"January $100,000" (Flight 1A): Two Tables Remain, As Registration Comes To A Close For Flight 1A

"January $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 12 (Blinds 800/1,600/200)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 72
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 20

Play is now half the way through Level 12, which is the final level of play that has open registration.  Once this level is over, there is a final ten minute break, with players returning for Level 13 (1,000/2,000/300).  Once the cards are back in the air, we will be able to provide the official numbers from the flight.  Listed below are the lineups for the remaining tables in the tournament area.

Table 1

1. TJ Shulman
2. George Colli
3. Paul Shafran
4. Mile Belan
5. Justin Harvell
6. Elliot Goldman
7. Gregory Spinder
8. Adam Koppell
9. Kathy Sapp
10. Danny Nucci

Table 3

1. A. Nonymous
2. Michael Fryett
3. Craig H.
4. Scott Zakheim
5. Jonah Miller
6. Andre Rakusa
7. Kenneth Bruno
8. Leo Birov
9. Joe Gotblieb
10. Larry Rosen

"January $100,000" (Flight 1A): Spinder Trip Has Been Rocky, But He Steadies Again Versus Justin Harvell

"January $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 11 (Blinds 600/1,200/200)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 72

Just a few minutes after Gregory Spinder was published as having eclipsed the 90,000 mark, he got involved in another sizable pot, losing close to half of his stack.  Gregory ran his A♥ K♥ into A♠ A♣, a dropped back below the chip average.  He just recouped a good chunk of those chips from Justin Harvell, after making a strong call against the savvy tournament pro.  

The hand between the two players was approached on the river (of a board reading A♣ J♣ 7♦ 9♥ 2♣), just as Spinder tossed out a bet of 3,500.  Harvell had been trending upwards since the moment he sat down, and consistently "had it" whenever his hands reached showdown.  So when Justin dropped a raise to 11,500 on the felt, Spinder was visibly displeased.  Gregory took a solid minute to think about his decision, eventually tossing in the chips for a call.  Harvell tabled K♦ Q♠, which was beat by the J♥ 10♥ of Spinder, and drew some respect from the "young gun."

"It's a sick call," Harvell said to Spinder moments later, "but I like it."

Gregory Spinder - 70,000 (58bb)
Justin Harvell - 38,000 (31bb)

"January $100,000" (Flight 1A): Spinder Fades, And Vaults Up The Leaderboard

"January $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 10 (Blinds 500/1,000/100)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 71

Gregory Spinder (Coral Springs, FL) went from the middle of the pack, to top of the leaderboard...all in the matter of one hand, that occurred just moments ago.

The action at Table 1 started with an open from a player in early position (UTG +1), and calls from four players (including Gregory Spinder).  The dealer would fan out a flop of K♠ 10♥ 5♥, and after the small blind checked, the original raiser continued for 5,400.  Two player folded behind, and action would end up on Gregory Spinder, who chose to raise to 12,000.  The small blind released behind, and action was back on the original raiser, who three-bet to 24,000.  Spinder quickly took the rest of his stack, which had his opponent covered, and pushed forward a four-bet.  With only 13,000 left behind, Spinder's adversary made the call, and watched as Gregory turned over 5♦ 5♠ (bottom set).  

Spinder was up against one of a few hands he was a massive favorite against (K♥ J♥), and needed to fade the turn and river.  The Q♠ on the turn ended up giving Gregory's opponent even more outs, but the 2♣ on the river sealed the hand for Spinder, who chipped up to 91,000.

Gregory Spinder - 91,000 (91bb)

"January $100,000" (Flight 1A): Updated Chip Counts Post Second Break

"January $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 9 (Blinds 400/800/100)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 69

Kenneth Bruno (Lake Worth, FL) has recently made a habit of going deep in these multi-day (large guarantee) events, and is seeing success halfway through this opening flight.

It looked like TJ Shulman was going to head to the break as the chip leader, but he lost a sizable pot to a player that requested not be published on the blog.  A. Nonymous is actually the top stack at the moment, sitting with just over 130,000.  As we take our first look at chip counts from the field, we see Michael Fryett (Lake Stevens, WA) continuing is earlier good fortune, as he sits second in chips with 120,000.

A. Nonymous - 130,000 (162bb)
Michael Fryett - 120,000 (150bb)
TJ Shulman - 70,000 (87bb)
Kenneth Bruno - 50,000 (62bb)
Andre Rakusa - 47,000 (58bb)
Scott Zakheim - 42,000 (52bb)
Justin Harvell - 40,000 (50bb)
Nancy Thomas - 28,000 (35bb)

"January $100,000" (Flight 1A): Rakusa Finally Able To Gain Some Traction, Doubles Through Greg Rosen

"January $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 8 (Blinds 300/600/75)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 69

Andre Rakusa (Coral Gables, FL) ran into some road blocks to start the day, but just doubles through Greg Rosen, to chip up above the current average.

Andre Rakusa's (Coral Gables, FL) start to this event didn't go exactly as planned, as he failed to chip up during each of his first two entries.  He's hoping that the third time is a charm, after having just doubled through Greg Rosen moments ago.  Rakusa and Rosen got the chips in pre-flop (for a pot worth over 35,000), with Andre holding A♥ K♦ against Rosen's 2♠ 2♦.  Rakusa flopped a pair of kings, and left Rosen looking for one of two outs, which never amounted on the turn or river.  

The double-up helped Andre eclipse the current chip average, which sits at 34,500, only fifteen minutes away from the second break of the day.  Greg Rosen dropped down to 8,000 after absorbing the loss, but still sits with more than ten blinds in these middle stages of the day.

Andre Rakusa - 38,000 (63bb)
Greg Rosen - 8,000 (13bb)

Players will be heading on their second break at the end of this level, and will be returning to Level 9, with new blinds of 400/800/100.  Once the seats are occupied after break, we will bring you the first look at updated chip counts from the field.

"January $100,000" (Flight 1A): Harvell Ends The Year Strong, Looks To Start 2018 The Same Way

"January $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 7 (Blinds 250/500/75)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 66

Justin Harvell (Nashville, TN) finished third in Event #15 of the 2017 Isle Open ($17,774), and followed that up by reaching three major final tables to end the year.

One of the most recent entries into the Flight 1A field was Justin Harvell (Nashville, TN), who introduced himself to the blog during the 2017 Isle Poker Open.  Harvell reached the final table of Event #15 ($1,000 No Limit Hold'em), and ended up finishing in third place, and earning himself $17,774.  After that series, Justin went on to finish 2017 in strong fashion, earning over $75,000 combined in November and December:

Justin's career earnings are now over $157,000, as he looks to capitalize on what was his best year of tournament poker.  Harvell cashed for $134,232 in 2017, while his best year of tournaments was three years earlier, when he earned just under $10,000.

"January $100,000" (Flight 1A): Gari Voicing His Displeasure, But Shulman Doesn't Mind

"January $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 6 (Blinds 200/400/50)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 64

TJ Shulman (Boynton Beach, FL) is coming off of his best year of tournament poker, earning over $196,000 in 2017.

Walking past Table 5, TJ Shulman and Thomas Gari would be involved in a hand, with the two on the turn (of a board reading J♦ 4♦ 3♠ 7♣).  Piecing together a little of the prior action, we do know that Gari had opened the pot pre-flop, with Shulman calling out of the big blind.  As we approached, Shulman had just checked the turn, and then ended up calling a 2,000 bet from Gari.

The dealer then completed the board with the 2♥, with action going check-check, and Gari tabling his hand (A♦ Q♥).  TJ quickly rolled over 3♣ 6♣, taking down the pot with his pair of threes.  "You've got a lot of nerve," Gari said to TJ, who replied by saying, "What..I know you didn't have it."  The pair continued with a little discussion, which may have stemmed from something we did not witness during the hand.

Regardless of Gari's opinion on how Shulman played the hand, TJ is now the chip leader in the field, becoming the first player to eclipse the century mark.

TJ Shulman - 127,000 (317bb)

"January $100,000" (Flight 1A): Fryett Seems To Like His New Surroundings

"January $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 5 (Blinds 150/300/50)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 56

Michael Fryett (Lake Stevens, WA) has been playing tournaments outside of Florida for the past two years, but it now back in action, and thriving in today's opening flight.

Michael Fryett (Lake Stevens, WA) is originally from the Pacific-Northwest, but started putting in serious tournament volume here in Florida.  Fryett's first recorded cash came during the 2010 WSOP $10,000 Main Event, when he finished in 628th place ($21,327).  There was then a five year gap on his Hendon Mob resume, with his return to tournament action coming in 2015 (at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood).  

Michael went on to record cashes only in Florida (in 2015), and then shifted his focus on the Northeast.  He spent the next two years primarily playing events in Maryland (Maryland Live! and MGM National Harbor), with an Atlantic City score sprinkled in.  Fryett made his Florida return this afternoon, and is off to a very good start, more than quadrupling his starting stack over the first four levels of play.  

We should remind players and followers, that it's no longer about how you do against the rest of the field in the flight you play in, but where you stand after all flights are completed (in regards to the chip lead bonus).  Therefore, it's likely that we will see players try and keep their foot on the peddle, as they finish up with the later stages of the flight.

Michael Fryett - 77,000 (256bb)

"January $100,000" (Flight 1A): Zakheim With Another Consistent Year, But Looking For The Big Score

"January $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 4 (Blinds 100/200/25)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 48

Scott Zakheim (Davie, FL) has had over $20,000 in live tournament earnings every year since 2009, with 2011 his career best year ($164,487).

When it comes to tournament poker, variance is something that will usually rear it's head in the life of a player who puts in serious hours.  A professional tournament player's career may see years with six-figure earnings, and others with less than five-figures (yes...it happens).  Taking a look at Scott Zakheim's tournament career, one would see the following:

Zakheim has been the picture of consistency, earning an average of over $50,000 in live tournament earnings for the past ten years.  Scott is coming off of a 2017 in which he cashed in (19) events, with total earnings of $41,501.  While the numbers were his lowest since 2009, Scott still took in a more than respectable number for the volume he puts in, and continued what's been a super impressive streak.  Zakheim is still looking for that "huge" score, which he attained back in 2011, when he won a $1,000 No Limit Hold'em event a Palm Beach Kennel Club ($84,712).

Players are about to take their first break of the day, and will be returning to Level 5, with new blinds of 150/300/50.

"January $100,000" (Flight 1A): Rakusa Is Right In His Comfort Zone

"January $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 3 (Blinds 75/150/25)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 44

Andre Rakusa (Coral Gables, FL) earned his career best cash in a tournament of this price point, taking down the $360 No Limit Hold'em event during the Isle Open (in October of 2016).

The cards have now been in the air for just over an hour, with a total of (44) entries currently making up the field.  There are a lot of familiar faces across the tournament area, including that of Andre Rakusa (Coral Gables, FL).  Andre has over $125,000 in lifetime tournament earnings, a majority of which came from cashes here at the Isle Poker Room.  Rakusa's career best score came in a $360 No Limit Hold'em event, very similar to this one, run back in October of 2016.  Andre bested a field of 1,100 entries (this was during the Isle Open), eventually chopping the tournament heads-up, and earning himself $60,181.

Rakusa's last recorded cash came during the $360 buy-in event during the Isle Classic (Event #10), when he finished in 24th place for $1,545.  Andre is just one of numerous recognizable names across this early afternoon field, joining the likes of:

TJ Shulman

Paula Alibrandi

Maurice Hawkins

Adam Koppel

Eric Piderit

Thomas Gari

"January $100,000" (Flight 1A): Action Underway For First "Multi" Of 2018

"January $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 1 (Blinds 25/50)
Total Flight 1A Entries: N/A

The rules announcement was made just moments ago, with action about to begin for Flight 1A of the "January $100,000."  The $360 buy-in no limit hold'em event has six flights over the next three days, with players successful in bagging chips, returning for Day 2 on Sunday afternoon (12:00pm).  Each of the starting flights has the same structure, with players sitting down to starting stacks of 18,000 units, and playing levels that last (30) minutes.  The opening flights have open registration through Level 12, with action scheduled to conclude after Level 15 (or unless 10% of the field remains before that point).  It should be noted that there is a chip lead bonus for the tournament, but it's a little different this time around.  Opposed to the top stack from each flight earning a "bonus," the players that hold the top four chip counts heading into Day 2, will earn entry into the end of month $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD).

Each of the afternoon flights will have live blogged coverage, in addition to the Day 2 detailed coverage that followers have come to know and love.  Once the tournament area fills up a little more, we will take our first look at some notables in the field.

Thursday, January 4th: Paradis And Menorah Top Wednesday's Tournament Action, As The Multi-Flight Madness Begins Today

ICYMI: Wednesday's tournament action kicked off (11:00am) with the $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty," which had a $3,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The event attracted a field of (40) total entries, which equated to a prize pool of $4,180.  When the payouts were posted, the players remaining would find out that five spots were going to get paid, with first place scheduled to take home $1,304.  Yesterday's "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" ended up playing down to an outright winner, with Richard Paradis (Coconut Creek, FL) besting Daniele Nucci (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) during heads-up play.  The full results from the tournament are listed below:

1. Richard Paradis (Coconut Creek, FL) $1,304
2. Daniele Nucci (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $795
3. Robyn Handler (Pompano Beach, FL) $477
4. Gale Hand (Seaside, OR) $350
5. Marquis Grant (Ft.  Lauderdale, FL) $254

Wednesday's evening event was an $80 No Limit Hold'em tournament, with a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool.  The posted number was surpassed, with the addition of the optional add-ons seeing the prize pool close at $2,565.  Six spots were scheduled to get paid, but once the event reached the final table, the players that remained agreed to a chop.  Listed below are the full results from the deal:

1. Carolyn Mevorah (Boca Raton, FL) $392
2. Daniel Shortley (Lake Worth, FL) $387
3. Robert Cromwell (Deerfield Beach, FL) $363
4. Joann Nicolette (Hollywood, FL) $320
5. Abraham Mevorah (Boca Raton, FL) $253
6. Lisa Do (Parkland, FL) $210
7. Stephen Bromfield (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $196
8. Alex Eaton (Schaumburg, IL) $184
9. Luke Rosenberg (Parkland, FL) $145
10. Luciano Bianchi (Venezuela) $115

Tournaments: Today begins the first multi-flight event of 2018, as the first flight of the $360 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD) begins at 11:00am (Flight 1A).  The tournament has six starting flights over the next three days, all of which share the same structure.  Players in the event sit down to starting stacks of 18,000 units, with levels that last (30) minutes over the course of the event.  Registration is open through Level 12, with each opening flight scheduled to end after Level 15 is completed.  There is a small change when it comes to the chip lead bonus, as the top four stacks after all of the starting flights have been completed, with earn entry into this month's $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD).  There are two flights on today's schedule, with Flight 1A beginning at 11:00am, followed by Flight 1B at 6:00pm. 

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 - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD) Flight 1A

- Players start with 18,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels will last (30) minutes

- All Day 1's will play (15) complete levels or until 10% of the field remains (whichever comes first)

- The top four stacks, after all of the starting flights have been completed, will earn entry into the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD) on January 26th.

6:00pm - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD) Flight 1B

- Players start with 18,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels will last (30) minutes

- All Day 1's will play (15) complete levels or until 10% of the field remains (whichever comes first)

- The top four stacks, after all of the starting flights have been completed, will earn entry into the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD) on January 26th.

Wednesday, January 3rd: Only A Day Away From The Year's First Multi, But Action Resumes Leading Up

ICYMI: Yesterday's tournament action started at 11:00am, with the $120 No Limit Hold'em "Monster Stack" ($3,000 GTD).  The guaranteed number was surpassed just after the tournament's first break, with the field officially closing at (46) entries.  The $3,542 prize pool was spread across five pay spots, with first place scheduled to take home $1,452.  After the money was reached, and Gail Hand (Oregon) departed in fifth place, the remaining four players agreed to an ICM chop.  Stanton Drazen (Boynton Beach, FL) would be declared the tournament's winner, earning $966 for his efforts.  The official results from the tournament are published below:

1. Stanton Drazen (Boynton Beach, FL) $966
2. Nick Visconti (Delray Beach, FL) $854
3. Edgard Mendes (Deerfield Beach, FL) $821
4. Barry Teller (Tamarac, FL) $616
5. Gail Hand (Oregon) $285

The "Monster Stack" was followed by the year's first "larger" guaranteed event, which was a $150 No Limit Hold'em tournament, with a $20,000 guarantee.  The posted number would once again be no match for the showing, as (184) entries made up the field at registration's close.  The prize pool was posted at $21,528, with nineteen players scheduled to reach the money.  There were some big final table payouts listed, so it's no surprise that the event ended in a six-way deal, agreed to after the elimination of Isle Poker regular John Magnetta (Boynton Beach, FL).  Henry Behr (Pompano Beach, FL) held a sizable chip lead at the time of the ICM deal, and ended up walking away with $4,630.  The results of the deal, along with the full final table numbers, are listed below:

1. Henry Behr (Pompano Beach, FL) $4,630
2. Anthony Zambrowski (Candler, AZ) $2,961
3. Jacobo Mugrabi (Miami, FL) $2,560
4. Hosney Boutros (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $2,357
5. Anthony Anatasi (Glen Mills, FL) $2,062
6. Edward Lark (BIloxi, MS) $1,692
7. John Magnetta (Boynton Beach, FL) $807
8. Brandon Lulov (Brooklyn, NY) $667
9. Felix Beltre (West Palm Beach, FL) $530
10. Roberto Desogos (Pompano Beach, FL) $420

Tournaments: The first tournament on today's schedule is the $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty," which carries with it a $3,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The event is structured with 18,000 unit starting stacks, and levels that last (15) minutes.  There is also an optional add-on at the end of registration (Level 10), which could see a return of 10,000 units for $25 (if players choose to take it).  It should be known that 100% of the add-on money goes towards the prize pool.

At 6:00pm, the squares begin flying for the $80 No Limit Hold'em evening tournament, which has a $2,500 guarantee.  The tournament is structured with 12,000 unit starting stacks, and levels that last (20) minutes over the course of the night.  There is also an optional add-on for the event, with $20 seeing a return of 10,000 units (offered at the end of Level 8).

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 - $100 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 - $80 No Limit Hold'em ($2,500 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 12,000 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

Tuesday, January 2nd: Today's Tournament Schedule Headlined By Evening $20,000 GTD Event

ICYMI: Monday's tournament schedule started with the $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty," which had a $3,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The event had a strong showing, with a total of (50) entries, and an official prize pool of $5,425 (bounties included).  Once that payouts were posted, the remaining players learned that seven spots were going to be paid, with first place scheduled to take home $1,543.  A four-way deal was agreed to at the final table, with Francois Gagne (Hillsboro Beach, FL) becoming the first Isle Poker tournament winner of 2018.  Listed below are the results from the tournament:

1. Francois Gagne (Hillsboro Beach, FL) $1,084
2. Greg McKenzie (Sunrise, FL) $1,070
3. Joseph Mancuso (Deerfield Beach, FL) $713
4. James Sachs (E. Amherst, NY) $553
5. Gregg Weiss (Delray Beach, FL) $313
6. Lona Rubenstein (East Hampton, NY) $251
7. Debbie Metro (Sunrise, FL) $188

The evening tournament was a $80 No Limit Hold'em event, which had a strong showing for a tournament with no posted guarantee.  The field was comprised of (41) total entries, and ended up with an official prize pool of $2,337.  Six places were scheduled to get paid in the tournament, with a min-cash worth $140, and first place to win $911.  The action continued through the money bubble, but was eventually paused when heads-up play was reached.  An even chop was agreed to at that point, with Matthew Porter (Coral Springs, FL) declared the tournament's winner, getting a single dollar more than runner-up Steven Olek.  Posted below are the results from the tournament:

1. Matthew Porter (Coral Springs, FL) $725
2. Steven Olek (Coral Springs, FL) $724
3. Jeffrey Membrino (Litchfield, CT) $327
4. Joakim Dag (Pompano Beach, FL) $234
5. Carolyn Mevorah (Boca Raton, FL) $187
6. Jeffrey Contois (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $140

Tournaments: Today's tournament scheduled begins at 11:00am, with a $100 No Limit Hold'em event, that has a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool.  The structure sees players sitting down to starting stacks of 12,000 units, and levels that last (20) minutes over the course of the event.  

That event is followed by the first large guarantee of 2018, as the $150 No Limit Hold'em tournament that begins at 6:00pm, carries with it a $20,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The tournament is structured with starting stacks of 16,000 units, and has levels that last (20) minutes throughout 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 ($2,500 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

- Level will last (20) minutes throughout the event

6:00pm - $150 No Limit Hold'em ($20,000 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

Monday, January 1st: Ringing In The New Year, A Lot To Look Forward To In 2018

ICYMI: Since there were no tournaments on the schedule yesterday (December 31st), there are no recaps or results to publish.  Therefore, we would like to take this moment to wish everyone related to the Isle Poker Room at happy and healthy new year!!! There are so many incredible announcements to come, and we look forward to not only making the followers of the blog the first people to know, but also can't wait to bring a years worth of tournament coverage and recaps.

Tournaments: The first tournament of the year begins at 11:00am, and is the $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty," which carries a $3,000 guaranteed prize pool.  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 (after Level 10), which sees players getting a return of 10,000 units for $25.  There is also a $25 bounty for each player eliminated, with said bounties included in the prize pool.

A $80 No Limit Hold'em event is in the 6:00pm time slot this evening, structured with starting stacks of 12,000 units, and levels that last (20) minutes over the course of 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 - $100 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 - $80 No Limit Hold'em

- Players will begin with a 12,000 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

Sunday, December 31st: Ringing In The New Year, Lots In Store For January...And 2018 As A Whole

ICYMI: Yesterday's tournament schedule hosted the final pair of recurring events for the year, beginning with the $100 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" ($3,000 GTD).  The afternoon event (11:00am) attracted a sizable field, as registration closed with (57) total entries.  The official prize pool closed at $4,529 (including bounties), and ended up paying eight spots.  There would be no deal making discussion, as action played down to an outright winner.  Two Isle Poker notables battled it out for the win, with David Albertston (Margate, FL) besting Arlene Vazquez (Parkland, FL) during heads-up play.  Listed below are the official results from the final table:

1. David Albertson (Margate, FL) $1,118
2. Arlene Vazquez (Parkland, FL) $656
3. Paul Mabel (Coral Springs, FL) $411
4. Mile Belan (Pompano Beach, FL) $279
5. Marlon Reid (Margate, FL) $217
6. Ivan Michel (Deland, FL) $171
7. A. Nonymous (Parts Unknown, USA)
8. Michel Gariepy (Okeechobee, FL) $112

The "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" was followed by a $130 No Limit Hold'em event, which boasted a $15,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The tournament ended up attracted a total of (146) entries, with the official prize pool falling directly on the $15,000 number.  Nineteen players would make the money in the tournament, with the final seven players agreeing to a seven-way chop  Dennis Rodriguez (Sunrise, FL) held a massive chip lead at the time of the deal, and ended up taking home a healthy $2,575 for his first place finish.  The rest of the results from the real, along with full final table finishes, are listed below:

1. Dennis Rodriguez (Sunrise, FL) $2,575
2. Elliot Goldman (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $1,600
3. Paul Smerdon (Oakland Park, FL) $1,550
4. Tiago De Almeida (Brazil) $1,439
5. Lev Pamas (Boca Raton, FL) $1,378
6. Andrew Sassen (Deerfield Beach, FL) $1,297
7. Harry Silver (Boca Raton, FL) $1,260
8. Allan Bieler (Sunrise, FL) $469
9. Omar Garcia (Miami, FL) $414
10. John Magnetta (Boynton Beach, FL) $360

Tournaments:  There are no tournaments on the daily schedule this afternoon/evening, with recurring events returning tomorrow (January 1st).

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).

Saturday, December 30th: After Numerous Close Calls, Richard Kirsch Wins The $2,500 Single-Ante, Poker Room Closes Out The Year Strong

ICYMI: The last few months have been all about close calls for Richard Kirsch (Ft. Lauderdale, FL). His most recent came just a few weeks ago, when he reached the final table of the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic $10,000 Main Event, finishing in sixth for $271,736.  While that score was the largest of his impressive tournament career, Kirsch went into the day expecting a better result. On a smaller scale, Richard came just a few spots short of winning the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante.  He'd finish fourth in the initial running of the tournament ($15,525), and did even better during October's installment, making the final three ($16,284).  Just after midnight, Kirsch was able to best Anthony Utnage (Bloomington, IN) during heads-up play, to take down the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD).  The event attracted a field of (41) entries, which equated to a $100,000 prize pool, and saw a mix of players.  Along with the satellite winners from Thursday night, there were also some new face to join the "regulars" that have frequently attended this particular tournament.  If Kirsch's heads-up opponent sounded familiar, that's because Utnage won the $1,100 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante event during the most recent Isle Classic.  The full results from yesterday's tournament are listed below:

1. Richard Kirsch (Pompano Beach, FL) $42,000
2. Anthony Utnage (Bloomington, IN) $24,000
3. Brett Bader (Boca Raton, FL) $14,000
4. Joseph Levitt (Delray Beach, FL) $9,000
5. TJ Shulman (Boynton Beach, FL) $6,000
6. Adam Adler (Hallandale Beach, FL) $5,000

The "Single-Ante" was followed at 6:00pm, by the $75 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 GTD), a tournament that crushed the numbers just a week ago.  The same thing happened last night, as the field was comprised of (187) total entries, and an official prize pool of $11,090.  There would be (24) players to reach the money, with the event ending in a six-way deal, headed my Misty Abeln (Parkland, FL).  The full results of the deal, along with the rest of the final table payouts, are listed below:

1. Misty Abeln (Parkland, FL) $2,000
2. Evan Kahan (Boca Raton, FL) $1,747
3. Michael anderson (Sunrise, FL) $1,272
4. Kao Saechao (Portland, OR) $1,161
5. Paul Hosch (Boynton Beach, FL) $774
6. Barry Chazen (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $577
7. Millicent Berman (Hollywood, FL) $377
8. Ivan Michel (Deland, FL) $329
9. Tracy Brown (Coral Springs, FL) $282
10. Farrell Lapi (Coconut Creek, FL) $243

Tournaments: The 2018 tournament calendar wraps up in strong fashion today, with two events on the schedule.  The 11:00am time slot hosts the $100 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty," which boasts a $3,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The tournament is structured with 18,000 unit starting stacks, and levels that last (15) minutes.  There is an optional add-on at the end of the registration period (after Level 10), which allows players to grab another 10,000 units for $25 (100% of add-on money goes towards the prize pool).

That event is follows (at 6:00pm) by a $130 No Limit Hold'em tournament, with a $15,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The final event of 2018 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 - $100 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 ($15,000 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

"$2,500 Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD):" Official Event Payouts, $42,000 Scheduled To The Winner

$2,500 No Limit Hold'em "Single-Ante"
$100,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
Level 11 (Blinds 3,000/6,000/6,000 Ante)
Total Entries: 41
Players Remaining: 20

The fifth installment of the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em "Single-Ante" just saw registration close momenta ago, with the field falling just two entries short of the guarantee.  The $100,000 prize pool offers payouts to six spots, with a min-cash worth $5,000, and first place scheduled to take home $42,000.  Listed below are the official payouts for the tournament:

1. $42,000
2. $24,000
3. $14,000
4. $9,000
5. $6,000
6. $5,000

Friday, December 29th: Single-Ante Action Continues With $2,500 ($100,000 GTD), And A $10,000 GTD This Evening

ICYMI: Yesterday's tournament action began with the $275 No Limit Hold'em Satellite into today's $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD).  The popularity of the $2,500 Single-Ante with the players is clear, as (36) made up the field, which didn't have a posted guarantee on seats.  With those entries, three seats would be awarded into today's tournament, along with one player walking away with $1,500 cash.  Posted below are the results from the satellite:

1. Jeff Kessler (Sunrise, FL) $2,500 Single-Ante Seat
2. Elliot Goldman (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $2,500 Single-Ante Seat
3. Mark Bonacquisti (Plantation, FL) $2,500 Single-Ante Seat
4. Ian Cohen (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $1,500 Cash

Last night's evening event was a "single-ante" with a more attainable price point, as the cards began flying at 6:00pm, for the $175 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($25,000 GTD).  The tournament field was comprised of (208) entries, which helped the official prize pool cruise past the guarantee, as it closed at $28,496.  Once the payouts were posted, players learned that they would need to finish in the top (26) in order to reach the money, and first place would take home just over $7,007.  Looking at the full results from the event, a lot of "new" names were able to book cashes, leading up to the six-way deal that ended the tournament.  Isle Poker regular Danilo Parada (Oakland Park, FL) headed the deal, taking home $4,210 for his first place finish.  The results of the chop, as well as full final table finishes, are listed below:

1. Danilo Parada (Oakland Park, FL) $4,210
2. Daniel Matta (Homestead, FL) $4,157
3. Jonathan Ounjian (Boca Raton, FL) $3,676
4. Ron Levy (Hollywood, FL) $2,748
5. Sean Martin (Hollywood, FL) $2,177
6. Walter West (Lake Worth, FL) $2,111
7. Edward Corey (Columbus, OH) $969
8. Alex Meadow (Boca Raton, FL) $835
9. Robert Williams (Miami Gardens, FL) $701
10. Rogelio Padilla (Boynton Beach, FL) $610

Tournaments: The $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante finds it's way to the tournament calendar for the fifth month in a row, and becomes the third to carry with it a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The action gets underway at 11:00am, with the structure seeing two minor changes...for the better.  With the event falling on a Friday, the "full" blind structure is in play, with the addition of two levels at the beginning of the day.  Registration is now open through Level 10, allowing for players who can not make it until later in the day, to still join the action.  The players still sit down to 100,000 unit starting stacks, and play levels that last (30) minutes over the course of the event.  As always, the tournament will run with a single-ante being posted by the big blind.

The evening time slot will host the $75 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 GTD), which ran last weekend, and ended up with an official prize pool just under $15,000.  The tournament is structured with starting stacks of 15,000 units, and levels that last (20) minute levels throughout 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 - $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Day ($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

- Ante is to be posted by the big blind (is a single ante), and in an all-in situation, the big blind is to be considered as having been posted first.

6:00pm - $75 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 15,000 starting stack

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

- Levels are (25) minutes in length

- Optional add-on at the end of Level 8 ($20 for 10,000 units, 100% goes towards the prize pool)

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