Winter Poker Open Main Event
$1,650 Buy-In, $500,000 Guaranteed
Level 11: 600/1,200/200 | Structure
Players Remaining: 79/164
James Salmon is one of a number of players that made the trek northwest from South Florida. With more than $600,000 in reported earnings to go along with three wins in Hollywood alone, Salmon is a tournament regular and hopes to notch a Tampa cash onto his resume.
So far so good for the Davie resident as he has a stack of about 132,000.
Winter Poker Open Main Event
$1,650 Buy-In, $500,000 Guaranteed
Level 10: 500/1,000/75 | Structure
Players Remaining: 84/164
The Flight A field is final with 164 entries. That marks a year-over-year increase of more than 15 percent and puts the tournament in position for a huge field. If that trend continues, the final tally could top out at more than 550 with a prize pool in excess of $800,000.
Here’s the event at a glance:
| Day/Time | Flight | Entries |
| Thur/11am | A | 164 |
| Fri/11am | B | — |
| Sat/11am | C | — |
| Total | — | 164 |
Unofficial prize pool: $246,000
Players still in today’s game are set to lot about six more levels before those still in bag, tab and return for Day 2 Sunday.
Winter Poker Open Main Event
$1,650 Buy-In, $500,000 Guaranteed
Heading to Level 10: 500/1,000/75 | Structure
Flight A Entries: 163
Players are in the midst of their one-hour dinner break. The clock shows 163 in the game to this point with registration and re-entry available until cards go back in the air at about 7:15pm.
Garth Fudens has had a decent go of Flight A to this point, sitting on about 125,000. While he’s in good shape, he trails the likes of defending champion David Bradshaw (220,000) and John Racener (180,000).
With a big opener, tickets in the Winter Poker Open Main Event will be in high demand. The tournament boasts a $1,650 buy-in, but those looking to get in for a discount have two more opportunities for a more affordable entry.
Here’s a look at the satellites still to come:
Tonight at 7pm: $200 Main Event Satellite (1-in-10)
Friday at 4pm: $200 Main Event Satellite (1-in-10)
Flight B of the Main Event goes tomorrow at 11am while the third and final Flight C goes Saturday at 11am.
Winter Poker Open Main Event
$1,650 Buy-In, $500,000 Guaranteed
Level 8: 300/600/57 | Structure
Flight A Entries: 158
John Racener was a bit tardy to the Main Event kickoff, registering right around the first break. Despite spotting the field a few levels of play, he’s passed up much of the competition now claiming a stack of about 160,000. Racener, best known for his runner-up finish in the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up finish, is local to the Tampa area and has tournament earnings of better than $9,600,000.
It’s still early, but he leads the field here in Flight A of the Winter Poker Open Main Event.
Winter Poker Open Main Event
$1,650 Buy-In, $500,000 Guaranteed
Level 7: 250/500/57 | Structure
Flight A Entries: 156
Primarily a cash game player, Joey Alegria burst on the Tampa tournament scene back in August of 2016. From there, he laid low for a few months before recording two big cashes during this series last year. First, he final tabled the $570, finishing sixth for $23,000. From there, he ran deep in the Main Event gracing the final table before bowing out eighth for just over $12,000.
Alegria’s early tournament career was littered with success, but he’s had a more difficult go of it as of late. He’s in the Flight A action here in the Main Event and hopes to earn himself a couple off days between now and Sunday’s Day 2.
Winter Poker Open Main Event
$1,650 Buy-In, $500,000 Guaranteed
Level 7: 250/500/57 | Structure
Flight A Entries: 151
The second break of the day has expired and players are again in their seats, now to blinds of 250/500 and a 75 ante. We caught up with the aforementioned David Bradshaw, reigning Winter Poker Open Main Event champion, and found him mixing it up in a big pot just before the break.
It was three-bet pre with Bradshaw in position against the under-the-gun player. The flop was 
. The UTG player checked and Bradshaw bet 4,500. The UTG player promptly raised to 13,500 and Bradshaw perked up. He raised his arms trying to get a look at his opponent’s stack, then shoved. Both opponents were deep — Bradshaw had 46,000 behind and appeared to be covered. After a couple minutes, Bradshaw called clock. The UTG player ran it all the way to his five-second countdown before he found a fold. He folded pocket kings face up. With that, Bradshaw has joined the double-up club early on Day 2 with about 65,000 chips.
Last year, Bradshaw defeated 488 entries in this event pocketing $154,000 in the process.
Winter Poker Open Main Event
$1,650 Buy-In, $500,000 Guaranteed
Level 6: 200/400/50 | Structure
Flight A Entries: 150
There’s a pair of past Winter Poker Open Main Event champions in the Flight A field. 2015’s winner, John Templeton, is in search of another title after scoring more than $134,000 just two years ago. Preceding him to the WPO winner’s circle was the 2014 champ, A.J. Kelsall. Kelsall defeated a slightly smaller field and went home with just over $124,000.
Defending champion David Bradshaw is on site, but we haven’t seen him take his seat yet.
Winter Poker Open Main Event
$1,650 Buy-In, $500,000 Guaranteed
Level 5: 150/300/50 | Structure
Flight A Entries: 142
Seminole Hard Rock Tampa poker ambassador Wally Maddah was on the button. The cutoff raised to 1,075 and Maddah called. Next up was the small blind that also called while the big blind released. They were three-handed to the flop
Flop: 
— It checked to Maddah who bet 1,800. Both players called and the pot remained three-handed.
Turn: 
— It checked to Maddah again. He continued to bet, this time 2,500. Both the small blind and the cutoff released and Maddah took the pot without confrontation.
The hand moved Maddah comfortably over starting stacks and he’s off to a good start here in the opener.
Winter Poker Open Main Event
$1,650 Buy-In, $500,000 Guaranteed
Level 5: 150/300/50 | Structure
Flight A Entries: 137
Karl Manouchakian has been a staple on the Tampa tournament scene for the past couple years. He hit it hard early, recording first- and second-place finishes during the 2016 WPTDeepStacks ultimately earning Player of the Series honors. Additionally, he recorded a final table appearance at last June’s WPTDeepStacks Main Event ultimately bowing out ninth.
He’s had some small cashes as of late, finishing 51st in last week’s $570 opener, but is in search of another big score here in the Main Event.