$600 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20: 8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  14 of 186

The lengthy money bubble meant we had some short stacks who had to make some moves. That quickly dropped the tournament to the last two tables plus two more knockouts.

Everyone is now guaranteed at least $1,640 with the final table on the horizon.

15th: Ron Johnston – $1,530
16th: Frederick Zupanc – $1,530
17th: Blair Miller – $1,450
18th: Mark Rupnik – $1,450
19th: Anthony Astarita – $1,450

$600 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18: 4,000/8,000 with a 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  19 of 186

It took a long time to burst the bubble. More than one level with 17 hands dealt before they lost someone.

Carmen S (redacted) was playing in her first traveling tournament and was short on the money bubble. In fact, she was down to 11,000 two breaks ago but was enjoying herself and staying alive. Carmen tried for another double-up but had three other people coming along to dodge.

The board ran out and Carmen tabled . She flopped two pair queens and tens but that turned out to be second best after Ron Johnston turned over . He flopped an open-ender that got there on the turn and his queen-high straight sent Carmen out on the bubble.

The entire table was having a great time and Carmen kept them laughing. The tournament was a little less fun after that.

$600 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 16:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  20 of 186

Not long after the return, Event 9 hit 20 players to put it on the money bubble.

Tournament staff paused the clock to begin hand-for-hand play taking two minutes off per hand until one player is elimination to put the field in the money.

$600 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 16:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  22 of 186

Players returned to their seats after the dinner break with 22 remaining and 19 getting paid.

Maurice Hawkins jumped into the lead with 530,000 followed by Joe Marincola’s 427,000 and Brandon Byars with 361,000.

Once they are down to 20 players, tournament staff will pause the clock to begin play on the money bubble.

$600 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 16:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  22 of 186

Tournament staff sent the remaining 22 players on a 30-minute dinner break following Level 16. They will return and play until we have two more eliminations to begin the money bubble process.

$600 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  2,500/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining:  31 of 186

Event 9 is cruising along and already down to the last four tables of the tournament with 31 players remaining. That pace won’t keep up as they near the money bubble and the dinner break after Level 16.

$600 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 13:  1,500/3,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining:  54 of 186

Players returned from their early dinner and cards are back in the air. Everyone is chasing Brandon Byars right now and he holds a big lead. He returned to a stack worth 402,000 and the closest is Maurice Hawkins back in second with 261,000.

Byars already has one win this series and another final table. He already called his shot and said he’s making this final table.

$600 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 12:  1,200/2,400 with a 2,400 ante
Players Remaining:  57 of 186

Level came to an end and tournament staff sent the players on a 30-minute dinner break as the black chips are colored off. There are 57 players remaining so still some time left before they reach the money bubble.

$600 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 11:  1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining:  72 of 186

A look through the field found a lot of old friends back in the poker room for the series and a bunch who already took a shot in the WPO. Ricardo Eyzaguirre made the trek across the start for some preliminary and Main Event action.

Thomas Elder bounced from South Florida to North Carolina to Tampa and our most recent Main Event champ after winning the Pinktober Poker Open headliner.

Edgardo Rosario is a regular feature in our poker room and earned himself a WPO trophy late last night/early this morning in Event 8.

2021 Tampa Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 9
$600 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 186
Prize Pool:  $98,580
December 7, 2021

Registration closed for Winter Poker Open with 186 entries creating a prize pool worth $98,580 and crushing the $30,000 guarantee. The last 19 spots will earn some money with $1,450 for a min-cash and $26,870 awaiting the Event 9 winner.

1st: $26,870 + WPO trophy
2nd: $16,600
3rd: $11,440
4th: $8,100
5th: $5,900
6th: $4,430
7th: $3,420
8th: $2,730
9th-10th: $2,250
11th-12th: $1,910
13th-14th: $1,680
15th-16th: $1,530
17th-19th: $1,450