$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

Level 7:  Blinds 300/600/75 ante

Ryan Sponaugle is making his Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Winter Poker Open debut in this event.  He’s had a lot of success here in the past, including a 2nd place finish in the 2013 WPT Regional Tampa Bay Open Championship for $72,240.

Also appearing for the first (and second) time in this event is John Holley.  The two-time WSOP Circuit ring winner has already busted out and re-entered, hence the ‘encore’ performance.  John’s career tournament earnings are over $940,000.

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

Level 6:  Blinds 200/400/50 ante

This flight is shaping up to be the biggest of all with the entry count already at 195.

Some of the faces that are filling the seats:

Richard Clayton
Tim Harrell
Rafael Reis
Herbert Woodbery
Jeff Trudeau
Debra Dorcy
Vitor Coelho
Tim Clermont
Marc Kropf
Manny Minaya
Adam Santos
Greg McNealy
Joey Carter
Jacob Naumann
Tam Nguyen

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

Level 5:  Blinds 150/300/25 ante

This flight has reached 184 entries, bringing the overall total to 1,012, so they’ve cleared the ‘G’ and there’s still plenty of time to get in.

Another player who bagged a short-stack last night is trying to improve her lot headed to Day 2.  Crystal Utley was the last woman remaining in Flight E and bagged 41,500, which will be just over 10 big blinds at the start of Day 2.

She’s taking a shot to bag a bigger stack in this flight.  “Might as well,” she said, “since he’s playing,” referring to her husband John, who is also in this flight.

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed

End of Level 4:  Blinds 100/200

Players are on break at the end of level 4 and they’ve got lots of options if they’re hungry.  There is no dinner break during this flight, which runs until about 2am, so they’ve got to grab and go.

Just outside the poker room is the food court, with Burgers, Pizza, Cuban, and Asian fare.  And don’t forget the Ice Cream for dessert.  The food court closes at 11pm tonight, except for Shake & Burger, which is open 24 hours on Wednesdays.

It’s a little bit further but the Rise Kitchen & Bakery also has some ‘grab & go’ options like salads and wraps, not to mention the to-die-for baked treats.  They close at 10pm.

You may not have time for this during the tournament, but if you’re ever looking for comfort food, Rise is the place to go.  Their Chicken Pot Pie  (shown below) is the size of a football and is incredible!

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed

Level 4:  Blinds 100/200

Garrett Topping has turned up in the field, taking his first shot at this event today.  He’s had a couple of small cashes here at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, but is still waiting for a big score.

Also back tonight is retired corrections officer Preston Waldron.  “First hand — Aces cracked,” he said.

Adam Rouse has made an appearance as well.  Adam took 2nd place and over $155,000 in the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open $560 Deep Stack NLH event back in August.

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
22 Players Remaining
Level 14 Complete/Next Blinds 2k/4k/500 ante
Play Resumes 12 pm Thursday.

Sterling Savill (Tampa, Fl) goes on heater during the last level to bag the Flight F chip lead at 249k.

“I got maximum value on my good hands,” said Savill who doubled up with QQ vs JJ. Two hands later he was stacking another 100k when he flopped two pairs with AK and was paid off by a player holding AQ.

“Another day on the felt,” said Savill who is confident heading into Day 2, “you have to get all the chips.”

Savill, who plays poker full time, is third overall after 6 of 7 flights, trailing only Tom Nguyen and Franklin Walker who both bagged 289k.

22 players bagged chips in Flight F to increase the returning number of players to 94.

The average stack is 106k (26 bb) with tonight’s Flight G still playing. Day 2 is 12 pm Thursday.

Flight F Chip Counts

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed

Level 3:  Blinds 75/150

Players are allowed to participate in multiple Day 1s in this event.  If they bag more then once, they will take their ‘best’ stack into Day 2 — no combining.

One player is here tonight taking advantage of this feature.  Anthony Pellegrini bagged 53,000 chips at the end of Flight C, which will be 13 big blinds when they return for Day 2.

If he manages to bag more than that in this flight, his 53,000 will be surrendered.  If not, he’ll still have that short-stack to play tomorrow!

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed

Level 2:  Blinds 50/100

Only six entries were needed in this flight to reach the guarantee and that was covered before they put cards in the air.  Now we’re shooting for the magic number of 1,000 entries!

The first six flights drew a total of 828, so we need 172 in this final flight to get there.  Already have 70 entries with plenty of time to late-register and re-enter.

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000/300 ante
30  Players Remaining,  80k avg (27 bb)

“That’s the only way I was going to get back in this,” says Bryan Gallo (Valrico, FL) after getting a huge 53k triple-up.

“I was down to 20k,” he says after flopping a set and dodging a few outs on the river.

Gallo and two other players are all in on a a flop of with Gallow in the lead.

Gallo:
Opponent 1:
Opponent 2:

The turn is the to give Gallo a full house, but A-7 picks up extra outs.  Gallo fades the river to get the triple-up.

The player holding A-7 wins a small side pot to eliminate the pocket Kings.

This is the last level before bag and tag.