BATB Event #1 (Flight 1C): Registration Closes With (150) Entries, Updated Chip Counts From The Field

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 9 (Blinds 400/800/100) | Structure 
Total Flight 1C Entries: 150
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 74

Alexander Fleites (Miami, FL) hasn't recorded a tournament cash since 2014, but is already putting himself in position to make this event his first in four years.

Action has resumed in Level 9, with Flight 1C officially ending up with (150) entries, and $20,250 towards the overall prize pool.  At this pace, the tournament would surpass the posted guarantee, but the numbers are only likely to grow over the next three flights.  The biggest stack in the field currently belongs to Alexander Fleites (Miami, FL), who returned from break with a stack of 200,000.  It's still a long way until the race for the two chip lead bonuses takes shape, but Fleites has already put himself in position to be a candidate.

Alexander Fleites - 200,000 
Leroy Baddix - 120,000
Rodney Moret-Rojas - 105,000
Bill Swicki - 90,000
Fred Camara - 88,000
Donald Williams - 85,000
Alan Dobrow - 80,000

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1C): Another Late Entry Off To A Quick Start, Registration Window Closing

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 8 (Blinds 300/600/75) | Structure 
Total Flight 1C Entries: 136

Justin Levy (Boynton Beach, FL) showed up late to the party, but immediately introduced himself to hit table mates, with lots of activity over his first few hands.

Justin Levy (Boynton Beach, FL) showed up just about the same time as Justin Harvell, meaning he has been in action for just under thirty minutes.  Similar to Harvell, Levy found himself all-in only a few hands into his day, but had the best of it, and was able to double-up.  After flopping top set on a K♠ 9♥ 2♥ board, Levy's opponent (Frank Scala) turned a set after the 5♣ hit the felt, and the chips then got in.  Levy faded the one-outer, and increased his stack to just over 30,000.

Justin Levy - 33,000 (55bb)

If he was to have lost the hand, Justin still had the opportunity to re-enter, but that window is quickly closing.  There will be a ten minute break at the end of this level, and once play resumes with Level 9, Flight 1C registration will be closed.  After the cards are back in the air, we will bring you the first look at updated chip counts from the field.

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1C): A Little Foreshadowing From The Blogger?

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 7 (Blinds 250/500/50) | Structure 
Total Flight 1C Entries: 124

Justin Harvell (Nashville, FL) didn't have much time to get comfortable on his first entry, but is already back in action.

The last time Justin Harvell (Nashville, TN) was featured on the blog, it was during coverage of the "January $100,000" (link to the post can be found here).  The post discussed Harvell's super strong end to 2017, and the potential for the carryover into 2018.  Well...that's exactly what happened for Justin, who has close to $100,000 in tournament cashes since the calendar turned.  Listed below, are the results he has recorded since January:

Justin make quick business of his first entry into this flight, busting on just his second had seen at the table.  He's already re-entered, and looking to last a little longer than four minutes.

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1C): Gunnar Rabe Off To Quick Start, Assumes Early Chip Lead

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 6 (Blinds 200/400/50) | Structure 
Total Flight 1C Entries: 120

Gunnar Rabe (Sweden) is off to a fast start this afternoon, and is hoping to put himself in position for a first tournament cash in 2018.

While players are still entering (and re-entering) with the 20,000 unit starting stack, Gunnar Rabe (Sweden) is sitting with over 90,000.  The tournament veteran is currently leading the field, which has grown to (120) entries.  Rabe has a very impressive tournament resume, with over $453,000 in lifetime earnings, a bulk of which came from his EPT (European Poker Tour) final table in 2007 ($221,453).  Gunnar has cashes from destinations all over the world, with his most recent recorded result coming from November of last year (2017 Rock N' Roll Poker Open).  

Gunnar Rabe - 91,500 (228bb)

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1C): Notables Abound, As Flight 1C To Eclipse Yesterday's Numbers

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 5 (Blinds 150/300/25) | Structure 
Total Flight 1C Entries: 114

Rodney Moret-Rojas (Troy, MI) is coming off back-to-back tournament wins, with a WSOP Circuit title from Coconut Creek, and win during the Wynn Spring Classic ($360 No Limit Hold'em).

Even though there have been been two Event #1 flights completed to this point, they are still a barometer for things moving forward.  The numbers from yesterday were pretty impressive, with both of the flights eclipsing the century mark, which is great for Sunday afternoon/evening action.  This field just returned from it's first break with (114) entries, raising eyebrows once again.  The combined prize pool is about to reach $50,000, meaning the $100,000 guarantee may be in the rear view mirror before the final flight even begins (Flight 1E is tomorrow at 6:00pm).

Yesterday's afternoon flight saw a large number of "new" faces in the crowd, while today's is full of recognizable names.  Continuing the list of notables in the Flight 1C field are the following:

Joseph Mancuso
Richard Leger
Robert Flacco
Guillermo Irving
Jose Parra
Rodney Moret-Rojas
Rami Ezra
Joseph Durso
Andre Rakusa

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1C): Williams Is Back After Short Rest, And A Solid Score

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 4 (Blinds 100/200) | Structure 
Total Flight 1C Entries: 100

Donald Williams (Plantation, FL) took his seat in the Flight 1C field just moments ago, only hours after wrapping up a deep run at Hard Rock (Escalator Series).

Tournament players in Florida are very lucky, with an opportunity to play in prestigious events, seemingly every day of the week.  Donald Williams (Plantation, FL) chose to enter the $350 No Limit Hold'em event during the Hard Rock's Escalator Series this past weekend, and is pretty happy he did.  The event, which ended up attracted over 1,400 entries, offered up some sizable final table payouts (including almost $90,000 up top).  

Williams managed to navigate his way to the final table, and when play was four-handed, happened to be the chip leader.  Talks of a chop began, but eventually fell through, with the tournament playing down to an outright winner.  Donald ended up getting eliminated in fourth place, and while the fall from the top may have been disappointing, the $28,179 pay day definitely helped ease the pain.  That result now stands as the largest of his career, and comes less than a month after another five-figure score (deep run in this WSOP Circuit at Coconut Creek worth $12,417).

Some say rest is overrated, and clearly Williams is a believer in that statement, taking his seat in this Flight 1C field moments ago (he was eliminated shortly after 2:00am this morning).  If he is a little tired, Donald will get a (10) minute break at the end of this level, which is the first break of the day.  Players will be returning to Level 5, and new blinds of 150/300/25.

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1C): A Tournament Regular Looking For His First Major Isle Poker Title

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 3 (Blinds 75/150) | Structure 
Total Flight 1C Entries: 85

Zaki Lichaa (Pompano Beach, FL) is all smalls at the table, even after getting rivered out of a sizable pot while being photographed.

Zaki Lichaa (Staten Island, NY) is a name that you'll see in almost every afternoon tournament run here at the Isle Poker Room, and he's got the statistics to prove it.  With (46) recorded results over the last five years, Lichaa has amassed tournament earnings over $41,000.  His play has been exceptionally strong as of late, with four tournament wins recorded since September of last year (two of which have come this calendar year).  While Zaki has (21) final table finishes here at the Isle Poker Room, he is still looking for his first "major" title, with his wins coming during recurring events.

Lichee headlines our first look at notables in this Flight 1C field, with is already well ahead of pace to become the largest of the three flights to have been played.  Some other "early bird" notables in this afternoon's field include:

Alberto Niebla
Luis Santoni
Frank Scala
Eric Piderit
Michael Corbett
Alan Dobrow
Allan Bieler

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1C): Official Chip Counts (Flight 1A-Flight 1B)

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 2 (Blinds 50/100) | Structure 
Total Flight 1C Entries: 78

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1C): Never A "Case Of The Mondays" When The Battles At The Beach Are Running, Cards In The Air For Flight 1C

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 1 (Blinds 25/50) | Structure 
Total Flight 1C Entries: 38

After the opening day of action for the 2018 Battles At The Beach, there have been a total of (218) entries for Event #1 ($175 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD).  Of those entries, (27) players were able to bag chips for Wednesday's Day 2, led by Omar Yates (who packed up 412,000).  With just under $30,000 combined going towards the overall prize pool (from the first pair of flights), this opening tournament is already shaping up to be something special.

The first hand for Flight 1C was dealt just a few moments ago, with another group of eager (and early) players already spread across the tournament area.  The structure mirrors both flights that come before it, with entrants sitting down to starting stacks of 20,000 units, and levels throughout the day that last (25) minutes.  Registration is open until the first hand is dealt in Level 9, which falls somewhere around 2:30pm.  Players in the flight are not only trying to find bags for Day 2, but are also competing for the two "chip lead bonus" spots that are available, which would earn the winners a seat into Event #10 ($560 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante).

The full list of combined chip counts will be posted shortly, followed by our first look at players in this Flight 1C field.

Monday, March 10th: Opening Event Of The Battles At The Beach Off To Very Strong Start

ICYMI: The 2018 Battles At The Beach began yesterday, with the first pair of flights for Event #1 ($175 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD).  Starting on Sunday for the first time ever, many in the community wondered what the fields would look like.  Any uncertainty about a slow start was quickly thrown out the window, as Flight 1A attracted a total of (116) entries, followed by (102) entries in Flight 1B.  The numbers would equate to $29,430 going towards the overall prize pool, setting the scene for something very special with this opening event.

Of the (218) entries from the first pair of flights, (27) players were able to find themselves a bag, and will be returning on Wednesday for Day 2.  Four of those players earned themselves a chip lead bonus, as the top two stacks from each flight will be awarded a seat into Event #10 ($560 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante).  Tuan Phan (269,000) and Tom Moran (247,000) were the top two from Flight 1A, while Omar Yates (412,000) and Joshua Zur (338,000) bagged even more to win the bonus in Flight 1B.  There were also a handful of notables to bag above average stacks for Day 2, including Zyad Qasem (283,000), Guillermo Hamilton (262,000), Miguel Munoz (245,500), Atanael Thomas (177,000), and Terry Siele (165,500).  A full list of combined chip counts will be posted shortly into today's live blogged coverage of Flight 1C.

Tournaments: The 2018 Battles At The Beach series continues today, with the second pair of Event #1 starting flights.  The $175 No Limit Hold'em event boasts a $100,000 guarantee, which should be in the rear-view mirror long before the final of six starting flights has been completed.

The tournament is structured with starting stacks of 20,000 units, and levels that last (25) minutes over the course of the event.  Registration for each starting flight is open through Level 8 (and the break that follows), with the action scheduled to conclude after Level 16 (unless the field reaches the 10% mark before that point).  

There is an afternoon (11:00am) and evening (6:00pm) flight each of the next three days (Sunday through Tuesday), with players that bagged returning Wednesday afternoon (for Day 2).  There will be live blogged coverage of each afternoon flight, along with detailed Day 2 coverage on Wednesday.

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 - 2018 Battles At The Beach Event #1 (Flight 1A) | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD) 

- Players start with 20,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels will last (25) minutes

- All Day 1's will play (16) complete levels or until 10% of the field remains (whichever comes first)

6:00pm - 2018 Battles At The Beach Event #1 (Flight 1B) | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD) 

- Players start with 20,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels will last (25) minutes

- All Day 1's will play (16) complete levels or until 10% of the field remains (whichever comes first)

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1B): Official End Of Flight 1B Chip Counts, Yates And Zur Bag Bonus

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 16 (Blinds 2,000/4,000/500) | Structure 
Total Flight 1B Entries: 102
Flight 1B Players Remaining: 10

Omar	Yates B	412,000
Joshua Eran	Zur B	338,000
Zyad	Qasem	283,500
Guillermo	Hamilton	262,000
Ronald	Sypher	183,500
Atanael	Thomas	177,000
Juan	Ayechavaleta	142,000
Kristopher	Stupicic	132,500
Zack	Fish	118,000
Carl	Pipitone	59,000

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Official End Of Flight 1A Chip Counts, Phan And Moran Bags Bonuses

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 16 (Blinds 2,000/4,000/500) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 116
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 17

Tuan	Phan A	269,000
Tom	Moran A	247,000
Miguel	Munoz	245,500
Terry	Siele	165,500
Diane	Linke	161,000
Tamara	Piderit	139,000
Brandon	Berkenfeld	137,500
Paul	Gold	125,500
Mike	Jones	125,000
Bernie	Boudle	103,500
Roman	Ojeda	85,000
Andrew	Daire	74,000
Dwight	Pinkerton	56,000
David	Bleau	54,000
Benjamin	Arteta	46,050
Jessica	Beyrer	37,000
Shlomo	Maman	28,500

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Down The Stretch They Come, Wrapping Up Flight 1A Action

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 16 (Blinds 2,000/4,000/500) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 116
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 22

The tournament clock just transitioned into Level 16, which is the final scheduled level of flight.  Players will continue through the 10:00 minute mark, at which point the clock will be paused, and the amount of hands remaining will be announced.  Once those hands are finished at each table, the bagging process will begin, and players will pack up their chips for Wednesday (Day 2 at 12:00pm).

The official chip counts from the flight, along with the winners of the chip lead bonus, will be posted once all bags have been verified.

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Terry Siele Continues To Climb

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 15 (Blinds 1,500/3,000/500) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 116
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 28

Terry Siele (Delray Beach, FL) has steadily trended in the right direction, and now has himself within striking distance of the top spot.

At Table 4, Tamra Piderit would limp from the cutoff, after action folded around to her.  Terry Siele, (who was on the button) then three-bet to 6,200, getting called by both the big blind and Piderit.  The dealer fanned out a flop of A♣ J♥ 3♦, and after the big blind checked, Tamra tossed out a bet of 7,000.  Terry quickly grabbed a handful of chips, and dropped them across his cards, for a raise to 27,000.  The raise was enough to get both of his opponents to fold their hands, giving Siele the pot, which was worth close to 47,000.

It may not have been the largest pot of the day, but it's those types of hands that allow a player to put themselves in "chip lead bonus" contention.  Those newfound chips helped Terry cross the 150,000 mark, and put him third overall in chips.

Terry Siele - 153,000 (31bb)

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Berkenfeld Now Above 200,000, Making Things A Two-Man Race

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 14 (Blinds 1,200/2,400/400) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 116
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 32

Brandon Berkenfeld (Delray Beach, FL) uses his son's Pikachu to help protect both his chips...and cards. 

The last we saw Brandon Berkenfeld (Delray Beach, FL), he was eliminating an opponent (just after break), and chipping up to 130,000.  He has since caught a pretty hot stretch, that has seen his stack grow to over 200,000.  Brandon has a lot of experience in this type of situation, with more than $44,000 in live tournament earnings, over the last four years.  Bergenfield has (26) recorded results on Hendon Mob, but is still looking to earn his first ever tournament win.  As mentioned earlier, a top two stack would not only put him in solid position for Wednesday, but also allow him the opportunity to free roll Event #10.

Brandon Berkenfeld - 210,000 (87.5bb)

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Post-Break Chip Counts, Moran Leads The "Race"

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 13 (Blinds 1,000/2,000/300) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 116
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 34

Brandon Berkenfeld (Delray Beach, FL) has put himself in a position to try and chase down Thomas Moran, who is running away with one of the chip lead bonus seats.

The field returns from break with (34) players remaining, and Thomas Moran (Palm Bay, FL) still leading the way.  To clear up an earlier error, Moran is not from Minnesota, but actually resides here in Florida.  The results from Hendon Mob do sometimes overlap when players have the same name, and submissions are not clearly distinguished.

Focus can now shift on the "race for the chip lead bonus," with the top two stacks from this flight (and each flight that follows) earning a seat into Event #10.  The $560 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante event expects to be one of the more popular tournaments of the series, especially with it's $50,000 guaranteed prize pool.

Thomas Moran - 230,000 (115bb)
Mike Jones - 125,000 (62bb)
Roman Ojeda - 115,000 (57bb)
Brandon Berkenfeld - 110,000 (55bb)
Terry Siele - 105,000 (52bb)
Randy T - 100,000 (50bb)

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Notables Still Alive, As Field Heads On Flight's Final Break

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 12 (Blinds 800/1,600/200) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 116
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 38

Level 12 is not at it's midway point, with players heading on the final break of the day after another twelve minutes.  Once play resumes, there will be four more scheduled levels to play, unless the field hits the 10% mark (12 players) before that point.  There are still a lot of notables remaining, hoping that they can earn two days off, after finding themselves a bag.  Listed below, are just some of the names that are active in the tournament area:

Guillermo Irving
Andrew Daire
Tamra Piderit
Diane Linke
Shlomo Maman
Terry Siele
Joseph Durso
Calixto Rodriguez

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Thomas Moran Running So Hot...He Needs Gloves

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 11 (Blinds 600/1,200/200) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 116
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 45

Thomas Moran (Oakdale, MN) is decked out in poker gear, including a pair of gloves that have "big slick" sewn on the outside (pictured below).

Thomas Moran (Oakdale, MN) has assumed the top spot on the leaderboard, after an hour long period that saw him winning pot after pot.  He's up to 175,000, and is looking to become the first player to eclipse the 200,000 mark.  While Moran doesn't have any history in the Florida poker community, he has been very successful in his home state of Minnesota.  Thomas has over $15,000 in live tournament earnings, most of which was won playing tournaments in the buy-in range of $40 to $100.  His largest cash to date amounted to $1,352, so it's safe to say that a deep run in this opening event would help him set a new benchmark.

Thomas Moran - 175,000 (145bb)

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Updated Chip Counts From The Field

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 10 (Blinds 500/1,000/100) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 116
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 57

Roman Ojeda (West Palm Beach, FL) has quietly climbed up the leaderboard, and now leads the field, with six levels remaining in the day.

Players are now one level removed from the "end of registration break," with just under sixty chairs occupied in the tournament field.  The flight's official number closed at (116) entries, with $15,660 going towards to overall prize pool (which is guaranteed to be $100,000).  Roman Ojeda (West Palm Beach, FL) currently leads the remaining field, with a stack just over 130,000.

Roman Ojeda - 135,000 (135bb)
Shlomo Maman - 130,000 (130bb)
Diane Linke - 95,000 (95bb)
Randy T - 75,000 (75bb)
Calixto Rodriguez - 75,000 (75bb)
Terry Siele - 65,000 (65bb)

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Shlomo Maman Is The Man, After Scooping Largest Pot Of The Day

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 9 (Blinds 400/800/100) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 115
Flight 1A Players Remaining: 67

Shlomo Maman (North Miami, FL) would raise his hands in celebration, after spiking a set on the turn, to help win a massive pot.

If there is anything that can delay the updated chip counts from being posted, it's a 130,000 pot at the 300/600/100 level.  The action leading up to the point we arrived at the table is unknown, but three of the top ten stacks in the room got it all-in (including early chip leader Andrew Daire), vying for a pot that will likely be more than the start of Day 2 chip average.

Flop: K♣ 7♣ 3♣

Randy "T:" 10♥ 9♥
Shlomo Maman: Q♦ Q♣
Andrew Daire: A♣ K♥

Turn: Q♠
River: 10♠

Randy T had both players well covered, and was seemingly running a "heat check" when he shoved the flop.  He happened to run into two pretty healthy hands, as Maman and Daire each had a flush draw, to go along with their pairs.  Shlomo happened to spike a queen on the turn, to take the lead, and eventually win the pot.  He would become the overwhelming chip leader with the win, taking a good chunk of Randy's stack, and sending Daire to register once again.

Maman slipped a little after winning that pot, but still returned to break with over 120,000 (150bb).

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Field Crosses Century Mark, As Player's Opportunity To Enter Shrinks

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 8 (Blinds 300/600/75) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 105

As the tournament clock transitioned to Level 8, the total entry count eclipsed the century mark at just the same time.  For an opening flight on a Sunday afternoon, those are some impressive numbers, and may be some foreshadowing about the success of this tournament.  Players have until the end of the break that follows this level to join Flight 1A, with the next opportunity to try and bag chips coming this evening, as Flight 1B starts at 6:00pm.

Once players return from the second break of the day, we will publish the first look at updated chip counts from the field.

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Andrew Daire Doing The Heavy Lifting Early

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 7 (Blinds 250/500/50) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 98

Andrew Daire (Boca Raton, FL) jumped out to a quick start this afternoon, but needs to continue the upward swing, if he wants to be in the running for the Flight 1A chip lead bonus.

With the registration window closing shortly, we had our first opportunity to scan the field for some of the larger stacks.  Standing out with over 70,000 was Andrew Daire (Boca Raton, FL), who has separated himself from all but a few opponents across the room.  A deep run in this tournament would surely be a career highlight for Andrew, who has just over $10,000 in career earnings.  Daire's largest tournament cash came back in 2013, when he final tabled a $200 Pot Limit Omaha event during the Isle Classic ($1,990).

Andrew Daire - 71,000 (142bb)

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): The Notables Couldn't Stay Hidden For Long

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 6 (Blinds 200/400/50) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 91

Whether it's to keep warm in the poker room...or a good luck charm...Thomas Gari (Hollywood, FL) can always be seen wearing his signature khaki jacket.

With the initial feature on some "new" names to the live blogged coverage, some of the notables were beginning to question when their attendance would be noted.  He would never ask for any "publicity," but Thomas Gari (Hollywood, FL) happened to be the first notable that was spotted in the field this afternoon.  Sitting directly in front of the media's table, Gari's poker "uniform" initially stood out, with his signature khaki jacket zippered up high (it's no joke, search his past pictures on the blog...Gari always wears that jacket during tournaments).

Thomas reached an important tournament milestone in October of last year, as he career earnings crossed the $100,000 mark.  He has since added a handful of cashes to the overall number, including a "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" win, earlier this year.  Joining Thomas on the list of notables in this Flight 1A field, are the following:

Moshe Wasser
Dwight Pinkerton
Craig Witz
Ian Cohen
Steven Bromfield
Andreas Athanasopoulos
Calixto Rodriguez
Michel Gariepy
Shlomo Maman
Elsie Rodrigues

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Tamra Piderit Putting Her Lessons To Use

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 5 (Blinds 150/300/25) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 89

Tamra Piderit (Weston, FL) looks very calm for someone that is new to the tournament community, and is showing no signs of inexperience to start the day.

One helpful key to being a successful tournament player, is having a good teacher...someone not only to learn from, but to discuss situations and hands as experience and knowledge grow.  Tamra Piderit (Weston, FL) may not have recorded any tournament results just yet, but she's hoping to make this opening event the first on her resume.

If the last name sounds familiar, it's because she is the wife of Eric Piderit, a player who is no stranger to tournament's here at the Isle Poker Room.   Eric has over $117,000 in lifetime earnings, including three titles won at Seminole Hard Rock (Hollywood).  He may be surprised to hear that Tamra is already off to a better start than him, as she's made the most of the day's first four levels, returning from break with over 28,000.

Tamra's name is just one of many in the field, that are unfamiliar to loyal followers of the blog.  While we usually spend our focus on the notables in the field, things will shift today, as the list below is full of players looking to make the 2018 Battles At The Beach their "breakout" series:

Sadany Hevia
David Bleau
Jackie Lee
Bradley Wexler
Joann Coliny
Yi Ding

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Zaydman Hoping To Record Fifth Straight Final Table Finish

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 4 (Blinds 100/200) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 85

Elliot Zaydman (Glenrock, NJ) has one of the most impressive tournament resumes in this Flight 1A field, with over $643,000 in career earnings.

The last time Elliot Zaydman (Glenrock, NJ) was featured on the blog, it was during the "February $50,000 II," a $175 No Limit Hold'em tournament that was run less than a month ago.  Cruising for much of the tournament, Zaydman found himself short stacked once play was six-handed, and was eliminated by the tournament's eventual winner (Mitchell Smith) in sixth place.

The result was worth $2,870, and while it was by far the largest cash of his career, it was significant in one fashion...it was his fourth straight final table result of 2018.  Elliot recorded a final table cash during the Lucky Hearts Poker Open ($300 Limit Omaha 8B), February Big Slick ($1,000 No Limit Hold'em), WSOP Circuit ($250 No Limit Hold'em Seniors), and the tournament mentioned above.

A final table finish in this event would likely see a return more than all of those listed results combined, but first Elliot has to focus on bagging chips for Wednesday's Day 2.  He's off to a good start this afternoon, already above the 20,000 starting stack.

Players will be taking their first break at the end of this level, returning to Level 5, and new blinds of 150/300/25.  It will also mark the halfway point of open registration for this opening flight, with the window closing as Level 9 begins.

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Linke Loves These Multi-Flight Events

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 3 (Blinds 75/150) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 81

Diane Linke (Delray Beach, FL) is right at home in this large field (multi-flight) events, but had seen most of her success come in the $360 buy-in variety.

Diane Linke (Delray Beach, FL) may look at poker as something recreational, but you'd never know by looking at her tournament resume.  Her career earnings of over $68,000 is impressive, but becomes even more eye-opening, knowing that over $61,000 of that number was from just last year alone.

Linke started the year off with a final table in the WSOP Circuit Ladies Event at Palm Beach Kennel Club, but it wasn't until the summer, that she would "announce" herself to the tournament community.    Diane topped a nine-way chop during Event #7 of the Florida State Poker Championships ($360 No Limit Hold'em), bossing the field on her way to a career highlighting cash of $32,500.  While that may have been the headlining moment of her poker year, she also had an $18,000 score in November, when she took fifth place money in a chop that ended the "November $200,000" (another $360 No Limit Hold'em event).

Overall, Linke recorded sixteen cashes in 2017, with all but one coming here at the Isle Poker Room. Diane was one of the first entries in today's field, and is hoping to bag up some chips on just one attempt.

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): Turning Back The Clocks, Braunstein Earns First Title

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 2 (Blinds 50/100) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: 71

Evan Braunstein (Lighthouse Point, FL) headed a four-way chop of last year's opening event during the 2017 Battles At The Beach.

The opening event of last year's Battles At The Beach was also a $175 No Limit Hold'em event, which had a slightly larger guarantee ($125,000).  The official prize pool ended up growing to just over $163,600, after the field closed with 1,301 entries.  The tournament eventually concluded in a four-way chop, with Evan Braunstein (Lighthouse Point, FL) taking home first place honors (and $22,251).  The "win" was the first for Braunstein, who only consider poker a hobby, with a majority of focus on his successful real estate business.  Also involved in the deal, was Isle Poker notable Lisa Teebagy, who earned $18,653 for third place.

The full results from the tournament can be found by searching Hendon Mob, or clicking this link.

BATB Event #1 (Flight 1A): The 2018 Battles At The Beach Has Officially Started

2018 Battles At The Beach
Event #1 | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD)
Level 1 (Blinds 25/50) | Structure 
Total Flight 1A Entries: N/A

Within just a few moments, the first major tournament series of the year will begin, as the cards begin to fly for Event #1 of the 2018 Battles At The Beach.  The eighteen event series begins with a $175 No Limit Hold'em tournament, which boasts a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool, and has six flights over the next three days.

Players in each of the starting flights will be sitting down to starting stacks of 20,000 units, and playing levels that last (25) minutes over the course of the event.  Those interested in joining the action can enter until the first hand is dealt in Level 9, with each flight scheduled to play through Level 16 (unless the field reaches the 10% mark before that point).  Players that are able to reach the end of each flight, will bag up their chips for Day 2, which sees action resuming at 12:00pm on Wednesday (March 14th).  The top two chip counts from each starting flight will earn a seat into Event #10 ($560 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante).

Live coverage will be available for each of the afternoon starting flights (Flight 1A, Flight 1C, and Flight 1E), along with detailed Day 2 coverage.  

Sunday, March 11th: The 2018 Battles At The Beach Begins Today, First Pair Of Event #1 Flights On Tap

ICYMI: Saturday's tournament action began with a $340 No Limit Hold'em "Super Survivor," which offered a $3,000 "cash package" for every ten players in the field.  One "package" would be exactly what was listed on the tournament clock, after (10) entries made up the field at registration's end.  With only one payout spot for the players to battle it out for, it's no surprise that a deal was made, with the final three players agreeing to a chop.  The details of the deal are listed below:

1. Justin Fiorilli (Pompano Beach, FL) $1,160
2. Son Phan (Coral Springs, FL) $985
3. Leonard Feldman (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $855

The standard tournament format returned for the evening event, which was a $100 No Limit Hold'em tournament, with a $5,000 guarantee.  The posted number would be surpassed long before registration's end, as the field officially closed with (97) entries (and a $7,275 prize pool).  Once the payouts were posted, the remaining players learned that thirteen would reach the money, with first place scheduled to take home $2,218.  Action played through the money bubble, and continued once the final table was reached, with a deal struck when six players remained.  Maine Parker (Miami Springs, FL) would head the chop, taking home $1,648 for first place money, which was more than $600 than the runner-up spot.  The official final table results are posted below:

1. Maine Parker (Miami Springs, FL) $1,648
2. Gustavo Santos (Deerfield Beach, FL) $1,013
3. Atanael Thomas (Palm Springs, FL) $936
4. David Padilla (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $762
5. Shachar Ginzburg (Coral Springs, FL) $700
6. Francis Adams, Jr. (Boca Raton, FL) $672
7. Abdolhamid Caby (N. Miami, FL) $289
8. Evan Beard (Lexington, SC) $251
9. Daniel Luckey (Naples, FL) $222
10. Edgar Cruz (Lake Worth, FL) $200

Tournaments: Today begins the 2018 Battles At The Beach series, with the first pair of Event #1 starting flights on the schedule.  The $175 No Limit Hold'em event boasts a $100,000 guarantee, which should be in the rear-view mirror long before the final of six starting flights has been completed.

The tournament is structured with starting stacks of 20,000 units, and levels that last (25) minutes over the course of the event.  Registration for each starting flight is open through Level 8 (and the break that follows), with the action scheduled to conclude after Level 16 (unless the field reaches the 10% mark before that point).  

There is an afternoon (11:00am) and evening (6:00pm) flight each of the next three days (Sunday through Tuesday), with players that bagged returning Wednesday afternoon (for Day 2).  There will be live blogged coverage of each afternoon flight, along with detailed Day 2 coverage on Wednesday.  

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 - 2018 Battles At The Beach Event #1 (Flight 1A) | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD) 

- Players start with 20,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels will last (25) minutes

- All Day 1's will play (16) complete levels or until 10% of the field remains (whichever comes first)

6:00pm - 2018 Battles At The Beach Event #1 (Flight 1B) | $175 No Limit Hold'em ($100,000 GTD) 

- Players start with 20,000 in tournament chips

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

- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack

- Levels will last (25) minutes

- All Day 1's will play (16) complete levels or until 10% of the field remains (whichever comes first)