ICYMI: Yesterday was the opening day of the $360 No Limit Hold'em Deep Stack $100,000 GTD (otherwise labeled the "April $100,000 GTD"), and if was any sign of things to come, we are in store for an incredible tournament. Between the two flights (Flight 1A and Flight 1B), there were (194) total entries combined, meaning that the prize pool ($59,170) is well over half of the way to the posted guarantee. This $100,000 guaranteed tournament could actually turn into something more like $200-250,000 once tomorrow's final flight has concluded.
Of the (194) entries, a total of (27) players bagged chips for Sunday's Day 2, with David Lopez (Pembroke Pines, FL) leading the way (376,500). Lopez was the chip leader for Flight 1B, with Justin Levy (Coconut Creek, FL) grabbing that same honor for Flight 1A (328,000). Some other notables to bag above average stacks included William Underdown (295,500), Raminder Singh (285,500), Tony Ruberto (201,500), and Jim Hamburger (184,500).
The action continues this afternoon with two more flights, the first of which is "live blogged," and begins at 12:00pm (Flight 1C).
Tournaments: The month of April has been pretty special in terms of tournament poker, with some huge turnouts, and massive prize pools over the last three weeks. That being said, everything to this point has been leading up to the end of month $360 No Limit Hold'em Deep Stack tournament, which carries with it a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool. This is the first "multi-flight" tournament since the 2017 Battles At The Beach, with six total flights for players to choose from (an afternoon and evening flight from April 27th-29th). A total of (328) entries are needed to reach the guaranteed number, which is easily attainable, and should be surpassed on the second day of tournament action.
To say that the tournament is a great value would be an understatement, as players are putting up $360, with the potential to take home a sizable five-figure score. Beyond the value though, the actual structure of the tournament is something that needs to be talked about. Players in the event sit down to starting stacks of 25,000 units, and play levels lasting (30) minutes on each Day 1 flight, transitioning to (50) minutes on Day 2. There aren't many (if any) "skips" in the structure, offering those remaining in the later stages of the tournament some deep play.
All of the action from the event with be blogged live, with full coverage of the afternoon flights, recaps of the evening flights, and full Day 2 action (until the tournament concludes).
Promotions: Things start off "quickly" this afternoon, with the "Turbo High Hands" running from 9:00am-12:00pm. During that window, $100 will be awarded every (10) minutes to the qualifying high hand (rollovers do apply). The promotion will then transition to $250 every (20) minutes (rollovers do apply), from 12:00pm-4:00pm...laddering up one more time to $500 every (20) minutes (rollovers apply), from 4:00pm-12:00am.
12:00pm - $360 No Limit Hold'em Deep Stack $100,000 GTD (Flight 1C)
- Players will begin with a 25,000 unit starting stack
- Late registration and re-entry for the first (8) levels
- Levels 1-16 will be (30) minutes, transitioning to (50) minutes from Level 17+
- All late registrants and re-entries will receive a full stack
- All Day 1's will play 16 complete levels, or until 13% of the field remains (whichever comes first)
6:00pm - $360 No Limit Hold'em Deep Stack $100,000 GTD (Flight 1D)
- Players will begin with a 25,000 unit starting stack
- Late registration and re-entry for the first (8) levels
- Levels 1-16 will be (30) minutes, transitioning to (50) minutes from Level 17+
- All late registrants and re-entries will receive a full stack
- All Day 1's will play 16 complete levels, or until 13% of the field remains (whichever comes first)
