$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 11:  1,000/1,500 with a 1,500 ante
Day 1B Entries:  142

We’ve reached the portion of the day when more players are eliminated than those that join in the fun. Tournament staff broke the field down to the last five tables of the day plus a few empty seats for newcomers. That leaves approximately 38 players trying to advance with a little over three levels left in the day.

Wally Maddah was among the most recent eliminations of the day when his pocket nines could not beat the pocket tens of Jeremy Becker.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 10:  500/1,500 with a 1,500 ante
Day 1B Entries:  139

Mina Tawfik took an extended dinner break, more than a level and half while the others toiled to build a stack. He was the chip leader coming back and is still the chip leader now that he has returned to his seat.

Tawfik donated 10K of his stack to his tablemates but his 253,500 still puts him ahead of the rest of the field.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 10:  500/1,500 with a 1,500 ante
Day 1B Entries:  137

We’re still waiting for the return of chip leader Mina Tawfik and he’s probably dropping closer to second with each orbit. Going to dinner with 243 big blinds lets you take your time.

In the meantime, Ok Haselton is making a bit to take her spot at the top of the counts. The SHR Tampa favorite is among the leaders and sitting with 153,500 as they head into Level 10.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 9:  500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante
Day 1B Entries:  135

Flight B players returned to action after the dinner break, at least most of them did. Our chip leader heading into the respite was Mina Tawfik and he left early to get a head start on dining.

Tawfik also told staff that they’d be late coming back and we’re still awaiting a return. In the meantime, Tawfik’s table was broken and his chips transferred next to Tampa reg Manny Minaya. He had 263,500 at the start of the dinner break but that will dip with blinds and antes subtracted during his absence.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 8:  400/800 with a 800 ante
Day 1B Entries:  135

Flight B players were sent on their 40-minute dinner break at the end of Level 8 with 135 entries putting the prize pool over $85,000 so far.

They will return to play six more levels before bagging up their chips for a Day 2 return at noon.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 8:  400/800 with a 800 ante
Day 1B Entries:  128

“He’s a lawyer,” Marvin Karlin laughed when he spoke of Don Linsky. “And he’s my friend.”

Karlin was awaiting a decision from Pass in a big hand with the board reading . Pass bet 10,000 and Karlin moved all in, Linsky would have to call for 34,500 total and put himself at risk.

“I’m folding my queen,” Linsky said as he flashed his hand before mucking.

The two laughed as Karlin flipped over for a six-high straight and both friends are still in the game.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 7:  300/600 with a 600 ante
Day 1B Entries:  120

Players returned to their seats with the entry count only two shy from the entire Flight A field. We are building something big in the Poker Room.

Ryan Luker, 2017 WPTDeepStacks Tampa final table member, is the new chip leader with 157,800 with Tony March in second with 148,100. First break leader Alan Ramkha is still doing better than most with 127,800 good for third.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 6:  300/500 with a 500 ante
Day 1B Entries:  114

Level 6 is coming to an end which means it’s almost time to send the players on their second break. Flight B is already ahead of yesterday’s pace and they will get very close to a $100,000 prize pool before the end of the day.

We will take another look at the big stacks while they were gone and see if anyone caught Alan Ramkha over the last two hours.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 6:  300/500 with a 500 ante
Day 1B Entries:  111

Anthony Astarita opened the action from the cutoff before the big blind player shipped all in for his last 2,900 and Astarita called.

Big Blind:
Astarita:

Astarita was ahead with his suited ace but the big blind player took the lead on the flop. The board finished turn and river and our 2016 WPTDeepStacks Tampa Champ lost a little bit but still over starting stack.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 5:  200/400 with a 400 ante
Day 1B Entries:  101

Flight B hit the 100-entry mark in Level 5 as more players wake themselves on a Friday afternoon and make their way to the poker room.

Familiar faces include Marvin Karlins, Mark Wiser, Wally Maddah, Tony March, and Jeremy Becker among other locals trying to hit a big score.