Monday, May 22nd: Bikus Binks the Sunday $10,000 GTD, $25,000 GTD On Tap For This Evening

ICYMI: Sunday has been the host of a single tournament for more than a month now, with the $150 buy-in No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 GTD) on yesterday's schedule (12:00pm start time).  The event, which has one of the best structures of the "daily" tournaments, saw registration close with a total of (81) entries.  The $10,000 prize pool broke down in a way that had (11) spots being paid, with a min-cash worth $280, and first place scheduled to take home $3,224.  Duane Minerva (Delray Beach, FL) ended up bubbling the final table, but still walked away with the $280 min-cash.  As the final table played on, and after four eliminations, the remaining players agreed to a six-way deal.  Paulius Bikus (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), an Isle Poker tournament regular, took home first place honors worth $2,454.  The cash is the fifth largest of Bikius's career, and brings his recorded lifetime earnings above $39,000.  The rest of the final table payouts were as followed:

1. Paulius Bikus (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $2,454
2. Shelly Ahmed (Shakopp, MN) $1,446
3. Jerrold Solov (Pompano Beach, FL) $1,331
4. George Berindei (Boca Raton, FL) $1,119
5. Muneer Ahmed (Shakopp, MN) $1,001
6. David Miller (Davie, FL) $981
7. Charlie Odenz (Hollywood, FL) $415
8. Elizabeth Smith (West Palm Beach, FL) $350
9. Carlos Torres Vazquez (Weston, FL) $323
10. Paul Price (Weston, FL) $300

There is one other storyline to make note of, as Shelly and Muneer Ahmed, a husband and wife combo, make their second final table of the weekend.  For a couple (whether it's husband/wife, brother/sister, or just best friends), it's really difficult to make it to one final table, let alone two in the span of (72) hours.  

Tournaments: There are two tournaments on the schedule today, but one just "stands taller" than the other, as the $25,000 GTD gets underway at 6:00pm this evening.  The tournament day starts at 11:00am though, with the cards getting in the air for the $80 No Limit Hold'em / $10 Bounties ($2,000 GTD).  The tournament offers up a starting stack of 12,000 units, and sees levels of (20) minutes played throughout the event.

That tournament is followed by the largest guaranteed event of the month, outside of the "special" May $100,000 GTD (May 11th-14th).  The $130 buy-in No Limit Hold'em event begins at 6:00pm, as offers a healthy 16,000 unit starting stack (20 minute levels).  This particular tournament, which has been run in the past, has seen prize pools as high as $30,000.  Tonight's showing should be no different, with over (250) total entries expected in the field.

Promotions: Outside of the "standard" high hand promotion, the weeks gets a "quick" start with "Turbo High Hands," offering $100 every (10) minutes from the period of 9:00am-12:00pm.  Rollovers do apply with this promotion (with each game in the house eligible), so it's not uncommon to see a player pick up anywhere from $100-$500 during the promotion.

11:00am - $80 No Limit Hold'em w/ $10 Bounties ($2,000 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 10,000 starting stack

- Late and re-entries for the first (8) levels

- Option player "add-on" at the end of Level 8 ($20 for 8,000 tournament chips), with 100% of the "add-on" going to the prize pool 

- Levels are (20) minutes in length

6:00pm - $130 No Limit Hold'em ($25,000 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 16,000 starting stack

- Late and re-entries for the first (8) levels

- Alternates and late entries will receive full stacks

- Levels are (20) minutes in length throughout