$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 7: 200/400 with a 50 ante
Flight B Entries: 140 (Total Entries: 330)

The second break is complete and we are back underway in the poker room with a prize pool creeping up on $325,000.

There were a few stacks of similar sizes on the tables but one stood out. Sean Hampson is sitting with 95,000 and the closest player to triple digits with a few others hovering in the 80K territory. Hampson came close to winning his first title back in December but had to settle for the runner-up payout in the Winter Poker Open Pot Limit Omaha event.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 6: 150/300 with a 50 ante
Flight B Entries: 139 (Total Entries: 329)

It’s time for another break from the action as Level 6 comes to an end. We’ll take another walk around the tables to see who ran up a castle.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 5: 100/200 with a 25 ante
Flight B Entries: 135 (Total Entries: 325)

We weren’t sure if Rex Clinkscales would make it this year but he took time out of his busy summer poker schedule to fly into Tampa to defend his title.

Clinkscales outlasted all 704 entries last June to take the title along with more than $162,000. It was the first step to winning the WPTDeepStacks Player of the Year honors which he solidified with another win in the tour’s Edmonton stop.

There are only two former champions of this event and the other, Anthony Astarita, booked his Day 2 spot in yesterday’s flight.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 5: 100/200 with a 25 ante
Flight B Entries: 131 (Total Entries: 320)

Deborah Farmer is a familiar face in all of our events and she is in today’s field trying to push through to Day 2. She is also responsible for getting the field one player shorter.

Farmer had an opponent all in and at risk in a pretty standard race. She was ahead with against and they both hit the flop. Farmer’s middle set was better than top/top but she had a small sweat after the turn. She faded the river and sent a player packing.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 5: 100/200 with a 25 ante
Flight B Entries: 129 (Total Entries: 318)

More players are showing up on the left coast of Florida for the Main Event, trekking across Alligator Alley for some big money poker.

Charlemagne Benjamin made the trip with Michael Newman and they are both in today’s field. Benjamin has four tournament wins but all of them came at our sister room in Hollywood. He made the WPTDeepStacks Hollywood final table in January 2017 and his only cash here was during the WPTDeepStacks Tampa event in 2016.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 4: 75/150 with a 25 ante
Flight B Entries: 118 (Total Entries: 307)

We really didn’t have to wait that long to hit the magic number. Less than two minutes into the post-break level, entry number 118 put up their buy-in to push the prize pool over $300,000. Every new entry will now push it higher until registration closes tomorrow evening.

The next milestone is 220 entries and they will slide the prize pool over $400,000. It might not get here today, but will fly past it tomorrow if not.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 3: 75/150
Flight B Entries: 109 (Total Entries: 298)

Three levels down and it is time for the first break of the day. We have 109 entries so far and only nine away from making the $300,000 Guarantee. The count should click up during the break then pass the mark in the next level.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 3: 75/150
Flight B Entries: 100 (Total Entries: 289)

Yesterday we mentioned a mother/son set of players in the field but neither Marie Harrell nor her son Trey advanced to Day 2. Today we have the mother/daughter duo of Ok and Jennifer Haselton and they are trying to accomplish what the Harrell’s were unable to do.

Ok Haselton went deep in the opening event of the series and she also made two final tables in three days this past January with a win and third place finish. Jennifer Haselton won the Triple 30 event in April and scored big with a final table appearance in the 2016 Winter Poker Open $570 Deep Stack event.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 2: 50/100
Flight B Entries: 93 (Total Entries: 282)

We’re beginning to see some friends from the other side of the state take part in the WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event. Michael Newman made the trek from South Florida to take part in today’s flight with an opportunity to advance his standing the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Player of the Year race.

Newman sits in fourth place with two more tournaments to go, this one and the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship in August. He sits behind Brian Hastings, Brett Bader, and Darryll Fish and they are out in the desert of Las Vegas at the moment. A perfect time for Newman to add to his point total and gain some ground.

Newman’s biggest score came in November with a victory in the Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open” Championship.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 1: 25/50
Flight B Entries: 82 (Total Entries: 271)

The entry count continues to climb at an impressive pace, even better than last year’s flight which drew 199 entries. It will slow down as they near the dinner break but they are keeping everyone on their toes in the morning.

Marvin “Duckman” Karlins was in his seat before cards went in the air. The author/college professor/PHD/poker player is trying to match a WPTDeepStacks final table with his World Poker Tour final table appearance in 2015.