Flight 1C ($75,000 GTD): Who's In The Field?

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 1 (Blinds 25/50)

Total Flight 1C Entries: 25

Total Entries: 218

Tom Gity (Pompano Beach, FL)

It's an "intimate" start to this middle flight of the day, which may be a welcome sight to Tom Gity (Pompano Beach, FL).  Our first notable of the day is likely happy to see anything that wasn't resembling last night.  Gity found himself in numerous great spots during yesterday's opening flight, but continually got three or four-outed to end up losing massive pots.  Tom made the decision to call it a night after a string of tough beats, and is now in the field, looking for some different results.

Tom is just one of a handful of notables to show up for this afternoon flight, looking to potentially bag chips and get a few days off:

Guillermo Irving

Edward Ramos

Ralph Spadafore

Thomas Moran

Paulius Bikus

Jean Chery

Flight 1C ($75,000 GTD): New Flight, New Opportunities

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 1 (Blinds 25/50)

Total Flight 1C Entries: N/A

Total Entries: 193

The morning flight of this $130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 Guarantee) attracted a total of (110) entries, bringing the running total for the first two flights to (193).  It's a great pace to start the event, and we should only see larger fields as the tournament progresses.  Cards will be getting in the air shortly, as the second of three flights for the day begins at 3:00pm.

Players in the flight will be sitting down to starting stacks of 18,000 tournament chips, and will once again try to navigate their way through sixteen levels (lasting 25 minutes each).  The mark to reach at the moment is 328,000, which earned Raymond Ruszkowski (Miami, FL) $500 last night, for the posted "chip lead bonus."  This flight will be "live blogged" throughout, leading up to the bagging process, which should occur somewhere around 10:10pm.

Flight 1B ($75,000 GTD): "Bonus Coverage," For The Fans

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 1 (Blinds 25/50)

Total Flight 1B Entries: 70

Total Entries: 153

Lou Stadler (Miami, FL)

Today's live updates are scheduled to begin at 3:00pm (for Flight 1C), but we are able to bring you a little Flight 1A look-in.  We just had a 70th entry for the flight, which is on pace to soar passed yesterday's number, pending things follow suit leading up to registrations end.  An average of (75) entries per flight are needed to reach the $75,000 guarantee, which at the moment, seems to be a formality.

A lap of the field yielded only one return player from yesterday's flight, as Eric Mutschler once again tries to bag chips, this after being eliminated during Level 12 action last night.  There are many recognizable faces making their first appearance of the event, including the always well dressed (and smiling) Lou Stadler.  Lou is coming off an Isle Poker Open where he cashed in three events:

Event #1 ($150 No Limit Hold'em) - 67th Place ($306)

Event #8 ($75 No Limit Hold'em) - 26th Place ($135)

Event #12 ($100 No Limit Hold'em) - 16th Place ($251)

Stadler headlines a group of notable, including the likes of:

Steven Lipkins

Paula Alibrandi

Kenneth Bruno

Linda Lipkins

Giovanni Cantatore

Robert Perniola

Flight 1B ($75,000 GTD): Second Flight Underway Shortly

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 1 (Blinds 25/50)

Total Flight 1B Entries: N/A

Total Entries: 83

Cards Underway For Flight 1B At 11:00am

Tournament director Ralph Brandt will be going through the rules announcement in about (30) minutes, which will then signify the beginning of the second of ten flights for this $130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 Guarantee).  As the days pass, and the number of flights remaining become less than those already played, the field sizes will gradually get larger and larger.  We starting things off last night with a flight that attracted (83) entries, many of which were players we've seen on the "daily tournament" grind over the past six weeks.  Only (8) players managed to find a bag at the end of the night, with Raymond Ruszkowski (Miami, FL) taking home the chip lead bonus (328,000).

Players in this early flight will sit down to starting stacks of 18,000, and will try to navigate their way through (16) levels, all lasting (25) minutes in length.  Those lucky enough to accomplish that feat will then bag their chips for Day 2, which resumes Sunday at 12:00pm.

Please remember that today's "live blogged" flight is at 3:00pm (Flight 1C), with sporadic updates from the other two flights posted, as well as official chip counts and Day 2 seating assignments (once play has completed).

Thursday, December 15th: Three More Flights For The $75,000 GTD

If last night's Flight 1A of the $130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 Guarantee) was a precursor of things to come, we have a pretty solid little tournament shaping up for the weekend.  Yesterday's flight saw a total of (83) entries, which is already above the pace needed to eclipse the guaranteed prize pool posted on the event.  The night ended with (8) players bagging chips for Sunday's Day 2, including Karin Powsner (170,000) and Josh Wasserman (306,500).  There were a few different storylines to follow as the night played out, but Raymond Ruszkowski (Miami, FL) continually stole the spotlight, on his way to bagging the chip lead bonus of $500 (328,000).

There are three more "chip lead bonus" races to follow this afternoon, as Flights 1B-1D are on the schedule for the day.  While there will be official chip counts and "numbers breakdown" for each and every flight of this tournament, the "middle" flight will be the one receiving "live blogging coverage" for the day.  Flight 1C gets underway at 3:00pm, with the bagging process beginning somewhere around 10:10pm.

11:00am - Flight 1B $130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool):

- Players will receive 18,000 in tournament units
- Alternates and late entries will be allowed to enter for the first (8) levels
- All entrants will start with a full starting stack
- Levels will last (25) minutes
- Day 1's will play (16) levels, or down to 8% of the field

3:00pm - Flight 1C $130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool): (Live Blog Coverage)

- Players will receive 18,000 in tournament units
- Alternates and late entries will be allowed to enter for the first (8) levels
- All entrants will start with a full starting stack
- Levels will last (25) minutes
- Day 1's will play (16) levels, or down to 8% of the field

7:00pm - Flight 1D $130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool):

- Players will receive 18,000 in tournament units
- Alternates and late entries will be allowed to enter for the first (8) levels
- All entrants will start with a full starting stack
- Levels will last (25) minutes
- Day 1's will play (16) levels, or down to 8% of the field

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): First Flight In The Books

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 16 (Blinds 3,000/6,000/500

Total Flight 1A Entries: 83

Total Entries: 83

Flight 1A Players Remaining: 8

Flight 1A Chipleader Raymond Ruszkowski (Miami, FL)

From the moment Raymond Ruszkowski (Miami, FL) ran out perfect to win a four-way all-in, this opening flight seemed to be all about Raymond.  That pot was worth over (100) big blinds at the moment, which is the type of hand that a player comes across once a tournament...but it was his first of two for the day.  It seemed that each hand he entered, Raymond either held the goods, or powered his way to wins via aggression.  There was even a moment when the blogger was willing to crown him the "bonus winner," with a handful of levels left to play.

Having covered tournaments for over (7) years now, we should have known better than to predict anything during a tournament.  A trio of players began to creep towards Ruszkowski's stack size, including Atanael Thomas, Harry Khutu, and Josh Wasserman...but after the final hand was dealt, Raymond Ruszkowski's name was still on top of the leaderboard.  His end of Flight 1A stack of 328,000 earned Raymond $500 (chip lead bonus), and will likely put him in the top ten heading into Day 2. 

Posted below are the official end of Flight 1A chip counts:

Raymond	Ruszkowski	328,000
Josh	Wasserman	306,500
Atanael	Thomas	220,000
Hari	Sukhu	204,000
Karin	Powsner	170,000
Soren	Morales	123,500
Rafael	Ramos	110,000
Devond	Marshal	42,000

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): Khutu Could Have Busted Two

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 15 (Blinds 2,500/5,000/500)

Total Flight 1A Entries: 83

Total Entries: 83

Flight 1A Players Remaining: 10

Things have slowed down slightly since the field reached this "final table," but there are still two players that are holding ten big blinds...we should rephrase...there were two players with around ten bigs.  After Raminder Singh limped, Harry Khutu raised to 10,500 (blinds were 2,000/4,000), with action folding to Devond Marshall in the big blind.  Marshall would push his stack forward and announce himself all-in, to which Raminder quickly verbalized an all-in as well.  Marshall was all-in for about 46,000, with Singh's all-in amount slightly bigger at 69,000.  Khutu thought about things for a few moments, before folding pocket eights face up.  Singh would be in rough shape, holding 6♦ 6♣ against the J♦ J♥ of Marshall. 

The dealer would run out a board of Q♠ Q♦ 5♥ K♣ 8♠, with Khutu slamming the table after the river, seeing that he would have made a set on the river.  That card would have eliminated both players had Harry called pre-flop, but he'd be left questioning his decision (even though it was the correct fold once the cards were tabled).  Marshall would double up to close to 100,000, which Singh would be left with less than (10) big blinds.

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): The Flight's "Final Table"

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 14 (Blinds 2,000/4,000/400)

Total Flight 1A Entries: 83

Total Entries: 83

Flight 1A Players Remaining: 10

The average chip stack at the moment is 150,000 (close to 40 big blinds), but even with play so deep, we are seeing players drop at an unbelievable pace.  The Flight 1A field is now down to (10) players, sharing the felt until the end of Level 16 (or when 7 players remain).  Here are the seating assignments for the only table in the tournament field:

1. Rafael Ramos
2. Soren Morales
3. Devond Marshall
4. Raymond Ruszkowski
5. Richard Zisser
6. Raminder Singh
7. Josh Wasserman
8. Karen Powsner
9. Harry Sukhu
10. Atanael Thomas

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): Chip Lead Race Tightening

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 13 (Blinds 1,500/3,000/400)

Total Flight 1A Entries: 83

Total Entries: 83

Flight 1A Players Remaining: 14

Atanael Thomas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

While play is scheduled to end at the conclusion of Level 16, the flight will also stop if the field reaches 8% of the total entries for the flight (so if 10 players remain as any point tonight).  With (14) players left at the moment, the possibility of play stopping before the end of Level 16 is very real.  Atanael Thomas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) was all-in just a few levels ago, holding an open ended straight draw, against the pocket aces of Eric Mutschler.  Thomas hit his straight on the turn, and from then on, he's been steadily trending upward.  Atanael is now sitting with 245,000, which is only 40,000 behind Raymond Ruszkowski, a player who we thought was just going to runaway with the chip lead.  

Raymond Ruszkowski - 285,000

Atanael Thomas - 245,000

Josh Wasserman - 220,000

Harry Khutu - 180,000

Rafael Ramos - 130,000

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): Already Down To Two Tables

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 12 (Blinds 1,000/2,000/300)

Total Flight 1A Entries: 83

Total Entries: 83

Flight 1A Players Remaining: 19

The action has been fast and furious for this first of ten flights, with the field already dwindled down to two tables.  Here is an updated list of the players remaining in the flight:

Table 4:

1. Sam Sternfield
2. (Empty)
3. Jeff Saunders
4. Raymond Ruszkowski
5. Peter Udovik
6. Raminder Singh
7. Steve Harris
8. Karen Powsner
9. Eric Mutschler
10. Thomas Atanael

Table 9:

1. Soren Morales
2. Josh Wasserman
3. Richard Zisser
4. Rafael Ramos
5. Robert Valentine
6. Devond Marshall
7. Anthony Casas
8. Bob Finch
9. Harry Sukhu
10. Frank Katana

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): Raymond Running Pure

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 9 (Blinds 500/1,000/100)

Total Flight 1A Entries: 83

Total Entries: 83

Flight 1A Players Remaining: 23

It's never smart to assume anything when it comes to poker and poker tournaments, but it looks as if Raymond Ruszkowski just locked up the "chip lead bonus" for this flight.  Now there are five levels of play remaining in the night, but Raymond just won another pot worth over 100,000, and is now sitting with close to 250,000 (250 big blinds).  

The most recent hand with Ruszkowski was picked up on the flop of 10♠ 9♦ 3♥, as Frederico went all-in for 17,000, and was called by Ruszkowski, Raminder Singh, and an unknown player.  The three active players would check after the dealer placed down the A♣ on the turn, and after the Q♠ on the river, Ruszkowski would place out a bet of 10,000 (into a pot close to 80,000).  The unknown player would call for less, and Singh folded behind.  Raymond turned over A♦ A♠ (turned a set of aces), which was good enough to take take the main and side pots, sending two more players home for the night.

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): Everyone Hates Raymond

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 9 (Blinds 500/1,000/100)

Total Flight 1A Entries: 83

Total Entries: 83

Flight 1A Players Remaining: 36

Raymond Ruszkowski (Miami, FL)

We picked up the action at Table 2, as five players saw a flop of 6♥ 9♥ 6♠.  After two checks, an unknown player placed out a bet of 10,000, with Raymond Ruszkowski (Miami, FL) moving all-in (next to act).  The player behind Raymond asked for an exact count (which was 56,800), and after tanking for about four minutes, he would make the call.  Two of the three players that were remaining in the hand also went all-in (for less), giving us a four way all-in for a pot worth over 160,000.

Player A: Q♠ 9♠ (top pair)

Riszkowski: A♥ 3♥ (flush draw)

Player B: J♥ 8♥ (flush draw)

Player C: 6♦ 3♦ (trips)

Turn: A♦

River: A♣

It wasn't the way Raymond expected to scoop up the pot, but the running aces would give him a full house, and Ruszkowski would more than triple up (eliminating two players).  Ruszkowski is now the clear chip leader, holding close to 50,000 more than his nearest competitor.

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): Dabus Jumps In As Registration Winds Down

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 8 (Blinds 400/800/75)

Total Flight 1A Entries: 77

Total Entries: 77

Frederico Dabus (Doral, FL)

Players in this Flight 1A have just entered Level 8, which is the last level of open registration for the night (with the time during break open for players to join the action as well).  

One player to jump into the field as the registration window closes is Frederico Dabus (Doral, FL).  Dabus is a name you may remember from the Isle Poker Open, a series in which he cashes in three events:

Event #1 ($150 No Limit Hold'em) - 40th Place ($430)

Event #9 ($350 No Limit Hold'em) - 110th Place ($296)

Event #12 ($150 No Limit Hold'em) - 99th Place ($184)

Dabus is seated at one of the tougher tables in the field, sharing the felt with the likes of Raminder Singh and Eric Mutschler.  Those two players have a lot of history, having chopped Event #6 of the Isle Poker Open.  Singh ended up the declared winner, taking home just over $12,000, while Mutschler ended up walking away with just over $10,000 for second place.

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): Wasserman Ends Gity's Brutal Day

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 6 (Blinds 200/400/50)

Total Flight 1A Entries: 72

Total Entries: 72

Josh Wasserman (Deerfield Beach, FL)

Tom Gity (Pompano Beach, FL) was having a day that all tournament players dread...when most all of the critical situations played out in his opponents advantage.  Gity watched as players hit gut-shot outs on three separate occasions against the absolute top of his range.

After four players called a 2,000 raise, Gity would shove for 7,875 in turn, and watch as action folded around to Josh Wasserman.  Without nobody left to act behind him, Wasserman would ask for an exact count, and eventually toss the chips into the pot (signifying a call).  Gity would first turn over A♠ J♥, and wait to see that he would be in a raise against the 8♥ 8♣ of Wasserman.  The dealer collected the pot in the middle of the table, and ran out a board of 3♠ 7♠ K♣ 4♥ 10♥.  Tom was standing and collecting his things even before the river was placed down on the table, seemingly accepting the fate that assumed destined.  Gity wished his tablemates "good luck," and exited the tournament area for the night, while Wasserman chipped up to close to 45,000.

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): Break Time Allows For "Live Blog" Schedule

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 5 (Blinds 150/300/25)

Total Flight 1A Entries: 64

Total Entries: 64

Players in this opening flight are currently on their first (10) minute break of the night, and will be returning to Level 5, and new blinds of 150/300/25.  The reception from the players/staff in regards to the Isle Casino Poker Room Blog has been nothing short of incredible, which is the exact reason that this site was developed.  While the blog started with coverage of one of the four "major" series of the year (Isle Poker Open), it was important that much of the focus was on the "lifeblood" of the room, and the players that are here day in and day out.  

With that having been said, we wanted to lay out the schedule for the "live coverage" of this multi-flight event.  Each flight will have it's own dedicated coverage, which will include a "numbers breakdown," end of flight chips counts, Day 2 seating assignments, and "chip lead" bonus winners.  Six of the ten total flights will offer detailed coverage throughout, including the full schedule of flights on Saturday.  Posted below is the breakdown of coverage for the weekend (for those that want to potentially find themselves featured on the blog):

Wednesday, December 14th:

6:00pm - Flight 1A (Live "Blogger" Coverage)

Thursday, December 15th:

11:00am - Flight 1B

3:00pm - Flight 1C (Live "Blogger" Coverage)

7:00pm - Flight 1D 

Friday, December 16th:

11:00am - Flight 1E (Live "Blogger" Coverage)

3:00pm - Flight 1F 

7:00pm - Flight 1 G

Saturday, December 17th:

11:00am - Flight 1H (Live "Blogger" Coverage)

3:00pm - Flight 1I (Live "Blogger" Coverage)

7:00pm - Flight 1J (Live "Blogger" Coverage)

Sunday, December 18th:

12:00pm - Day 2 (Live "Blogger" Coverage)

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): Singh Likes To Be A Frontrunner

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 4 (Blinds 100/200/25)

Total Flight 1A Entries: 58

Total Entries: 58

Raminder Singh (Delray Beach, FL)

Raminder Singh (Delray Beach, FL) is very comfortable in this poker room, which likely comes from the success he has seen here this year.  Raminder has over $500,000 in career tournament earnings, with more than a quarter of that amount coming here at the Isle.  Singh's Isle Poker tournament earnings over the last four months alone are over $30,000.  

While Raminder's exact tournament strategy is unknown to those in the field, a common trend of his success is the amassing of chips in the early stages of these multi-flight events.  Singh's aggressive (but calculated) play usually finds him at the top of the counts when the bags come out, so it would be no surprise if his name was listed as one of the larger stacks at the end of the night.

There is also a downside to the "out of the gate" mentality, as Singh just experienced, firing his second bullet of the tournament just four levels in.  Some other players to bust early, but re-enter, include: Tom Gity, Karen Powsner, and Michele Milker.

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): Familiar Faces In The Field

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 GTD)

Level 2 (Blinds 50/100)

Total Flight 1A Entries: 46

Total Entries: 46

Michele Milker (Delray Beach, FL)

While there are three days to follow, each with three starting flights on the daily schedule, tonight's slate only offers this one flight.  This flight offers those with a potential scheduling conflict an opportunity to bag chips, opposed to planning a return visit over the course of the weekend (prior to Sunday's Day 2).  

Of the entrants already seated in the field, Michele Milker (Delray Beach, FL) is one of a handful of players that are in attendance on a daily basis, here at the Isle Casino Poker Room.  Michele has seen some nice success over the past six weeks, including a final table finish of November 15th's $40 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 Guarantee) event (7th Place - $887).  The volume that Michele puts in helps prepare her for the multi-flight/deeper structure events like this one, which she likely hopes will translate into a hefty bag at the end of this evening.

Some other notables in this opening flight field include:

Tom Gity

Hugh Hardy

Luke Rosenberg

Rafael Ramos

Flight 1A ($75,000 GTD): First Of Ten Flights Getting Underway

The "richest" tournament of the month begins in just moments, as the first flight of the $130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 Guarantee) gets it's cards in the air at 6:00pm.  This is flight one of ten, spread over the next three days, with Day 2 resuming on Sunday (and playing down to a winner).

Entrants into this tournament will sit down to starting stacks of 18,000 tournament chips.  Alternates and late registrants will be allowed to enter for the first (8) levels, levels which will last (25) minutes throughout the event.  It should be noted that all entrants will start with a full starting stack.  Each of the Day 1 flights are scheduled to play (16) levels, or until 8% percent of the field remains.  The "chip lead bonus" is back for each of the starting flights, with the player that bags the top stack walking away with $500.

Coverage of tonight's flight will continue shortly, along with the "Week In Review" feature from last week's tournament action.

ICYMI: Parada Heads The Tuesday $10K Five-Way Chop

Danilo Parada (Oakland Park, FL)

The "Tuesday 10K" ($40 No Limit Hold'em $10,000 Guarantee) has become one of the premier tournaments on the Isle Casino monthly schedule, with last night's installment finishing up in a five-way deal.  The tournament attracted a total of (315) entries, and after the boost from the optional "add-ons," the prize pool ended up totaling $10,445.  The posted first place prize was $2,821, which (for those who needed a reminder) is over (70) buy-ins.  It's really an incredible opportunity for recreational (or professional) players to grab a special return on investment.

The field consisted of all of the names and faces we've become so familiar with since the inception of the blog, a list that's becoming almost too long to list on the site.  The storyline from last night's event  though, was the number of new names that made up the list of players to cash.  There were a total of (36) players to cash in the event, and while the first two names to check in the podium were familiar to followers of the blog (John Bilas - 36th Place, James Powers - 35th Place), many that followed were making their way to the blog for one of the first times.

Play reached the final table just a few minutes after midnight, and while we've seen many tournaments make a deal with close to a full final table, last night's tournament continued on for about an hour.  After the elimination of Michael Malady (Upper Saddle River, NJ) in sixth place ($440), the remaining players broke down the numbers, and agreed to a deal.  Danilo Parada (Oakland Park, FL) would be declared the "winner," and would walk away with $1,701 and the trophy.  This looks to be Parada's first recorded cash on Hendon Mob, which continues with the trend mentioned above.  The next "Tuesday $10K" will on December 20th, beginning at 6:00pm.

Official Results:

1	Danilo Parada			Oakland Park, FL		$1,701.00		$2,821.00 *
2	Hector Rosas			Plantation, FL		$1,481.00		$1,671.00 *
3	Irwin Block			Coconut Creek, FL		$1,473.00		$1,097.00 *
4	Neil Warner			Pompano Beach, FL		$1,320.00		$757.00 *
5	Steven Slon			Highland Beach, FL		$930.00		$559.00 *
6	Michael Malady			Saddle River, NJ		$444.00
7	Luis Valencia			Ft. Lauderdale, FL		$339.00
8	Armaan Haji			Hollywood, FL		$245.00
9	Kevin McGillicuddy			Tamarac, FL		$178.00
10	George El-Khouri			Parkland, FL		$136.00
11	Eric Smith			Plantation, FL		$136.00
12	Michael Mayo			Dania Beach, FL		$136.00
13	Frank Annunziato			Hollywood, FL		$110.00
14	Charles Zusag			Plantation, FL		$110.00
15	Pietro Leone			Ft. Lauderdale, FL		$110.00
16	Osmany Martinez			Miami, FL		$94.00
17	Brian Brennan			Boca Raton, FL		$94.00
18	Gus Dumoulin			Coral Springs, FL		$94.00
19	Robert Williams			Pompano Beach, FL		$78.00
20	Ruthie Comeau			Stuart, FL		$78.00
21	Samuel Trapani			Pompano Beach, FL		$78.00
22	Diego Oliveira			Deerfield Bch., FL		$78.00
23	Paul Husch			Boynton Beach, FL		$78.00
24	Robert Gelin			Boynton Beach, FL		$78.00
25	Jorge Mederos			Miami, FL		$78.00
26	Carlito Cajuste			Coconut Creek, FL		$78.00
27	Andres Duran			Weston, FL		$78.00
28	Roberto Antonio			Brazil		$68.00
29	Steven Lake			Clewiston, FL		$68.00
30	Jesse Malner			Cleveland, OH		$68.00
31	Shravan Kulshrestha			Miami, FL		$68.00
32	Hari Sukhu			Miramar, FL		$68.00
33	Peter Bejusca			Ft. Lauderdale, FL		$68.00
34	Vasile Schita			Oakland Park, FL		$68.00
35	James Powers			Ft. Lauderdale, FL		$68.00
36	John Bilas			Wilton Manors, FL		$68.00

* Denotes posted payouts, before deal was made

Wednesday, December 14th: Busy Schedule Culminates With $75,000 Guarantee

Yesterday's poker action finished up around 2:15am, as the remaining players in the $40 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 Guarantee) agreed on a five-way chop, with Danilo Parada (Oakland Park, FL) taking home the winner's share ($2,821).  The conclusion of Tuesday's action would lead us into one of the busiest days on the December Poker Calendar.

Today's tournament schedule starts with the $2,000 Guarantee No Limit Hold'em "Freezeout" at 10:00am, which allows players the opportunity to grab their share of the prize pool without ever pulling a dollar out of their pockets.  The real money action starts this evening though, with Flight 1A of the $130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool), with cards getting in the air at 6:00pm.  This is the first of (10) flights over the next four days, culminating with Day 2 on Sunday.  This event is the only multi-flight tournament of the month, and carries with it the largest guarantee of the month as well.  Much of the action will be covered here on the blog, including detailed Day 2 updates, leading up to a tournament winner.

It's a busy day of promotions as well, as the (10) minute turbo high hands roll out during the hours of 9:00am-11:00am.  After an hour long buffer, the "Spin To Win" promotion then begins at 12:00pm, and will run until 11:00pm.  Between those hours, the qualifying hand for each half-hour will earn themselves the opportunity to spin the "money wheel."

10:00am - $2,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool No Limit Hold'em "Freezeout"

6:00pm - $130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 Guarantee) Flight 1A

Tuesday, December 13th: Tuesday $10K Leads Into $75,000 Weekend

This weekend is going to be all about the $130 No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool), but before the first flight begins tomorrow night, we still have one more day of "daily" tournament poker.  Things get started at 11:00am with the $100 No Limit Hold'em "Monster Stack," which has a $3,000 guarantee.  Then it's time for "value town," as the $40 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 Guarantee) gives players an opportunity to pad their bankroll, leading into the weekend.

In regards to promotions for the day, the "Early Bird Limit Hold'em" (9:00am-11:00am for tickets) starts the moment the room opens, with standard high hand rules applying throughout the day (awarded every 30 minutes).

11:00am - $100 No Limit Hold'em "Monster Stack" ($3,000 GTD)

- Players start with 25,000 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 (20) minutes throughout the event

6:00pm - $40 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 12,000 starting stack

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

- Optional player "add-on" at the end of Level 8 ($20 for 8,000 tournament chips), with 100% of the "add-on" going to the prize pool

-  Levels are (20) minutes in length

Monday, December 12th: "Turbo High Hands" In The AM, $20K Guarantee At Night

As we enter the second full week of December, and look towards what's on the schedule, we see the highlighting event of the month beginning on Wednesday.  Players had circled the $130 Buy-in No Limit Hold'em ($75,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool) the moment the "December Poker Calendar" came out, offering (10) flights over a span of four days.

For now though, we will focus on today, and the tournaments/promotions on the schedule.  Things get started early with the "Turbo High Hands," seeing the qualifying high hand earn $100 every (10) minutes from the hours of 9:00am-12:00pm.  For the tournament players, the $80 No Limit Hold'em w/ $10 Bounties ($2,000 GTD) gets started at 11:00am.  Players searching for the "larger" guaranteed events can look no further, as the $130 No Limit Hold'em ($20,000 GTD) on the schedule for this evening (6:00pm).  Results from tonight's event will be posted tomorrow, while those looking for all of the results from last week's dailies can anticipate the "Week In Review" to be posted over the next (24) hours.

11:00am - $80 No Limit Hold'em w/ $10 Bounties $2,000 GTD

- Players will begin with a 10,000 starting stack

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

- Option player "add-on" at the end of Level 8 ($20 for 8,000 tournament chips), with 100% of the "add-on" going to the prize pool 

- Levels are (20) minutes in length

6:00pm - $130 No Limit Hold'em  $20,000 GTD

- Players will begin with a 18,000 starting stack

- Late and re-entries for the first (12) levels

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels are (20) minutes in length

Sunday, December 11th: Sunday Is For Bounty Hunting

While it's "NFL Sunday" across the country, the final day of the weekend is "Bounty Sunday" here at the Isle Casino Poker Room.  Players have two tournaments to choose from today, a $70 No Limit Hold'em w/ $10 Bounties ($2,000 GTD) at 11:00am, followed by a $135 No Limit Hold'm w/ $25 Bounties as 6:00pm ($2,500 GTD).

For those that are more interested in the cash game action, there are $300 high hands every (15) minutes from the hours of 2:00pm-9:00pm.

11:00am - $70 No Limit Hold'em w/ $10 Bounties ($2,000 GTD):

- Players will start with 8,000 in tournament chips
- Late and re-entries for the first (8) levels
- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack
- Optional players add-on at the end of Level 8 ($20 for 8,000 units), with 100% of the add-on money going to the prize pool
- Levels are (20) minutes in length throughout the tournament

7:00pm - $135 No Limit Hold'em w/ $25 Bounties ($2,500 GTD):

- Players will 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 are (20) minutes in length throughout the tournament

Saturday, December 10th: Transue Goes Back-To-Back, "New Monster Stack" Returns...And Spin To Win!!

Robert "Poppa Bear" Transue (N. Lauderdale, FL)

Otherwise known as "Poppa Bear," Robert Transue (N. Lauderdale, FL) actually heads the all-time tournament cashes rankings for the Isle Casino Poker Room (courtesy of HendonMob.com).  Therefore, it shouldn't come as such a surprise to hear that he earned himself a "double" late last night, as he was part of a five-way chop in last night's $150 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool).  This came just (24) hours after making a deal in Thursday night's $130 No Limit Hold'em ($30,000 Guarantee) event.  Trance earned himself $2,256 on Thursday night after signing for 7th place, and $1,441 last night (4th place).  "Poppa Bear" is now over (50) total Isle Poker Room cashes, and over ten clear of his nearest competitor.

We aren't sure if Robert will be in attendance today, but there are two tournaments he would have to decide from.  At 11:00am, the $100 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo" w/ $25 Bounties gets underway, carrying with it a $3,000 guarantee.  That tournament is followed in the evening (at 6:00pm) by the $110 No Limit Hold'em "New Monster Stack" ($8,000 Guarantee).

It's normally pretty difficult to overshadow those two tournaments on a Saturday, but with the "Spin To Win" promotion making it's first weekend appearance, the room's cash tables should be buzzing with action.  The qualifying high hand for each half-hour (between the hours of 12:00-11:00pm) will earn the right to determine their prize on the "Money Wheel."

11:00am - $100 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo" w/ $25 Bounties ($3,000 GTD):

- Players start with 18,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternate and late entries will start with a full stack

- Optional player add-on at the end of Level (10), with $25 getting players 10,000 in tournament chips.  100% of the money from add-ons goes into the prize pool

- Levels are (15) minutes in length throughout the tournament

6:00pm - $110 No Limit Hold'em "New Monster Stack" ($15,000 Guaranteed):

- Players will start with 25,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels are (25) minutes

Friday, December 9th: Goldshteyn Ships It, "Turbo High Hands" In The AM

Leonid Goldshteyn (Tamarac, FL)

Things start off quickly to begin this weekend, but before we look at what's in store for the day, we need to recap the events of last night. Yesterday's 6:00pm tournament was a $130 No Limit Hold'em event with a $30,000 guarantee, which is one of the largest "daily" events you'll see on any poker room's schedule.  The tournament got over (250) total entries, and with the $30,000 prize pool, first place for the event was over $8,000!!!  The tournament ended in a seven-way chop, with Leonid Goldshteyn (Tamarac, FL) taking home the winner's share ($5,838) of the agreement.  Official results from the tournament will be posted to the blog later this afternoon.

The "high hand" promotion for the day begins the moment the doors open, as $100 will be given away to the qualifying high hand every (10) minutes.  It's been mentioned before, but so far this month, the days that have these early "turbo" high hands have seen close to (10) tables to begin the day.  There is only one tournament on the schedule for the day, with the $150 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 Guarantee) beginning at 6:00pm.




6:00pm - $150 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 Guarantee):

- Players will start with 20,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternate and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels are (25) minutes in length throughout the event