FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Official End Of Flight 1A Chip Counts

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 16 (Blinds 2,000/4,000/500)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 101
Players Remaining: 14/101

Joe	Thomas	374,000
Zoltan	Czinkota	203,500
Daniel	Genachte	195,000
Terry	Siele	186,000
Paulius	Bikus	144,000
Joe	Ritzie	139,000
Luis	Mantilla	129,500
Frank	Scala	129,000
Robert	Chusid	123000
Gail	Sandler	98,500
Elgin	Young	89,000
Adam	Koppel	80,500
Robert	Patterson	79,000
George	Berindei	54,500

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Thomas Bags The Flight 1A Chip Lead

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 16 (Blinds 2,000/4,000/500)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 101
Players Remaining: 14/101

Joseph Thomas (Jupiter, FL) 

There were a lot of players getting up from their table to survey the field, trying to find out if they had a shot at bagging the chip lead.  While a small trio of players tried to make a late push, Joseph Thomas's stack was just unreachable.  Thomas ended up bagging well over 300,000, and is the first player to officially "enter" Event 14 ($1,100 No Limit Hold'em $150,000 GTD).  Flight 1A "officially" ended with 16:00 minutes remaining in Level 16, just a few minutes short of the scheduled stop time (clock would have been paused with 10:00 minutes remaining).  Once the tournament staff verifies all player's bags, the end of flight chip counts will be posted.

This will conclude "live coverage" of today's action, but updates will continue after the finish of Flight 1B, with end of flight chip counts posted shortly after 1:00am.

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Mantella Value Betting Thin?

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 15 (Blinds 1,500/3,000/500)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 101
Players Remaining: 17/101

Louis Mantella (Florida)

Certain decisions are becoming increasingly important for the chip leaders in the field, as the clock winds down on the final levels of the afternoon.  On the river of a board reading 9♦ 8♣ 4♥ K♣ 6♣, Louis Mantella shoved for 40,000 into a pot with over 150,000 in the middle, against Paulius Bikus.  Paulius started the hand with one of the top three stacks in the room, so while he could "afford" to make the call, it may have been more about winning that $1,100 seat for Bikus.  Bikus eventually made the call, and watched as Mantella turned over 6♥ 7♥.  He was unable to beat the pair of sixes, and cut out the 40,000 chips to head Mantella's way.

Louis is now second in chips behind Zoltan Czinkota, and hopes to grab the top spot before the field is down to (14) players (we mentioned the number being 13, but that was reported incorrectly).

Louis Mantella - 220,000

Paulius Bikus - 120,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Two Tables Remain (Lineup Included)

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 14 (Blinds 1,200/2,400/400)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 101
Players Remaining: 19/101

The race for the flight's chip lead is seeing it's "dynamic" change slightly, as the chances that the flight ends early increases.  The flight is scheduled to conclude after Level 16, but if this particular field reaches the point where (13) players remain, the clock will be paused, and the bagging process will begin.  There are currently (19) players left in the Flight 1A field, with seating assignments listed below:

Table 4:

1. George Berindei
2. Joseph Ritzie
3. Terry Siely
4. Jeff Satinoff
5. Alvaro Vivas Grisales
6. Zoltan Czinkota
7. Wa Lang
8. Daniel Genachte
9. Robert Chusid
10. Adam Kappel

Table 6:

1. Joseph Thomas
2. Bobby Patterson
3. Louis Mantella
4. Paulius Bikus
5. Frank Scala
6. Anthony Hobbs
7. Gail Sandler
8. Jose Parra
9. Elgin Young

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Thomas Looking To Nab Event 14 Seat

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 13 (Blinds 1,000/2,000/300)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 101
Players Remaining: 24/101

Joseph Thomas (Jupiter, FL) 

Just a reminder that the chip leader from this flight will be earning a seat into Event 14 ($1,100 No Limit Hold'em $150,000 GTD), which could potentially turn into a score over $35,000 dollars.  It's serious business for the players in the field right now, especially those in the thick of the race.  Joseph Thomas (Jupiter, FL) has eclipsed Gail Sandler's top stack, sitting with over 180,000 at the end of Level 13.

Thomas has just over $8,500 in recorded tournament earnings, with his last score coming last November during a WSOP Circuit series at Palm Beach Kennel Club.  Joseph's largest cash came here at the Isle in 2014, when he finished third in a $220 No Limit Hold'em event during the Isle Poker Open ($4,524).

Joseph Thomas - 186,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Roll Call Before Flight's Final Break

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 12 (Blinds 800/1,600/200)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 101
Players Remaining: 36/101

Players from the remaining four tables are going to be taking their final break of the night in just a few minutes.  Play is scheduled to end after the completion of Level 16, or until 13% of the field remains (13 players).  Action will resume with Level 13, and blinds of 1,000/2,000/300, and a chip average of 56,000 (28 big blinds).  The following players are still alive, and looking to navigate their way to the bagging process:

Frank Scala
Thomas Gari
Paulius Bikus
Joseph Ritzie
Elgin Young
Gail Sandler
Marc Culberson

Updated counts from the field will be posted once action resumes, as the race for the chip lead bonus heads down the homestretch.

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Sandler Is the New Shooter

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 11 (Blinds 600/1,200/200)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 101
Players Remaining: 37/101

Gail Sandler (Bellmore, NY)

While the action has slowed down slightly, because of the deeper stacks across the field (chip average is currently 35 big blinds), one player has managed to separate herself from the field.  Gail Sandler has spent the last few levels trending upwards, and is well in front of the rest of the field, as she sits with over 150,000.

Sandler may be a new name to the blog, but just because she doesn't play many tournaments, doesn't mean she's a novice.  Gail's Hendon Mob resume has two results, both from 1993, and both top four finishes.  Her last recorded cash from the 1993 L.A. Poker Classic was in a $500 Limit Hold'em event (yes...that does read LIMIT hold'em).  She finished in fourth place that day ($7,410), behind names like Sam Grizzle and Chau Giang.  Some who appreciates and the history of poker would know those names...world class players in their time.

Needless to say, it's been a long time since Gail has recorded a live tournament cash, but it doesn't really look like she's missed anything while she's been gone.

Gail Sandler - 156,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Young Triples Up, Is Back To Average Stack

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 10 (Blinds 500/1,000/100)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 101
Players Remaining: 47/101

Elgin Young (Augusta, GA)

The action at Table 9 was approached as three players were looking at a flop of J♦ 9♦ 3♦.  Elgin Young had checked-shoved for just 12,100, and was called (with less) by one opponent, while waiting for the third player in the hand to decide.  "I really hope nobody has a diamond here," said the player on the button, as he dropped the chips in for a call (having both players covered):

Young: K♥ J♠

Player X: J♠ 5♣

Player Y (button): 10♥ 8♣

Young was surprised to see that his hand was a favorite at the moment, with neither player holding a diamond in their hand.  Elgin's hand only improved after the K♠ on the turn, and when the board paired with the 8♦ on the river, he'd rake in a pot worth 42,000.

Elgin Young - 42,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Updated Chip Counts Post Break

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 9 (Blinds 400/800/100)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 101

Joseph Ritzie (Hamilton, OH)

The official numbers are in for the opening flight of Event 1, with a total of (101) entries making up the afternoon's field.  That equates to $14,140 towards the overall prize pool, which is guaranteed to be $100,000.  This pace would have the tournament eclipsing the number on Saturday, but the pattern in these multi-flight events shows that the numbers only grow as each flight passes.

The most recent break allowed for a look at some of the chip counts across the field, and that look yielded a new chip leader, Joseph Ritzie (Hamilton, OH).  Ritzie is an Ohio native that spends a good portion of his time here in Florida, playing both cash games and tournaments.  Ritzie has over $125,000 in recorded tournament earnings, including three cashes this year here at the Isle.

Joseph Ritzie - 81,000
Thomas Gari - 77,000
Zoltan Czinkota - 71,000
Marc Culberson - 61,000
Daniel Genachte - 55,000
Stephen Smith - 53,000
Adam Kappel - 50,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): No "Blogger's Curse" Here At The Isle

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 8 (Blinds 300/600/75)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 96

While the majority of players enjoy getting mentioned on the blog, there is a small minority that thinks it's some sort of "bad luck."  Clearly there is no "blogger's curse" in this poker room, as two of the players mentioned on the blog earlier are on the top of the leaderboard (Zoltan Czinkota and Stephen Smith).  Smith earned himself "double" moments ago, as he saw what was left of Eric Pideret's 20,000 starting stack shipped his way.

On a flop of Q♦ 7♣ 7♥, Smith checked to Piderit, who announced a bet of 3,200.  Smith quickly tossed forward a check-raise to 16,000, which was enough to cover Piderit.  Eric held up his cards saying, "The same pair five times...the same pair five times."  He eventually tabled his hand while simultaneously calling, with his 4♥ 4♦ well behind the K♣ Q♠ of Smith.  The turn and river both missed Piderit, who would be left to collect his things and exit the tournament table.

Stephen Smith - 45,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): "If At First You Don't Succeed"

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 7 (Blinds 250/500/50)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 93

Zoltan Czinkota (Davie, FL)

Zoltan Czinkota (Davie, FL) may be all smiles in the photograph above, but that wasn't the same expression he had earlier.  Zoltan busted two bullets before sitting down and experiencing the better side of variance.  He's currently the chip leader in the field with just over 70,000, with only two levels remaining of open registration for this flight.

Once registration closes for Flight 1A, players interested in entering today's action will have to wait until 6:00pm, at which point the cards get in the air for Flight 1B of Event 1.  This same schedule then applies for the next three days:

Thursday, July 6th:

11:00am - Flight 1C (Live Blogged Coverage)

6:00pm - Flight 1D

Friday, July 7th:

11:00am - Flight 1E (Live Blogged Coverage)

6:00pm - Flight 1F

Saturday, July 8th:

11:00am - Flight 1G (Live Blogged Coverage)

6:00pm - Flight 1E

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Zakarya Standing Tall To Start The Day

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 6 (Blinds 200/400/50)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 86

Zakarya Wolgamott (Coconut Creek, FL) 

Even though he entered the tournament about (30) minutes before the first break, Zakarya Wolgamott (Coconut Creek, FL) is already sitting with one of the larger stacks in this early field (48,000).  Wolgamott is coming off of a recent tournament "win," earning first place money in a heads-up chop of the Saturday morning "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" ($100 No Limit Hold'em) on June 17th, worth $750.  That puts Zakarya's recorded career earnings just short of $10,000, with the addition of another June tournament score in the "special" $75 No Limit Hold'em ($50,000 GTD) event earlier in the month.

Wolgamott was part of a large group of "fashionably late" players to jump into action over the last few levels:

Joseph Ritzie

David Licht 

David Light

Bruce Snell

Joseph Thomas

Michael Perez

Patrick Biancone

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Kappel Coolers Opponent To Double

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 5 (Blinds 150/300/25)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 81

Eric Kappel (Tampa, FL)

Eric Kappel's double-up wasn't spotted until the hand was finishing up, but the board and both hands still sat face-up on the table.  The board read A♥ Q♥ 6♦ 7♦ K♥, with Kappel's 6♥ 7♥ besting the A♠ Q♦ of his opponent.  It was just a pure runout for Kappel, who flopped a pair and a flush draw...improved to two pair on the turn, but was still behind heading to the river.  Eric made a flush on the river, at which point the chips got in.  Kappel doubled to just over 40,000, while his opponent was left with less than ten big blinds, and then busted from action a few moments later.

Eric Kappel - 43,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Foley Finds Out A Secret, And She's All Smiles

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 4 (Blinds 100/200)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 58

Esther Foley (Tamarac, FL) 

Yesterday was a festive day for countless people across the country, and while Esther Foley (Tamarac, FL) was celebrating as well, it wasn't just in regards to the July 4th holiday.  Foley had a "gender reveal" get together yesterday afternoon, as family and friends anxiously waited to find out whether Foley's second child was going to be a boy or a girl (it was also a surprise to Foley).  When the balloon popped, showers of blue confetti came down, meaning she is going to be having another boy.  Foley isn't due until October, so she's currently focusing on her tournament game, which has solid this year.

Esther was introduced to followers of the blog a few months ago, during the "April $100,000 GTD," an event she earned eight place money in ($10,203).  The tournament ($350 No Limit Hold'em) had a prize pool of $222,600, which allowed for the twelve players that chopped the tournament to each walk away with over $7,500.  Foley joined the action during the last level, and continues our list of notables in the field:

Zakarya Wolgamott

Marc Culberson

Ralph Spadafore

Eric Piderit

Dai Lam

Alvaro Vivas Grisales

Players will be heading on their first break of the day at the conclusion of this level, and will be returning to Level 5, and new blinds of 150/300/25.

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Zoltan Looking To Surpass Last Year's Best

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 3 (Blinds 75/150)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 48

Zoltan Czinkota (Davie, FL) 

Zoltan Czinkota (Davie, FL) is a name familiar to followers of the blog, along with players in the Florida poker community.  Czinkota has over $316,000 in career tournament earnings, and is coming off his best year of tournament poker by far.  Zoltan had (28) recorded cashes last year (which puts him 54th in the world for 2016), which equated to earnings for the year of $181,281.  He's continued his success this year in terms of quantity of cashes, but is still looking for his first significant score of the year.  Zoltan's most recent cash came two weeks ago, when he finished just short of the final table at the $350 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Special" at SHR ($1,884).

Czinkota was just one of the many players to enter the field over the course of the first level and a half, and in joined by the likes of:

Daniel Genacthe

Kevin Scarola

Francois Gagne

Paul Shafran

Zaki Lichaa

Tracy Scala

Frank Scala

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): Smith Looking For Second Trophy For The Mantel

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 2 (Blinds 50/100)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 34

Stephen Smith (Juno Beach, FL) 

One of the first players to take a seat in this opening flight of Event 1 was Stephen Smith (Juno Beach, FL), a WSOP Circuit ring winner who also has an Isle Poker trophy to his name.  The trophy win came earlier this year, during the Isle Poker Classic, as Smith headed a six-way chop that ended the event.  The first place finish was worth $28,462, and still stands as Stephen's largest cash of his career (with his WSOP Circuit win a distant second).

Smith is currently joined in the field by the "breakfast club," a revolving group of players that consistently play in the afternoon events on the "recurring schedule" (players like Joseph Mancuso, Thomas Gari, Peter Odiot).  Also in the field is Paulius Bikus (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), a tournament  regular who is coming off a cash in last night's $130 No Limit Hold'em ($20,000 GTD).

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1A): 2017 Florida State Poker Championship Officially Underway

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 1 (Blinds 25/50)
Total Flight 1A Entries: N/A

Players have had this date circled on their calendars for months, as the cards get in the air for the first event of the 2017 Florida State Poker Championship.  The $175 No Limit Hold'em event carries with it a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool, a number that will likely be surpassed long before registration closes on Saturday night.  This "deep stack" event will be hosting two flights per day (Wednesday-Saturday), with those successful in bagging chips returning on Sunday (July 9th) at 12:00pm for Day 2.

Players in these opening flights will be sitting down to starting stacks of 20,000 tournament chips, and playing levels of (25) minutes (levels will be the same length through the duration of the tournament).  Late registration and re-entry will be open through Level 8 of each flight, with the day scheduled to end after the conclusion of Level 16 (or until 13% of the field remains).  The "chip lead bonus" returns for this event, as each of the opening flight chip leaders will be earning a seat into Event 14 ($1,100 No Limit Hold'em $150,000 GTD).

Last year's equivalent to this event was Event 2 ($140 No Limit Hold'em $200,000 GTD), and was won by Jeff Burdeen ($20,102), who took first place money in a ten-way chop of the tournament.  We will see if Burdeen returns to defend his title, and will also be on the lookout for the many Isle Poker notables that will be in attendance this afternoon.  "Live blogged coverage" will continue through the bagging process of this opening flight, and will be offered for Flight 1C, Flight 1E, and Flight 1G (all of the afternoon flights), along with Day 2.

It's going to be an action packed month of July, as a total of (22) trophies will be handed out to tournament winners, including the first post-WSOP "major championship" (Event 20 - $1,500 No Limit Hold'em FSPC Championship).

Wednesday, July 5th: The 2017 Florida State Poker Championship Begins Today!!

ICYMI: While some people chose to celebrate the fourth of July by barbecuing and watching fireworks, others were interested in the incredible action going on at the Isle Casino Poker Room.  Outside of the amazing high hand promotion that ran for most of the day, there were also two tournaments on the schedule.  Things got started at 11:00am, with the $100 No Limit Hold'em "Monster Stack" ($3,000 GTD).  A total of (46) entries made up the field, which equated to a prize pool of $3,542.  Of those entries, seven players would eventually reach the money, with a deal made once the money bubble has burst.

1. Ira Horowitz (Miami, FL) $760
2. Mario Anivarro (Palm Beach, FL) $574
3. Daniel Genachte (Deerfield Beach, FL) $523
4. Mitchell Silver (Dania Beach, FL) $460
5. David Schnegelberger (Boca Raton, FL) $447
6. Davie Miller (Davie, FL) $421
7. Susan Krowitz (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $357

That tournament was followed at 6:00pm by the $130 No Limit Hold'em ($20,000 GTD) event, the final "recurring tournament" of the month (with the FSPC beginning today).  The $20,000 prize pool was comprised of (134) entries, with (17) spots scheduled to reach the money.  Once the field had reached the money, notables like Joseph Zelnick, Michele Milker, Pedro Palacio, and Paulius Bikus notched yet another Isle tournament poker score on their impressive resumes.  The final table payouts were big, so it seemed like just a matter of time before a deal was struck.  That time happened when four players remained, with Andreas Athanasopolous (Tamarac, FL) earning first place money worth $4,315.

1. Andreas Athanasopolous (Tamarac, FL) $4,315
2. David Coughlin (Lighthouse Point, FL) $3,547
3. Tom Gity (Pompano Beach, FL) $2,590
4. Anthony Casas (Miami, FL) $2,193
5. Joseph Nay (Plantation, FL) $990
6. Marc Bronstein (Delray Beach, FL) $840
7. Antionette Catalanotto (Tamarac, FL) $730
8. Hubert Ganter (Pompano Beach, FL) $640
9. Kenneth Honeghan (Plantation, FL) $565
10. Tom Millward (Boca Raton, FL) $500

Tournaments: Today marks the beginning of the 2017 Florida State Poker Championships, a series that boasts over $1,100,000 in tournament guarantees.  Things get started with Event 1 ($175 No Limit Hold'em), which has a $100,000 guarantee, and eight flights to reach that number.  This tournament should see one of (if not the) largest field of the series, as players hope to turn a $175 buy-in into a five figure score.  Players that sit down in one of today's two flights (Flight 1A at 11:00am, and Flight 1B at 6:00pm) will do so with starting stacks of 20,000 units, along with levels of (25) minutes in length (throughout the entire tournament).  Flight 1A marks the return of "live blogged coverage," as each of the next four days afternoon starting flights get some "extra attention" from the media.

Promotions: One would think that after a weekend full of "special" high hand promotions, things would maybe take a "day off."  That "day off" isn't today though, as the "Turbo High Hands" award $100 every (10) minutes from 9:00am-12:00pm...followed by the ever-popular money wheel, and the "Spin To Win" promotion from 12:00pm-11:00pm.  Last week saw one lucky player earn the $5,000 jackpot, so it will be interesting to see what this week follows up with.

11:00am - FSPC Event #1 (Flight 1A): $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD) 

- Players start with 20,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Level will last (25) minutes throughout the event

- All Day 1's will play (16) complete levels or until 13% of the field remains (whichever comes first)

6:00pm - FSPC Event #1 (Flight 1B): $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)

- Players start with 20,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Level will last (25) minutes throughout the event

- All Day 1's will play (16) complete levels or until 13% of the field remains (whichever comes first)