Friday, June 16th: Palacio Bests Massive Field In $20,000 GTD, "Last Longer Bounty" Makes Its' First Run

ICYMI: Thursday's action got underway at 11:00am, as the cards began flying in the $100 No Limit Hold'em "Monster Stack" ($3,000 GTD).  The "intimate" field was made up of (26) entries, with the $3,000 prize pool yielding a first place prize over $1,200.  The "afternoon" player pool is comprised of a group that is very familiar with each other, so it should come as no surprise that the tournament ended in a multi-way chop.  The final five players decided to make a deal, with just over $200 separating first and fifth place.

1. Michael Spadafore (Coconut Creek, FL) $668
2. Vincent Lo Bianco (Coconut Creek, FL) $663
3. Francois Gagne (Hillsboro Beach, FL) $625
4. Patrick Chin (Coral Springs, FL) $582
5. Stacy Thomas (Jupiter, FL) $462

There was another scenario to play out yesterday that should come as no surprise...the $130 No Limit Hold'em ($20,000 GTD) just crushing the number.  This event has quickly become one of the "fan favorites," and once the registration window closed last night, a total of (260) entries were in the field.  The prize pool officially closed at $25,220, with a min-cash in the event worth $173, and the eventual winner scheduled to get $5,743.  There were numerous notables players to cash the tournament short of the final table, including Patrick Chin (Coral Springs, FL), who had also finished in fourth place earlier in the day (in the $100 NLH "Monster Stack").  Chin would earn $227 for his 22nd place finish, bringing his days total over $800.  The final table continued play until six players remained, at which point an ICM chop was agreed to, with Pedro Palacio (Delray Beach, FL) taking home $3,810 for first place.

1. Pedro Palacio (Delray Beach, FL) $3,810
2. Cherie Thoman (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $3,130
3. Craig Stern (Aventura, FL) $2,426
4. Steve Raemen (Pompano Beach, FL) $2,415
5. Marie Fisher (Cooper City, FL) $2,267
6. Robert Transue (North Lauderdale, FL) $2,113

Tournaments: Tonight marks the initial running of another special tournament, with the "Last Longer Bounty" starting at 6:00pm.  The event is a $150 buy-in No Limit Hold'em tournament ($8,000 GTD), with a little "addition" to the structure.  Players sit down to starting stacks of 16,000 units, and play (25) minute levels throughout the event.  There are three "steps" to reach that see everyone remaining in the field earn money.  When 50% of the field remains, the clock will be paused for a brief moment, while the players receive a $25 "bounty."  That procedure will then occur at two more "goal points," which are predetermined on the structure sheet.  It's an interesting new dynamic added, and gives players something "fresh" to work with on the tournament schedule.

Promotions: From the moment the doors to the poker room open at 9:00am, the high hand promotions begin this Friday. From 9:00am-12:00pm, qualifying high hands will be awarded $100 every (10) minutes.  These "turbo high hands" usually see four or five rollovers in a row, making this one of the more exciting promotions for the players who are in the room "early."  The promotion then transitions to $250 every (20) minutes (from 12:00pm-4:00pm), followed by another jump from 4:00pm-12:00am.  That last jump sees those with the qualifying high hand earn $500, with rollovers applying throughout both time periods.

6:00pm - $150 No Limit Hold'em "Last Longer Bounty" ($8,000 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 (25) minutes in length throughout

- Players remaining at the following point will receive a designated bounty (When 50% of total entries remain - $25, when 30% of total entries remain - $50, and when 20% of total entries remain - $100)