FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Official End Of Flight 1G 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 1G Entries: 316
Flight 1G Players Remaining: 45/316

Angelo	Miele, Jr	498,500
Andre	Chaviano	355,000
Stephen	Smith	298,000
Lawrence	Gradus	274,500
Randy	Matienzo	259,000
Kyle	Taddgi	239,000
Joelle	Guarino	230,000
Donald	Delancy	207,000
Charbel	El Beyrouti	186,000
Barton	Taylor	185,000
Anthony	Damps	174,000
Fracisco	Castaneda	165,500
Larry	Hirschfield	151,000
Doron	Malinasky	147,000
Carlos	Garcia	146,000
James	Woodburn	144,500
Mark	Bonacquisti	143,000
Roy	Cohen	142,000
Michael	Marrero	134,000
Michael	Eddy	132,000
Nader	Bahhur	131,000
Shaun	Glennon	126,000
Mark	Hartstein	126,000
Brian	Chase	121,000
Eric	Piperit	118,500
Michael	Lewin	109,000
Ronny	Aparicio	108,500
Vincenzo	Lombardi	108,000
Michael	Rizzuto	105,000
Luke	Poljak	101,500
JC	De Arriba	100,000
Fernando	Pages	99,000
Michael	Landress	96,500
Alfred	Vargas	82,500
Paul	Berenson	79,000
Georgia	Felger	79,000
Peter	Fellows	77,500
Al	Gomez	65,500
Bruce	Snell	64,000
David	Clark	55,000
Renaldo	Troconis	46,500
Paul	Gregory	45,500
Patrick	Somboons	36,500
Alexander	Thomas	31,500
Kenneth	Arnaez	26,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Chaviano Coolers Cui To Grab Late 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 1G Entries: 316
Flight 1G Players Remaining: 50/316

Changfei Cui (pictured left) watches as Andre Chiviano celebrates

Changei Cui and Andre Chiviano (Hollywood, FL) had been involved in a number of hands during Level 15, so when Cui opened and Chiviano flatted, the players behind folded.  After a 3♠ 5♣ 7♠ flop, Cui continued with a 12,000 bet, and Chiviano raised all-in (for over 160,000).  Cui was playing a similar sized stack, but didn't think long before making the call.  Andre rolled over 4♠ 6♣, with most of the table thinking Cui was drawing close to dead.  To their surprise, Changfei flipped over 5♦ 5♥ (bottom set), and would need the board to pair on the turn or river.  Both players stood and watched, while the board ran out with a 4♣ on the turn, and an 8♦ on the river.  The stacks were counted down to see who was at risk, to find Cui eliminated.  Andre now holds the chip lead (335,000) with just (20) minutes remaining in the flight.

Andre Chaviano - 335,000

Official chip counts from this flight will be posted between 8:00-8:30pm latest, as the bagging and verification process will take some extra time with this sized field.

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Ory Has New Plans For Tonight

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 1G Entries: 316
Flight 1G Players Remaining: 58/316

Shaun Glennon (Miami, FL) 

Tournament Director Ralph Brandt asked the dealers to have one player collect the black chips at the table, so Ory Hen (Cooper City, FL) was appointed the player at Table 6.  While this was going on, Ory got involved in a hand with Shaun Glennon, as the two got it all-in (with Ory at risk) on a flop of 3♠ 4♣ 6♥ (both holding over pairs).  Ory's J♠ J♣ was in tough shape against the K♠ K♦ of Glennon, and with no help on the turn and river, Ory Hen would be eliminated from this flight.

Shaun Glennon - 207,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Guarino Gets Max Value Out Of Kings

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 1G Entries: 316
Flight 1G Players Remaining: 74

Joelle Guarino (Parkland, FL) 

Action at Table 2 was approached on a flop of J♥ 2♠ 7♥, with Joelle Guarino (Parkland, FL) tossing forward a bet of 20,000, after her opponent checked.  The call would be made, and the two watched as the 10♥ came on the turn, completing certain draws.  Guarino's opponent checked once again, with Joelle quickly glancing down at her chips, and announcing all-in (for just under 60,000).  After getting an exact count, the unknown player would make the call, and see Joelle roll over K♥ K♠.  She'd be up against 9♥ 9♠, and just needed to fade an eight or nine on the river.  The 2♥ on the river gave Joelle the higher flush, and she'd double to over 175,000.

Joelle Guarino - 178,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Lewin And Endara Lead The Way

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 1G Entries: 316
Flight 1G Players Remaining: 85

Juan Endara (pictured right) and Michael Lewin

As the flight winds down, and we shift our focus to the race for the chip lead bonus, two names currently stand out.  Juan Endara (Miami, FL) and Michael Lewin (Delray Beach, FL) are players with impressive resumes, Endara boasting career numbers north of $56,000, and Lewin over $260,000.  Lewin's name may sound familiar to those in the Florida poker community, having chopped one of the largest events ever held in the state.  Michael took home $125,211in a four-way deal that ended Event #10 of the 2015 SHRPO ($570 No Limit Hold'em - $1,464,000 prize pool).

Lewin may own the better career record, but Endara is the one seeing more Flight 1G success at the moment.  Juan sits with just over 280,000, and looks to become the first to eclipse 300,000, a mark that's already double the Day 2 chip average (which can change before the night's end).

Juan Endara - 280,000
Michael Lewin - 220,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Members Of the Century Cub

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 12 (Blinds 800/1,600/200)
Total Flight 1G Entries: 316
Flight 1G Players Remaining: 106

Luke Poljak (Pittsburgh, PA)

The remaining Flight 1G players are heading on their final break of the flight, and will return to finish off the final four levels.  There has been a lot of movement on the leaderboard, with numerous players having eclipsed the century mark.  The field is still looking for the player that is going to real gain some separation from the rest, but it just hasn't happened yet.  

Luke Poljak (Pittsburgh, PA) currently leads the way with 180,000, and is looking to record his first ever Isle Casino Poker cash.  Poljak has two results on his tournament resume, both from Seminole Hard Rock (one in 2014, and the other earlier this year).

Luke Poljak - 180,000

Juan Endara - 175,000

Angelo Miele - 160,000

Peter Fellows - 160,000

Michael Lewin - 130,000

Marc Duquette - 120,000

Ory Hen - 100,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Gross Flop For Gomez, Gin Turn Card

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 11 (Blinds 600/1,200/200)
Total Flight 1G Entries: 316
Flight 1G Players Remaining: 130

Gomez grabs the lead back with a fortunate turn card

Table 13 was approached just as one of the larger pots of the tournament was beginning, with Al Gomez limping UTG.  Action folded around to a player in the hijack, who open-shoved for 2,600 (this was at 1,200 big blind).  Patrick Carnackie called on the button, and after the blinds folded, Al Gomez back-raised to 6,500.  Carnackie made the call, and after the side pot was worked out, the dealer would fan out a flop of K♦ J♥ 8♣.  Gomez led for 9,000, and after about (45) seconds, Patrick shoved for just under 50,000.  Gomez had him covered, and took little time before deciding to make the call, only to see he was behind.  Patrick flopped two pair with K♣ 8♠, grabbing the lead away from Gomez's A♠ A♥.

The turn changed everything though, as the board paired with a jack, counterfeiting Patrick's two pair and giving Gomez a strong lead.  The river 10♣ would eliminate Carnackie (as well as the short stacked player who had shoved), and Gomez would rake in the pot worth close to 115,000.

Al Gomez - 113,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Bahhur Not Ready To Go Just Yet

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 10 (Blinds 500/1,000/100)
Total Flight 1G Entries: 316
Flight 1G Players Remaining: 146

Nader Bahhur (Hollywood, FL)

Nader Bahhur (Hollywood, FL) is a tournament veteran with over $110,000 in lifetime earnings, so he's aware that it only takes one hand to turn things around.  Grinding a below average stack for most of the day, Bahhur just got it in with Q♥ 10♠ against 3♥ 6♥ on a 10♥ 2♥ 3♦ flop.  His opponent had a bunch a equity with the pair and flush draw, but would brick turn and river.  Bahhur was playing a 25,000 stack to start the hand, so he's now over average for the first time all day (54,000).

Nader Bahhur - 54,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): 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 1G Entries: 316
Flight 1G Players Remaining: 165

Larry Gradus (Margate, FL)

With the size of the field, one would think that there would be some bloated chip counts across the room, but there isn't a player of the (165) that remain over 100,000.  Larry Gradus (Margate, FL) is the closest player to the number with 92,000, and is coming off a deep run in the "June $50,000" ($75 No Limit Hold'em $50,000 GTD).  Larry was still around with two tables remaining, but ended up bowing out in 20th place ($515).

Larry Gradus - 92,000

Steven Bennett - 82,000

David Clark - 80,000

Fernando Pages - 80,000

Kenneth Bruno - 65,000

Michael Lewin - 63,000

Stephen Smith - 56,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Registration Period Winding Down For Massive Afternoon Flight

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 8 (Blinds 300/600/75)
Total Flight 1G Entries: 283

The final minutes are ticking off the tournament clock in Level 8, with players heading on a (10) minute break at the level's conclusion.  Once the break is over and play resumes, registration will be closed for this flight.  That leaves one more flight this evening (Flight 1H) as the final opportunity for players to try and bag chips...a flight that could be even bigger than this one.

There have been new players arriving every few minutes since the last break, including numerous notables to the Isle Poker Room:

Rafael Ramos
Errol Massey
Evan Teitelbaum
Barry Chazen
Jonathan Marks
Sergio Amato
Richard Blanchar
Bruce Snell
Luke Dootlittle
Arnold Erenstoft
David Coughlin

The clearing out of the tournament area during break will allow for a better view of chip stacks, with updated counts to follow.

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Just A Warm-Up For David Clark

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 7 (Blinds 250/500/50)
Total Flight 1G Entries: 271

David Clark (St. Augustine, FL)

It's still very early, but David Clark (St. Augustine, FL) was leading at the first break of the day, and continues to do so almost an hour later.  Clark is sitting on a stack of 80,000, and although he'd likely sign up for a deep run right now, he's thinking a little bit about the future.  Last year during this same series, Clark reached the final table of both the $360 No Limit Hold'em (Event #7), and the $1,500 No Limit Hold'em FSPC Main Event.  The combined earnings from the two final tables was over $35,000, with both cashes still standing as his career one-two.  

Clark then parlayed those results into a run in the $5,250 SHRPO Championship Event, and min-cashed for $7,500.  A top two or three finish in this tournament would likely best either of last year's results, with the projected first place prize to fall somewhere in the $35,000 range.

David Clark - 84,000

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Powsner Recapturing The Magic

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 6 (Blinds 200/400/50)
Total Flight 1G Entries: 255

Karin Powsner (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 

Karin Powsner's tournament poker highlight came in 2015, when she finished in third place of Event #8 ($350 No Limit Hold'em) during the Coco Poker Showdown ($32,571).  The next two years would be full of deep runs and cashes, but nothing like that event from Coconut Creek.  While it wasn't a five-figure score, Powsner did earn her first tournament win just a few months ago, taking home first place money in a recurring nightly event ($130 No Limit Hold'em - $3,889).  She entered the field during the last break, and joins a large group of ladies in the field, including:

Debra Neser

Tamra Piderit

Rita Balbirer

Linda Lipkins

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Gavilanes Used To Going Deep In These Events

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 5 (Blinds 150/300/250)
Total Flight 1G Entries: 240

Washington Gavilanes (Plantation, FL) 

The first event at the Isle Poker Room that offered live blogged coverage during a major series, was Event 1 of the 2016 Isle Poker Open.  The tournament was a $150 No Limit Hold'em event with a $100,000 guarantee, which ended up with 1,148 entries, and had a structure very similar to this event.     The winner of that tournament...Washington Gavilanes (Plantation, FL).  Gavilanes bested Al Efremoff during heads-up play, winning the event outright and earning $26,037.  It would be a few months before Gavilanes surfaced again, but when it did, it was to earn second place money ($7,653) in the chop that finished last month's $75 No Limit Hold'em ($50,000 GTD).  It's safe to say that Gavilanes feels comfortable in these "lower buy-in," large field events.

Gavilanes continues the list of notables in the crowd, a list that just continues to get additions as each level passes:

Peter Fellows

David Albertson

Eric Piderit

Duane Minerva

David Gelley

Wallop Phonphornwithoo

Vincent Lo Bianco

Nader Bahhur

Jacqueline Miller

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): The List Continues To Grow Longer

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 4 (Blinds 100/200)
Total Flight 1E Entries: 225

David Miller (Davie, FL) 

David Miller (Davie, FL) is someone you can find playing a tournament here at the Isle Poker Room almost every day.  He frequents both the afternoon and evening events on the "recurring schedule," and has an impressive resume to show for it.  Miller has six final table finishes since February, and while he enjoys the "daily" success, these are the events he circles.  David's largest career cash came in a tournament very similar to this...the opening event of the 2016 Isle Poker Open ($150 No Limit Hold'em - $100,000 GTD).  Miller reached the final table of that event, finishing in seventh place, and earning $4,076.  The same finish in this tournament would yield a "healthier" result, but before David can begin thinking about final table, he has to first find a bag.  It's on all of the player's minds in this field, including notables such as:

Ian Bishop

Kenneth Bruno

Zakarya Wolgamott

Marc Geftman

Allan Bieler

Ralph Spadafore

Joseph Mancuso

Barton Taylor

Dolphins Powers

Jerrold Solov

Kenneth Schockett

Linda Lipkins

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

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Who Was It That Said "Poker Was Dead"?

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 3 (Blinds 75/150)
Total Flight 1G Entries: 152

Maury Halperin (Lauderdale By The Sea, FL) 

The phrase "poker is dead" started as a joke, but some in the community actually believed that the game was going the way of the saying.  Regardless of the truth behind the statement, is surely doesn't apply here in Florida (or at the Isle Poker Room).  Word clearly spread in regards to the value behind this tournament, as the tournament area was overflowing even before the cards were in the air.  The day is not even an hour old, and there are already (152) entries in this flight.  The prize pool just eclipsed $150,000, and dare we say that it could possibly reach $200,000 by the end of the day?  This is shaping up to be the largest flight by far, and we are seeing many players in action for the first time this week.

Maury Halperin (Lauderdale By The Sea, FL) can normally be found playing 6/12 O.E. on the cash side, but he frequents the daily tournaments, and knows when not to miss one of these special events during a series.  The former attorney has over $6,700 in recorded tournament earnings, with each and every one of his results recorded in tournaments at the Isle.  Halperin is firing his first bullet this afternoon, and join this group of Event 1 "first-timers:"

Ory Hen

Peggy McNally

Nigel Murray

Robert Urspruch

Marc Duquette

Justin Levy

Arnon Cline

Calixto Rogriguez

David Ward

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): Official Chip Counts (Flights 1A-1F)

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 1 - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 2 (Blinds 50/100)
Total Flight 1G Entries: 137

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1G): It's The "Last Chance To Dance"

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

Six flights have now came and went for Event 1 of the 2017 Florida State Poker Championships, and only two remain.  To this point, the tournament has attracted a total of (923) entries, with (124) players successful in bagging chips for tomorrow's Day 2.  The $100,000 guarantee was surpassed yesterday afternoon, so the only thing left to wonder is how high the number will actually go.  The event comes into the day with a combined prize pool of $129,200, and with two of the largest (expected) flights on tap for today, we could be seeing a final number somewhere in the $175,000 range.

Action gets underway in just a few minutes for Flight 1G, as Tournament Director Ralph Brandt goes over the rules announcement with players already seated in the field.  The obvious goal of players is to find a bag for tomorrow, but the real goal is to somehow bag the chip lead, and earn that Event 14 ($1,100 No Limit Hold'em) seat.  Here are the six players lucky enough to free roll their way into one of the premier events of the series:

Flight 1A: Joseph Thomas (374,000)

Flight 1B: Oleg Efremov (500,500)

Flight 1C: Steven Cohen (377,500)

Flight 1D: Scott Sommer (492,500)

Flight 1E: Brent Granda (409,500)

Flight 1F: Steve Raemen (428,500)

A combined list of Day 2 chip counts will be published shortly after play begins today, with a look at players in this early afternoon field to follow.

Saturday, July 8th: Final FSPC Event 1 Flights, Prize Pool Already $130,000!!

ICYMI: The fifth (Flight 1E) and sixth (Flight 1F) flights of Event 1 are officially in the books, which means that there are only two more opportunities for players to try and bag chips.  To this point, there has been a total of (923) entries, which equates to $129,200 towards the overall prize pool.  Considering the expected size of today's flights, we could see a pool over $175,000 when everything is said and done, and a first place prize over $30,000.

Yesterday's afternoon flight (Flight 1E) had a total of (191) entries, with (26) players bagging chips for Sunday's Day 2.  Brent Granda (Aventura, FL) continued his pattern of "annual run good" during the Florida State Poker Championships, a feat that he has accomplished in 2013, 2014, and 2016.  Isle Poker tournament regular Luke Rosenberg also experienced the better side of variance, using some critical spots to finish up with 241,500 in the bag.  Others to bag from Flight 1E were Mikael Lundell (245,500), Kevin Scarola (176,000), and Alberto Niebla (124,500).

Last night's flight (Flight 1F) was the largest of the six to have been played, with (220) entries making up the field.  The clock was paused with 10:15 minutes showing, as 13% of the field remained (29 players), and the bagging process began.  Steve Raemen was over 100,000 chip clear of his nearest competitor, bagging the chip lead with 428,500.  Also bagging last night was Robert Transue (264,500), Tom Gity (153,500), Luminita Petric (122,000).

Tournaments: The final pair of flights for Event 1 are on the schedule today, with Flight 1G beginning at 11:00am, and Flight 1H "putting a bow" on things at 6:00pm.  That also means that there are two more chip lead bonuses to be awarded, worth $1,100 each (and potentially much more than that).  The structure for each flight mirrors those that came before it, with starting stacks of 20,000 units, and levels of (25) minutes.  "Live blogged coverage" will be offered for Flight 1G, with updates starting the moment the cards get in the air.

Promotions: The high hand promotions take another "breather" today, between yesterday's (11) hours worth of "turbo" high hands, tomorrow's (7) hours of $300 high hands (awarded every 15 minutes).  The "standard high hand" procedure is in place, awarded prizes to qualifying high hands every (30) minutes (with rollovers).

11:00am - FSPC Event #1 (Flight 1G): $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 1H): $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)

FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1F): Official End Of Flight 1F 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 1F Entries: 191
Flight 1F Players Remaining: 29/220

Steve	Raeman	428,500
Guillermo	Irving	274,500
Robert	Transue	264,500
Eliyahu	Henn	249,000
John	Magnetta	235,500
Daniel	Millien	225,000
Andreas	Athanasopoulos	223,000
Edward	Mandel	193,000
Bernhard	Schmial	172,000
Rafael	Ramos	169,000
Vito	Polera	156,500
Tom	Gity	153,500
Lisa	Teebagy	153,000
Rayden	Abreu	143,500
Kevin	Cruz	140,500
Arthur	Tamasi	138,000
Luminita	Petric	122,000
Bruce	Kahn	120,500
Justin	Lucii	118,500
Andres	Morales	116,000
Daniel	Saffer	105,000
Jose	Ordonez	94,500
Blaine	McRae	83,500
Giovanni	Skurta	73,000
Gary	Levinger	63,500
Manuel	Acebo	57,000
Steve	Slon	57,000
Walter	Bravo	41,000
Jeff	Sutherland	29,500