$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 1: Blinds 25/50
Cards are flying for the sixth and final flight of the $300,000 Guaranteed Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Summer Poker Open kickoff event.
This is the last chance players have to get into this event. They can register and re-enter until the start of level 7 (about 10:30pm).
Flight E is in the process of counting and bagging their chips. The leaders will be reported shortly.
$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 14: Blinds 1,500/3,000/400 ante
Before the blinds went up, James Puritz (left) got his short-stack in pre-flop holding 
and was in very bad shape against Giancarlo DiSalvo’s 
(right).
Then the flop fell 
giving James a flush and leaving Giancarlo looking for runner-runner. The last two were 
and changed nothing.
James took the pot to survive, chipping up to ~55k.
Giancarlo DiSalvo takes the Hard Rock, Hard Beat of the Day.
$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 14: Blinds 1,500/3,000/400 ante
As of the break, Robert LeBeau had claimed the chip lead with 306,800.
Greg McNealy (above) is seated on his right and since the break, he’s gone on a heater and is up to 315k, good for the chip lead as they approach the end of the night.
$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 13: Blinds 1,200/2,400/300 ante
Players are back from their last break of the day with just two levels left to play. Now it is a sprint to the finish to see who will earn the end of day chip leader and earn the $1,100 seat in Event 9 ($75k Gtd) on Sunday, June 8th.
Only 99 remain of the 344 that entered this flight. Average stack is almost 87k.
$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 12: Blinds 1k/2k/300 ante
Michael Thiele (Ocala, FL) was the first player in this flight to reach a quarter-million chips. He was just over 260,000 during the previous level, but has dropped back back below that benchmark.
When his table broke, Roman Federov and his big stack landed on the right of Michael, so we’ll be watching for potential fireworks with two big stacks on that table.
Tables are breaking FAST and this one will be the next to break, so the big stacks may get split up.
Only 13 tables remain with fewer than 117 players left in this flight.
$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 11: Blinds 800/1,600/200 ante
A couple of new big stacks were counted during the last break.
Roman Federov leads the flight with 185,300 chips.
Hot on his heels is Robert LeBeau, who had 182,800.
$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 10: Blinds 600/1,200/200 ante
Just before the break, Stuart Prieto opened for 4k and got a call from the big blind. On the Jack-high flop, Stuart bet another 4k and got check-raised all-in for 16,625.
Stuart made the call, showing AQ for two overcards. His opponent held J5 for a pair of Jacks and the lead.
Stuart got lucky, catching the ubiquitous Ace on the river to take the pot, sending his opponent to the rail. Stuart chipped up to almost 90k.
$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
End of Level 9: Blinds 500/1,000/100 ante
Players are scattering for a 15 minute break.
Tables are breaking down fast now that registration has closed. Only 20 tables remain in action with fewer than 180 players remaining in this flight.
One of those gone is Stephen Diamantas. He won the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Winter Poker Open WPT Regional Championship here last December, taking home $121,900. He tweeted his exit:
Busted with AJ to KQ BVB. Prob will reenter at 7
— Stephen Diamantas (@SDiamantas) May 31, 2014
$385 Mega Satellite Into Championship
Cards are in the air for today’s only secondary event. The $385 Mega Satellite will award 1 in 10 players a seat in the $3,500 Summer Poker Open Championship event.
Two seats are guaranteed to be awarded. Players started with 10,000 chips and levels are 30 minutes long. Late registration and re-entry are available until the start of level 5 (about 5:15pm).
Looking to stay while you play in the poker tournament? There are many options:
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa
866-388-4263
The rooms at the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa fill up fast, but never fear. There are plenty of nearby hotels, in all price ranges, to chose from. Some offer shuttle service to/from the Hard Rock. Call for details.
Country Inn & Suites Seffner (813) 675-8600
Springhill Suites (813) 623-9990
Hilton Garden Inn Crescent Park Drive (813) 626-6610
Hilton Garden Inn Highland Manor Dr (813) 626-6700
Hampton Inn & Suites (813) 630-4321
Sheraton Tampa East (813) 623-6363
Staybridge Suites (813) 227-4000
Residence Inn by Marriott (813) 627-8855
Main Stay Suites (813) 622-8557
Holiday Inn Express (813) 490-1000
Comfort Suites (813) 868-7770
La Quinta (813) 626-0885
Red Roof Inn (813) 623-5245
Fairfield Inn & Suites (813) 626-3000
Courtyard Marriott (813) 661-9559
LUXURY HOTELS
Innisbrook Resort (727) 942-2000
Saddlebrook Resort (813) 973-1111
Westin Harbor Island (813) 229-5000
Embassy Suites (813) 875-1555
Marriott Waterside (813) 221-4900
Renaissance (813) 877-9200
Intercontinental (813) 286-4400
Sheraton Riverwalk (813) 223-2222