2026 PokerNews Cup Thunder Valley

$400 PokerNews Cup
Day: 1bc
1a1bc
Event Info
2026 PokerNews Cup Thunder Valley
Event Info
Buy-in
$400
Prize Pool
$250,000
Total Entries
346
Players Left
82
Average Chip Stack
105,488
Total Chips
8,650,000
Level Info
Level
10
Blinds
1,500 / 3,000
Ante
3,000
Players Info - Day 1bc
Entries
204
Players Left
68
Players Left 82 / 346
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One Bet Enough for Taum

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Action folded to Patrick Rice on the button, who opened to 1,000. Thomas Taum came along in the small blind, and James Chau defended his big blind.

Taum led out for 2,600 on the 762 flop, and Chau slid his cards to the dealer. Rice followed with a quick fold, and Taum took down the pot.

Tags: James ChauPatrick RiceThomas Taum

Share Your Story, Win PokerNews Merch

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
Share Your Story
Share Your Story

On site for the PokerNews Cup at Thunder Valley?

Look out for the PokerNews team throughout the PokerNews Cup weekend, because they're giving away merchandise to those who share their story.

Whether you have a ludicrous bad beat story, a fantastical poker journey, or simply want to tell people about the time you rubbed shoulders with some of poker's elite, our team will be on hand to record and share your story with our audience.

Pair Over Pair for Chau

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
James Chau
James Chau

Thomas Loya raised from under the gun to 1,200, and James Chau three-bet to 3,200 in middle position. Loya called and checked the 556 flop.

Chau continued for 4,000, and Loya check-raised to 9,000. Chau replied by moving all in, and the call was made.

James Chau: KK All in
Thomas Loya: 1010

Both players turned over their pocket pairs, and Chau held through the 4 turn and J river to double through Loya.

Tags: James ChauThomas Loya

Level: 3

Blinds: 200/400

Ante: 400

Castillo Keeps Short Stack Afloat

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Garrett Eckerling checked in the big blind on the 2J5 flop, and Cade Castillo bet 800 from early position. The call was made, and both players tapped the table on the J turn.

One more check from Eckerling on the A river led to a bet of 2,500 from Castillo. That was enough to claim the pot, as Eckerling let his hand go.

Tags: Cade CastilloGarrett Eckerling

Big Slick Good for Giva

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Action was three-way to the 98A flop, and Eric Welch checked in the big blind. Vu Nguyen did the same as next to act, while Dale Giva bet 2,000 in the cutoff. Welch called, while Nguyen let his hand go.

Both players declined to bet the 2 turn, and another pair of checks followed the 7 river. Nguyen announced a nine, showing K9.

Giva tabled AK for top pair, and the chips were sent his way.

Tags: Dale GivaEric WelchVu Nguyen

Reyes Takes the Turn

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

German Olmedo checked the 1076 flop from the small blind, and Paul Reyes announced a bet of 400 in the big blind. Daniel Gibson got out of the way on the button, and Olmedo made the call.

Another check from Olmedo followed the 8 turn, where Reyes continued for 2,100. Olmedo sent his cards into the muck, and the pot was sent to Reyes.

Tags: Daniel GibsonGerman OlmedoPaul Reyes

Level: 2

Blinds: 200/300

Ante: 300

Yohananov Fires Every Street

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
Tal Yohananov
Tal Yohananov

Tal Yohananov opened to 800 from under the gun, and Paul Rezentes called on the button. Farzad Abbaszadeh came along in the big blind, and checked the K510 flop.

Yohananov bet 1,200, and only Rezentes called to see the 4 turn. Yohananov led out for 2,500, and Rezentes tossed in another call. The Q river produced another bet from Yohananov, this time for 6,000.

Rezentes took a moment before letting his hand go, and Yohananov took down the pot.

Tags: Farzad AbbaszadehPaul RezentesTal Yohananov