Sunday, June 4th: Schedule Headlined By "Hard Stop, ICM Chop," And Turbo High Hands

ICYMI: Yesterday's tournament action started at 10:00am, with the $100 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" ($3,000 GTD).  A total of (40) entries made up the $3,230 prize pool ($1,000 bounty pool), with $747 awaiting the tournament's winner.  There would be no deal making at that final table though, as action played down to a winner, with Debra Nesser (Boynton Beach, FL) earning the win.

1. Debra Nesser (Boynton Beach, FL) $747
2. Frank Risi (Lauderhill, FL) $530
3. David Miller (Davie, FL) $530
4. Sara Azmi (Aventura, FL) $245
5. Shamir Patel (Boca Raton, FL) $178

A chop would be the main storyline for the 6:00pm event ($120 No Limit Hold'em $8,000 GTD), as eight players made up the deal that would end the event.  The tournament's guarantee would be eclipsed, as (109) entries made up the $9,265 prize pool.  The difference between first and eight place in the deal was only $1, with a handful of notables earning "first place money" (Atanael Thomas, Thelma Schuman, Barry Cohen, Anthony Casas, and Edgard Mendes).

1. Jared Carter (Pompano Beach, FL) $977
2. Jorge Castaneda (Hialeah, FL) $977
3. Mark Press (Miami, FL) $977
4. Atanael Thomas (Palm Springs, FL) $977
5. Anthony Casas (Miami, FL) $977
6. Thelma Schuman (Delray Beach, FL) $976
7. Barry Cohen (Boca Raton, FL) $976
8. Edgard Mendes (Deerfield Beach, FL) $976
9. Endong Zhao (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) $278
10. Kenneth Kuhl (Margate, FL) $246

Tournaments: For the first time in over a month, there are two tournaments on the Sunday "daily schedule."  The afternoon event is one that has been on the schedule before, at the $150 No Limit Hold'em event begins at 12:00pm.  The structure offers players a starting stack of 20,000 units, and (25) minute levels throughout the tournament.

At 6:00pm, we see the first installment of the "Hard Stop, ICM Chop" event, a tournament format that introduces a dynamic not yet seen in our "Florida poker community."  The $100 No Limit Hold'em event has players sitting down to starting stacks of 16,000 units, and playing (16) levels that are (20) minutes in length.  At the conclusion of Level 16 (8,000/16,000/2,000), those still remaining in the tournament will enter a "hand-for-hand" phase that will last for (10) hands.  Once those ten hands are played, the tournament "concludes," and players left will earn payouts based on their chip stacks (ICM chop).  This tournament appeals to all different players, especially those who have a limited window of time to play.  The event will last just over six hours, meaning players will be on their way just after midnight.  Those who are interested in tournament dynamic/strategy will also find this evening's event attractive, as many different wrinkles are added to the later stages of the tournament.

Promotions: For a number of months, Sunday's high hand promotion has been of the "turbo" format, with $300 awarded every (15) minutes from 2:00pm-9:00pm (rollovers apply).  While that promotion is still in place this afternoon, there will be an extra six hours of "turbo" high hands, with $100 awarded every (10) minutes, from 8:00am-2:00pm (rollovers apply).  However you break it down, it's $600 worth of high hands up for grabs over the span of (13) hours.  Both tournaments are high hand eligible, adding even more appeal to the events.

12:00pm - $150 No Limit Hold'em

- Players will 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 are (25) minutes

6:00pm - $100 No Limit Hold'em "Hard Stop, ICM Chop" ($2,500 GTD)

- Players will 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

- Levels are (20) minutes

- At the end of Level 16, tables will be balanced and tournament will play (10) more hands, in hard-for-hand format.  Tables will be re-balanced after (5) hands.

- At the end of (10) hands, tournament play will end, and all remaining players will chop the prize pool using an ICM calculation.

Saturday, June 3rd: $2,000 High Hands Return From 1:00pm-10:00pm (Tournaments Eligible)

ICYMI: Yesterday saw a small shift in "daily" tournament schedule, as the $75 No Limit Hold'em ($5,000 GTD) ran for the first time in that day/time slot.  The tournament was a success, as (98) entries made up the field, putting together a prize pool that eclipsed the guarantee by over $1,000 ($6,056).  Of the total number, (13) players were going to walk away with prize money, with most of the focus on the $1,846 in first place money.

A good number of names that cashed in the tournament were "new" to followers of the blog, including the eventual "winner."  Mikhail Wisdom (Philadelphia, PA) took a break from his normal tournament stomping grounds of Parx Casino (Bensalem, PA), a room in which he has recorded each and every of his live tournament cashes.  Wisdom headed a four-way chop that ended the tournament, a deal that included Diane Linke, Nathan Schwartz, and Michael Corbett.

1. Mikhail Wisdom (Philadelphia, PA) $1,533
2. Diane Linke (Delray Beach, FL) $920
3. Nathan Schwartz (Boca Raton, FL) $860
4. Michael Corbett (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $819
5. Susan Krowitz (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $354
6. Karen Duffy (Delray Beach, FL) $283
7. Robert Bilsker (Tamarac, FL) $241
8. Joshua Adkins (Ona, WV) $209
9. Elliot Goldman (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $185
10. Maxim Bjelos (Boca Raton, FL) $167

Tournaments: Two tournaments make up the day's schedule, both of which are "high hand eligible," which is a big deal, considering that they are worth $2,000 from 1:00pm-10:00pm.  The $100 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" ($3,000 GTD) gets underway at 11:00am (18,000 starting stack and 15 minute levels), followed by the $120 No Limit Hold'em ($8,000 GTD) at 6:00pm (25,000 starting stack, and 20/25 minute levels).

Promotions: The "standard" high hand promotions are in place for a good portion of the day/night, but the window from 1:00pm-10:00pm is what most all of the players have circled.  Players that have the qualifying high hand each hour during that time period will earn $2,000.  This is a s similar promotion to that which was run last week (Memorial Day weekend), and is sure to bring the crowds.

10:00am - $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

- 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 

- Levels are (15) minutes in length

6:00pm - $120 No Limit Hold'em ($8,000 GTD):

- Players will begin with a 25,000 starting stack

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

- Alternates and late entries will enter with full stacks

- Levels 1-8 are (20) minutes in length, transitioning to (25) minutes Levels 9+

Friday, June 2nd: Amaro And Shaw Chop The $20,000 GTD, "Fast" Start To The Weekend

ICYMI: A total of (37) entries made up Thursday's $100 No Limit Hold'em "Monster Stack" ($3,000 GTD), which had a $1,230 posted first place, and was scheduled to pay four spots.  When play reach five-handed, discussions of a deal (and potential "bubble" being paid) began.  These were five players that know each other very well from playing tournaments here at the Isle, so it didn't take long before an agreement was made.

1. Daniel Genachte (Deerfield Beach, FL) $690
2. David Licht (New York, NY) $690
3. Ian Cohen (Pompano Beach, FL) $690
4. Jean Chery (Ellenton, FL) $690
5. Nancy Thomas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $240

The players have made one things clear...they favor these $20,000 guaranteed tournaments, as ($239) entries made up last night's $23,183 prize pool.  The $130 buy-in tournament brought out flocks of notable "daily" tournament players, with many grabbing one of the top (30) spots that reached the money.  Some of those to notch another live tournament score on their resume included: Yigal Hen, Robert Transue, Daniel Miller, Willie Wiggins, Robert Kessler, and Francis Margaglione.  The final table ended up being a "who's who" of Isle Poker regulars, and they wanted to play.  The talks of a chop did amount successful, but it wasn't until play was heads up between Manuel Amaro Alvarez and David Shaw.  

1. Manuel Amaro Alvarez (West Palm Beach, FL) $5,000
2. David Shaw (Boca Raton, FL) $4,229
3. Bradford Greeley (Lake Worth, FL) $2,376
4. Earl Gallegos (West Palm Beach, FL) $1,445
5. Tom Millward (Boca Raton, FL) $1,116
6. Karin Powsner (Pompano Beach, FL) $925
7. Ramon Gonzalez (Miami, FL) $788
8. Pantelis Hatzikontos (Boca Raton, FL) 672
9. Yigal Hen (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $542
10. Steven Cabas (Miami, FL) $464

Tournaments: Those who follow the "daily tournament schedule" each month may have already noticed a few different wrinkles in June.  One of those changes takes place this evening, as the $100 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 GTD) is replaced with a $75 No Limit Hold'em ($5,000 GTD).  This new event sees players sitting down to starting stacks of 15,000 units, and playing (20) minute levels throughout.  The action gets underway at 6:00pm, and should eventually wrap up shorty after midnight (for those that are interested in timing of the event).

Promotions: From the moment the doors to the poker room open at 9:00am, the high hand promotions begin this Friday. From 9:00am-12:00pm, qualifying high hands will be awarded $100 every (10) minutes.  These "turbo high hands" usually see four or five rollovers in a row, making this one of the more exciting promotions for the players who are in the room "early."  The promotion then transitions to $250 every (20) minutes (from 12:00pm-4:00pm), followed by another jump from 4:00pm-12:00am.  That last jump sees those with the qualifying high hand earn $500, with rollovers applying throughout both time periods.

6:00pm - $75 No Limit Hold'em ($5,000 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 15,000 starting stack

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

- Alternates and late entries will receive full stacks

- Levels are (20) minutes in length throughout

"Week In Review:" Official Daily Tournament Results (May 22nd-28th)

The last full week of May tournament poker started on Monday, May 22nd, with the $25,000 GTD  standing out for the day.  The tournament carried with it the largest prize pool guarantee of the month, outside of the "special" $100,000 GTD that was run two weeks ago.  The numbers were great for the event, which finished with a prize pool just short of $29,000, and saw a "frequent flyer" earn yet another Isle Poker tournament win (Thomas Millward).  While Millward was declared the "winner," five other players took home the same exact amount in what was a six-way deal.

$80 No Limit Hold'em w/ $10 Bounties ($2,000 GTD)
Total Entries: 25
Total Prize Pool: $1,750 ($250 Bounty Pool)

1. Paul Berenson (Delray Beach, FL) $658
2. Jonathan Rackman (Boca Raton, FL) $576
3. Alberto Niebla (Miami, FL) $516

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($25,000 GTD)
Total Entries: 297
Total Prize Pool: $28,809

1. Thomas Millward (Boca Raton, FL) $2,991
2. Francisco Castil (Pembroke Pines, FL) $2,991
3. Michael Spadafore (Boynton Beach, FL) $2,991
4. Steve Moreno (Miami, FL) $2,991
5. Jose Jamie (Hollywood, FL) $2,991
6. Carlos Garcia (Miami, FL) $2,991
7. Philip Novick (Pembroke Pines, FL) $962
8. Jean Chery (West Palm Beach, FL) $791
9. Eric Kolodny (Sunny Ilses, FL) $633
10. Alfredo Guevara (Hialeah, FL) $533
11. Frank Scala (Boca Raton, FL) $533
12. Elliot Zaydman (Coconut Creek, FL) $533
13. Scott Bailey (Loxahatchee, FL) $454
14. Juan De Los Santos (Hollywood, FL) $454
15. Aaron Friedman (Boca Raton, FL) $454
16. Carlos Vazquez (Weston, FL) $377
17. Daniel Koehler (Pompano Beach, FL) $277
18. Jodie Diamond (Miami, FL) $377
19. Raminder Singh (Delray Beach, FL) $308
20. Bradford Corner (Boynton Beach, FL) $308
21. Luis Ghelman (Miami, FL) $308
22. Joshua Sperko (West Palm Beach, FL) $252
23. Rafael Rodriguez (Medellin, Columbia) $252
24. David Coughlin (Lighthouse Point, FL) $252
25. Jeffrey Lutin (Boca Raton, FL) $219
26. Rita Balbirer (Coral Springs, FL) $219
27. Michael Horton (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $219
28. Maurice Costigan (Lantana, FL) $190
29. Donovan Walker (Davie, FL) $190
30. Elias Nassif (Plantation, FL) $190
31. Gail Lutin (Boca Raton, FL) $190
32. Miguel Briganty (Sunrise, FL) $190
33. Jesse Hatfield (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $190
34. Michael Gutterman (Delray Beach, FL) $190
35. Jack Appel (Boca Raton, FL) $190
36. Peter Bejusca (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $190
37. Andres Carrion (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $169
38. Lou Ojeda (Miami, FL) $169

Tuesdays have become one of (if not) the most popular tournament days for players, and Tuesday, May 23rd was no different.  The "Monster Stack" got one of it's largest fields in recent memory, besting the $3,000 guarantee by over $2,000.  The (320) total entries in the "Tuesday $12k" was really no surprise, as that tournament continues to be the premier event of the "weekly" schedule.  While the event is chopped more often than not, the ROI (return on investment) for a $60 tournament can not be beat.

$100 No Limit Hold'em "Monster Stack" ($3,000 GTD)

Total Entries: 67

Total Prize Pool: $5,159

1. Vincent Seina (North Lauderdale, FL) $682
2. Martin Kaplan (Wellington, FL) $682
3. Charles Buford (Naples, FL) $682
4. Yves Fequiere (Miami, FL) $682
5. Robert Sacher (Boca Raton, FL) $682
6. Brian Haines (Southwest Ranches, FL) $681
7. Arnold Cohen (West Palm Beach, FL) $681
8. Anthony Distefano (Tamarac, FL) $206
9. Joseph Mancuso (Deerfield Beach, FL) $181

$60 No Limit Hold'em ($12,000 GTD)

Total Entries: 320

Total Prize Pool: $16,000

1. Dorian Rios (Venezuela) $2,200
2. Robert Urspruch (Plantation, FL) $2,120
3. George Theodores (Stuart, FL) $2,120
4. David Licht (New York, NY) $2,040
5. Dale Berman (Plantation, FL) $767
6. Julia Bindelglass (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $635
7. Steven Chassagne (Hollywood, FL) $534
8. Alfred Cotton (Cutler Bay, FL) $438
9. Manuel Alvarez (West Palm Beach, FL) $348
10. Stephen Bromfield (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $293
11. Louis Leo IV (Boca Raton, FL) $293
12. Jonathan Ounjian (Delray Beach, FL) $293
13. Corey Dunbar (West Decatur, PA) $249
14. Domenico Barilla (Deerfield Beach, FL) $249
15. Tuan Phan (West Palm Beach, FL) $249
16. Mark Chichelli (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $208
17. Kevin McGillicuddy (Tamarac, FL) $208
18. Joshua Krieger (Clarks Summit, PA) $208
19. John Calvo (Miami, FL) $170
20. Jason Smith (Wellington, FL) $170
21. Matthew Marmie (Margate, FL) $170
22. David Kaye (Hollywood, FL) $139
23. Jonathan Henao (Coconut Creek, FL) $139
24. Edoardo Borrelli (Miami, FL) $139
25. John Mayers (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $121
26. Andreas Hatzilouloudes (Lake Worth, FL) $121
27. Julio Melendez (Coral Springs, FL) $121
28. Michael Gutterman (Delray Beach, FL) $102
29. Salvatore Accardi (Pompano Beach, FL) $102
30. Marc Freund (Plantation, FL) $102
31. Brian Gelrod (Wellington, FL) $102
32. Jim Gleason (Boca Raton, FL) $102
33. Tony Burns (Davie, FL) $102
34. Justin Walker (Tamarac, FL) $102
35. Wayne Brown (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $102
36. Hari Sukhu (Miramar, FL) $102
37. Antonio Colon (Princeton, NJ) $85
38. Scott Hecker (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $85
39. Marc Ozarow (Wellington, FL) $57
40. Michael Borrelli (Margate, FL) $57
41. Mitchell Stein (Philadelphia, PA) $56

The "Spin To Win" promotion always gains most of the attention on Wednesday afternoon's, which is one of the reasons that there is a single tournament in the evening.  That will be changing in June, with the addition of an afternoon event, but Wednesday, May 24th was just the "Big Stack Turbo Bounty."  The tournament would be chopped heads-up between Jason Maltz (Latham, NY) and Michael Spinosa (Staten Island, NY), with both earning $1,101.

$100 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" ($5,000 GTD)

Total Entries: 42

Total Prize Pool: $3,950 ($1,050 Bounty Pool)

1. Jason Maltz (Latham, NY) $1,101
2. Michael Spinosa (Staten Island, NY) $1,101
3. Phil Lifschitz (Livingston, NJ) $800
4. Gyorgy Cseke (Tamarac, FL) $395
5. Danny Blackburn (Deerfield Beach, FL) $316
6. Medeni Kose (Hallandale Beach, FL) $237

Thursday, May 25th saw the return of another large guaranteed event, as the $130 No Limit Hold'em ($20,000 GTD) was the evening event for the day.  The tournament was once again a success, finishing up with a prize pool just over $26,000.  The event was eventually chopped four ways, with Jorge Amador (Long Island, NY) declared the tournament's winner, taking home a total of $4,009.

$80 No Limit Hold'em w/ $10 Bounties ($1,500 GTD)
Total Entries: 16
Total Prize Pool: $1,340 ($160 Bounty Pool)

1. Roman Gonzalez (Miami, FL) $429
2. James Pendergrass (Pompano Beach, FL) $339
3. Wayne Brown (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $304
4. David Wicinski (Deerfield Beach, FL) $268

$130 No Limit Hold'em ($20,000 GTD)
Total Entries: 271
Total Prize Pool: $26,287

1. Jorge Amador (Long Island, NY) $4,009
2. Sean Jones (Pembroke Pines, FL) $3,839
3. Shannon Stash (Chicago, IL) $3,621
4. Vladimir Puentes (Miami, FL) $2,969
5. Lawrence Smith (Jacksonville, FL) $1,266
6. Andreas Athanasopoulos (Tamarac, FL) $1,049
7. Robert Kessler (Parkland, FL) $881
8. Mark Bernstein (Hollywood, FL) $736
9. Michael Horton (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $594
10. Mario Donoso Jimenez (Weston, FL) $499
11. Russell Stampler (Weston, FL) $499
12. David Light (Lauderdale By The Sea, FL) $499
13. Dorian Rios Pavon (Venezuela) $427
14. Lynne Freemont (Pompano Beach, FL) $427
15. Julian Roldan Cuartes (Columbia) $427
16. Ian Cohen (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $358
17. Michael Watkins (Pompano Beach, FL) $358
18. John Magnetta (Boynton Beach, FL) $327
19. Ralph Spadafore (Boynton Beach, FL) $327
20. Tom Millward (Boca Raton, FL) $296
21. Jason Squillace (Jupiter, FL) $296
22. Omar Sader (Pompano Beach, FL) $237
23. Scott Hartman (Coral Springs, FL) $237
24. Ralph Capolla (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $237
25. Jerrold Solov (Pompano Beach, FL) $204
26. Cherie Thoman (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $204
27. Athanasios Datseris (Delray Beach, FL) $204
28. Shravan Kulshrestha (Miami, FL) $180
29. Robert Transue (N. Lauderdale, FL) $180
30. Nancy Birnbaum (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $180
31. Chad Millward (Boca Raton, FL) $180
32. John Bilas (Boca Raton, FL) $180
33. Paulius Bikus (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $180
34. Steven Lamm (Boca Raton, FL) $180

Friday, May 26th was the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend, with many players beginning the holiday with a $10,000 guaranteed tournament.  The $150 buy-in event attracted a field of (106) entries, and saw registration close with an official prize pool of $12,190.  Things would conclude in a five-way chop, with Mario Donoso Jimenez (Weston, FL) earning first place money ($2,097).

$150 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 GTD)
Total Entries: 106
Total Prize Pool: $12,190

1. Mario Donoso Jimenez (Weston, FL) $2,097
2. Tyler Morgan (Coral Springs, FL) $2,005
3. Arnold Erenstoft (Coconut Creek, FL) $1,928
4. Edward Rappa (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $1,426
5. Savatore Accardi (Pompano Beach, FL) $1,377
6. Anthony Albano (Deerfield Beach, FL) $561
7. Steve Raeman (Pompano Beach, FL) $475
8. Patricia Basilio (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $414
9. James Newcomb (Parkland, FL) $366
10. Steve Moreno (Miami, FL) $323
11. Larry Stoddard (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $323
12. Ian Cohen (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $323
13. Daniel Cruz (Boca Raton, FL) $286
14. Robert Transue (North Lauderdale, FL) $286

The holiday weekend continued on Saturday, May 27th, with two tournaments on the schedule.  The "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" was won by Isle Poker regular Alfonzo Perez (Coconut Creek, FL), while the $15,000 guaranteed nightly ($120 No Limit Hold'em) ended in a six-way deal (with Edwin Vasconcelos the declared winner, taking home $2,357).

$100 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo Bounty" ($3,000 GTD)

Total Entries: 39

Total Prize Pool: $2,025 ($975 Bounty Pool)

1. Alfonzo Perez (Coconut Creek, FL) $690
2. Vincent Siena (Pompano Beach, FL) $606
3. Barry Carvin (Deerfield Beach, FL) $431
4. Phillip Tuttle (Delray Beach, FL) $235
5. Stanton Drazen (Boynton Beach, FL) $171

$120 No Limit Hold'em ($15,000 GTD)
Total Entries: 210
Total Prize Pool: $17,850

1. Edwin Vasconcelos (Daytona Beach, FL) $2,357
2. Michael Sheinberg (Miami, FL) $2,339
3. Vincent Green (Boynton Beach, FL) $2,226
4. Matthew Sloan (Lake Worth, FL) $1,897
5. Devin Weinberg (Delray Beach, FL) $1,560
6. Rafael Ramos (Cape Coral, FL) $1,483
7. Tom Millward (Boca Raton, FL) $607
8. Ilan Hadida (Boca Raton, FL) $519
9. Corey Lieblein (Brighton, MA) $434
10. Daniel Cruz (Boca Raton, FL) $375
11. Alvaro Vivas Grisales (Miami, FL) $375
12. Janet Solov (Pompano Beach, FL) $375
13. Cynthia Radnovich (Deerfield Beach, FL) $321
14. Luciano Maurizio (Venezuela) $321
15. Luis Guarda (Coral Springs, FL) $321
16. Joule Dakadu (Hallandale, FL) $268
17. Michael Weinberg (Delray Beach, FL) $268
18. Cathy Miller (Jupiter, FL) $268
19. Ronald Simmons (Highsprings, FL) $214
20. Ali Ozesen (Boca Raton, FL) $214
21. Jerrold Solov (Pompano Beach, FL) $214
22. Alain Alvarado (Miami, FL) $165
23. William Underdown (Boca Raton, FL) $165
24. Omar Sader (Pompano Beach, FL) $165
25. Nila Sara (Deerfield Beach, FL) $133
26. Jeffrey Harris (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $133
27. Robert Norris (Idaho Falls, ID) $133

Isle Poker tournament notable Arnold Erenstoft (Coconut Creek, FL) earned the top spot in Sunday May 28th's $10,000 guarantee.  The prize pool surpassed the guarantee, with (98) entries making up the $11,270 official number.  The tournament ended in an eight-way chop, with seven of the eight spots walking away with more than $1,000.

$120 No Limit Hold'em ($15,000 GTD)
Total Entries: 98
Total Prize Pool: $11,270

1. Arnold Erenstoft (Coconut Creek, FL) $1,704
2. Hobart Adkins (Ona, WV) $1,572
3. Anthony O'Campo (Miami, FL) $1,226
4. Marc Freund (Plantation, FL) $1,180
5. James Newcomb (Parkland, FL) $1,112
6. Steven Lamm (Boca Raton, FL) $1,039
7. Trent Smith (Vero Beach, FL) $1,000
8. Hashim Burney (Miami Beach, FL) $881
9. David Schnegelberger (Boca Raton, FL) $344
10. Ronald Campillo (Pembroke Pines, FL) $310
11. Nick Blackburn (Long Bottom, OH) $310
12. Kenneth Kuhl (Margate, FL) $310
13. Alcides Gomez (Miami, FL) $282

ICYMI: "Spin To Win" Money Wheel Results (May 31st)

From 12:00pm-11:00pm yesterday, the "Spin To Win" high hand promotion was running, one of the most popular poker promotions you'll find in the state (as well as one of the richest).  The player with the "winning" high hand from each half hour is awarded an opportunity to spin the "money wheel," which sits located in the "stage area" of the poker room, closest to the cashier.  There are over (70) different slots on the wheel, all with different monetary amounts.  The "major" amounts that can be won are $1,000, $2,000, $3,000, and $5,000.  If (and only if) the high hand that qualifies is a royal flush, the $5,000 "Jackpot' slice is worth $25,000.  Posted below are all of the results from yesterday's promotion (along with the game the player was playing):

12:30pm: $600 (2/5 NLH)

1:00pm: $325 (2/4 LHE)

1:30pm: $500 (1/2 NLH)

2:00pm: $550 (4/8 Omaha 8B)

2:30pm: $225 (2/4 LHE)

3:00pm: $425 (10/20 H.O.R.S.E)

3:30pm: $325 (2/2/LHE)

4:00pm: $650 (2/4 LHE)

4:30pm: $675 (2/5 NLH)

5:00pm: $275 (1/2 NLH)

5:30pm: $325 (1/2 NLH)

6:00pm: $225 (1/2 NLH)

6:30pm: $225 (2/4 LHE)

7:00pm: $225 (2/5 NLH)

7:30pm: $200 (2/5 NLH)

8:00pm: $449 (1/2 NLH) *Royal Spin*

8:30pm: $225 (1/2 NLH)

9:00pm: $625 (2/2 LHE)

9:30pm: NQHH

10:00pm: $275 (1/2 NLH)

10:30pm: $425 (1/2 NLH)

11:00pm: $375 (2/5 NLH)

Over the course of the eleven hour promotion, a total of $8,124 was awarded to players who spun the wheel.  While there were no "jackpot" amounts given away, there were a number of quality spins, that ended up yielding over $400.  There was one "royal spin," which gave that player the opportunity to win $25,000 (if he landed on the jackpot slice).  There were two spins from mixed game players, with the 10/20 H.O.R.S.E. game earning their first ever spin.  It's been a few weeks since we've seen some serious numbers given away, and by the laws of mathematics, we should see some special Wednesday's in the near future.

Thursday, June 1st: June Picks Up Where May Left Off...$20,000 GTD Is Thursday's Spotlight Event

ICYMI: The final tournament of the month of May was the ever-popular $100 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo" w/ $25 Bounties ($5,000 GTD).  While this was one of the events that players often frequented, it was the last of it's kind until August (at the earliest).  Wednesday's in June have shifted to a two tournament schedule, with the $60 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 GTD) taking the "Big Stack Turbo Bounty's" place on Wednesday nights.  

Last nights installment of the tournament saw registration close with a total of (51) entries, and an official prize pool of $5,000 ($1,275 bounty pool included in that total).  A total of five players were scheduled to reach the money, but after a short period of final table play, discussions of a deal began (with seven player still remaining).  After some deliberation, an agreement was made to make a "double bubble" (so to say), in which two spots would be added to the original payouts.  Andrew McDonald (Islamorada, FL) and Charles Buford (Naples, FL) were the lucky recipients of the extra pay spots, while Gilbert Sanchez (Bartow, FL) was awarded first place prize money ($883).  The full results from the event are as follows:

1. Gilbert Sanchez (Bartow, FL) $883
2. Edgard Mendes (Deerfield Beach, FL) $772
3. Maury Halperin (Lauderdale By The Sea, FL) $590
4. James Newcomb (Parkland, FL) $588
5. Jeff Ege (Niceville, FL) $550
6. Charles Buford (Naples. FL) $224
7. Andrew McDonald (Islamorada, FL) $168

Tournaments: It's a new month of tournament poker, and there are a lot of exciting things to talk about in regards to the "June Tournament Calendar."  The month of tournaments starts of at 11:00am, with the $100 No Limit Hold'em ($3,000 GTD).  This tournament almost mirrors the "Monster Stack" event that has been running on Tuesdays, which has been on of the most popular afternoon tournaments run at this poker room.  Players start the event with a 25,000 unit stack, and enjoy levels of (20) minutes throughout the event.

The evening tournament offers the largest guarantee of the month (outside of the "special" $75 No Limit Hold'em $50,000 GTD), with the $130 No Limit Hold'em ($20,000 GTD) getting underway at 6:00pm.  This event has not only reached the guarantee when it's been run, but it has absolutely crushed it!  We've seen prize pools close to $25,000-30,000 for weeks on end, and tonight should be no different.  The tournament offers players a starting stack of 16,000 units, and levels of (20) minutes for the entirety of the event.

Promotions: The new month not only brings new tournaments to the schedule, but also some new poker promotions.  Today's "special" promotion (outside of the standard high hands), is the Limit Hold'em Early Bird, in which the first (50) full houses (in a limit hold'em game) are paid the minimum buy-in for the designated game.  Those players in the 2/2 LHE game will receive $20 for each "winning" full house (or better), while those in 2/4 LHE will receive $40.

11:00am - $100 No Limit Hold'em ($3,000 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 - $130 No Limit Hold'em ($20,000 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 16,000 starting stack

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

- Alternates and late entries will receive full stacks

- Levels are (20) minutes in length throughout

Wednesday, May 31st: "Tuesday 12k" Crushes, "Spin To Win" Back Again As Month Wraps

ICYMI: Tuesday's have steadily become one of the more popular tournament days on the schedule, as both the "Monster Stack" and "Tuesday $12k" have held their spots their for a while now.  The $100 No Limit Hold'em "Monster Stack" ($3,000 GTD) saw a small drop in field size this week, but still surpassed the guaranteed number with a field of (46) entries ($3,542).  When they payouts were posted, five spots were scheduled to get paid, but players agreed to add a spot in a six-way deal that ended the event.

1. Daniel Reitberg (Lauderdale Lakes, FL) $766
2. Michael Spadafore (Boynton Beach, FL) $641
3. Zaki Lichaa (Pompano Beach, FL) $641
4. Pietro Tomabene (Boca Raton, FL) $641
5. Sergio Amato (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $640
6. James Mills (Pompano Beach, FL) $213

The "Tuesday $12k" drew one the biggest field we've seen for the event since its' inception, with a total of (367) entries making up the field.  The guarantee was in the rear view mirror long before the registration window had closed, and once the numbers were made official, the prize pool would stand at $18,614.  Less than half of the field would remain after registration closed, with the money bubble beginning just around 11:00pm.  There were (46) spots reaching the money in the tournament, with a min-cash earning $93, and first place scheduled to take home $3,911.  Joseph Franchino (Stuart, FL) was the first player to cash, with a group of notables to follow (Robert Blanchette, Karin Powsner, Robert Kessler, Robert Perniola, Daniel Miller, Hari Sukhu, and Vito Polera).  As Tuesday turned into Wednesday, the final table continued on, but it was clear that a deal was looming.  After the third final table elimination (Michael Corbet), the remaining seven players began discussing the numbers, and agreed to a chop (results listed below).

1. Richard Cooper (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $2,308
2. Alfredo Fernandez (Doral, FL) $1,977
3. Gilbert Sanchez (Bartow, FL) $1,767
4. Fedner Oralien (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $1,516
5. Anthony Casas (Miami, FL) $1,482
6. Luciano Bianchi (Venezuela) $1,379
7. Charles Bury (Boca Raton, FL) $1,363
8. Michael Corbet (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $503
9. Felicia Scott (Riviera Beach, FL) $391
10. Roberto Alvarado (Pompano Beach, FL) $328

Tournaments: With the "Spin To Win" high hand promotion garnering most of the attention during the day, the one tournament on the day's schedule begins this evening (6:00pm).  The $100 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo" w/ $25 Bounties ($5,000 GTD) sees players sitting down to starting stacks of 18,000 units, while playing (15) minute levels throughout the event.

Promotions: The high hand promotions are in full swing from the moment the doors open this morning, with the "Turbo High Hands" ($100 awarded every 10 minutes from 9:00am-12:00pm, with rollovers) distributing money at a rapid pace.  The transition at 12:00pm begins the "Spin To Win" promotion, which awarded over $11,000 in promotional prize money last week (over a span of eleven hours).  It's the high hand promotion that makes all others jealous, and affords those that have a qualifying high hand (awarded every 30 minutes), an opportunity to spin the ever-popular "Money Wheel."  The total amount awarded...along with hourly breakdown, will be published tomorrow afternoon, here on the blog.

6:00pm - $100 No Limit Hold'em "Big Stack Turbo" w/ $25 Bounties ($5,000 GTD):

- Players will begin with a 18,000 starting stack

- Late and re-entries for the first (10) levels

- 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 

- Levels are (15) minutes in length

Tuesday, May 30th: Two Player Favorites (Tournaments) Close Out The Month

ICYMI: Memorial Day is for honoring those that served our country, as well as hanging with family and barbecuing.  One may have thought that the tournament action would be "slow," but with $1,000 high hands from 10:00am-7:00pm (and both tournaments jackpot eligible), the events attracted some nice sized fields.  The afternoon event ($80 No Limit Hold'em w/ $10 Bounties) saw registration close with (52) entries, which made up a prize pool of $2,664 ($520 bounty pool).  A total of six spots would reach the money, with each getting paid as scheduled (there would be no chop).  Dana Leonaggeo (Pompano Beach, FL) came into the day with just one recorded tournament cash, during the 2014 Florida State Poker Championships ($237).  Almost three years later, she earned herself another Hendon Mob score, winning yesterday's event outright (for $933).

1. Dana Leonaggeo (Pompano Beach, FL) $933
2. Brian Haines (Southwest Ranches, FL) $700
3. David Padilla (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) $402
4. Joseph Nay (Plantation, FL) $277
5. Nail Sara (Deerfield Beach, FL) $200
6. Steven Zukowski (Coral Springs, FL) $152

The evening tournament ($75 No Limit Hold'em) did not have a guaranteed prize pool attached to it, but still drew a field of (46) total entries.  The official prize pool ended up at $2,438, and while five spots were scheduled to get paid, six players ended up walking away with money.  Thomas Reidy's (Lauderhill, FL) overwhelming chip lead helped him walk away with the scheduled first place prize in the six-way deal.

1. Thomas Reidy (Lauderhill, FL) $951
2. Alfred Cotton (Cutler Bay, FL) $336
3. Jason Maltz (Latham, NY) $335
4. Kyann Johnson (Sunrise, FL) $335
5. Terry Wooten (Pompano Beach, FL) $335
6. Anthony Casas (Miami, FL) $146

Tournaments: Two of the most popular tournaments are on the schedule today, starting with the $100 No Limit Hold'em "Monster Stack" ($3,000 GTD) at 11:00am.  The field sizes in this event have been growing each and every week, and is coming off of a (67) entry field last week (and a prize pool over $5,000).  One of the things that draws players to this event is the structure, with a 25,000 starting stack, and (20) minute levels.  The evening tournament is one that really need no introduction, as the "Tuesday $12k" ($60 No Limit Hold'em $12,000 GTD) gets underway at 6:00pm.

Promotions: Outside of what we like to refer to as the "standard high hand" promotion, today's promotion calendar feature the "Early Bird Limit Hold'em" special.  This promotion sees those players, only playing limit hold'em, earn money for each full house they have (it's required that the hand also wins the pot).  Those playing 2/2 LHE will earn $20 for each full house, while those playing 2/4 LHE will earn $40 for each full house.

11:00am - $100 No Limit Hold'em ($3,000 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 - $60 No Limit Hold'em ($12,000 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 12,000 starting stack

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

- Optional player "add-on" at the end of Level 8 ($20 for 8,000 tournament chips), with 100% of the "add-on" going to the prize pool

-  Levels are (20) minutes in length

Monday, May 29th: $1,000 High Hands The Highlight Of Memorial Day

ICYMI: With a majority of businesses observing Memorial Day, many people have a day off from work today, which helped draw a large field for yesterday's tournament.  The $150 No Limit Hold'em ($10,000 GTD) began at 12:00pm, and once registration closed, there were (98) entries in the tournament.  The guarantee would once again be surpassed ($11,270), as players were vying for the $3,437 first place prize.  The money would be reached once (13) players remained, and after five "in-the-money" eliminations, an eight-way final table deal would be reached.  Arnold Erenstoft (Coconut Creek, FL), a name that has become familiar to followers of the blog, was declared the tournament's winner (and would be awarded first place money).

1. Arnold Erenstoft (Coconut Creek, FL) $1,704
2. Hobart Adkins (Ona, WV) $1,572
3. Anthony O'Campo (Miami, FL) $1,226
4. Marc Freund (Plantation, FL) $1,180
5. James Newcomb (Parkland, FL) $1,112
6. Steven Lamm (Boca Raton, FL) $1,039
7. Trent Smith (Vero Beach, FL) $1,000
8. Hashim Burney (Miami Beach, FL) $881
9. David Schnegelberger (Boca Raton, FL) $344
10. Ronald Campilo (Pembroke Pines, FL) $310

Tournaments: Tournaments will go on "as scheduled" today, with the two events that normally make up Mondays.  The first tournament, which begins at 11:00am, is the $80 No Limit Hold'em w/ $10 Bounties ($2,000 GTD).  That event is followed at 6:00pm by the $75 No Limit Hold'em, which runs without a guaranteed prize pool.  The important thing to note about both tournaments is the fact that they are jackpot eligible...which is a pretty big deal, as high hands are $1,000 for a good portion of the playing day.

Promotions: From 10:00am through 7:00pm, there will be $1,000 high hands awarded to those that qualify (aces full or better).  We are just two days removed from the $2,000 high hands on Saturday, and the same type of crowds can be expected in the room.  Those interested in involving themselves in this promotion should plan on arriving early, as the lists for particular games can grow long as the day plays on.

11:00am - $80 No Limit Hold'em w/ $10 Bounties ($2,000 GTD)

- Players will begin with a 10,000 starting stack

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

- Option player "add-on" at the end of Level 8 ($20 for 8,000 tournament chips), with 100% of the "add-on" going to the prize pool 

- Levels are (20) minutes in length

6:00pm - $75 No Limit Hold'em 

- Players will begin with a 15,000 starting stack

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

- Alternates and late entries will receive full stacks

- Levels are (20) minutes in length throughout