$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 17:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  14 of 155

The 30 minutes between the bubble and break only saw two players hit the rail, still not a surprise until the stacks thin a bit.

We have a new leader with Rolands Norietis sitting with 401,000 followed by Alex Ivan at 381,000. Norietis’ most recent score came across the state in Hollywood when he finished third in their December Deep Stacks for $8,566.

Blinds are now 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante and the average stack is 220,000 (37 bb) with 14 players remaining.

Results so far:

15th: Luis Torres – $1,228
16th: James Trott III – $1,125

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining:  16 of 155

With the average stack sitting at nearly 50 big blinds, it was no surprise that the bubble took a long long time to play out. To be precise, it took 17 hands before an all in was even called to put someone at risk, more than one full level going two minutes per hand.

The one that got there was a four-way pot to a flop. The small blind checked, Alex Ivan bet 12,000, one player called, a short-stack called all in for 7,000, and the small blind folded. That left two live players who checked down the turn and river.

Ivan tabled for jacks up, the other live player showed for a busted flush draw, and the short stacked player had . He missed his flopped flush draw and was eliminated on the bubble putting everyone else in the money.

Payouts:

1st: $13,810 + Guitar Trophy
2nd: $8,696
3rd: $5,268
4th: $3,836
5th: $3,069
6th: $2,404
7th: $1,944
8th: $1,688
9th: $1,483
10th-12th: $1,381
13th-15th: $1,228
16th: $1,125

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 14:  2,000/3,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining:  17 of 155

With only a few minutes remaining in Level 14, two players were sent out to level 17 in the game. Tournament staff paused the clock to begin hand-for-hand action on the bubble.

Each of the three tables will play one hand at a time with two minutes coming off the clock for each hand until one player is eliminated putting the field in the money.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 14:  2,000/3,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining:  19 of 155

It only took a level to drop Event 5 down to the last three tables plus a couple of eliminations on top. With 19 players, they are only two knockouts away from starting the money bubble process.

Blinds are now 2,000/3,000 with a 3,000 ante and the average stack is 163,000 (54 bb).

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 13:  1,000/3,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining:  27 of 155

The dinner break is over and players are back in their seats, all chasing Lahcen Imkaoun with the biggest stack in the room. The WSOP Circuit winner is up to 393,000 with a lot of time to go.

Blinds are now 1,000/3,000 with a 3,000 ante and the average stack is 115,000 (38 bb) with 27 players remaining.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 12:  1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining:  27 of 155

Event 5 players were sent on their 30-minute dinner break once Level 12 came to an end. We have 27 players remaining and they will continue the grind to the title when they return.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 12:  1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining:  35 of 155

Level 12 rolled around and players can begin making their plans for a little dinner break coming up. Once they are through this level, tournament staff will send them on a 30-minute break while the 500 denom chips come out of play.

David Dibernard, 2020 Tampa WSOP Circuit ring winner, was among those to fall short as the tournament reached five tables.

Blinds are now 1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 ante and the average stack is 88,500 (44 bb).

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 10:  500/1,500 with a 1,500 ante
Players Remaining:  42 of 155

The parade to the rail continues unabated with another two tables broken down since the break to leave 42 in contention. That’s a healthy number with very deep stacks.

We found Carlos Loving making his Winter Poker Open debut. The three-time WSOP Circuit ring winner also has multiple titles on the other side of the state in Hollywood but still awaiting his first guitar trophy.

The blinds are sitting at 500/1,500 with a 1,500 ante and the average stack is 74,000 (49 bb).

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 9:  500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining:  56 of 155

The second break is complete after tournament staff colored off the black chips and broke another table to get the true count down to 56.

No one is running away with the chip lead at this point and Kajuan Hutchinson looks like the early frontrunner with 112.500.

Blinds are up to 500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante and the average stack is 55,500 (55 bb) with 56 players remaining.

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 8:  400/800 with a 800 ante
Players Remaining:  63 of 155

Level 8 is coming to an end and players are set to take their second break of the day with only 63 players remaining. That’s a pretty good run for the structure and we expect a slowdown before they make the third break.

Jason Block is back in the Poker Room after picking up his first guitar trophy last night. He was the last player standing last night after capturing the outright title in WPO Event 4.