Championship: Seth Fischer Scores a Double

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 778

Seth Fischer

Seth Fischer was all in for 1,150,000 from the hijack with AcJd in the hole, and Heitor Saraiva had him covered holding 9d9s.

The final board read 4s2h2c7hAs, and Fischer doubled up to survive with 2.55 million. Saraiva held 6.4 million after the hand.

Seth Fischer – 2,550,000 (25 bb)
Heitor Saraiva – 6,400,000 (64 bb)

Championship: Eric Edwards – 8th ($26,070)

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26:  50,000/75,000 with a 75,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 778

Eric Edwards

Eric Edwards was all in with AdJs from the hijack, and Heitor Saraiva had him covered holding 5c4s from late position.

The final board read 9c3c2h3sAh, and Edwards was eliminated in eighth place for $26,070. Saraiva was up to 8.9 million after the hand thanks to the straight.

Heitor Saraiva – 8,900,000 (118 bb)
Eric Edwards – Eliminated in Eighth Place ($26,070)

Championship: Shane Melert – 9th ($20,490)

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26:  50,000/75,000 with a 75,000 ante
Players Remaining:  8 of 778

Shane Melert

Shane Melert was eliminated in ninth place when his pocket kings couldn’t hold against the Jc10c of Eric Edwards and AdKc of Craig Varnell in a three-way pot. Melert took home $20,490 in prize money. Varnell held 5,775,000 after the hand, and Edwards was still on a short stack after winning the side pot.

Shane Melert – Eliminated in Ninth Place ($20,490)

Championship: Counts On Break

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26:  50,000/75,000 with a 75,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 778

Michael Phillips

The final table was sent on a break after Level 25 and here’s a look at their counts. Michael Phillips continues to lead, while Eric Edmonds has some work ahead to get back into fighting shape.

Seat 1: Heitor Saraiva – 5,750,000 (77 bb)
Seat 2: Karl Manouchakian – 3,600,000 (48 bb)
Seat 3: Eric Edwards – 525,000 (7 bb)
Seat 4: Jeremy Joseph – 4,150,000 (55 bb)
Seat 5: Seth Fischer – 2,075,000 (28 bb)
Seat 6: Craig Varnell – 4,100,000 (55 bb)
Seat 7: Raymond Mancini – 2,400,000 (32 bb)
Seat 8: Michael Phillips – 7,400,000 (99 bb)
Seat 9: Shane Melert – 1,100,000 (15 bb)

1st: $207,280 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $138,150
3rd: $101,930
4th: $75,990
5th: $57,250
6th: $43,580
7th: $33,530
8th: $26,070
9th: $20,490

10th: Rodney Turvin – $20,490
11th: Marcus Carter – $16,270
12th: James Calderaro – $16,270
13th: Brett Bader – $13,140
14th: Steven Bennett – $13,140

Championship: Karl Manouchakian Doubles Through Heitor Saraiva

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 778

Karl Manouchakian

Heitor Saraiva opened to 120,000 from early position and Karl Manouchakian three-bet to 350,000 next to act. It folded back around to Saraiva, he called, and the flop came AdQc9d.

Saraiva bet 300,000 and Manouchakian called. The turn was 8h, Saravia looked at Manouchakian’s stack and announced all in. Manouchakian went into the tank and would be at risk if he called. He took several minutes to think it through, called for his last 1,140,000 and the cards were tabled.

Manouchakian: AsKd
Saraiva: Ts7s

Manouchakian was ahead with top-top and needed to dodge Saraiva’s eight outs with the open-ended straight draw. The 4c river was safe for Manouchakian and he doubled big at the final table.

Heitor Saraiva – 5,975,000 (100 bb)
Karl Manouchakian – 3,730,000 (62 bb)

Event 21: Signature NLH

$3,500 Signature NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure
Level 1:  500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante

The biggest buy-in tournament on the schedule gets underway at 2 pm in the Event Center with the $3,500 Signature NLH trophy event—a big buy-in with a lot of play.

They’ll start with 100,000 stacks and all levels last 40 minutes until they reach the final table where they increase to 90 minutes. Late registration and unlimited re-entries are available until the start of Level 10 at 10 pm following the 90-minute dinner break.

It will be a fun tournament to watch and we look forward to see who jumps in the game.

  • Players begin with 100,000 in chips
  • Levels last 40 minutes; Final table levels last 90 minutes
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 10 (10:00pm)
  • Day 1 will end when nine players remain
  • Event 21 Structure Sheet

Championship: Final Table Lineup

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 778

Seat 1: Heitor Saraiva – 6,755,000 (113 bb)
Seat 2: Karl Manouchakian – 2,225,000 (37 bb)
Seat 3: Eric Edmonds – 770,000 (13 bb)
Seat 4: Jeremy Joseph – 5,300,000 (88 bb)
Seat 5: Seth Fischer – 1,450,000 (24 bb)
Seat 6: Craig Varnell – 3,570,000 (60 bb)
Seat 7: Raymond Mancini – 1,950,000 (33 bb)
Seat 8: Michael Phillips – 7,000,000 (117 bb)
Seat 9: Shane Melert – 2,100,000 (35 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $207,280 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $138,150
3rd: $101,930
4th: $75,990
5th: $57,250
6th: $43,580
7th: $33,530
8th: $26,070
9th: $20,490

10th: Rodney Turvin – $20,490
11th: Marcus Carter – $16,270
12th: James Calderaro – $16,270
13th: Brett Bader – $13,140
14th: Steven Bennett – $13,140

Championship: Rodney Turvin – 10th Place ($20,490)

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 778

Rodney Turvin

Craig Varnell opened to 130,000 from under the gun, Rodney Turvin three-bet shipped for 1,340,000 from the big blind, and Varnell called.

Varnell: JsJd
Turvin: Ad3d

Turvin needed to catch and ace or some diamonds and the QhTd9d flop gave him a sweat. The Tc turn and Jh finished the board and Turvin was eliminated in tenth place.

Craig Varnell – 3,570,000 (60 bb)
Rodney Turvin – Eliminated in 10th Place ($20,490)

Tournament staff paused the clock and the last nine players are redrawing seats for the final table.

Championship: Marcus Carter – 11th Place ($16,270); James Calderaro – 12th Place ($16,270)

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining:  10 of 778

Marcus Carter

Marcus Carter opened to 150,000 from the button and Michael Phillips defended his big blind to see the Jc7d5s flop. Phillips checked, Carter moved all in for about 1,100,000 and Phillips insta-snapped his call.

Phillips: QhJs
Carter: TdTc

Carter was ahead preflop but Phillips paired his jack to take the lead. Carter turned a gutshot straight with the 8s but blanked the Ah river to exit.

On the hand after Brett Bader was eliminated, Tampa legend James Calderaro was eliminated in 12th place.

Michael Phillips – 5,200,000 (104 bb)
Marcus Carter – Eliminated in 11th Place ($16,270)
James Calderaro – Eliminated in 12th Place ($16,270)

James Calderaro

Championship: Steven Bennett – 14th Place ($13,140); Brett Bader – 13th Place ($13,140)

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining:  12 of 778

Steven Bennett

Action folded to Craig Varnell in the cutoff and he announced all in. Steven Bennett checked his cards, called at risk for about 400,000 from the small blind and Karl Manouchakian folded his big.

Varnell: JhJc
Bennett: AsTd

Bennett needed a lot of help to double back into the game but blanked the 9s7h7c8cTs board to go out in 14th place.

Craig Varnell – 1,100,000 (22 bb)
Steven Bennett – Eliminated in 14th Place ($13,140)

While Bennett was playing his hand on Table 63, Brett Bader was eliminated in 13th place on Table 62.

Brett Bader – Eliminated in 13th Place ($13,140)

Brett Bader