$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 2: 75/150
Entries: 53

2004 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Greg Raymer is one of the newest entries in the Winter Poker Open Championship. Raymer, along with his signature “Fossilman” glasses and card protector, is one of the most recognizable faces in the game and for good reason. His Main Event score earned him $5,000,000, but he’s managed to earn another $2,600,000 in scores besides that.

Raymer has drawn a tough table with reigning Seminole Hard Rock Poker Player of the Year David Prociak on his direct left.

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 2: 75/150
Entries: 46

Hollywood regular Zoltan Czinkota made his mark on the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Championships last year. He recorded multiple cashes and a final table appearance, and in the end, earned enough points to place third in the SHRP Player of the Year race.

For his strong season, Czinkota earned a prize package valued at $12,000. Among his winnings was a seat in the Winter Poker Open Championship which he’s using today. We’ll keep an eye on Czinkota’s progress as he looks to parley the free berth into a six-figure score.

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 1: 50/100
Entries: 29

Flight B of the Winter Poker Open $300,000 guaranteed Championship is underway. Yesterday’s action drew a stout field of 142 entries accounting for $213,000 of the six-figure target. Today’s play is expected to match or exceed yesterday’s and will more than likely push the prize pool over $400,000.

As they did yesterday, players in Flight B begin with 30,000 chips and will log 14, 45-minute levels today. Late registration and re-entry are available until about 7:15pm with play concluding around 11:15pm.

Here are the details:

11AM: Day 1B – $1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)

• $300,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 30,000 in chips and 45-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 10
• Day 1 will end after Level 14 or Tournament Director discretion
• Championship Structure Sheet

Updates throughout the day will be available right here at SHRTPoker.com. Good luck, players!

Main Event Schedule

11AM: Day 1B – $1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)

• $300,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 30,000 in chips and 45-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 10
• Day 1 will end after Level 14 or Tournament Director discretion
• Championship Structure Sheet

Secondary and Satellite Schedule

3PM: Event 27 – $190 WPO Championship Satellite (1-in-10)

• 5 seats guaranteed into $300,000 GTD WPO Championship
• Players begin with 12,000 in chips and 20-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 27 Structure Sheet

7PM: Event 28 – $190 WPO Championship Satellite (1-in-10)

• 5 seats guaranteed into $300,000 GTD WPO Championship
• Players begin with 12,000 in chips and 20-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 28 Structure Sheet

All preliminary events are in the books and today brought out some big names for the opening flight of the 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Winter Poker Open Championship.

All three Seminole Hard Rock Tampa team members were in action with John Racener and Justin Zaki moving on to Day 2. Ambassador Wally Maddah had some tough luck to exit after registration closed but will be back tomorrow trying once again.

We saw some of our prelim champions using their seat today including Manny Minaya, Bryce McVay, Kostas Papastavrou, Dmitry Agrachov, and Kirsten Olieberg all playing. Olieberg was the only one to make it through and she bagged up 205,000 for Sunday.

The tournament drew 142 entries to put more than $200,000 in the game on the way to hitting the $300,000 guaranteed prize pool. They should get there tomorrow afternoon and continue running it up until Championship registration closes on Saturday evening.

Matthew Leecy (pictured above) bagged the biggest stack at the end of the day with his 339,000 well clear of second place Moe Affaneh with 287,500. Also advancing were Ryan Van Sanford, John Holley, Peter Walsworth, and Jon Borenstein.

Tomorrow brings around the second of three flights and they will kick things off at 11am. Flight B will play 45-minutes levels with a dinner break after Level 6 and bag up after Level 14.

There will also be two last chance satellites running tomorrow in the Championship. Both have five seats guaranteed running at 3pm and 7pm.

• 11AM: Championship Flight B – $1,650 buy-in/$300,000 GTD
• 3PM: Championship Satellite – $190 buy-in/5 seats GTD
• 7PM: Championship Satellite – $190 buy-in/5 seats GTD

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Returning to Level 15: 1,500/3,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 30 of 142

Flight A: 142 Entries, 30 Advanced
Flight B: Friday at 11am
Flight C: Saturday at 11am
Day 2: Sunday at 12pm

Structure Sheet

Day 2 chip counts through Flight A:

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
End of Level 14: 1,200/2,400 with a 400 ante
Players Remaining: 30 of 142

Play has come to an end for the opening flight of the 2016 WPO Championship with 30 players set to return on Sunday for Day 2.

Matthew Leecy rode his late run to the end-of-night chip lead with 339,000 with Moe Affaneh in second with 287,500.

Full chips will be posted as soon as they are available.

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 14: 1,200/2,400 with a 400 ante
Players Remaining: 31 of 142

Only a few more hands remain before players bag up their chips for a return on Sunday for Day 2. The end can’t come quick enough for some on Table 42 with the tough lineup all day.

Late in the day, 2010 WSOP Main Event sixth place finisher John Dolan was replaced but 2010 WSOP Main Event runner-up John Racener.

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 14: 1,200/2,400 with a 400 ante
Players Remaining: 33 of 142

Players are in the last level of the evening with four tables and 33 players remaining. We have a few more contenders for the end-of-day chip lead with Matthew Leecy closing on 300,000 and Kirsten Olieberg not far behind.