It kicked off on Wednesday, August 1 and concludes today on September 4, 2018. It featured a number of interesting events, including the $1,100 No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Turbo Bounty among others.
A sufficient number of qualifying satellite events were also available as part of WinStar’s preparation for the grand slam. The hosts benefited from the amenities and facilities of the WinStar Casino, providing players with sufficient gaming place and creating an authentic atmosphere.
The WinStar River Series may be drawing to a conclusion, but they are definitely one of the most notable poker events that we have all seen this year and we will be most interested in finding out who wins and whether the tournament comes back next year.
