ICYMI: Yesterday was the opening day of the $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD), with the first two (of eight total) flights for the event. If yesterday was sign of things to come, then we are in for a pretty special event, as both flights eclipsed the century mark (in regards to entries). With Flight 1A getting (105) entries, and Flight 1B attracting (106) entries, a total of $27,852 is already going towards the overall prize pool. The pace would eventually give us a prize pool close to $115,000, but history shows that the numbers are going to grow even larger moving forward.
While much of the focus would be on the players that bagged chips for Sunday's Day 2, the real interest was in regards to who would win the chip lead bonus from each flight. Earning the $1,100 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD) seat from Flight 1A was Anthony Abdo (289,000), while Joseph Marchese (331,500) grabbed the bonus during Flight 1B. A total of (24) players successfully bagged chip from both flights, including names like Bret Grebow (310,500), James Hamburger (247,500), Sagi Zommer (245,500), Michael Tait (183,000), and Julian Wohlgemuth (152,000).
A new group of players will be arriving to the poker room over the course of today, as the second pair of flights for the tournament are on tap.
Tournaments: The $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD) continues today, as the month's first multi-day tournament grows even larger. There will be six more flights over the next three days, with players that successfully bag chips, returning on Sunday for Day 2. The tournament is structured with starting stacks of 18,000 units, and levels that will last (25) minutes over the course of the tournament. Registration is open through Level 8 (and the break that follows), with the opening flights scheduled to play through Level 16 (or unless the 10% mark is reached before that point). The chip lead bonus is back in a big way, as the largest stack bagged from each flight, will earn a seat into next week's $1,100 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($200,000 GTD). The next four days will have two flights each, with an afternoon flight (11:00am), and an evening flight (6:00pm). Live blogged coverage will be available during each afternoon flight, as well as Day 2 (detailed coverage).
Promotions: From (9:00am-10:00am), the high hand will award $150 every (30) minutes. The high hands will then transition from 10:00am-12:00am (midnight), with the opportunity to win $400 every (30) minutes. During that period, the promotion sees tournament players eligible (Isle Open events not eligible for high hand) each half-hour for $100 high hands, 2/2 limit hold'em players eligible for $200 high hands, 2/4 limit hold'em players eligible for $300 high hands, and all other raked games (1/2-5/10 NLH, 4/8 Omaha 8B, 6/12 O.E., etc.) eligible for $400 high hands. From 12:00am-9:00am, players are eligible for $100 high hands every hour.
It should also be noted that started back on November 1st, players are able to win the high hand using only one card in their hand!!! The payouts for those that use one card are different than the standard numbers listed above, and can be found (full listing of one-card payouts on flyers in the poker room).
11:00am - $175 No Limit Hold'em - Flight 1C ($100,000 GTD)
- Players start with 18,000 in tournament chips
- Late and re-entries for the first (8) levels
- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack
- Levels will last (25) minutes
- All Day 1's will play (16) complete levels or until 10% of the field remains (whichever comes first)
6:00pm - $175 No Limit Hold'em - Flight 1D ($100,000 GTD)
- Players start with 18,000 in tournament chips
- Late and re-entries for the first (8) levels
- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack
- Levels will last (25) minutes
- All Day 1's will play (16) complete levels or until 10% of the field remains (whichever comes first)
