What’s not to love at the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa?  The place is covered with Rock & Roll memorabilia and if you don’t love the classic rock music coming from the speakers in the Poker Room, then you just don’t know music.  From Bruce Springsteen  to Pink Floyd, from Pat Benatar to Lynyrd Skynyrd, the hits just keep pouring over the poker players.

If you’re concentrating too hard on what’s going on down on the felt that you don’t even notice the gold records up on the walls, you need to take a deep breath and look around.

Level 5:  Blinds 150/300/25 ante

Players have returned from their first break of the day and registration for this flight is closed.  Unofficially, there were 76 entries in Flight 1.

Jim Seaver (Weeki Wachee, FL) leads the remaining 56 players with about 80,000 chips.  On his way to the chip lead, he won a big pot and busted a player who got all-in holding a flush draw when Jim had top pair and the nut-flush draw.

At a time when the average stack is only about 20k, Jim (pictured above) is sitting behind four times the average and looking good!

Level 4:  Blinds 100/200/25 ante

About halfway through level four and seven tables are in action in Flight 1 of Event 1.  There’s no line at registration, which is open for this flight through the break after this level (about 1:20pm).

Once registration closes, players will have to settle for either Flight 2 at 7pm, or return tomorrow for Flight 3 at 11am.

Local poker pro Natasha Barbour has three previous wins  here at the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa and the newlywed Natasha is apparently spending her honeymoon here playing poker, looking for win number four.

Married just five days ago, she is now Natasha Raimon and apparently the name change is working for her.  She tweeted this:

Natasha Raimon is 2 for 2 in tourneys. #newlastnameheaaaaaattttttttter

— Natasha Raimon (@natashabarbour) March 7, 2014

Congratulations to Natasha and her husband Mike!

Level 2:  Blinds 75/150

Event 1 of the Spring Poker Open carries a $100,000 Guarantee on the prize pool and there are three starting flights.  Flight 1 began this morning at 11am.  Flight 2 begins at 7pm tonight, and the third and final starting flight beings at 11am Saturday.

Players may enter multiple starting flights and if they manage to bag chips in more than one, they will take their “best” stack into Day 2, which is on Sunday at 10am (no combining stacks).

Re-entries are unlimited, so players can fire as many bullets as they like in each flight until registration closes at the start of level 5 (of each flight).

Flight 1 of the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Spring Poker Open kickoff event is underway!  Event 1 players are starting with 15,000 chips and Day 1 levels are 30 minutes long.

Level 1 blinds are 50/100.

They’ll play 14 levels or until down to 14% of the field before bagging up for the night.

Late registration and re-entry for players who bust out are available until the start of level 5 (about 1:20pm)

Cards are in the air!

TODAY’S EVENTS in the Poker Room

11AM: Event 1A: $560 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 GUARANTEED PRIZE POOL

• Players start with 15,000 in tournament chips
• Day 1 Levels: will last 30 minutes each | Day 2 Levels: will last 40 minutes each
• Registration is open through the first five (5) Levels
• Players that bust within the first five (5) Levels may Re-Enter the tournament as a new player
• Players participating in multiple Day 1 flights may choose their “best” stack for Day 2
• This is a two-day tournament with three starting flights.
  Day 2 is Sunday, March 9 at 10AM
• Event Structure

7PM: Event 1B: $560 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 GUARANTEED PRIZE POOL

• Players start with 15,000 in tournament chips
• Day 1 Levels: will last 30 minutes each | Day 2 Levels: will last 40 minutes each
• Registration is open through the first five (5) Levels
• Players that bust within the first five (5) Levels may Re-Enter the tournament as a new player
• Players participating in multiple Day 1 flights may choose their “best” stack for Day 2
• This is a two-day tournament with three starting flights.
  Day 2 is Sunday, March 9 at 10AM
• Event Structure

The 2014 Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Spring Poker Open tournament series will kick-off on Friday, March 7 in our poker room.  The series features nine main events along with several satellite events and exciting live poker action.  The series features our signature $300,000 Guaranteed WPT Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Spring Poker Open Championship event (March 14-16).

Partner Hotel Information:
In order to receive the Hard Rock rate, please call and mention you are playing in the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Spring Poker Open tournament  or are a Hard Rock guest.

Rates are based on partner hotel availability.

Hampton Inn & Suites – Tampa East
813-630-4321
Hampton Website
Rates start at $59

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites – Tampa Fairgrounds
813-490-1000
Holiday Inn Website
Rates start at $59

Country Inn & Suites by Carlson – Tampa East
813-675-8600
Country Inn Website
Rates start at $69

Comfort Suites – Tampa Fairgrounds
813-868-7770
Comfort Suites Website
Rates start at $79

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott – Tampa Fairgrounds
813-626-3000
Fairfield Inn Website
Rates start at $89

Sheraton – Tampa East
813-623-6363
Sheraton Website
Rates start at $129