India’s Ram Kakkar Finishes Runner-Up in WSOPC Thunder Valley NLHE 6-Handed Turbo, Ken Turner Wins Title

Event #10: $400 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed Turbo at the 2018 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit – Thunder Valley attracted a player pool of 169 runners which culminated into a prize pool of $55,440. Several gruelling hours of play later, it was California’s Ken Turner who emerged as the champion, after besting India’s Ram Kakkar (cover image), who banked $9,596 (₹6,89,079) for finishing runner-up!

Kakkar is a relatively lesser known personality within the Indian poker fraternity. With only two previous cashes to his name, Kakkar currently has $10,624 (₹7,62,898) in total live earnings. His posted his first score in 2015 at the ₹12,000 No Limit Hold’em – Headhunter at the India Poker Championship (IPC), Panjim where he placed 10th for ₹21,750. His next score was his recent 13th place finish in Event #5: $400 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better of the ongoing series where he banked $674 (₹48,399) for his efforts.

Talking about the event, Kakkar told PokerGuru, “I was in good space having min cashed in Omaha 8 event (13/121) and coming 40/318 in the monster stack, learning and making small adjustments to the game. Had among top 10 stacks throughout the day and went into the final table as chip leader. Wanted the WSOP ring real bad. Last hand in the tourney was brutal. It’s was 25k-50k blind levels. I had about 11 Lakhs chips and Ken had about 14 Lakhs odd. I raised the button with AA. He called with 9-10 offsuit. He check called the Q 10 5 rainbow board and check shoved when 4 opened on the turn. I called and he hit another 10 on the river. We were both a lil shocked and Dealer then got an ‘I love you’ from Ken.”

The eventual winner Turner is the ninth first-time Circuit ring winner in ten events completed to date at the WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley. Not only did the Californian win his maiden circuit ring but he also posted his career-best win of $15,525.

In the post-event interview, Turner said “I’m really grateful for the opportunity to play in these events, to come to a great venue like this at Thunder Valley, and just give it a shot.”

With only the top 18 places assured a min-cash of $687, the race to finish in the money was intense. While several notables busted out empty-handed, the ones who finished in the money included Charles Jenco (8^th for $1,852), Roger Bailey (9^th for $1,332), Denis Lee (10^th for $1,332), Stuart Crooks (11^th for $959), Shawn Quinn (12^th for $959), Francis Witek (13^th for $687), Micah Mooney (14^th for $687), Duane Wilson (15^th for $687), Timothy Woodward (16^th for $687), Indian origin player Navroop Shergill (17^th for $687) and Jeffrey Vertes (18^th for $687).

Brent Lickiss finished in 7^th place for $1,852 and bubbled the final table.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Kenneth Turner – $15,525

2. Ram Kakkar – $9,596

3. Ali Hamidizadeh – $6,931

4. Alan Cutler – $4,982

5. Maxwell Young – $3,581

6. Zion Carl – $2,574

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