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

"February $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 10 (Blinds 500/1,000/200)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 67
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 15

Donald	Williams	154,000
Erik	Christensen	139,000
Robert	Flacco	119,000
Philip	Consolo	111,900
Nancy	Thomas	105,800
Jason	Thalas	82,900
Walter	Bravo	80,700
Kevin	Chan	78,000
Sebastian	Kos	76,400
Ryan	Galpern	64,300
Steven	Richardson	41,300
Paul	Winters	37,700
Lukas	Pribyl	23,000
Kenneth	Bruno	22,500

"February $100,000" (Flight 1A): Christensen And Flacco Battling It Out For Top Spot

"February $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 10 (Blinds 500/1,000/200)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 67

As play for Flight 1A enters it's final level, two players have separated themselves from the field.  Erik Christensen and Robert Flacco both hold over 120,000, and have been trading the chip lead over the last twenty minutes.  We've learned that things can change very quickly in these final levels, but the mentioned pair would have to be the favorites to end up as the flight's chip leader.  The top four stacks from this flight will hold the spots for the "chip lead bonus," but it's likely that those names and numbers will change over the next 36 hours.  

Robert Flacco - 145,000
Erik Christensen - 130,000

"February $100,000" (Flight 1A): Players Remaining In The Flight 1A Field, Coming Down The Stretch

"February $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 9 (Blinds 400/800/100)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 65

Listed below are the table lineups for the three remaining tables in this Flight 1A field, as a told of (25) players are still trying to reach the end of the next level (and the flight's bagging process).

Table 1

1. Ory Hen
2. Brett Biegler
3. Daniel Diamond
4. Scott Zakheim
5. Lukas Pribyl
6. Nancy Thomas
7. Steven Richardson
8. Kenneth Bruno

Table 3

1. Robert Flacco
2. Kenneth Bruno
3. Moshe Wasser
4. Pedro Cortez
5. Kevin Chan
6. Allan Bieler
7. Ryan Galpern
8. Paul Winters
9. Harry Sideris

Table 4

1. Jason Thalas
2. Elliot Goldman
3. Donald Williams
4. Joseph Gottlieb
5. Mario Jimenez
6. Ido Ashkenazi
7. Erik Christensen
8. Philip Cansolo

"February $100,000" (Flight 1A): Flacco Leads The Way, As Players Head To Their Final Break

"February $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 8 (Blinds 300/600/75)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 64

Bob Flacco (Ambler, PA) is all smiles at the moment, leading the field as players get ready to head on their final break of the flight.

Players are now halfway through Level 8, which will be followed by the final break of the flight.  With two levels remaining after the break, we can shift our focus to the "chip lead bonus," and some of the players that are going to bag the top stacks.  Bob Flacco (Ambler, PA) currently leads the way, and is the only player above the century mark.  Flacco splits his time between Pennsylvania and Florida, with his most recent cash coming here at the Isle, just two weeks ago.  Bob won the $120 No Limit Hold'em Monster Stack on January 12th, taking home $901 for his efforts.

Bob Flacco - 100,000
Ido Ashkenazi - 95,000
Erik Christensen - 88,000

Players will return to Level 9, with new blinds of 400/800/100, and a chip average of 40,000.  Once play resumes, we will take a look at chip counts across the field.

"February $100,000" (Flight 1A): Nairn Drops Down, But Gets It All Back In An "Interesting" Hand

"February $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 7 (Blinds 250/500/75)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 63

Herbert Nairn is featured on back-to-back blog posts, which is a true rarity during tournament coverage.

Herbert Nairn (Florida) trended in the wrong direction after returning from break, and found his 67,000 stack down to 30,000, as Level 6 ended.  On the final hand of the level, four players limped, including Herbert (who was on the button).  Jason Thalus then three-bet to 2,900 from the small blind, with only Nairn making the call.  

The two players watched the dealer spread out a flop of 6♥ 6♣ 7♣, with Thalus leading for 6,000.  Nairn took little time before shoving all-in (for 26,900), causing Thalus to go deep in the tank.  After about two minutes, Jason made the call, and the hands would be tabled.  Nairn turned over A♠ 5♥, for just ace-high, but was well ahead of Jason's K♥ 2♣.  The 7♥ on the turn only strengthened Nairn's lead, with the 3♠ on the river sealing the double up Herbert.

Players at the table were left with the jaws on the table, questioning whether or not they actually witnessed a real hand.

Herbert Nairn - 62,000

"February $100,000" (Flight 1A): Updated Chip Counts From The Field

"February $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 6 (Blinds 200/400/50)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 58

Herbert Nairn (Florida) is a relative unknown when it comes to tournament poker here at the Isle Poker Room, and has flown under the radar this afternoon...until now.

Players are now back from break, and the cards are in the air for Level 6 of Flight 1A (200/400/50).  Herbert Nairn (Florida) has been quietly playing his Nintendo Switch, scooping in pots after pausing the action on his console.  He currently leads the field at the midway point, sitting with 67,000, which is more than double the chip average (30,800).  A look at Nairn's Hendon Mob resume yields just one result, coming during April of last year (at Hard Rock Tampa).  Some people listen to music in between hands, others read books (the online platform)...Herbert Nairn grinds NBA Live, and it seems to be working for him.

Herbert Nairn - 67,000
Moshe Wasser - 60,000
Allan Bieler - 55,000
Jason Thalus - 50,000
Ido Ashkenazi - 48,000
Stephen Smith - 45,000
Kevin Chan - 28,000
Walter Bravo - 15,500
TJ Shulman - 15,000
Nancy Thomas - 14,500

The Nintendo Switch was on pause, but it can be confirmed that Nairn was grinding some NBA Live '18.

"February $100,000" (Flight 1A): "On To The Next One" For TJ Shulman

"February $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 5 (Blinds 150/300/50)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 53

TJ Shulman (Boynton Beach, FL) was just telling the table about his three-week stay at Borgata, playing in one of the Northeast's best tournament series.

Just like Erik Christensen before, TJ Shulman (Boynton Beach, FL) is also returning from a trip to the Borgata, off the heels of the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open.  Shulman was there for more of an "extended trip" than Erik, having played numerous prelims, leading up to the championship event.  TJ cashed in the $540 No Limit Hold'em opening event (435th place - $1,100), as well as the $400 No Limit Hold'em Almighty Stack (159th place - $1,094).  

Those were Shulman's first recorded results of the year, as he looks to now notch his first Isle Poker tournament cash.  TJ's most recent Isle Poker cash came during December's $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante, when he finished in fifth place, for $6,000.  TJ was one of the most recent entries into the field, joining Moshe Wasser and David Poces, who were some other "late arrivals."

Players will be taking a break at the end of this level, which actually happens to be the midway point of the day.  Once action resumes for Level 6, we will take our first look at updated chip counts from the field.

"February $100,000" (Flight 1A): Parlaying The "Chip Lead Bonus" Is A Real Thing

"February $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 4 (Blinds 100/200/25)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 42

Ido Ashkenazi (Queens, NY) was gracious enough to pose for a picture, even after losing close to half of his stack to an opponent that was shorter stacked.

During one of the multi-flight events last November, the "chip lead bonus" was a seat into the $340 No Limit Hold'em Package Satellite, which awarded seats into the $2,500 NLH Single-Ante and the $1,500 NLH Isle Classic Championship Event.  One of the players to bag a stack good enough for the bonus, was Ido Ashkenazi (Queens, NY), who ended up turning that bonus into a $43,240 payday.  

Ido won a "package" from the $340 NLH Satellite, and ended up winning the $2,500 NLH Single-Ante, besting WSOP bracelet winner Chris Bolek, to win the title.   The result was the fourth largest cash of Ashkenazi's career, bolstering an impressive resume that now has over $584,000 in career tournament earnings.  The top four stacks heading to Day 2 (in this event) won't have to worry about winning a satellite, as they will earn direct entry into the end of month $2,500 NLH Single-Ante (February 23rd).  

Some other players in this opening flight that are hoping to bag one of those bonuses include:

Tim Kegel
Ashley Causey
Arlene Vazquez
Jose Parra
Scott Zakheim
Walter Bravo

"February $100,000" (Flight 1A): Quick Turnaround For Christensen

"February $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 3 (Blinds 75/150/25)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 35

Erik Christensen (Miami, FL) definitely wins the superlative for "best dressed" in today's field, rocking the sports jacket and button down.

There are seemingly "major" tournaments going on at all times across the country, but not many compare to the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open thats currently heading to Day 4.  The $3,500 No Limit Hold'em event boasts a $3,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, and ended up crushing that number, with a total of 1,244 entries.  

Miami native Erik Christensen took the trip to Atlantic City earlier in the week, and ended up bagging chips for Day 2 of the prestigious event.  Unfortunately, that would be where Erik's run end, as he was eliminated short of the money (which was reached just a few minutes into Day 3).  Christensen took a quick flight home, and is already in action this afternoon.  Erik has over $368,000 in live tournament earnings, including his first 2018 cash, finishing 25th in the $2,500 NLH "Million Dollar Heater" Main Event at Biloxi.

Erik headlines the first group of notables in the field, which includes many regulars to tournaments here at the Isle Poker Room:

Ory Hen
Ido Ashkenazi
Joseph Marchese
William Underdown
Kenneth Bruno
Stephen Smith
Nancy Thomas
Allan Bieler

"February $100,000" (Flight 1A): What To Look Forward To This Month

"February $100,000"
$360 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 2 (Blinds 50/100)
Total Flight 1A Entries: 25

This month's 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 is 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.

"February $100,000" (Flight 1A): "Big Game" Action On "Big Game" Weekend

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

The tournament area of the poker room is ready and waiting for players to arrive, as the month's schedule jumps right into a multi-flight event.  Players will soon be arriving for the $360 No Limit Hold'em event, which boasts a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The tournament will host four starting flights over the next two days, with an 11:00am and 6:00pm flight, both today and tomorrow. Each flight is structured with starting stacks of 18,000 units, and levels that last (40) minutes throughout the event.  These opening flights are scheduled to play through Level 10, with registration open all day, and up until the first hand is dealt on Day 2 (12:00pm on Saturday).  

The "chip lead bonus" returns for this tournament, with the top four stacks (after all opening flights have been completed) earning seats into this month's $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante.  

Live blogged coverage of the tournament will be offered during the afternoon flights (Flight 1A and Flight 1C), with updates every level.  The in-depth (detailed) coverage will pick back up on Day 2, available through the tournament's conclusion.  

Thursday, February 1st: Successful Single-Ante Return, And Right Into A "Big Game" Multi

ICYMI: The "single-ante" format returned yesterday, with a $250 buy-in event at 11:00am, that boasted a healthy $30,000 guaranteed prize pool.  Things picked up very quickly as the morning turned into afternoon, with flocks of notables heading to the tournament area to take their seats.  After ten levels of open registration, the field officially closed with (146) entries, and a $30,000 prize pool that would be spread over nineteen pay spots.  With 50,000 unit starting stacks, and (30) minute levels, the action continued on into the evening.  It looked as if we'd see this tournament payed down to an outright winner, but during heads-up play, John Magnetta (Boynton Beach, FL) and Adel Jo agreed to a deal.  Both players have seen some real success during Isle Poker tournaments over the past two years, and booked some very nice scores last night.  The numbers from the deal, along with the rest of the final table results, are listed below:

1. John Magnetta (Boynton Beach, FL) $7,531
2. Adel Jo (Miami, FL) $6,000
3. Omar Yates (Manor, TX) $3,090
4. Michel Gariepy (Okeechobee, FL) $1,876
5. Vito Polera (Palm Beach, FL) $1,455
6. Glen Canelstein (Coconut Creek, FL) $1,202
7. Gregory Spinder (Parkland, FL) $1,050
8. Rafael Calero (Deerfield Beach, FL) $938
9. Zaki Lichaa (Pompano Beach, FL) $828
10. Paul Shafran (Boca Raton, FL) $720

Following the "single-ante" tournament was an $80 No Limit Hold'em event, which had a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool.  A total of (38) entries made up the field, with the official prize pool falling directly on the number.  A total of five players were scheduled to reach the money, with action playing down the point that three players remained.  A deal was then agreed to, with Leslie Hyde (Woodburn, NY) taking home the title of "declared winner."  The official results from the tournament are listed below:

1. Leslie Hyde (Woodburn, NY) $723
2. Philip Micalizzi (Pompano Beach, FL) $680
3. Evan Beard (Lexington, SC) $622
4. Karin Powsner (Pompano Beach, FL) $275
5. Charles Zusag (Plantation, FL) $200

Tournaments: Today begins the first multi-flight tournament of the month, a $360 No Limit Hold'em event with a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool.  There are four flights over the next two days, with Day 2 players returning at 12:00pm on Saturday (to not disrupt players plans for the "big game").  There is an afternoon and evening flight (tonight and tomorrow), all with the same structure.  Players in the event sit down to starting stacks of 18,000 units, and levels that last (40) minutes over the course of the entire event.  All of the opening flights will play through Level 10, with players bagging for Day 2 at the level's conclusion.  The top four stacks, after all of the flight are completed, will earn seats into this months $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante (February 23rd).

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 (10) levels, including an optional Day 2 buy-in (before the first hand is dealt for Level 11)

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels will last (40) minutes

- All Day 1's will play (10) 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 February 23rd.

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 (10) levels, including an optional Day 2 buy-in (before the first hand is dealt for Level 11)

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels will last (40) minutes

- All Day 1's will play (10) 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 February 23rd.

Wednesday, January 31st: Single-Ante Returns At 11:00AM, With $250 Buy-In That Has A $30,000 GTD!!!

ICYMI: Yesterday's tournament action kicked off at 11:00am, with a $100 No Limit Hold'em event that had a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool.  After eight levels of open registration, the field would officially closed with (33) entries, and a prize pool of $2,541.  The event ended in a six-way deal, headed by Erkan Demir (Boca Raton, FL), who had a massive chip lead at the time of the negations (and ended up walking away with $700).  The results from the tournament are listed below:

1. Erkan Demir (Boca Raton, FL) $700
2. Sean Lyew-Daniels (Coral Springs, FL) $576
3. Daniel Genacthe (Deerfield Beach, FL) $395
4. Stanton Drazen (Boynton Beach, FL) $362
5. Daniel Kill (Parkland, FL) $313
6. William Reich (Pompano Beach, FL) $195

The evening time slot hosted an $80 No Limit Hold'em event, which also carried a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool.  With (65) entries showing on the tournament clock when registration closed, the prize pool would be $3,705, with $1,296 scheduled to go to the outright winner.  Action would never reach that point though, as the tournament ended in a four-way chop, with Carlos Sanchez (Venezuela) topping the deal.

1. Carlos Sanchez (Venezuela) $1,080
2. Sergio Amato (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $618
3. Alexandra Yamplosky (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $581
4. Stephen Bromfield (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $536
5. Marcel Deschamps (Canada) $250
6. Scott Di Benedetto (Boca Raton, FL) $195
7. Abner Frankel (Little Neck, NY) $167
8. Henry Behr (Pompano Beach, FL) $148
9. Raphael Sarawesky (Deerfield Beach, FL) $130

Tournaments: January tournament action wraps up in a big way, with the return of the $250 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante at 11:00am, along with it's $30,000 guarantee.  This tournament was last run during the 2017 Isle Classic (December), and had (198) entries, along with an almost $40,000 prize pool.  The structure is the same as the $2,500 event that was played last week, but with the numbers sized down for this price point.  Players in the tournament sit down to starting stacks of 50,000 units, and will play levels that last (30) minutes over the course of the day.  The ante will be posted by the big blind (for the table), making for quicker (and easier) game play.

The Single-Ante is followed by the same evening event as last night, an $80 No Limit Hold'em ($2,500 GTD).  Players in the tournament sit down to starting stacks of 12,000 units, and play 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 - $250 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante ($30,000 GTD)

- Players start with 50,000 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 (30) minutes throughout the event

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

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 30th: Angel Anglero Notches First Tournament Win, Preparing To Get "Over The Hump"

ICYMI: After a weekend of multi-flight action, the tournament schedule returned to the standard "daily events," beginning with a $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" ($3,000 GTD).  The field was comprised of (38) entries, which equated to an official prize pool of $2,971 (bounties not included).  A total of six players were scheduled to get paid, with action playing down to three-handed play, at which point a deal was made.  Peter Tornabene (Boca Raton, FL) headed the deal, taking home $647 for first place money.  Listed below are the official results from the tournament:

1. Peter Tornabene (Boca Raton, FL) $647
2. Michael Spadafore (Boynton Beach, FL) $624
3. Arlene Vasquez (Parkland, FL) $598
4. Alan Dobrow (Melville, NY) $469
5. Stanton Drazin (Boynton Beach, FL) $361
6. Juan Madrid (Margate, FL) 

The "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" was followed by a $130 No Limit Hold'em event, which had a $10,000 posted guarantee.  After registration's close, a total of (85) entries made up the field, meaning that the prize pool would spread $10,000 over eleven posted pay spots.  Unlike many of the evening events, last night's tournament played down to an outright winner, with Angel Anglero (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) besting Wilson Alfonso (Colombia) during heads-up play.  After a tournament career with (14) recorded results, and over $18,500 in earnings, Anglero notched his first ever tournament win.  Full results from the event are listed below"

1. Angel Anglero (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $3,224
2. Wilson Alfonso (Colombia) $1,950
3. Jose Lorenzo (Puerto Rico) $1,213
4. Kevin McGillicuddy (Tamarac, FL) $820
5. Marianne Dewitt (Lauderdale Lakes, FL) $625
6. Hebert Nairn (Naples, FL) $500
7. Steven Raab (Davie, FL) $415
8. Tony Burns (Davie, FL) $350
9. David Wernikoff (Dix Hills, NY) $323
10. Gina Minshaw (Plantation, FL) $300
11. Dan Miller (Pompano Beach, FL) $280

Tournaments: Today's tournament action begins at 11:00am, with a $100 No Limit Hold'em event, that carries a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool.  The tournament is structured with 12,000 unit starting stacks, and levels that last (20) minutes.  

That event is followed (at 6:00pm), by an $80 No Limit Hold'em ($2,500 GTD).  Players in the event sit down to starting stacks of 12,000 units, and play levels that last (20) minutes.  There is an optional add-on at the end of registration (Level 8), with $20 seeing a return of 10,000 units (100% of the add-on money goes towards the official prize pool).

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 - $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

Monday, January 29th: Michael Marks Heads Six-Way Chop Of "January $100,000 II," Big Guarantee Headlines Today's Schedule

ICYMI: Yesterday afternoon, (125) players returned for Day 2 of the "January $100,000 II," from a total of (867) entries.  The first task of the day was the reach the money, with (82) of the returning players accomplishing that feat.  After a surprisingly long money bubble, Joanna Rodriguez (Puerto Rico) and Michael Inberg (Boca Raton, FL) were eliminated on the same hand, send the remaining field into the money (the pair would split 82nd place money).

From that point on, it was all about the journey to the final table, and players setting themselves up to reach that point.  There were a few storylines beginning to take shape, including Reid Bleecher (a young player storming to the top of the chip counts), and Joseph Delgi (who was left with less than one big blind, and spun it back up to over twenty).  Some notables to cash in the event included Jonathan Kramer (74th place), Kenneth Bruno (64th place), Tony Burns (59th place), Marc Culberson (47th place), and the above mentioned Reed Bleecher (40th place).

When the updated chip counts were posted in Level 25 (with 32 players remaining), we four of the six featured players listed, eventually reach the final table.  None was sitting taller than Michael Marks (North Lauderdale, FL), who held a stack over forty big blinds, while everyone else was grinding somewhere between ten and fifteen bigs.  As the field headed towards the final table, we saw the departures of Joseph Degli (26th place), Scott Levitt (23rd place), Gregory Spinder (14th place), and Robert Jonsson (11th place).

While Michael Marks was the story leading up to the final table, the focus shifted to Michael Tait and Richard Wetter, who each eliminated two players.  That helped even out the chip counts, so during the break after Level 29, the remaining six players looked at the ICM numbers.  It looked as if an agreement was going to be passed, but before the first hand could be dealt in Level 30, a deal was struck.  Michael Marks (North Lauderdale, FL) was the event's "declared winner," taking home first place money, with the official results of the deal (and final table finishes) listed below:

1. Michael Marks (North Lauderdale, FL) $20,094
2. Michael Tait (Parkland, FL) $18,671
3. Richard Wetter (Hobe Sound, FL) $15,216
4. Wesley Bergman (Walbridge, OH) $14,510
5. Robert Transue (North Lauderdale, FL) $13,893
6. Blaine McRae (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $10,620
7. Chris Lawson (Livingston, TX) $5,300
8. Walter Bravo (Golden Beach, FL) $4,270
9. Joakim Dag (Pompano Beach, FL) $3,270
10. Greg Rosen (Coral Springs, FL) $2,625

The was another tournament on the schedule yesterday (6:00pm), a $100 No Limit Hold'em "Turbo Bounty," which had a $2,500 guaranteed prize pool.  The posted number would be eclipsed pretty early in registration, with a total of (41) entries, and an official prize pool of $3,947 (including bounties).  A total of six players were scheduled to reach the money, and after the elimination of Antwan Foster (Plantation, FL) in sixth place, the remaining handful agreed to a deal.  Listed below are the full results from the tournament:

1. Scott Di Benedetto (Boca Raton, FL) $807
2. Celso Leroy (Delray Beach, FL) $660
3. Diana Habscheid (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) $482
4. Steve Tougas (Quebec) $400
5. Salvatore Accardi (Pompano Beach, FL) $398
6. Antwan Foster (Plantation, FL) $175

Tournaments: There are two tournaments on today's schedule, the first of which begins at 11:00am, and is a $120 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" ($3,000 GTD).  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 allows players to add 10,000 units to their stack, for a cost of $25 (with 100% of add-on money going towards the prize pool).  Players in the tournament will also receive a $25 "bounty" for every opponent they eliminate.  

The "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" is followed at 6:00pm, by the $130 No Limit Hold'em event, which carries with it a $10,000 guaranteed prize pool.  The tournament 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 - $120 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 ($10,000 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

"January $100,000 II" (Day 2): Chop It Up!!! Players Agree to Six-Way Deal On Break, Michael Marks Heads The Group

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 30 (Blinds 50,000/100,000/10,000)
Total Entries: 867
Players Remaining: 6

The six players to chop the "January $100,000 II" (from left to right): Robert Transue, Blaine McRae, Michael Marks, Wesley Bergman, Michael Tait, and Richard Wetter

During the ten minute break, players asked to have the numbers run for an ICM chop, and ended up agreeing to the deal once the numbers were read aloud.  Listed below are the official numbers for the deal, with Michael Marks (North Lauderdale, FL) taking home the top prize.

1. Michael Marks (North Lauderdale, FL) $20,094
2. Michael Tait (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $18,671
3. Richard Wetter (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) $15,216
4. Wesley Bergman (Oak Harbor, OH) $14,509
5. Robert Transue (North Lauderdale, FL) $13,892
6. Blaine McRae (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $10,618

"January $100,000 II" (Day 2): Chris Lawson Experiences The Dark Side Of Variance, Eliminated In 7th Place ($5,300)

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 29 (Blinds 40,000/80,000/10,000)
Total Entries: 867
Players Remaining: 6

Chris Lawson (Livingston, TX) headed a deal during the Isle Classic $360 No Limit Hold'em event, but couldn't secure his second trophy this evening.

Chris Lawson (Livingston, TX) was cruising for most of the day, and entered the final table fourth in chips.  Once action at the final table played out, he ended up losing almost every pot that he entered, and eventually found himself with less than ten big blinds.  After Richard Wetter shoved from middle position (for around 1,000,000), Lawson ended up calling out of the big blind (having just under 10 big blinds).  Lawson was racing with 7♦ 7♣, against the A♦ K♦ of Wetter, but the Q♣ 10♣ 4♣ J♦ Q♥ runout saw Chris drawing to a club on the river..  He would head to the podium to collect his seventh place money, which was worth $5,300.

Richard Wetter - 1,900,000
Chris Lawson - Eliminated in 7th Place ($5,300)

"January $100,000 II" (Day 2): There Will Be No Encore Performance For Walter Bravo, As He Departs In 8th Place ($4,270)

"January $100,000 II"
$250 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 29 (Blinds 40,000/80,000/10,000)
Total Entries: 867
Players Remaining: 7

From Walter Bravo's (Golden Beach, FL) reaction, he seemingly knew that he was behind when he called the all-in of Michael Tait...he was correct in his thinking.

Walter Bravo (Golden Beach, FL) opened the action from early position (to 230,000), with Michael Tait three-bet shoving for over 2,000,000, next to act.  Players folded behind, and with the decision back on Bravo, he was begrudgingly make the call (he had about 500,000 behind).  Tait would once again be ahead in a critical spot, holding Q♠ Q♣ against Bravo's 9♠ 9♣.  The runout brought zero help to Bravo, who would collect his belongings, and exit the final table in eighth place ($4,270).

Michael Tait - 3,400,000
Walter Bravo - Eliminated in 8th Place ($4,270)