Thursday, January 25, 2018

"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): Official End Of Flight 1A Chip Counts

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 15 (Blinds 1,500/3,000/500)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 84
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 14


Will Underdown 185,000
Scott Zakheim 167,000
Larry Kusch 139,000
Richard Wetter 123,000
Clifford Campbell 119,000
Bryan Power 115,000
Rickie Baboolal 111,500
John Page 102,500
William Swicicki 97,000
Mike Fryett 90,500
Brooks Long 75,500
Abbey Daniels 72,000
Glenn Popkin 64,000
Ken Bruno 51,000

"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): Entering Final Level Of Play, Preparing To Bag For Sunday

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 15 (Blinds 1,500/3,000/500)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 83



Play is about to enter Level 15, which is the final scheduled level of play for the day.  The clock will be paused when 10:00 minutes remain in this level, with those players still remaining then finding out how many hands are left in the flight.  Once those hands are completed at each table, the bags will be broken out, and players will pack their chips up for Sunday's Day 2.  A complete list of official chip counts will be posted shortly thereafter (around 8:00pm).


"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): Chip Counts After Flight's Final Break

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 13 (Blinds 1,000/2,000/300)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 83

Larry Kusch (Sumterville, FL) assumed the chip lead a few levels ago, and has since been the boss at Table 9.  He sits well ahead of his nearest competitor, who has about 30,000 less than him (William Underdown).

The remaining (22) players are back in their seats, with registration now closed for Flight 1A of this event.    This opening flight attracted a total of (83) entries, with $16,351 going towards the overall prize pool.  The event would just reach the guarantee at this pace, but you can expect for the numbers to grow as the weekend approaches.  Listed below are the top ten stacks returning from break:

Larry Kusch - 195,000
William Underdown - 160,000
David Page - 105,000
Scott Zakheim - 100,000
Mike Fryett - 77,000
Donald Hagen - 75,000
Mitchell Smith - 68,000
Moshe Wasser - 70,000
Tim Kegel - 65,000

"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): As The Field Shrinks, We Look At Who Remains

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 12 (Blinds 800/1,600/300)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 83

Play entered Level 12 just a few minutes ago, with those still remaining at the end of this level, heading on their final break of the flight.  Once the cards are in the air for Level 13, registration will be closed for the flight, and the numbers will be made official.  The (83) total entries (at the moment) should only change by a few, between now and that point, so we will take a look at the players still left.  There are three active tables across the tournament area, housing (24) players (that are listed below):

Table 1

  1. Don Hagen
  2. Ricky Baboolal
  3. David Page
  4. Paulius Bikus
  5. Jose Delcid
  6. Bill Swicki
  7. Mike Fryett
  8. Rich Wetter
Table 3
  1. Vince Francavilla
  2. Scott Zakheim
  3. William Underwood
  4. Moshe Wasser
  5. Brian Power
  6. Glen Popkin
  7. Abbey Daniels
Table 5
  1. Larry Kusch
  2. Tim Kegel
  3. Brooks Long
  4. Mitchell Smith
  5. Kenneth Bruno
  6. Cliff Campbell
  7. Roy Paulena
  8. Justin Harvell

"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): Zakheim Holds, And Eclipses Century Mark

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 11 (Blinds 600/1,200/200)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 82

Scott Zakheim (Davie, FL) found himself in a great position to almost double his stack, and ended up holding through the runout.

Just as the level was ending, Scott Zakheim (Davie, FL) found himself all-in with A♠ K♣ against A 10, on a flop of A K♠ Q♠.  It ended up that his opponent had a shorter stack than him, and although he wasn't at risk, a loss would leave him with less than ten big blinds.  The turn would bring the Q, which actually gave his opponent extra outs to a chop, but the river would be a blank, sealing the hand for Zakheim's top two-pair.  Scott is now over 100,000, and finds himself with a top five stack in the field.  Zakheim is looking for his second cash of the year, with his first coming in the multi that was run earlier this month here at the Isle Poker Room ($360 No Limit Hold'em).

Scott Zakheim - 118,000 (98bb)

"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): First Look At Updated Counts From The Field

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 9 (Blinds 400/800/100)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 82

Vince Francavilla (Pompano Beach, FL) returns from the second break as chip leader, and hopes for things to continue that way through the rest of the flight.

Players are back from the second break of the day, and are now posting blinds of 400/800/100 (43,000 chip average).  We haven't seen any players really separate themselves from the field, as a large group sits between the 60,000-80,000 mark.  Vince Francavilla (Pompano Beach, FL) currently leads the way with just over 100,000, and stands as the only player above the century mark.

Vince Francavilla - 104,000
Michale Fryett - 80,000
David Page - 70,000
Paulius Bikus - 62,000
William Underdown - 60,000
Larry Kusch - 55,000
Cliff Campbell - 52,000
Justin Harvell - 35,000
Kenneth Bruno - 17,000
Abbey Daniels - 14,000


"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): Another Player Who Experienced Playing Under The "Bright Lights"

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 8 (Blinds 300/600/75)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 80


Justin Harvell (Nashville, TN) is just a few weeks removed from the experience of a lifetime, reaching the live-streamed final table of the WPT DeepStacks $1,000 No Limit Hold'em ($1,000,000 GTD) event.

The first player that we featured this afternoon was Stephen Smith (Juno Beach, FL), as we referenced his recent score during the WPT DeepStacks opening event of the Lucky Hearts Poker Open.  Smith wasn't the only player that frequents the Isle Poker action to reach that final table, as our most recent entry also shared the felt with Smith that day.  

Justin Harvell (Nashville, TN) came into the final table as one of the top stacks, and assumed the chip lead during certain points of the day.  It just seemed to be Scott Baumstein's day though (who eventually won the event), as Justin bowed out in sixth place, earning a total of $45,398.  It was Justin's second largest tournament cash, and helped him eclipse the $200,000 lifetime earnings mark.  

Harvell joins a group of late entering players, including Jose Parra, Sebastian Kos, and Abbey Daniels.  Players will be taking their second break of the day at the end of this level, returning to Level 9, and new blinds of 400/800/100.


"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): Bernard Schmidt Making Most Of Earlier Good Fortune

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 7 (Blinds 250/500/75)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 77


A few levels ago, Bernard Schmidt (Naples, FL) was thinking about potentially re-entering...now he's thinking about bagging one of the top stacks.

Before the first break of the day, Bernard Schmidt (Naples, FL) was all-in pre-flop, for his remaining 3,300.  He was the last player to call after four others were all-in, strictly playing the hand for the incredible odds he was getting.  His 9♠ 7 was the last place hand before the board ran out, well behind other hands like A♠ A♣ and A K♠.  

The flop would come out 7♠ 7♣ 6, and Schmidt would grab a lead that never would be relinquished.  While there were side pots to work out, Bernard won the main pot, which was worth just over 15,000.  Schmidt has trended in the right direction since, chipping up to over 45,000, after just scooping in another pot.  On a board of 6♠ J J 6♣ K♠, Schmidt check-called bets on the flop and turn, eventually getting value on a river bet with his J♠ 10♣.  

Bernard Schmidt - 47,000 (94bb)



"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): Moshe Wasser Triples Up, Now Back Above Starting Stack

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 6 (Blinds 200/400/500)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 67


Moshe Wasser (Boynton Beach, FL) looked like he didn't love the runout when he was all-in, but it was good enough to help him triple-up.

At Table 9, Kenneth Bruno would open the action with a raise to 1,025, with Moshe Wasser next to act.  Moshe was sitting with a stack that was just above (20) big blinds, and decided to three-bet shove for 6,300.  An unknown player behind just flatted, with Bruno also making the call when action was back on him.  The two active players then quickly checked each street of a K♠ 10 Q 3 10♠ runout, with Bruno turning over 4♠ 4♣, and the unknown player 5♠ 5♣.  

Moshe was able to beat both of those hands, tabling his J J, which was good enough to more than triple up.  Wasser is now back above the starting stack (which was 18,000), but is still below the chip average of 25,500.

Moshe Wasser - 19,000 (63bb)


"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): Bieler Playing Early, Because He Has "Single-Ante" Plans For Tomorrow

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 5 (Blinds 150/300/50)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 57


Allan Bieler (Boca Raton, FL) may have chosen a later flight to play in for this event, but now has a different plan for tomorrow's schedule.

To say that Allan Bieler has "flown under the radar,' would be a little of a stretch, as his name has been plastered all over the blog since it's inception (in October of 2016).  Those references have come during the daily updates that are provided every day (which contain the prior day's tournament results), opposed to during coverage of a "major event."  Bieler has over $368,000 in lifetime tournament earnings, but those "highlighting" cashes that occurred here at the Isle Poker Room, have been primarily during recurring events (with the exception of a tournament win during December's Isle Classic).  

Allan's first blog feature came back in June of last year, and he's making his photographed return today.  It's not occurring because of what's happening in today's event, but rather what he accomplished yesterday.  Bieler was one of two players to satellite into tomorrow's $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD), which will be running at the same time as tomorrow's pair of flights for this event. Bieler is hoping to bag chips on this first effort, because he surely has plans to make a deep run in tomorrow's prestigious event.




"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): "Where Everybody Knows Your Name, And They're Always Glad You Came"

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 4 (Blinds 100/200/25)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 52

Thomas Gari (Hollywood, FL) is no stranger to events here at the Isle, and is looking to set himself up for yet another deep run in a multi.

As expected, this opening flight has attracted a good number of Isle Poker notables, many of which have become familiar to followers of the blog.  It's something we've repeated numerous times...about numbers players...but we have another notable coming off their best statistical year of tournament poker.  Thomas Gari (Hollywood, FL) has been recording cashes at a steady rate since 2014, and comes off a 2017 in which he recorded (21) results.  Those cashes equated to over $59,600 in earnings, which is his best year by over $20,000.

Thomas also started 2018 in strong fashion, as he took down a $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" event on last week's recurring tournament schedule.  The win was worth $1,008, and was actually followed by another final table finish justifier days later (also here at the Isle Poker Room).  A similar event to this was run late last November ($250 No Limit Hold'em with a $100,000 GTD), with Gari making a deep run, eventually finishing in 18th place ($1,300).  Thomas would surely sign up for another deep run like that, but first needs to find himself a bag, along with numerous others in the field with the same goal:

Steven Ekin
Scott Zakheim
Robert Flacco
Eric Piderit
Frank Traino
Michael Fryett
Preecha Taepakdee
Kenneth Bruno
Michael Tufaro

Players will be taking their first break of the day at the end of this level, returning to Level 5, with new blinds of 150/300/50.


"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): Coming Off A Run Of A Lifetime, Smith Looks To Keep Solid Form

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 3 (Blinds 75/150/25)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 49

Stephen Smith (Juno Beach, FL) is in today's early field, coming off an almost $75,000 cash in the opening event of the Lucky Hearts Poker Open.

Stephen Smith (Juno Beach, FL) had a breakout year in 2017, finishing with $65,199 in live tournament earnings, a majority of which came from successful runs here at the Isle Poker Room.  The year started strong for Smith, who shipped Event #2 of the 2017 Isle Classic (January), earning $28,462 after winning the $360 No Limit Hold'em event.  Stephen went on to cash in eleven more tournaments over the following twelve months, including a WSOP Circuit win during the final series at Palm Beach Kennel Club.  

Smith is looking to show a propensity for quick starts, as he just eclipsed his lifetime earnings in a single cash (during the Lucky Hearts Poker Open).  Stephen reached the final table of the WPT Deepstacks $1,100 No Limit Hold'em ($1,000,000 GTD) series opening tournament, and finished in fourth place, earning $74,549.  Not only did he earn the largest cash of his career, but he also had the invaluable experience of playing in front of the "bright lights" (as the final table was live streamed).  

Stephen has wasted little time getting back in action, as he was one of the first entrants in today's opening flight.  

"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): Taking A Look At The February 2018 Tournament Calendar

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 2 (Blinds 50/100)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 40



This afternoon, followers of the blog are getting a first look at the February 2018 Tournament Calendar, which is pictured above, and will be posted on the @PokerIslePP Twitter handle later this afternoon (calendar will be on the Isle Casino's main website shortly).  The calendar has a "little bit of old," and a "little bit of new," as PLO makes it's triumphant return to the schedule.  The $150 No Limit Hold'em "Double Green Chip Bounty" is also a new addition the calendar, boasting a $5,000 guarantee on the final three Thursday evening's of the month.  

There are three multi-flight/large guarantee tournaments on the calendar, with the first beginning the moment the calendar turns.  The $360 No Limit Hold'em event carries a $100,000 guarantee, and a very player-friendly structure, with 20,000 unit starting stacks and (40) minute levels.  Four starting flights run on February 1st and 2nd, with players returning to Day 2 on February 3rd (Saturday).  There is then a $250 No Limit Hold'em tournament on February 16th-17th, which boasts a $50,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The final of the three multis then occurs the following week, with the $175 No Limit Hold'em ($50,000 GTD) running February 19th through February 21st.

There are also three "Single-Ante" tournaments, including the ever-popular $2,500 No Limit Hold'em "Single-Ante," which runs on February 23rd.

"January $100,000 II" (Flight 1A): Month's Final Multi Starts Momentarily

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 1 (Blinds 25/50)
Total Flight 1A Entries: N/A



The second multi-day tournament of the month is only a few minutes away from beginning, with the cards about to fly for the $250 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD) event.  The event has six scheduled flights over the next three days, with opportunities for players to enter at either 11:00am (Flight 1A or Flight 1C), or 6:00pm (Flight 1B or Flight 1D).  Each of the flights have the same structure, with players sitting down to starting stacks of 18,000 units, and playing levels that last (30) minutes throughout the tournament.  Registration is open through Level 12 (and the break that follows), with action for each flight scheduled to end at the conclusion of Level 15.  Players who reach the end of the flight will bag up their chips, and return on Sunday for Day 2.

Live blogged coverage returns for this event, with level-by-level updates for each of the afternoon flights (Flight 1A and Flight 1C), and detailed Day 2 coverage on Sunday.  Early Flight 1A coverage will take a look at notables in the field, but not before we take in in-depth look at February's tournament calendar, which was released just a few days ago.

Thursday, January 24th: $250/$100,000 GTD Begins Today, With Pair Of Opening Flights

ICYMI: Yesterday's tournament action started with a second $275 No Limit Hold'em Satellite into tomorrow's $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD).  Once again, two seats were guaranteed into the prestigious event, with exactly that many seats awarded in the satellite (after 25 total entries).  There was also a third pay spot, which awarded $1,250 in cash, which was eventually won by Ian Cohen (Ft. Lauderdale, FL).  Listed below are the full results from the satellite:
  1. Gregory Spinder (Parkland, FL) $2,500
  2. Allan Bieler (Sunrise, FL) $2,500
  3. Ian Cohen (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $1,250
The evening time slot hosted a standard tournament, which was a $80 No Limit Hold'em event, which boasted a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool. The official prize pool would close at $3,363, after a total of (59) entries made up the field, with eight player scheduled to reach the money.  Play continued through the money bubble, with action halting after four people remained, as an even deal was agreed to.  The full results from the chop, as well as the final table, are listed below:
  1. Celso Leroy (Delray Beach, FL) $667
  2. Melissa Mancini (Oakland Park, FL) $667
  3. Alexander Thomas (Gainesville, FL) $667
  4. Robert Barney (Willmore, KY) $667
  5. Randall Buttner (East Meadow, NY) $235
  6. Marcel Deschamps (Canada) $185
  7. Anthony Vulpis (Lauderdale By The Sea, FL) $151
  8. Alan Werner (Cooper City, FL) $124
Tournaments: Today starts the final multi-day tournament of the month of January, and is a $250 No Limit Hold'em event, which carries a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool.  There are six starting flights over the next three days, with players who successfully bag chips, returning for Day 2 on Sunday.  Each of the flights are structured the same, with players sitting down to starting stacks of 18,000 units, and levels that last (30) minutes.  Registration is open until the end of Level 12 (and the break that follows), with opening flight play scheduled to conclude at the end of Level 15 (or if 10% of the field remains at any point beforehand).

This event will have live blogged coverage, with updates from each of the afternoon (11:00am) starting flights, as well as detailed Day 2 coverage.

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 - $250 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)

6:00pm - $250 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)

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Wednesday, January 24th: Another Opportunity To Satellite Into Single-Ante, On The Heels Of Month's Last Multi

ICYMI: Tuesday's tournament action started with a $100 No Limit Hold'em event, which boasted a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool.  The showing was very impressive, as a total of (51) entries made up the field, which equated to a prize pool of $3,927.  Of the (51) entries, six players were schedule to reach the money, with action playing through the bubble.  A deal was agreed to when four players remained, with Barry Teller (Pompano Beach, FL) earning $877 for first place.  The full results from the tournament are listed below:
  1. Barry Teller (Pompano Beach, FL) $877
  2. Mike Ditson (Tamarac, FL) $875
  3. William Underdown (Boca Raton, FL) $862
  4. Martin Kaplan (West Palm Beach, FL) $763
  5. Richard Shtrax (Coral Springs, FL) $314
  6. Fred Harris (Boynton Beach, FL) $236
The evening tournament time slot was filled by a $275 No Limit Hold'em Satellite into this Friday's $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante, which has a $100,000 guarantee.  A total of two seats were guaranteed in the satellite, with a third spot receiving $1,000, after a total of (24) entries made up the field.  The results from the satellite are listed below:
  1. Ory Hen ($2,500 Single-Ante/$100,000 GTD Seat)
  2. David Coughlin ($2,500 Single-Ante/$100,000 GTD Seat) $2,500
  3. Donald Francois ($1,000 Cash)
Tournaments: Today's tournament schedule is very similar to yesterday's, except the satellite is in the afternoon time slot.  The $275 No Limit Hold'em Satellite into Friday's $2,500 Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD), once again guarantees two seats.  The tournament structure also stays the same, with starting stacks of 16,000 units, and levels that last (20) minutes. 

The satellite is followed (at 6:00pm) by an $80 No Limit Hold'em tournament, which boasts a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool. The event sees players sitting down to starting stacks of 12,000 units, along with 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 - $275 No Limit Hold'em Satellite Into $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante (2 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
- Level will last (20) minutes throughout the event
- We will award as many seats as the prize fund will allow.  Any additional prize money will go to the player on the bubble, in the form of cash.  The most cash that can be awarded in this satellite is $2,499.

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 23, 2018

ICYMI: Isle Casino Pompano Park February Tournament Calendar Released



This afternoon, followers of the blog are getting a first look at the February 2018 Tournament Calendar, which is pictured above, and will be posted on the @PokerIslePP Twitter handle later this afternoon (calendar will be on the Isle Casino's main website shortly).  The calendar has a "little bit of old," and a "little bit of new," as PLO makes it's triumphant return to the schedule.  The $150 No Limit Hold'em "Double Green Chip Bounty" is also a new addition the calendar, boasting a $5,000 guarantee on the final three Thursday evening's of the month.  

There are three multi-flight/large guarantee tournaments on the calendar, with the first beginning the moment the calendar turns.  The $360 No Limit Hold'em event carries a $100,000 guarantee, and a very player-friendly structure, with 20,000 unit starting stacks and (40) minute levels.  Four starting flights run on February 1st and 2nd, with players returning to Day 2 on February 3rd (Saturday).  There is then a $250 No Limit Hold'em tournament on February 16th-17th, which boasts a $50,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The final of the three multis then occurs the following week, with the $175 No Limit Hold'em ($50,000 GTD) running February 19th through February 21st.

There are also three "Single-Ante" tournaments, including the ever-popular $2,500 No Limit Hold'em "Single-Ante," which runs on February 23rd.

Tuesday, January 23rd: Shifting Focus Towards A Big Weekends, As Satellites Start For Single-Ante

ICYMI: The $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" kicked off the tournament action on Monday (at 11:00am), and ended up attracting a field of (41) entries.  After the optional add-ons were tallied, the official prize pool closed at $3,047.  Once the payouts were posted, the players remaining learned that six spots were scheduled to get paid, with a min-cash earning $183.  Sergio Amato (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) would be the first to cash, followed by Anthony Canario, and Carl Giangrosso.  With three players then remaining, a deal was agreed to, making Giovanni Cantatore the declared winner.  Official results from the tournament are listed below:
  1. Giovanni Cantatore (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $894
  2. Morris Heider (Boca Raton, FL) $747
  3. William Catlett (Lisbon, OH) $674
  4. Carl Giangrosso (Chicago, IL) $305
  5. Anthony Canario (Lighthouse Point, FL) $244
  6. Sergio Amato (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $183
Following the "Big Stack Turbo Bounty," was an $80 No Limit Hold'em event (at 6:00pm), which had a $3,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The guarantee would be surpassed, after (56) entries made up the field, officially closing at $3,192.  A total of seven places were scheduled to get paid, with action playing through the money bubble.  Once things were three-handed, the clock would be passed, and a deal agreed to.  Jonah Wasserstrom (Hollywood, FL) took home the top spot, along with $940 for his first place finish.  The official results from the tournament are listed below:
  1. Jonah Wasserstrom (Hollywood, FL) $940
  2. Paul Price (Weston, FL) $744
  3. Jean-Phillipe Brodeur (Canada, FL) $630
  4. Andrew Davey (Pompano Beach, FL) $303
  5. Jeffrey Lutin (Boca Raton, FL) $239
  6. Carl Rockoff (Tamarac, FL) $192
  7. Jihui Ginsburg (Singer Island, FL) $144
Tournaments: Tuesday's tournament schedule has both a standard tournament, along with a satellite in the evening time slot.  Action begins at 11:00am, with the cards getting in the air for $100 No Limit Hold'em event, which boasts 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 event.  

That tournament is followed by a $275 No Limit Hold'em Satellite into Friday's $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($100,000 GTD).  A total of (2) seats are guaranteed, with a structure that sees players sitting down to starting stacks of 16,000 units, and levels that last (20) minutes.  

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 ($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 - $275 No Limit Hold'em Satellite Into $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante (2 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
- Level will last (20) minutes throughout the event
- We will award as many seats as the prize fund will allow.  Any additional prize money will go to the player on the bubble, in the form of cash.  The most cash that can be awarded in this satellite is $2,499.

Monday, January 22, 2018

Monday, January 22nd: Kicking Off A Big Week Of Poker Action

ICYMI: Sunday's tournament action kicked off with the $120 No Limit Hold'em "Monster Stack," which had a $2,000 guarantee.  The event would attract a total of (25) entries, which surpassed the posted number, and saw registration close with an official prize pool of $2,425.  A total of four places were scheduled to get paid in the tournament, with a three-way deal agreed to, after the elimination of Thomas Gari (Hollywood, FL) in fourth place.  Listed below are the details of the deal:
  1. Jean Dorvil (North Miami, FL) $780
  2. Paul Price (Weston, FL) $715
  3. Bernie Poole (Davie, FL) $663
  4. Thomas Gari (Hollywood, FL) $267
Following the "Monster Stack," was the $120 No Limit Hold'em "Turbo Bounty," which had a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool.  The tournament also had a field of (25) entries, which equated to a prize pool of $1,950 (not including bounties).  Once again, four spots were scheduled to get paid, but this time the players would agree to a deal the moment that the money was reached.  John Miller (New York, NY) was the tournament's declared winner, and would earn $501 for his first place share.  The rest of the details from the event are listed below:
  1. John Miller (New York, NY) $501
  2. Joanna Rodriguez Gonzalez (Puerto Rico) $483
  3. Sergio Amato (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $483
  4. Joseph Roda (Staten Island, NY) $483
Tournaments: Monday's tournament schedule begins at 11:00am, with the $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty," which has 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 (Level 10), which sees players getting return of 10,000 units for $25 (with 100% of the add-on money going towards the prize pool).

The "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" is followed (at 6:00pm) by an $80 No Limit Hold'em event, which has a $3,000 guarantee.  The tournament is structured with 12,000 unit starting stacks, and levels that last (20) minutes.

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, January 21, 2018

Sunday, January 21st: It's Championship Sunday, With A Lot Of Poker Action Still Happening

ICYMI: Saturday's tournament action began with the $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty," which had a $5,000 posted guarantee.  The tournament attracted a total of (60) entries, and after the optional add-ons were included into the prize pool, the official number would close at $4,495 (not including bounties).  A total of eight spots were scheduled to reach the money, with action continuing through the money bubble.  The clock was eventually paused when four players remained, with a deal then agreed to.  Paul Efron (Coconut Creek, FL) held a massive chip lead at the time of the deal, and ended up with a lions share of the money for first place.
  1. Paul Efron (Coconut Creek, FL) $1,402
  2. Joseph Mancuso (Deerfield Beach, FL) $840
  3. Daniel Diamond (Plantation, FL) $677
  4. Norman Simmons (Plantation, FL) $650
  5. Bob Brandl (Clinton, TN) $315
  6. Sara Azmi (Miami, FL) $247
  7. Richard Small (Boston, MA) $202
  8. Maurice Simard (Longueuil, Quebec) $162
The evening tournament was a $150 No Limit Hold'em event with a $15,000 guarantee, with a total of (161) entries making up the field.  The official prize pool closed at $18,515, and boasted some healthy final table payouts.  There would be no deal making at the final table, as action played down to an outright winner, with Steven Zukowski (Coral Springs, FL) besting Steven Carswell (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) during heads-up play.  Zukowski would take home $4,921 for the win, bringing his career earnings above the $60,000 mark.  Listed below are the results from the final table:
  1. Steven Zukowski (Coral Springs, FL) $4,921
  2. Steven Carswell (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) $3,224
  3. Joseph Conti (Boynton Beach, FL) $1,900
  4. Dominic Pacelli (Lake Worth, FL) $1,156
  5. Jeremy Wilson (Apple Valley, MN) $892
  6. Frank Hagen (Davie, FL) $740
  7. Stacey Gilbert (Port St. Lucie, FL) $641
  8. Michael Gutterman (Delray Beach, FL) $565
  9. Joseph Marchese (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $492
  10. Lisa Teebagy (Boca Raton, FL) $426

Tournaments: Sunday's tournament action begins with the $120 No Limit Hold'em "Monster Stack," which has a $2,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The player-friendly structure sees entrants sitting down to starting stacks of 25,000 units, and levels that last (20) minutes throughout the event.

The "Monster Stack" is followed (at 6:00pm) by an $120 No Limit Hold'em "Turbo Bounty," which has a $2,500 guarantee.  The tournament is structured with 14,000 unit starting stacks, and levels that last (15) minutes.  There is an optional player add-on at the end of registration (Level 10), with players seeing a return of 10,000 units, for a $25 cost.  There will also be a $25 bounty awarded for each player eliminated in the event.

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 "Monster Stack" ($2,000 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 - $100 No Limit Hold'em "Turbo Bounty" ($2,500 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 14,000 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