$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 4: 100/200 with a 25 ante
Entries: 112

John Dolan is one of the most accomplished players in any tournament he enters. With nearly $4,500,000 in career earnings including an appearance in the 2010 November Nine, Dolan sits ninth on the Florida all-time money list.

He recently let go of a small pot after raising to 500 under the gun and C-betting 800 into two opponents. He checked the turn and folded when one of the opponents bet. Dolan currently sits at 40,000 chips and has grown his stack nicely over the first few levels.

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 4: 100/200 with a 25 ante
Entries: 107

Justin Fawcett steamrolled the first three levels of play and returned from break with about 104,000 chips. That was good enough to put him in the top spot at the time, but he surrendered a pot the first hand following break. Fawcett still sits at about 90,000. Much of his climb to the top came courtesy of 2014 Winter Poker Open Championship winner, Andrew “AJ” Kelsall who he busted in Level 3.

Fawcett has experienced some success here at the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. The Gainesville resident finished third in June’s WPTDeepStacks-Tampa Main Event good for a score of over $47,000.

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 3: 75/150 with a 25 ante
Entries: 103

With nearly 10 minutes remaining in Level 3, the Flight A Championship field cracked triple digit territory. This all but assures the tournament will best last year’s opening field of 105 entries and puts it in great position to see a massive prize pool when all is said and done Saturday evening.

In addition to today’s Flight A, Flight B begins tomorrow at 11am and Flight C Saturday at 11am. Registration is open each day until about 7pm.

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 3: 75/150 with a 25 ante
Entries: 97

Tampa regular Tony March recently had his whole stack at risk. He and the big blind got 3,000 in preflop and saw a board of . The big blind lead for another 3,000 and March moved all-in. The big blind folded and March took the pot.

March’s stack sits at about 23,000 following the hand.

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 2: 75/150
Entries: 88

Anthony Astarita isn’t the defending champion, but he’s a defending champion. Last year’s Winter Poker Open Championship winner, of course, was John Templeton. But it’s Asarita who won the last major event here in Tampa.

The Orlando-area player claimed victory in the property’s WPTDeepStacks-Tampa Main Event good for a haul of $130,541. Astarita, who was primarily a cash game player in recent years, has been on the tournament grind ever since. He’s recorded a handful of cashes, and even final tabled an event here in October for $18,000.

He’s in search of another title here in Flight A of the WPO Championship.

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 2: 75/150
Entries: 82

The $300,000 guaranteed Winter Poker Open is off to a strong start with 82 entries at the beginning of Level 2. If the current pace holds up, last year’s Flight A figure of 105 should be easily bested.

Late registration and re-entry is available until about 7pm.

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 1: 50/100
Entries: 79

In addition to hefty first prizes and a guitar trophy, the majority of the Winter Poker Open prelim champions earned themselves $1,650 seats in the Championship. A handful of those winners are in action during the early stages of Flight A. Here’s a look at them:

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 1: 50/100
Entries: 75

When Justin Zaki plays an event, everyone at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa takes notice. The Florida resident is one of three players that wears the property’s token purple patch at events across the country. Zaki owns nearly $1,750,000 in career earnings and has been looking forward to the Winter Poker Open Championship all year.

He’s been active early, playing a handful of small pots, but sits near starting stack.

Playin 1A of the $1650/300k GTD at my home casino @SHRTPoker. Reg open til 7pm. Must play event for anyone in the area.

— Justin Zaki (@Justin_Zaki) December 15, 2016

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 1: 50/100
Entries: 61

The day is here. Thursday marks beginning of the Winter Poker Open Championship, the series’ $1650 buy-in, $300,000 guaranteed finale. Last year’s event blew the doors off the poker room drawing more than 450 entries generating a prize pool of over $675,000. In the end, John Templeton earned a six-figure top prize along with the property’s token guitar trophy.

Flight A — the first of three starting flights in this year’s event — is freshly underway. Players are taking their seats to 30,000-chip starting stacks and are set to log 14, 45-minute levels. Late registration and re-entry are available until about 7pm with play expected to conclude around 11pm.

Here’s a closer look at the schedule:

11AM: Day 1A – $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, Championship players!

Main Event Schedule

11AM: Day 1A – $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 25 – $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 25 Structure Sheet

7PM: Event 26 – $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 26 Structure Sheet