$1,700 TPC Championship
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 9: 800/1,600 with a 1,600 ante
Day 1C Entries: 153
If you want to jump into the 2026 TPC Championship, it’s time to make your move. We are into Level 9 and registration will close at 5:45 pm after the next break.
The prize pool is up to $438,000 and we will pick up a few more before we close the books on the big game.
$1,700 TPC Championship
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 7: 500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante
Day 1C Entries: 131
Players returned from their seat break with 131 entries in Flight C to put the prize pool over $400,000 with a couple of hours to run it up.
Some friends in the field include Jamie “Beard” Smith, husband/wife Kelley and Kelly Slay (not a typo), Dion Jagroo, Karl Manouchakian, John Two-Bears, Wagner Wysotchanski, John Dolan, TK Miles, A.J. Kelsall, Nick Scholz, Josias Santos, Gabe Fuller, Drew Dodge, Diego Uez, Alex Ivan, Mark Wiser, and Juan Catala.
$1,700 TPC Championship
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 5: 300/600 with a 600 ante
Day 1C Entries: 117
We received some sad news this afternoon: Tom McDonald, a long-time regular in the room, passed away overnight, leaving a hole in the Tampa poker community. We lost one of the nicest guys in the game.
Tom’s three biggest tournament cashes came from previous runs in this series, and his top two were in this tournament. He finished third in the 2022 TPC Championship and runner-up in the 2024 version.
In both of those Championship events, Paul Snead took the top spot, and that was something Tom joked about often.
“Have you seen Paul Snead?” he would laugh before entering a tournament. “I can’t beat him.”
Tom also had a fun deep run during the WSOP Super Seniors Event in 2022, which led to lots of laughs and memories he loved sharing.
Rest in peace to a truly kind gentleman and friend to so many in the Poker Room. Our condolences to his friends and family. He will be missed.
$1,700 TPC Championship
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1: 100/200 with a 200 ante
Day 1C Entries: 32
As promised, Flight C of the TPC Championship had 32 entries at the start of play, putting the combined total at 171 and the prize pool over the $250,000 guarantee.
Registration and re-entries remain open until the start of Level 10 at 5:45 pm.
$1,700 TPC Championship
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1: 100/200 with a 200 ante
The third and final flight of the 2026 Tampa Poker Classic Championship starts at 11 am and we will hit the first milestone right out of the gates. As soon as cards go in the air, the $1,700 buy-in tournament will officially surpass its $250,000 guarantee and the prize pool will continue climbing until we close registration.
Players sit with 40K stacks and all levels last 40 minutes. Late registration and unlimited re-entries are available until the start of Level 10 at 5:45 pm.
Action will continue until 12.5% of the field remains and survivors will advance to Day 2 tomorrow at 11 am.
Primary Event Schedule
11AM: Day 1C – $1,700 TPC Championship (Re-Entry)
Secondary and Satellite Schedule
9AM: $200 Championship Last Chance Satellite (1-in-10)
$1,700 TPC Championship
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 14: 3,000/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 18 of 139
Flight A: 53 Entries; 7 Advanced
Flight B: 86 Entries; 11 Advanced
Flight C: Saturday at 11 am
Day 2: Sunday at 11 am
| Rank | First Name | Last Name | City | State | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heather | Kimel | Lutz | FL | 711,000 |
| 2 | Dan | Murray | Tampa | FL | 610,000 |
| 3 | Daniel | Zucker | Tampa | FL | 595,000 |
| 4 | Hassan | El Hakim | Sarasota | FL | 521,000 |
| 5 | Justin | Green | Clearwater | FL | 427,000 |
| 6 | David | Meagher | Mulberry | FL | 342,000 |
| 7 | Cheri | Ivan | Oldsmar | FL | 299,000 |
| 8 | Edwards | Muniz | Tampa | FL | 295,000 |
| 9 | Ken | Grooms | Lakeland | FL | 250,000 |
| 10 | Bradley | Williams | Riverview | FL | 227,000 |
| 11 | Wayne | Leonard | Tampa | FL | 226,000 |
| 12 | Mitch | Garshofsky | Las Vegas | NV | 202,000 |
| 13 | Fred | Paradis | Oldsmar | FL | 189,000 |
| 14 | Ricardo | Eyzaguirre | Miami | FL | 184,000 |
| 15 | Tony | March | Tampa | FL | 172,000 |
| 16 | Mark | Cahill | Chicago | IL | 140,000 |
| 17 | C.J. | Walker | Ormond Beach | FL | 112,000 |
| 18 | Tyler | Green | Richmond | VA | 51,000 |
$1,700 TPC Championship
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 14: 3,000/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Day 1B Players Remaining: 11 of 86
Surrounded by the bustling live action and satellite tables, Flight B of the Championship reached the money bubble and made it through when Tampa legend Ken O’Donnell went out in 12th with 11 advancing.
Heather Kimel ran out late in the day and bagged the overall chip with one flight to go.
Flight B counts:
Heather Kimel – 711,000 (142 bb)
Hassan El Hakim – 521,000 (104 bb)
Justin Green – 427,000 (85 bb)
David Meagher – 342,000 (68 bb)
Cheri Ivan – 299,000 (60 bb)
Edwards Muniz – 295,000 (59 bb)
Bradley Williams – 227,000 (45 bb)
Wayne Leonard – 226,000 (45 bb)
Mitch Garshofsky – 202,000 (40 bb)
Mark Cahill – 140,000 (28 bb)
Tyler Green – 51,000 (10 bb)
$1,700 TPC Championship
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 12: 1,500/3,000 with a 3,000 ante
Day 1B Players Remaining: 15 of 86
Flight B of the TPC Championship will soon take it’s last break with 15 remaining and 11 advancing to Day 2. It shouldn’t go another two hours further to reach another break.
While we are focusing on the tournament area, a local celebrity is sitting at a front table of the Draper Room. Not Daniel Lobato, though his poker accomplishments are noteworthy, but rather his companion, Cocoa.
Cocoa is popular among our regular grinders and receives multiple massages from our therapists working in the Draper Room. A cheery, happy sight at the tables.
$1,700 TPC Championship
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 11: 1,500/2,500 with a 2,500 ante
Day 1B Players Remaining: 20 of 86
We had a nice surprise near the end of registration, when poker/internet/YouTube star Masato “World Wide” Yokosawa walked to the cage to join the TPC Championship.
Masato has more than $4 million in career earnings, over one million subscribers to his YouTube Channel, and more than a dozen six-figure cashes, including a fifth-place finish in this summer’s WSOP $25K High Roller.
He took a max late-reg seat next to our chip leader, Justin Green, but could not run up his 40K starting stack.
Masato will be back tomorrow for the final flight of the Championship and looking for a trophy to match the one he won with our friends down in Hollywood.