Monday, January 29th: Michael Marks Heads Six-Way Chop Of "January $100,000 II," Big Guarantee Headlines Today's Schedule

ICYMI: Yesterday afternoon, (125) players returned for Day 2 of the "January $100,000 II," from a total of (867) entries.  The first task of the day was the reach the money, with (82) of the returning players accomplishing that feat.  After a surprisingly long money bubble, Joanna Rodriguez (Puerto Rico) and Michael Inberg (Boca Raton, FL) were eliminated on the same hand, send the remaining field into the money (the pair would split 82nd place money).

From that point on, it was all about the journey to the final table, and players setting themselves up to reach that point.  There were a few storylines beginning to take shape, including Reid Bleecher (a young player storming to the top of the chip counts), and Joseph Delgi (who was left with less than one big blind, and spun it back up to over twenty).  Some notables to cash in the event included Jonathan Kramer (74th place), Kenneth Bruno (64th place), Tony Burns (59th place), Marc Culberson (47th place), and the above mentioned Reed Bleecher (40th place).

When the updated chip counts were posted in Level 25 (with 32 players remaining), we four of the six featured players listed, eventually reach the final table.  None was sitting taller than Michael Marks (North Lauderdale, FL), who held a stack over forty big blinds, while everyone else was grinding somewhere between ten and fifteen bigs.  As the field headed towards the final table, we saw the departures of Joseph Degli (26th place), Scott Levitt (23rd place), Gregory Spinder (14th place), and Robert Jonsson (11th place).

While Michael Marks was the story leading up to the final table, the focus shifted to Michael Tait and Richard Wetter, who each eliminated two players.  That helped even out the chip counts, so during the break after Level 29, the remaining six players looked at the ICM numbers.  It looked as if an agreement was going to be passed, but before the first hand could be dealt in Level 30, a deal was struck.  Michael Marks (North Lauderdale, FL) was the event's "declared winner," taking home first place money, with the official results of the deal (and final table finishes) listed below:

1. Michael Marks (North Lauderdale, FL) $20,094
2. Michael Tait (Parkland, FL) $18,671
3. Richard Wetter (Hobe Sound, FL) $15,216
4. Wesley Bergman (Walbridge, OH) $14,510
5. Robert Transue (North Lauderdale, FL) $13,893
6. Blaine McRae (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $10,620
7. Chris Lawson (Livingston, TX) $5,300
8. Walter Bravo (Golden Beach, FL) $4,270
9. Joakim Dag (Pompano Beach, FL) $3,270
10. Greg Rosen (Coral Springs, FL) $2,625

The was another tournament on the schedule yesterday (6:00pm), a $100 No Limit Hold'em "Turbo Bounty," which had a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool.  The posted number would be eclipsed pretty early in registration, with a total of (41) entries, and an official prize pool of $3,947 (including bounties).  A total of six players were scheduled to reach the money, and after the elimination of Antwan Foster (Plantation, FL) in sixth place, the remaining handful agreed to a deal.  Listed below are the full results from the tournament:

1. Scott Di Benedetto (Boca Raton, FL) $807
2. Celso Leroy (Delray Beach, FL) $660
3. Diana Habscheid (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) $482
4. Steve Tougas (Quebec) $400
5. Salvatore Accardi (Pompano Beach, FL) $398
6. Antwan Foster (Plantation, FL) $175

Tournaments: There are two tournaments on today's schedule, the first of which begins at 11:00am, and is a $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" ($3,000 GTD).  The event is structured with starting stacks of 18,000 units, and levels that last (15) minutes.  There is an optional add-on at the end of registration (Level 10), which allows players to add 10,000 units to their stack, for a cost of $25 (with 100% of add-on money going towards the prize pool).  Players in the tournament will also receive a $25 "bounty" for every opponent they eliminate.  

The "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" is followed at 6:00pm, by the $130 No Limit Hold'em event, which carries with it a $10,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The tournament is structured with 16,000 unit starting stacks, and levels that last (20) minutes over the course of the evening.

Promotions: From (9:00am-10:00am), the high hand will award $150 every (30) minutes.  The high hands will then transition from 10:00am-12:00am (midnight), with the opportunity to win $400 every (30) minutes.  During that period, the promotion sees tournament players eligible (Isle Open events not eligible for high hand) each half-hour for $100 high hands, 2/2 limit hold'em players eligible for $200 high hands, 2/4 limit hold'em players eligible for $300 high hands, and all other raked games (1/2-5/10 NLH, 4/8 Omaha 8B, 6/12 O.E., etc.) eligible for $400 high hands.  From 12:00am-9:00am, players are eligible for $100 high hands every hour.

It should also be noted that started back on November 1st, players are able to win the high hand using only one card in their hand!!!  The payouts for those that use one card are different than the standard numbers listed above, and can be found (full listing of one-card payouts on flyers in the poker room).

11:00am - $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo" w/ $25 Bounties ($3,000 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 18,000 starting stack

- Late and re-entries for the first (10) levels

- Levels are (15) minutes in length

- Option player "add-on" at the end of Level 10 ($25 for 10,000 tournament chips), with 100% of the "add-on" going to the prize pool 

6:00pm - $130 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 16,000 starting stack

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

- Levels are (20) minutes in length

- All late registrants and re-entries will receive a full stack