Friday, July 14, 2017

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Official End Of Flight 1C Chip Counts

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 15 (Blinds 1,500/3,000/500)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 131
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 25/131

David Shaw  252,000
Robert Capote 237,500
Marc Sacheli 231,500
Rosana Dela Rosa 195,500
Tracy Scala 167,000
Leonard Rosenberg 139,500
Joelle Guarino 135,000
Zachary Mullinax 133,500
Ory Hen 99,500
Jim Gleason 94,500
Ian Bishop 90,100
Frank Scala 87,500
Greg Roy 87,500
Juan Garcia II 81,500
Patrick Carnakie 81,000
Walter Bravo 73,000
Pasquale Caiazza 67,000
Adam Hambry 66,000
Alexander Thomas 57,500
Ismail Patel 56,000
Joel Goetz 55,500
Larry Hirschfield 49,500
Oneil McCalla 47,000
Greg Ragon 42,500
Dennis Rodriguez 24,500

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): David Shaw Bags Flight 1C Chip Lead

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 15 (Blinds 1,500/3,000/500)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 131
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 26/131

David Shaw (Boca Raton, FL)

In a race that came down to the very final hand of the flight, David Shaw (Boca Raton, FL) bags the chip lead with over 250,000.  The race was between Shaw and Robbie Capote, but that was until Marc Sacheli tripled up with pocket aces, eliminating two players in a pot worth 238,000 (he was up against pocket tens and pocket nines).  Players were communicating what they thought the biggest stack was, but David Shaw had underestimated his total, which was just a few thousand more than his nearest competitors.  Shaw will earn the Event #14 seat worth $1,100, and will enter Sunday's Day 2 with a well above average stack.

The tournament staff is currently finishing up with the bagging process, and once the numbers are verified, we will post the official end of Flight 1C counts.  This will conclude the "live blogged coverage" for the day, but you can check back this evening for counts from both of today's flights (Flight 1D started at 6:00pm, and is currently in progress).


FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Still Anyone's "Bonus" To Grab, Scala Stands As The Favorite

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 15 (Blinds 1,500/3,000/500)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 131
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 33/131

Tracy Scala (Delray Beach, FL) and David Shaw are two of the bigger stacks heading into this last level of the night, and they've both shown that they're not shy about getting involved in pots together.  Scala has over 220,000, which leads the remaining (33) players, but a handful of other names are within realistic reach of grabbing that away:

Rosanna De La Rosa
Ory Hen
Robbie Capote
Jim Gleason
Juan Garcia

We will keep an eye on the remaining level of play in the flight, and return with an update regarding the flight's chip leader (and how they got there).  The clock will be paused when 10:00 minutes remain, and three hands will be played, before the bagging process begins.


FSPC Event 1 (Flight 1C): Silverman Back To Average Stack, Still Work To Do

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 14 (Blinds 1,200/2,400/400)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 131
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 38/131


Ira Silverman (Boca Raton, FL)

From 2010-2015, Ira Silverman (Boca Raton, FL) spent a solid amount of hours at the tournament tables, with he focus shifting to cash games ever since.  There isn't a weekday that passes that you don't see Ira playing 2/5 NLH, along with the occasion Pineapple or PLO game.  Ira has made some appearances in tournaments since the blog was launched in October of last year, but he's still looking for his first cash since a WSOPC event at Palm Beach Kennel Club in 2015.

Silverman was sitting with about half the average stack, and after there was an open and a call from the small blind, Silverman would squeeze out of the big for his remaining 29,000.  The original opener folded, but after Robbie Capote got an exact count, he'd make the call.  Silverman was racing with his A 8 up agains the 6♠ 6♣ of Capote, and he would spike an eight to take the lead, and eventually double up.

Ira is now just below average with 73,000, but still has a stack of close the (30) big blinds.

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Updated Chip Counts At The "Race" Heats Up

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 13 (Blinds 1,000/2,000/300)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 131
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 42/131


Tracy Scala (Delray Beach, FL) 

The race for the flight's chip lead is beginning to take form, as a handful of players have gained some separation from the field.  Leading the way as Level 13 runs down is Tracy Scala (Delray Beach, FL), a player with just under $370,000 in career tournament earnings, but only one cash in the last four years.  The bulk of Scala's tournament poker resume comes from 2005-2009, with a highlighting cash during the Sixth Annual Jack Binion World Poker Open Main Event ($10,000 No Limit Hold'em).  Scala finished seventh in that tournament for over $192,000, and shared that final table with players like Daniel Negreanu, Scotty Nguyen, Michael Mizrachi, and Chau Giang.  It's been a while since Scala has been "relevant" on the tournament poker scene, but he's on his way to a comfortable Day 2 bag, and potentially an Event #14 seat.

Tracy Scala - 185,000
Robbie Capote - 180,000
David Shaw - 148,000
Ory Hen - 120,000
Izzy Patel - 115,000
Juan Garcia - 110,000

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Patel Coolers Carnackie Before Final Break

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 11 (Blinds 600/1,200/200)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 131
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 57


Ismail "Izzy" Patel (Weston, FL) 

While most of the action between Izzy Patel, Patrick Carnackie, and Zachary Mullenix was completed when Table 3 was approached, some details from the hand history are missing.  The three players were on the river of a board reading Q♠ Q 5♣ 7 9♠, with close to 35,000 in the pot.  Ismail "Izzy" Patel (Weston, FL) was first to act, and he'd toss in a bet of 20,000, with Carnackie reluctantly making the call.  Mullinex folded behind, and Patel would table A♠ Q, with Carnackie throwing his hand face up towards the middle of the table (K♠ Q♣).  Carnackie was visibly unhappy about having to make the call, but could find a fold the way that the hand played out.

Izzy is now one of the chip leaders heading to break, as his 130,000 stack is surprisingly out in front, this late in the flight.

Ismail Patel - 130,000
Patrick Carnackie - 17,000

Players are taking their final break of the day at the end of this flight, with play resuming in Level 13 (1,000/2,000/300).  Those still remaining need only to navigate their way through three more levels, before bagging chips for Sunday's Day 2.


FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): It's Clean Livin' For Adam Hamby On The River

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 11 (Blinds 600/1,200/200)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 131
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 57

Adam Hamby (Pompano Beach, FL) 

At Table 4, it looked as is Jeffrey Bohanek was going to double through Adam Hamby (Pompano Beach, FL), as the two were all-in (Bohanek at risk) on the turn of a board reading 2♣ 3♠ J♠ 8.  Bohanek had made the call, so he waited to see Adam Hamby table 7♠ 7♣.  Bohanek quickly turned over A J♣, needing to fade Hamby's two-outer to double-up to chip average.

After the dealer burned, the 7 would arrive on the river, and Bohanek would slam the table as he jumped out of his seat.  "How does it happen, what a world," Bohanek would exclaim as he rushed out of the tournament area.  The miracle river would mean that instead of looking at a below average chip stack, Adam Hamby would now be over 80,000, and towards the top ten in the field.

Adam Hamby - 82,000

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Carnackie's Aggression Helps Him Climb

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 10 (Blinds 500/1,000/100)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 131
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 68/131


Patrick Carnackie (West Palm Beach, FL) 


Action at Table 3 was approached on the flop, with three players looking down a K♠ Q♣ 3.  The player in the big blind checked to Patrick Carnackie, who was the original opener in the hand (from early position).  Carnackie announced a bet of 3,200, which would get called by both Linda Pipkins, and the player in the big blind.  Action would be checked to Patrick once again, after the 2♠ on the turn, with Carnackie throwing forward a bet of 4,500.  Lipkins called once again, and after the big blind folded, the two would watch as the 6fell on the river.  After looking down at his remaining stack, Carnackie would announce that he was all-in for 21,900.  The bet was for most of Lipkins stack, and after just a few moments of thought, she would release her hand.  With that pot, Carnackie moves over the chip average for the first time today, and is currently peaking at 55,000.

Patrick Carnackie - 55,000

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Updated Chip Counts Post-Break

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 9 (Blinds 400/800/100)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 131
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 80

With players now back from break and the cards in the air, it's Marcus Wu Hamel (Vero Beach, FL) leading the way amongst the (80) players remaining at the close of registration.  This flight wasn't as large as the two that came before it, but it still equates to $39,955 towards the overall prize pool.  That brings the combined total prize pool to $126,890, with three flights still remaining:

Flight 1D - Friday, July 14th (6:00pm)
Flight 1E - Saturday, July 15th (11:00am)
Flight 1F - Saturday, July 15th (6:00pm)

Wu Hamel has 145,000 in front of him halfway through Level 9, is just one of three players over 100,000 in the field:

Marcus Wu Hamel - 145,000
Gary Viebahn - 115,000
Rosanna De La Rosa - 110,000
Andre Rukasa - 68,000
Ory Hen - 45,000
Marsha Wolak - 42,000
Patrick Carnakie - 38,000
Elias Nassif  - 10,000

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Viebahn Joins The Century Club, Registration Closing

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 8 (Blinds 300/600/75)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 120


Gary Viebahn (Estero, FL)

The Florida State Poker Championships must hold a small place in Gary Viebahn's (Estero, FL) heart, with his first ever recorded cash coming during this same series in 2014.  This wasn't just any old min-cash, Viebahn's first ever cash was a $31,794 share of an eight-way chop of Event #1 ($330 No Limit Hold'em).  Since that night, Viebahn has recorded four more cash for a combined $6,000, with his most recent coming July of last year.

Viebahn sits with over four-times the chip average, as his 120,000 stack is second to only Rosanna De La Rosa's in the field.  At the end of this level, players will be heading on their second break of the day, returning to Level 9 (400/800/100).  With the registration window closed once Level 9's cards are in the air, we will take a look at the first updated chip counts from the field.

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Piderit Busts, Ships 90,000 De La Rosa's Way

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 7 (Blinds 250/500/50)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 103

The early chip lead in any tournament can turn out to be a blessing or a course, and for Rosanna De La Rosa, it's looking like the former.  Action was approached at Table 9 as a hand was finishing up between Rosanna and Eric Piderit.  De La Rosa held A♠ 3♣ against Piderit's 2 3♠ on a board of 3 3 Q 7♠ K♣, with all of the chips getting in on the turn.  Piderit sent his 40,000 chip stack De La Rosa's way, and wished his table mates good luck as he exited the tournament area.  

Rosanna is now the first player to eclipse the century mark, and sits with 116,000.

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): De La Rosa Grabs An Early Flight 1C Lead

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 6 (Blinds 200/400/50)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 98

Rosanna De La Rosa (Miami, FL) 

Things have started off slowly in terms of action at the tables this early afternoon, as a large group in the field currently play just above average stacks (23,000-28,000).  Rosanna De La Rosa has emerged as the largest stack after one post-break level, with just over 55,000.  De La Rosa is a Miami native with over $9,400 in career tournament earnings.  Rosanna has three recorded tournament cashes this year, with the most recent being one of her largest to date.  She finished in 24th place in the $130 No Limit Hold'em even during Seminole Hard Rock's "June Big Stack Special," a tournament that had a field of almost 2,000 entries.  The finish was worth $1,040, her third lifetime cash of over $1,000.

Rosanna De La Rosa - 57,500

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Late Arrivals As Players Take First Break

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 5 (Blinds 150/300/25)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 90


Marcus Wu Hamel (Vero Beach, FL) 

Players are currently on their first break of the day, and after (10) minutes, will return to new blinds of 150/300/25 (Level 5).  The field continues to grow as each level passes, with another FSPC trophy winner taking a seat in the field.  Marcus Wu Hamel (Vero Beach, FL) headed a chop of Monday afternoon's Event #3 ($60 No Limit Hold'em $7,000 GTD), earning $1,260, and walking away with the trophy.  The result was Marcus's third recorded cash of the year, all of which occurred here at the Isle Poker Room. Wu Hamel made a loud introduction to the poker community last year, recording an 8th place finish in a $150 No Limit Hold'em event during the Hard Rock's "Big Stack Special."  The finish was worth $8,310, and still stands as the highlight of his budding poker resume.

There were a handful of entries during the level before break, with more players shifting over to east coast time (returning from Vegas and the WSOP), like Hyndi Khomutetsky (Orlando, FL).  Some more late arrivals include:

Ian Bishop
Kenneth Fagioli
Rahamim Ezra
Chad Millward
Juan Rodriguez
Ira Silverman
Alan Saltzman

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Wolak Shifting Gears As She Returns From Vegas

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 4 (Blinds 100/200)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 90

Marsha Wolak (Pompano Beach, FL) 

As the 2017 World Series Of Poker finishes up, and players return from "summer camp," these Florida State Poker Championship tournament fields will be littered with many of the names we've been accustomed to seeing.  Marsha Wolak (Pompano Beach, FL) just sat down at Table 7, and is playing in her first post-WSOP event.

Wolak was able to notch three tournament cashes while in Las Vegas, one of which was from the WSOP ($565 No Limit Hold'em Colossus III), an event that had over 18,000 entries.  Marsha finished in 709th place, and earned $2,446 for her efforts.  The other pair of cashes were at Planet Hollywood, from the 2017 Goliath Famous Poker Series.  Wolak spent weeks playing with some of the best players in the world, and in some of the largest fields in the world, which is a completely different "brand" of poker.  

Back in one of the rooms she feels comfortable in, Wolak will look to notch her first Isle Casino Poker score since June of last year.  Also joining Wolak in the field, as we take a look at our second wave of notables, is:

Jason Batholomew
Zaki Lichaa
Tracy Scala
Zachary Mullenix
Andre Rakusa
Justin Levy
Marcus Wu-Hamel
Francois Gagne
Shlomo Maman
Eric Piderit

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Granda Returns With One Goal In Mind

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 3 (Blinds 75/150)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 70

Brent Granda (Aventura, FL) 

Being a part of a final table chop is much better feeling than getting eliminated at said final table, but both leave something to be desired.  Brent Granda (Aventura, FL) was one of the thirteen players to chop last week's FSPC Event #1 ($175 No Limit Hold'em - $100,000 GTD), earning himself $9,923.  While not the largest cash of Brent's career, it was the first significant score on his resume since 2014, when he chopped Event #1 of the 2014 FSPC (7th Place - $14,612).

The last time Granda was playing in this room, he had a stack of over 2,000,000 tournament chips.  Now he sits with a starting stack of 20,000, and has to return his mindset to the grind, and reaching that same point in this tournament.  Granda was one of the earlier entries into this Flight 1C field, joining names like:

Ory Hen
Nathan Pitts
Jeff Burdeen
Jose Parra
Steven Lipkins
Thomas Gari

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Official Chip Counts (Flights 1A-1B)

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 2 (Blinds 50/100)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 60




FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1C): Another Group Just Looking To Find A Bag

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 1 (Blinds 25/50)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 26




Yesterday saw a very strong start to Event #7 of the 2017 Florida State Poker Championships, with a total of (285) entries making up the pair of starting flights.  With the combined prize pool from both flights equaling $86,925, the question can be posed...will this tournament hit the guarantee at some point today?  As multi-day tournaments reach the weekend, the field sizes tend to grow much larger, which is expected this afternoon/evening.  

Players for Flight 1C are beginning to take their seats in the tournament area, as the rules announcement will be made shortly, and the cards will be in the air right afterwards.  Players from both this flight, and tonight's Flight 1D (6:00pm), will be looking to join the (42) players with tickets already booked to Sunday's Day 2.  

Those interested in possibly bagging up the chip lead bonus in either of today's flight have a goal to shoot for, as yesterday's chip leaders were within 50,000 of each other.  Quang Pham bagged the Flight 1A chip lead with 359,500, while Mark Stewartson bested that number in the evening, earning the Event #14 seat with a stack of 398,000.

Combined chip counts from both of yesterday's flights will be posted shortly, with "live blogged coverage" of Flight 1C continuing through the bagging process.

Friday, July 14th: Big Things In Store For The Weekend, Second Pair Of Event 7 Flights On Tap

ICYMI: If yesterday was a sign of things to come, then we are looking at yet another massive prize pool for a FSPC "major."  When Event #1 of the series attracted over 1,500 entries (and a prize pool over $223,000), the experts and prognosticators wondered what to attribute the success to.  Was it the price point, the scheduling of the event, a possible "snowball" effect?  To pinpoint the exact answer may be impossible, but it's clear that tournament poker is alive and flourishing in the Florida market.  Yesterday was the beginning of Event #7 ($360 No Limit Hold'em - $200,000 GTD), the second "major" event on the schedule.  Flight 1A attracted a total of (140) entries, with over $41,000 going towards the overall prize pool.  After the final hands were dealt, there would be (20) players remaining, with Quang Pham (Boynton Beach, FL) bagging the flight's chip lead (359,500), and earning an Event #14 seat ($1,100 No Limit Hold'em).  Also to bag in the flight were Mark Kerness (297,000), Hal Klein (193,000), and Joseph Duchman (120,000).  Flight 1B, which got underway at 6:00pm, was comprised of an even larger field of players (145).  Once the bagging process was completed, (22) players would remain, with Michael Stewartson bagging the chip lead bonus (398,000).  Some other Isle Poker notables to bag included Jay Klitzner (321,000), Al Gomez (151,500), Tom Gity (107,500), and Robert Chusin (46,000).  The combined total from the flights (going towards the overall prize pool) was just short of $87,000, which is well above the pace needed to reach the guarantee.  We are looking at another great event unfolding in front of us, with four "weekend" flights still to come.

Tournaments: The second pair of Event #7 flights are on today's FSPC schedule, with Flight 1C getting underway at 11:00am.  The schedule and structure stay the same for both flights, with players sitting down to starting stacks of 20,000, and playing levels lasting (30) minutes (which will transition to 40 minutes on Day 2).  Registration for each flight is open through the break after Level 8, with (15) full levels to be played before the day concludes (or if 13% of the field remains).  There are two more chip lead bonuses to be awarded over the course of the day, as players look to join Quang Pham and Mark Stewartson in Event #14.

Promotions: The weekend kicks off with a day that's full of bonus high hands, starting the moment the doors open.  From 9:00am-12:00pm, $100 will be awarded every (10) minutes to qualifying high hands, with rollovers.  This promotion is very exciting, as we've seen rollovers that are worth between $500-$1,000 on a consistent basis.  

That period is followed by some "richer" high hands, with $250 awarded every (20) minutes from 12:00pm-4:00pm, and $500 awarded every (20) minutes from 4:00pm-12:00am.  Rollovers apply with this promotion as well, but with so many tables in play, it's not something that happens as often.

11:00am - FSPC Event #7 (Flight 1C): $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 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 (30) minutes during Day 1 flights, transitioning to (40) minutes on Day 2
- All Day 1's will play (15) complete levels or until 13% of the field remains (whichever comes first)

6:00pm - FSPC Event #7 (Flight 1D): $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 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 (30) minutes during Day 1 flights, transitioning to (40) minutes on Day 2
- All Day 1's will play (15) complete levels or until 13% of the field remains (whichever comes first)

FSPC Event 7 (Flight 1B): Official End Of Flight 1B Chip Counts

2017 Florida State Poker Championships
Event 7 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 15 (Blinds 1,500/3,000/500)
Total Flight 1B Entries: 145
Flight 1B Players Remaining: 22/145


Michael Stewartson  398,000
Jay Klitzner 321,000
Joel Gossett 269,500
Scott Wyler 153,500
Al Gomez 151,500
Didier Bramy 151,000
John Magnetta 150,000
David Poces 150,000
Ray Nalbandian 144,500
Ken Bruno 132,000
Andreas Athanasopoulos 130,000
Tom Gity 107,500
Jon Ounjian 102,500
Steven Westerholt 93,000
John Freidkes 83,000
Diana Bernal 75,000
Aaron Robbins 64,000
Aaron Kupin 59,500
Iluta Sutra 56,500
Evan Michaels 47,500
Robert Chusin 46,000
Andrew Daire 15,500