Thursday, March 29th: Hillock Tops Event #16 Deal, Battles Wrapping Up In A Big Way

ICYMI: Joshua Hillock's confidence was very high when he was playing the third opening flight of Event #16 ($360 No Limit Hold'em $100,000 GTD), as he "called his shot" in regards to bagging a chip lead bonus stack.  Joshua was able to bag the second largest stack heading to yesterday's Day 2, and while he never said aloud that he was definitely winning the tournament, that confidence showed in the later stages of the event.  

A total of (65) players returned to action yesterday afternoon, with close to half that number reaching the money.  The bubble actually took much longer than anyone expected, with Joshua Hillock eventually sending the field into the money, with the elimination of Marc Culberson.  From there, it would take just two hours to reach the final table, with numerous notable notching a Battles At The Beach cash.  Some of those to record a result short of the final table included Daren Stabinski (33rd place), Nancy Thomas (29th place), Karin  Powsner (24th place), Pedro Palacio (20th place), Matthew Zarcadoolas (17th place), and Scott Zakheim (11th place).  

Michael Tait entered the final table as an overwhelming chip leader, and stayed in the top spot, even after the first four eliminations.  Once play reached six-handed, players began discussing a deal, but Joshua Hillock's confidence returned (and got in the way).  Hillock was insisting on a significant amount more than the ICM numbers called for, which others weren't too keen on.  Play would then continue, with John Nguyen (6th place) and Eric Polirer (5th place) the next to exit.   During the break after Level 29, the final four players began negotiating again, with a deal struck just minutes before play was to resume.  Hillock, who had assumed the chip lead after eliminating Polirer, would be awarded first place money.  The results of the deal, along with full final table numbers, are listed below:

1. Joshua Hillock (Lighthouse Point, FL) $17,611
2. Dafney Adisson (Lauderdale Lakes, FL) $14,351
3. Michael Tait (Parkland, FL) $13,065
4. Brian Haines (Southwest Ranches, FL) $12,728
5. Eric Polirer (Coconut Creek, FL) $5,030
6. John Nguyen (Hollywood, FL) $4,165
7. Justin Harvell (Delray Beach, FL) $3,500
8. Charlemagne Benjamin (Miami Gardens, FL) $2,925
9. James McCaffrey (Sunrise, FL) $2,380
10. Maxwell Young (Portland, OR) $2,010

As the final table was wrapping up, Event #17 of the Battles At The Beach was getting underway, a $150 No Limit Hold'em tournament (with a $20,000 guaranteed prize pool).  After eight levels of open registration, the field would close with (149) entries, and an official prize pool of $20,000.  A total of nineteen players reached the money, with names like Tony Ruberto, Andreas Athanasopoulos, Steve Zukowski, and Robert Amedo, all cashing short of the final table.  The tournament's action would continue until play was three-handed, at which point a deal was agreed to.  Antonio Albanes (Key Largo, FL) topped the chop, walking away with the trophy, and $4,651.  Official results from the final table are listed below:

1. Antonio Albanes (Key Largo, FL) $4,651
2. Milan Novakovich (Pompano Beach, FL) $3,670
3. Garrick Young (Miami Gardens, FL) $2,760
4. Scott Harwood (Deerfield Beach, FL) $1,251
5. David Oshry (Lake Worth, FL) $970
6. Michael Shaw (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $801
7. Denise Westerfield (Coconut Creek, FL) $700
8. Walter West (Lantana, FL) $625
9. Kevin Maingot (Vero Beach, FL) $552
10. Daniel Restrepo (Boca Raton, FL) $480

Tournaments: The 2018 Battles At The Beach wraps up this afternoon, but in a very big way, as Event #18 begins at 11:00am.  The $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante once again has a $100,000 guarantee, and should attract one of the biggest fields in the tournament's history.  The structure stays the same, with players sitting down to 100,000 unit starting stacks, and playing levels that last (30) minutes.  Registration is open for the first ten levels, allowing players until 4:20pm to join the action.  

The recurring tournament schedule returns in the evening (6:00pm), with the $150 No Limit Hold'em "Green Chip Turbo Bounty" ($5,000 GTD).  The event is structured with starting stacks of 16,000 units, and levels that last (20) minutes.  Registration is open for the first eight levels, with the window closing just after 8:00pm.  There is a $50 "bounty" awarded for each player eliminated throughout the tournament.

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 - 2018 Battles At The Beach Event #18 | $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD) 

- Players start with 100,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels will last (30) minutes

6:00pm - $150 No Limit Hold'em "Double Green Chip Bounty" ($5,000 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

- Each player in the tournament will carry a $50 "bounty," which will be awarded to the opponent that eliminates them.