$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 10: 400/800 with a 100 ante
Flight A Players Remaining: 100 of 189

The numbers were crunched and Flight A of the Main Event officially drew 189 entries. That is only two off last year’s opening flight and well within the expected numbers with two huge flights to come. That puts us more than halfway to the $300,000 Guarantee and we should get there tomorrow.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 10: 400/800 with a 100 ante
Flight A Entries: 189

Cards are back in the air and we confirmed that the big stack did indeed belong to Dino Patsourakis. The SHR Tampa favorite is enjoying his time so far and laughing it up with his tablemates.

The clock shows an unofficial 189 entries in Flight A but we will wait for the smart folks to do all the proper accounting.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 9: 300/600 with a 75 ante
Flight A Entries: 188

A quick walk among the tables found one big stack waiting for a return. It looks like Ioannis Patsourakis will be the leader coming back with a very nice 182,300 stack.

We’ll double check that it is still Patsourakis in that seat but, either way, someone is coming back to a lot of chips.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 9: 300/600 with a 75 ante
Flight A Entries: 185

Main Event players are now on a 60-minute dinner break. Plenty of time to enjoy all the food options in the casino before coming back for six more levels.

The quarter chips will be coming out of play during the break and we should see some faster action when they return.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 9: 300/600 with a 75 ante
Flight A Entries: 185

Mackenzie Ramsay was facing a short-stack shove for 2,500 with the board reading and he easily called.

Ramsay:
Opponent:

Ramsay needed to dodge a diamond, a four, an ace, or a king for the knockout. None of those 15 outs hit the river to give him the pot.

Mackenzie Ramsay – 93,000

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 9: 300/600 with a 75 ante
Flight A Entries: 181

Level 9 is upon us and that means time is running out to join the first flight of the WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event. Even after the level comes to an end, there will still be the hour-long dinner break to get in if they wish.

David Tuthill exercises his entry option before the break. The former WSOP Circuit Main Event has curtailed his play as of late but he’s made an appearance a few times this series.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 8: 250/500 with a 50 ante
Flight A Entries: 170

The entry count is up to 170 with two hours remaining in registration so the 191 from last year is in play. That would be a great start to the Main Event with two bigger days coming up.

Tampa poker pro Michael Laake was a recent addition after the second break and he has a big milestone on the horizon. He owns several titles, including a 2016 SHR Tampa Winter Poker Open win, and his career total sits just south of $1 million earned. If Laake wins this tournament, that would do it.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 7: 200/400 with a 50 ante
Flight A Entries: 170

We didn’t see the preflop action but we heard the post-flop noise. We hustled over to see Corey Major all in for 14,000 against John Pappas with his dominating .

The table erupted when the dealer spread the flop. Major hit a full house, Pappas had the old flopped quads, and Major couldn’t find a one-out win on the turn or river. Major took it in stride and Pappas moved up to 41,000.

“Man, he took that really well,” Pappas commented about Major.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 7: 200/400 with a 50 ante
Flight A Entries: 168

The break is over and players returned to their seats for another set of three levels. This time they will go on a 60-minute dinner break with plenty of time to enjoy the amenities on property.

We found a big stack this time. There were no standouts at the first break but Andrea Ruosi established himself by the time they hit the second. The Italian player is sitting nicely with 125,000 with a lot of time to run it up further.

$1,100 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 6: 150/300 with a 25 ante
Flight A Entries: 165

We have reached the end of another three levels and Main Event players are leaving the tables for the next break. The entry count continues to move north and we are less than 30 away from topping last year’s first flight numbers.