2026 PokerNews Cup Thunder Valley

$400 PokerNews Cup
Day: 1a
1a1bc
Event Info
2026 PokerNews Cup Thunder Valley
Event Info
Buy-in
$400
Prize Pool
$250,000
Total Entries
343
Players Left
96
Average Chip Stack
89,323
Total Chips
8,575,000
Level Info
Level
8
Blinds
800 / 1,600
Ante
1,600
Players Info - Day 1a
Entries
142
Players Left
14
Players Left 96 / 343
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Flora on the Rise

Josh Noy
Josh Noy
Level 10 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

James O'Connor opened to 6,000 in early position, with Mohit Vasudeva calling in the small blind. Ricky Flora came along in the big blind, and the 10♥7♦9♠ flop was fanned out.

All three players checked to the 5♣ turn, with action repeating to the 3♥ river. Another round of checks let to showdown, where Flora tabled 8♥7♣ for a pair of sevens. That was enough to claim the pot as both opponents folded.

After being down to less than five big blinds a short time earlier, Flora has seen his stack grow among the chip leaders.

Tags: James O'Connor (US)Mohit VasudevaRicky Flora

Moore Catches Saelee Speeding

Josh Noy
Josh Noy
Level 10 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Zackary Moore
Zackary Moore

Three-way action to the 8♥7♦10♥ flop saw Dennis Shirron checked from the small blind, followed by Zackary Moore in the big blind.

Rick Saelee fired a bet of 8,000 in middle position, with Shirron folding and Moore making the call. Another check from Moore followed the 10♦ turn, and Saelee continued for 12,000.

Moore called and checked one last time on the A♠ river. Saelee immediately bet 30,000, and Moore counted out calling chips before sliding them forward.

Saelee showed Q♦J♣, while Moore revealed A♦9♣ for two pair to pad his stack.

Tags: Dennis ShirronRick SaeleeZackary Moore

"Good Bet"

Josh Noy
Josh Noy
Level 10 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Abel Valle and Joseph Luke committed 7,000 each on the 5♦2♣2♠ flop, and both players checked the 4♠ turn.

Valle led out from middle position on the A♣ river, firing a bet of 21,000.

"Good bet," said Luke as he slid his cards to the dealer, and Valle took down the pot.

Tags: Abel ValleJoseph Luke

Crowe's Kings Cracked

Josh Noy
Josh Noy
Level 10 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Three hands were on their backs at table 32, with a completed board of 9♠7♦A♥6♥10♦ on display.

Tiko Crowe: K♠K♦ All in
Charles Varner: 9♥8♥ All in
Devin Decarie: A♠8♦

Tiko Crowe tabled his pocket kings in the big blind, but both of his opponents showed their rivered straight. Verner and Decarie chopped up the pot, sending Crowe to the rail.

Tags: Charles VarnerDevin DecarieTiko Crowe

Level: 10

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 3,000

Fowler Finds a Triple-Up

Josh Noy
Josh Noy
Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Sean Fowler moved all in from under the gun for his last 10,000, and Robert Small called in the cutoff. Roderick Lejat also came along in the big blind, checking in the dark before the Q♥A♦K♠ flop.

Small checked back to see the 4♣ turn, and both players declined to bet. Action repeated on the 3♣ river, and all three hands were tabled.

Sean Fowler: A♥9♣ All in
Robert Small: K♥J♣
Roderick Lejat: A♠8♠

Fowler saw his kicker find an unlikely hold, earning the triple-up from Small and Lejat.

Tags: Robert SmallRoderick LejatSean Fowler

Bechthold Shows a Set

Josh Noy
Josh Noy
Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Ryan Bechthold raised from middle position to 7,000, and Jeffrey Bell defended his big blind to see the J♠K♥4♥ flop. Both players checked, and the dealer flipped over the 5♦ turn.

Bell tapped the table again, and Bechthold fired 8,000 into the middle. Bell called, and checked once more on the 3♣ river. Bechthold tosssed out a bet of 16,000, and Bell took a moment before giving his hand up.

Bechthold flashed 5♠5♣ as he raked in the pot.

Tags: Jeffrey BellRyan Bechthold

Saelee Pips Angiano

Josh Noy
Josh Noy
Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Thomas Angiano III checked the 10♥3♠5♥ flop from the hijack, and Rick Saelee fired a bet of 7,000 on the button. Angiano raised to 22,000, and Saelee announced all in.

Angiano made the quick call, and the hands were revealed.

Thomas Angiano III: 10♣7♣ All in
Rick Saelee: J♣10♠

Both players tabled their pair of tens, with Saelee's kicker holding through the A♥ turn and 2♣ river to score the knockout.

Tags: Rick SaeleeThomas Angiano III

Level: 9

Blinds: 1,000/2,000

Ante: 2,000

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