Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Tuesday, July 24th: Raj Vohra And Raminder Singh Earn FSPC Trophies, As Seniors And PLO Players Prepare For Action

ICYMI: A total of (77) players returned yesterday afternoon, for Day 2 of Event #9 ($1,100 No Limit Hold'em $200,000 GTD), with (14) players choosing to buy in to the event before the first hand was dealt.  Right off the bat, two of those Day 2 buy-in players stole the headlines, as both Michael Amato (Boca Raton, FL) and Phil Hui (San Antonio, TX) got off to quick starts.  After just over three hours of play, the Event #9 would be on the money bubble, with Joe Boulais knocking out Ryan Gianquitti on the first hand of hand-for-hand play.  It just so happened that Dean Schultz would get knocked out on the same hand, meaning the two players would split the min-cash.  

As action played down towards the final table, we saw numerous tournament notables add a result to their resume, including the likes of Jerry Wong (40th Place - $1,686), Brett Bader (33rd Place - $2,055), Raminder Singh (26th Place - $2,435), Ian O'Hara (19th Place - $3,464), and Michael Amato (13th Place - $3,064),  After the eliminations of Tom Gity and TK Miles (12th and 11th place respectively), Event #9 would reach it's final table.

The final table would be all about one player, who ended up eliminating seven of nine players, on his way to the title.  Raj Vohra (Lake Worth, FL), who was down to just 19,000 chips earlier in the day, had a dream final table run.  He had a great run of cards, and when other players were all-in...Raj would have it...and when Raj had it, it held up.  Everything was working for Raj, who even continued the run good during heads-up play.  Even though he started with a massive chip lead against Joe Boulais, Raj knew that one double up would bring Boulais right back into things.  On the final hand of the tournament, both players turned trip fours, but Vohra held the stronger kicker.  After Raj won the trophy, he was even shocked with the great run he had, as things just fell his way all evening.  The final table results are listed below, with official event results to be posted later this afternoon:

  1. Raj Vohra (Lake Worth, FL) $70,469
  2. Joseph Boulais (Cocoa, FL) $49,384
  3. Phillip Hui (Tamarac, FL) $31,755
  4. Alan Ramkhalawan (Tampa, FL) $20,453
  5. Erik Nomberg (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $15,769
  6. Matt Smith (Margate, FL) $13,047
  7. Mark Shulla (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) $10,952
  8. Noel Atherley (Lantana, FL) $8,989
  9. Bryan Moon (Wheeling, IL) $7,046
  10. Loni Harwood (Tamarac, FL) $5,938
Just as Event #9 was reaching the money, play was getting underway for Event #10 (3:00pm), which was a $350 No Limit Hold'em "Black Chip Bounty' ($15,000 GTD).  The tournament would attract a field of (55) entries, and saw registration close with an official prize pool of $11,000 ($5,500 in bounties).  Six players were scheduled to reach the money, with players agreeing to a deal when action was three-handed.  Isle Poker veteran Raminder Singh (Delray Beach, FL) would be awarded first place money (and the trophy), adding yet another impressive result to his resume.  Full results from Event #10 are posted below:
  1. Raminder Singh (Delray Beach, FL) $3,432
  2. James McCaffrey (Sunrise, FL) $2,634
  3. Bruce Turner (Louisville, KY) $2,338
  4. Jason Atherley (Lantana, FL) $1,144
  5. Maan Thakur (Boca Raton, FL) $825
  6. Steve Legault (Naples, FL) $627
Tournaments: There are three events on Tuesday's FSPC schedule, starting with Event #11 $200 No Limit Hold'em Seniors Championship ($8,000 GTD), which gets underway at 11:00am.  The tournament is structured with 12,000 unit starting stacks, and levels that last (20) minutes.  Registration is open through Level 8, allowing close to three hours for players to join the action.

Following the Seniors Championship is Event #12, which gets underway at 2:00pm, and is a $360 Pot Limit Omaha tournament (with $200 rebuys and a $100 add-on).  The tournament is structured with 15,000 unit starting stacks, and levels that last (30) minutes (registration open through Level 8).

The final event of the day is actually the first satellite into the Florida State Poker Championships $1,500 Main Event.  The $175 No Limit Hold'em satellite has an (8) seat guarantee, with one in every ten entries being awarded a seat.  The satellite is structured with 16,000 unit starting stacks, and levels that last (20) minutes (registration open through Level 8).


Promotions: Tuesday's promotions start with the every-popular Full House Early Bird, with the first (25) full houses awarded up to $60.  The amount won depends on which game is being played, as 2/2 Limit Hold'em players earn $20 (for each full house while eligible), 2/4 Limit Hold'em players earning $40 (for each full house while eligible), and $60 for those playing: 1/2 No Limit Hold'em, 2/5 No Limit Hold'em, 5/10 No Limit Hold'em, 3/6 Limit Hold'em, and 8/16 O.E.

The standard high hands begin at 10:00am (because off the full house promotion), with the opportunity to win $400 every (30) minutes. During that period , the promotion sees tournament players eligible 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.  

At 6:00pm (every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday), the promotion transitions, and offers the opportunity for players to earn $1,500 every (30) minutes.  If a player (in no limit hold'em) flops the high hand (and it qualifies as the winning high hand for that period), they will be awarded $1,500.  If the player is at a limit hold'em table (or tournament), and flops the high hand, they will be awarded $750.

From 12:00am-9:00am, players are eligible for $100 high hands every hour.

It should also be noted that 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 Florida State Poker Championship Event #11 | $200 No Limit Hold'em Seniors Championship ($8,000 GTD)

- Players start with 12,000 in tournament chips
- Late and re-entries for the first (8) levels
- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack
- Levels will last (20) minutes

2:00pm - 2018 Florida State Poker Championship Event #12 | $360 Pot Limit Omaha (w/ $200 Re-buys & $100 Add-On)

- Players start with 15,000 in tournament chips
- Late and re-entries for the first (8) levels
- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack
- Levels will last (30) minutes

6:00pm - 2018 Florida State Poker Championship (Satellite Schedule) | $175 No Limit Hold'em Satellite Into Event #14 ($1,500 NLH FSPC Main Event) 8 Seats GTD

- Players start with 16,000 in tournament chips
- Late and re-entries for the first (8) levels
- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack
- Levels will last (20) minutes

FSPC Event #9 (Day 2): Raj Vohra Takes Down Event #9 Title ($70,469), Joe Boulais Runner Up ($49,384)

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #9 | $1,100 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 26 (Blinds 25,000/50,000/50,000)
Total Event #9 Entries: 341
Event #9 Players Remaining: 1


Event #9 ($1,100 No Limit Hold'em $200,000 GTD) Winner Raj Vohra (Lake Worth, FL) $70,469

Raj Vohra only lost a few pots during the short heads-up play, most of which of the smaller variety.  On the final hand of play, Raj would open the button to 125,000, with Joe Boulais making the call.  The two would see a flop of A 9♠ 4, with Joe check-calling a bet of 150,000 from Vohra.  After the board paired with the 4 on the turn, Boulais checked once again, with Raj pushing forward a bet of 400,000.  Joe grabbed his chips firmly, looked up at the dealer, and announced himself all-in (for another 900,000).  Raj quickly made the call, and the hands would be tabled:

Vohra: 10 4♣
Boulais: 7 4

River: 8♠

It would be a cooler for Boulais, as both players turned trips, but Vohra held the higher kicker.  Boulais needed the board to pair (to chop), or to hit a seven, which would give him a winning full house. The 8 on the river would be the final card of the tournament, as Raj Vohra eliminated Joe Boulais, winning the Event #9 title (and $70,469).

Joe Boulais (Cocoa, FL) 2nd Place ($49,394)


FSPC Event #9 (Day 2): Phil Hui Out In 3rd Place ($31,755), Boulais And Vohra Heads Up for Title

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #9 | $1,100 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 26 (Blinds 25,000/50,000/50,000)
Total Event #9 Entries: 341
Event #9 Players Remaining: 2


Phil Hui (San Antonio, TX) turned a Day 2 buy-in into a five figure cash worth $31,755.

Ten minutes into Level 26, Phil Hui (San Antonio, TX) would open the button with a raise to 150,000, with Raj Vohra three-betting to 500,000.  After Boulais released his hand, Hui would announce himself all-in (for just over 2,000,000).  Raj stared him down for a few moments, before pushing forward a stack of chips for a call:

Hui: 6♠ 6♣
Vohra: J J

Runout: K 10 9♣ 4♠ 10♠

Vohra would once again have a player all-in with a larger over pair, with the board running out clean for Raj.  Hui would earn $31,755 for third place, with heads-up play now underway.  Heads-up chip counts are posted below:

Raj Vohra - 8,500,000
Joe Boulais - 1,700,000

FSPC Event #9 (Day 2): Updated Three-Handed Chip Counts At Break

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #9 | $1,100 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 26 (Blinds 25,000/50,000/50,000)
Total Event #9 Entries: 341
Event #9 Players Remaining: 3


Players are currently on break, and will be returning to Level 26, with new blinds of 25,000/50,000/50,000.  Updated chip counts from the final table are posted below:
  1. Phil Hui - 2,100,000 (42bb)
  2. Raj Vohra - 5,800,000 (116bb)
  3. Joe Boulais - 2,450,000 (49bb)