$1,650 Winter Poker Open Main Event
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 15:  2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 ante
Day 1A Players Remaining:  16 of 107

Flight A has reached the final level of the evening and the end-of-day chip leader is still in question with several players nearing 400K. Only 16 players remain and the clock is ticking.

Table 12
Seat 1: Reggie Bautista
Seat 2: John O’Neal
Seat 3: John Dolan
Seat 4: Michael Cohen
Seat 5: Harry Binda
Seat 6: — Empty —
Seat 7: Jason Goldman
Seat 8: Haitham Kaki
Seat 9: Ken O’Donnell

Table 13
Seat 1: Ryan Hogan
Seat 2: Douglas Marro
Seat 3: Bryce McVay
Seat 4: A.J. Kelsall
Seat 5: Joseph Orsino
Seat 6: — Empty —
Seat 7: Austin Buchanan
Seat 8: Marcus Araujo
Seat 9: Sara Hall

$1,650 Winter Poker Open Main Event
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 14:  2,000/3,000 with a 2,000 ante
Day 1A Players Remaining:  18 of 107

Table 12
Seat 1: Reggie Bautista
Seat 2: John O’Neal
Seat 3: John Dolan
Seat 4: Michael Cohen
Seat 5: Harry Binda
Seat 6: Armando Figueroa
Seat 7: Jason Goldman
Seat 8: Haitham Kaki
Seat 9: Ken O’Donnell

Table 13
Seat 1: Ryan Hogan
Seat 2: Gregory White
Seat 3: Bryce McVay
Seat 4: A.J. Kelsall
Seat 5: Joseph Orsino
Seat 6: David Meagher
Seat 7: Austin Buchanan
Seat 8: Marcus Araujo
Seat 9: Sara Hall

$1,650 Winter Poker Open Main Event
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 13:  1,000/3,000 with a 3,000 ante
Day 1A Players Remaining:  21 of 107

In a battle of the blinds and the board reading , Armando Figueroa checked from the small blind and John Dolan bet 17,000. Figueroa check-raised to 38,000 and Dolan called after thinking for a minute.

The river was and Figueroa tossed out 20,000 with another 34,000 behind. Dolan took his time to think it through, looked a Figueroa a couple of times, and tossed in a call.

Figueroa immediately rapped on the table, Dolan showed for a pair of nines, and Figueroa mucked.

John Dolan – 390,000 (130 bb)
Armando Figuroa – 38,000 (13 bb)

$1,650 Winter Poker Open Main Event
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 13:  1,000/3,000 with a 3,000 ante
Day 1A Players Remaining:  24 of 107

The last break is upon us and the 24 remaining players were sent on the final 15-minute break.

They will return and play three more levels. Those will chips will be them in a bag for Day 2 on Sunday.

$1,650 Winter Poker Open Main Event
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 12:  1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 ante
Day 1A Players Remaining:  27 of 107

The last break of the day is in the near future and Flight A dropped down to three tables along the way. The pace and math say they should finish with somewhere around 14 people advancing to Day 2.

While players were going out, Haitham Kaki extended his lead and now has 410,000.

$1,650 Winter Poker Open Main Event
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 11:  1,000/1,500 with a 1,500 ante
Day 1A Players Remaining:  33 of 107

Flight A dropped down to three tables soon after the dinner break and more big stacks are appearing. Haitham Kaki is the new leader with 297,000 but Austin Buchanan is not far behind (or far away, sitting next to Kaki) with 292,000.

WSOPC ring winner Sara Hall is also working her way up the counts and sits with 134,000.

$1,650 Winter Poker Open Main Event
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 10:  500/1,500 with a 1,500 ante
Day 1A Players Remaining:  36 of 107

Tournament staff went over the accounting and Flight A of the Winter Poker Open Main Event drew 107 for a great start to the tournament. The second flight runs on Friday at 11 am the final on Saturday at the same time.

Players will continue into the evening and bag up after Level 15 around 10:45 pm.

$1,650 Winter Poker Open Main Event
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 10:  500/1,500 with a 1,500 ante
Day 1A Entries:  106

Main Event players are retaking their seats as the final entries buy in. We will have the official numbers shortly after the restart.

Austin Buchanan was the leader at the second break and continued to build his stack before dinner. He returns with 187,000 to lead the pack followed Armando Figueroa (147,000) and Reggie Bautista.

$1,650 Winter Poker Open Main Event
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 9:  500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante
Day 1A Entries:  104

Level 9 is complete and tournament staff sent the Main Event players on their 60-minute dinner break. Plenty of time to enjoy the various epicurean delights around the property.

Once they return, registration will close on the first of three starting flights with the next running tomorrow at 11 am.

$1,650 Winter Poker Open Main Event
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 8:  400/800 with a 800 ante
Day 1A Entries:  100

The entry count climbed to triple digits around the same time Level 8 rolled around. That’s a good start with bigger crowds expected as we head into the weekend.

Reggie Bautista is another big stack emerging and the SHR Tampa regular is up to 105,000 at a tough table that includes John O’Neal, Joseph Orsino, and Karl Manouchakian. Bautista picked up the biggest score of his career only a few weeks ago; he earned $23,369 for second place in the Pinktober Poker Open $360 Mega Stack tournament.