$360 NLH $50,000 GTD (Day 2): Nagui Yassa Eliminated On The Money Bubble (By Gary Fitzgerald)

$360 No Limit Hold'em

$50,000 GTD

Level 17 (Blinds 3,000/6,000/6,000)

Total Entries: 182

Players Remaining: 18

Gary Fitzgerald (Miami, FL) went from thinking he was the bubble boy, to relaxing back in his chair, while the dealer pushed him a pot close to 200,000.

On the eleventh hand of the bubble, Nagui Yassa would open for a raise at Table 1.  Action folded around to Gary Fitzgerald, who was in the big blind, and ended up three-bet shoving.  Yassa quickly made the call, with the two player's stacks very close in size:

Yassa: A♦ Q♣

Fitzgerald: 10♠ 10♥

Runout: 4♥ K♥ 9♥ 5♥ Q♦

Fitzgerald locked up the hand on the turn, having made a flush, but actually thought he was eliminated with the queen on the river.  He was made aware that he had the winning hand, and watched as the dealer cut out both stacks.  Gary had 2,000 more than Yassa, meaning Nagui would be the event's "bubble boy."  The field is now going through it's first redraw, with updated seating assignments to follow.

$360 NLH $50,000 GTD (Day 2): Zachary Mullennix Eliminates Shawn Vrenna On The "Double Bubble"

$360 No Limit Hold'em

$50,000 GTD

Level 16 (Blinds 3,000/5,000/5,000)

Total Entries: 182

Players Remaining: 19

Zachary Mullennix (Pittsburgh, PA) got max-value out of his nut-flush, and eliminated Shawn Vrenna in the process.  The field is now one off the money.

The field has now entered the "hand-for-hand" process, as we are one of the money...courtesy of Zachary Mullennix.  With a board reading A♣ J♦ J♣ 9♣, Mullennix was heads up with Shawn Vrenna, and had just bet 18,000 (into a pot close to 50,000).  Vrenna only had 44,000 total, so he wasn't too quick to make his decision, knowing he'd likely have to face a river-bet as well (for all of his chips).  Vrenna did decide to make the call, and sure enough, Mullennix would bet enough to put Vrenna all-in (after the 6♦ completed the board).  Shawn stood up from his chair and made the call, pretty much resigned to the fact he had the losing hand.  Zack turned over K♣ 7♣, having turned the nut-flush, which was good enough to win the pot (Vrenna had A♠ 7♠).

The field is now on it's fourth hand of bubble play, with two minute removed from the clock each completed hand.

$360 NLH $50,000 GTD (Day 2): One Of The Leaders Coming Into Day 2 (Thomas Millward), Heads To The Exit

$360 No Limit Hold'em

$50,000 GTD

Level 16 (Blinds 3,000/5,000/5,000)

Total Entries: 182

Players Remaining: 28

Sheldon Gross wasn't camera shy, giving his best celebration pose, after knocking out Thomas Millward.

Thomas Millward (Boca Raton, FL) came into Day 2 with a stack of 171,000, which was the fifth largest (of the 34 returning).  He's now out of the tournament, after being eliminated by Sheldon Gross.  Table 4 was approached on the turn, with the board reading Q♠ 10♦ 5♥ 6♣.  Michael Garavuso had bet 13,000, with Sheldon Gross raising to 55,000.  Millward then three-bet shoved (for just over 70,000), which caused Garavuso to release his hand.  Sheldon quickly made the call, and the cards were turned over:

Gross: Q♥ 6♥

Millward: K♠ Q♣

River: 8♠

Millward saw the bad news when the cards were tabled, as his hand that was ahead on the flop, got out-turned by Sheldon.  Gross's two-pair would hold up after the river, and he'd chip up to 200,000, while Millward collecting his things and left the tournament area.

Sheldon Gross - 200,000 (40bb)

$360 NLH $50,000 GTD (Day 2): Scott Baumstein Has His Sights On One Goal...Grabbing The $15,510 Up Top

$360 No Limit Hold'em

$50,000 GTD

Level 15 (Blinds 2,000/4,000/4,000)

Total Entries: 182

Players Remaining: 31

If Scott Baumstein wasn't on the poker world's radar prior to the PCA, he surely is now, after finishing fourth in the $25,000 No Limit Hold'em Players Championship.

There are a lot of times that we see events like this end in a chop, but you can be sure there is one player in the field that has no interest in making deals.  Scott Baumstein (New York, NY) came into Day 2 with 107,000, which puts him right in the middle of the pack.  Regardless of his standing coming back, Baumstein has to be considered one of the more dangerous players in the field, especially coming off his most recent result.  Baumstein returned from the PCA just a few weeks ago, off the heels of a fourth place finish in the coveted $25,000 No Limit Hold'em Players Championship.  The result was worth $1,657,000, and stands as Scott's largest career cash.  His lifetime earnings are now $3,562,970, and his quickly cementing himself as one of the top tournament players in the world.  

Just as we finished writing up this piece on Baumstein, he would take a massive blow to his stack.  Baumstein would three-bet shove (after three players called a raise pre), with Christopher Lawson making the call for less (from the big blind), and the rest of the players folding behind.  Scott's 8♠ 8♥ was well behind Christopher's K♣ K♠, with the runout holding up for Lawson.  Baumstein is now left with less than five big blinds, and needs some serious heat to return.

$360 NLH $50,000 GTD (Day 2): Scott Levitt Leads The Group, As Day 2 Action Now Underway

$360 No Limit Hold'em

$50,000 GTD

Level 14 (Blinds 2,000/3,000/3,000)

Total Entries: 182
Players Remaining: 34

Scott Levitt (Delray Beach, FL) comes into the day with the overall chip lead, sitting down to a Day 2 stack of 205,000.

The rules announcement has been made by Tournament Supervisor Ralph Brandt, and Day 2 of the $360 No Limit Hold'em ($50,000 GTD) is now underway.  Play resumes in Level 14, with blinds of 2,000/3,000, and a 3,000 big blind ante.  The group of (34) players to start the day is led by Scott Levitt (Delray Beach, FL), who is coming off his best statistical year of tournament poker.  Levitt earned over $164,000 in 2018, with results that included a $22,740 score in a stand-alone $360 No Limit Hold'em event (in January), and a third place finish in the $1,000 No Limit Hold'em Single-Ante that ran in April ($24,805).

The tournament will continue with (30) minute levels through it's conclusion, with just over half of the field reaching the money (18 players get paid in this event).  Updates will be posted throughout the day, including official results (as each pay jump is reached).

$360 NLH $50,000 GTD (Day 2): Official Day 2 Chip Counts (Seating Assignments)

$360 No Limit Hold'em

$50,000 GTD

Level 14 (Blinds 2,000/3,000/3,000)

Total Entries: 182
Players Remaining: 34

$360 NLH $50,000 GTD (Day 2): Official Payouts, $15,515 Scheduled To First Place

$360 No Limit Hold'em

$50,000 GTD

Level 14 (Blinds 2,000/3,000/3,000)

Total Entries: 182
Players Remaining: 34

Saturday, February 2nd: Day 2 Of $360 No Limit Hold'em ($50,000 GTD) Headlines, With $150 No Limit Hold'em ($5,000) Taking Second Billing

ICYMI: Yesterday's tournament schedule hosted three starting flights for the $360 No Limit Hold'em ($50,000 GTD).  For the first time in a while, we saw an event that had just one day of flights, followed by a Day 2 the following afternoon...and the players seemed to love the format.  The posted guarantee was eclipsed early in the evening (as Flight 1C began), with the tournament officially attracting (182) entries, which equates to a prize pool of $55,510.  Of the combined entries from the three flights, (34) players bagged chips for today's Day 2, with action resuming at 1:00pm.  Posted below, are the top five chip counts heading into Day 2:

Scott	Levitt	205,000
Carlos	Rodriguez	183,000
Mark	Dube	180,000
Michael	Garavuso	174,500
Thomas	Millward	171,000

The official payouts for the $360 No Limit Hold'em ($50,000 GTD) will be released shortly, with updates on the action posted throughout the afternoon/evening.

Tournaments: Saturday's schedule gets started at 11:00am, with a $40 No Limit Hold'em Satellite into this afternoon's $150 No Limit Hold'em ($5,000 GTD).  The satellite is scheduled with 10,000 unit starting stacks, (15) minute levels, and registration that is open through Level 8.  The satellite will run with a (5) seat guarantee.

As mentioned above, players will be returning at 1:00pm for Day 2 of the $360 No Limit Hold'em ($50,000 GTD).  Action will resume with (34) players, posting blinds of 2,000/4,000/4,000 (in Level 14), and playing (30) minute levels for the rest of the tournament.

At 4:00pm, the action gets underway for the $150 No Limit Hold'em ($5,000 GTD).  The tournament is structured with 20,000 unit starting stacks, (20) minute levels, and registration that is open through Level 8.

Promotions: The high hands will run from 9:00am-12:00am, with the opportunity to win $400 every (30) minutes.  During that period, the promotion sees tournament players eligible 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.  

It should also be noted that 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).

From 12:00am-9:00am, the high hand will be awarded $100 every (60) minutes.

11:00am - $40 No Limit Hold'em Satellite Into $150 No Limit Hold'em ($5,000 GTD) 5 Seats GTD

- Players start with 10,000 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 (15) minutes

1:00pm - $360 No Limit Hold'em ($50,000 GTD) Day 2

- 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 (30) minutes

4:00pm - $150 No Limit Hold'em ($5,000)

- 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

$360 NLH $50,000 (Day 2): Official Day 2 Seating Assignments (By Chip Counts)

$360 No Limit Hold'em

$50,000 GTD

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

Total Entries: 182
Players Remaining: 34

First	Last	Chips	Table	Seat
Scott	Levitt	205,000	5	8
Carlos	Rodriguez	183,000	2	4
Mark	Dube	180,000	3	8
Michael	Garavuso	174,500	4	8
Thomas	Millward	171,000	5	5
Myles	German	167,000	2	6
Evan	Kahan	161,000	2	3
Jerry	Willis	156,500	5	10
Robert	Flacco	145,000	2	7
John	Magnetta	133,000	1	4
Shawn	Vrenna	129,500	4	2
Ken	Berman	126,000	3	3
Sheldon	Gross	123,000	4	4
Jack	Battaglia	115,500	4	3
Zachary	Mullennix	112,500	3	7
Jean-Pierre	Gagnon	112,000	3	4
Chris	Lawson	110,000	9	8
Scott	Baumstein	107,000	1	3
Chris	Arcidiacono	94,500	5	1
Marc	Duquette	94,500	1	10
Riley	Fuller	85,500	4	1
R.F	McDonough	81,500	5	6
Joel	Lumpkins	75,000	1	9
Nagui	Yassa	70,000	4	6
Fred	Dabus	69,500	5	4
Arno	Kruger	66,500	4	7
Steve	Raeman	64,000	2	1
Stuart	Greenbaum	61,000	2	8
Shamica	Lamar	60,000	2	5
Lev	Parnas	60,000	3	5
Gary	Fitzgerald	51,000	1	6
Kiaran	McLaughlin	35,000	9	10
Andrew	Daire	35,000	3	2
Robert	Christensen	30,000	1	1

$360 NLH $50,000 GTD (Flight 1C): Official End Of Flight 1C Chip Counts

$360 No Limit Hold'em

$50,000 GTD

Level 13 (Blinds 1,500/2,500/2,500)

Total Flight 1C Entries: 47
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 9

Myles	German	167,000
John	Magnetta	133,000
Shawn	Vrenna	129,500
Ken	Berman	126,000
Sheldon	Gross	123,000
Joel	Lumpkins	75,000
Arno	Kruger	66,500
Shamica	Lamar	60,000
Lev	Parnas	60,000