Eric Bunch Wins WinStar Labor Day River Poker Series Main Event ($260,000)

The 2019 WinStar Labor Day River Poker Series $1,500 Main Event registered a massive field of 1,242 entries. After three days of intense action, Eric Bunch (cover image) was declared the champion and took away $260,000 in prize money following a heads-up deal.

Bunch, who is primarily a cash game player, started playing tournaments only three years ago. His biggest adversary in the field was his heads-up opponent Spencer Champlin, with whom he chopped the prize money. Bunch was understandably delighted with the outcome as he told reporters, “I’m pretty happy, obviously. I’m glad it all worked out.”

The day began with 10 players, and Chuck Barker (10th place – $24,338) bubbled the final table.

Final Table Recap

Katherine Offutt was the first one to exit the final table, and she did so early on in ninth place. Her failed to beat Champlin’s as the latter rivered a full house. Champlin earned the elimination and with that the chip lead.

Short-stacked Jim Harris fell next in eighth place and after that Champlin took out Kris Burchfield (7th place), James Jewell (6th place), and Viet Vo (5th place) one by one over the next one hour of play.

Champlin kept busy first by catching Bunch`s bluff and then sending Jeremy Liu out in fourth place. Liu moved all-in with against Champlin’s but failed to improve.

Down to three-handed, the next hour or so went by without incident with Champlin, Bunch, and Eluterio Rodriguez playing only small pots.

Shortly after the next scheduled break, Rodriguez lost a sizeable pot to get in the danger zone with only 10 big blinds. Before long he found the spot to shove with pocket nines but unfortunately for him, Champlin woke up with pocket aces, bringing play down to heads-up.

Heading into the heads-up finale, Champlin was holding a dominating 3-to-1 chip advantage over Bunch, but the latter took no time to turn the tables and soon pulled ahead after winning several big pots. The duo kept trading chips, and the chip lead was exchanged multiple times before the two finally agreed to a chop once they returned from the final break of the event. Bunch took the title and $260,000 while Champlin was awarded $234,887 and adjudicated the runner-up.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Eric Bunch – $260,000*
2. Spencer Champlin – $234,887*
3. Eluterio Rodriguez – $119,046
4. Jeremy Liu – $97,000
5. Viet Vo – $74,955
6. James Jewell – $57,318
7. Kris Burchfield – $44,091
8. Jim Harris – $35,273
9. Katherine Offutt – $29,982

*denotes heads-up deal

Content & Images Courtesy: PokerNews