Championship Day 1B: Ladies Night Out

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 6: 200/400/50 Ante

Not only does this tournament bring out world champions but also brings out some of the most talented female poker players in the world.  Among all of these amazing women joining us for the Day 1B field are top pros Ebony Kenney, Nancy Birnbaum and Christina Lindley.

Stunningly, no woman has ever won a WPT Main Event Championship.  Could one of these ladies or the many others in the field finally make history here this week?  Only time will tell as we move forward on Day 1B.

Ebony Kenney
Ebony Kenney
Nancy Birnbaum
Nancy Birnbaum
Christina Lindley
Christina Lindley

Championship Day 1B: Jaffee Surges To Top

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 6: 200/400/50 Ante

It was folded to the small blind who opened for a raise. Jared Jaffee was sitting in the big blind and made the call. The flop came AhTh8d and Jaffee called a 900 bet from his opponent. The turn was the 2d and Jaffee would fold after his opponent bet 2,200.

Despite that small hit, Jaffee is currently sitting on the biggest stack in the room with approximately 205,000 in chips. There is approximately 15 minutes left before players will go on a 90-minute dinner break.

Championship Day 1B: Champs In The House

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 6: 200/400/50 Ante

Once again, three world champions are in the house today.  Jamie Gold has joined Jonathan Duhamel and Ryan Riess to take a stab at adding “WPT Champion” to their resumes.  Another world champion, Carlos Mortensen, bagged chips yesterday so we could potentially see at least four of the players who have won poker’s biggest prize be back for Day 2 on Sunday.

Jamie Gold  2006 WSOP Main Event Champion
Jamie Gold
2006 WSOP Main Event Champion
Jonathan Duhamel  2010 WSOP Main Event Champion
Jonathan Duhamel
2010 WSOP Main Event Champion
Ryan Riess  2013 WSOP Main Event Champion
Ryan Riess
2013 WSOP Main Event Champion

Championship Day 1B: Cousineau Avoids Trouble

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 6: 200/400/50 Ante

We got to the table with Tony Cousineau in the small blind and facing one player. The dealer fanned out a flop of KsJdTd and Cousineau put out a bet of 650. His opponent went deep into thought prompting the veteran poker pro to say “I’ll show you one time.”

That wasn’t good enough to get the job done as his opponent made the call and the dealer put out the Ac on the turn. Cousineau bet again, this time for 2,100. His opponent went into full-blown acting mode.

“Really sh***y card dealer,” he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Bet you were beat before that card,” said Cousineau.

“Call,” said his opponent.

The river was the 8d and Cousineau quickly checked. His opponent grabbed his remaining chips, all 18,100 of them, and splashed them carelessly into the pot.

“Wow, you had the queen,” said Cousineau, eventually letting go of his hand. His opponent did indeed have the queen as he showed QxTx for the turned Broadway straight.

379 entrants for this flight are showing on the tournament clock with approximately 45 minutes before the dinner break.

Championship Day 1B: Second Break Count

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 5: 150/300/50 Ante

Victor Cianelli
Victor Cianelli

Victor Cianelli is taking his turn atop the chip count leaderboard, just one of three players over 100,000 at the second break. He’s followed by Carlo Nini and Brian Hastings. We’ve heard rumblings of Jared Jaffee jumping his stack up after the break and we’ll track him down.

Notable counts:

Victor Cianelli – 154,000 (513 bb)
Carlo Nini – 126,425 (421 bb)
Brian Hastings – 102,025 (340 bb)
Marco Rodriguez – 99,250 (331 bb)
Ryan Franklin – 97,700 (326 bb)
Long Nguyen – 93,650 (312 bb)
John Radvansky – 87,850 (293 bb)
Vanessa Selbst – 86,275 (288 bb)
Jared Jaffee – 83,225 (277 bb)
William Pilossoph – 80,375 (268 bb)
Michael Moed – 65,125 (217 bb)
Jonathan Duhamel – 62,675 (209 bb)
Kevin Eyster – 60,150 (201 bb)
Esther Taylor-Brady – 56,050 (187 bb)
Matt Salsberg – 54,250 (181 bb)
Jamie Gold – 51,125 (170 bb)
Angela Prada-Moed – 49,950 (167 bb)
Jared Hamby – 40,850 (136 bb)
Noah Schwartz – 37,225 (124 bb)
Chris Moorman – 34,625 (115 bb)
John Dolan – 34,550 (115 bb)
Abbey Daniels – 33,225 (111 bb)
Aaron Massey – 32,350 (108 bb)
David Diaz – 29,850 (100 bb)
Tom Koral – 27,625 (92 bb)
Ryan Riess – 26,950 (90 bb)
Chino Rheem – 25,575 (85 bb)
Daren Stabinski – 25,375 (85 bb)
Erik Cajelais – 24,525 (82 bb)
Shannon Shorr – 23,075 (77 bb)
“Sheddy” Siddiqui – 11,125 (37 bb)
Ian O’Hara – 9,975 (33 bb)

Championship Day 1B: Local Poker Legend Here To Grind

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 5: 150/300/50 Ante

“It’s funny, I don’t usually play my hometown tournaments,” said Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi as he mucked his cards to the dealer. He decided this tournament was too good to pass up though and cut a trip short to Panama with friends and family to take part in the poker action here this week. He’s currently sitting with a starting stack of 30,000 ready to cause havoc.

Championship Day 1B: Jaffee Applying Pressure

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 5: 150/300/50 Ante

We arrive at the table with close to 6,000 already in the pot and the board showing Ad7d4sAs. Jared Jaffee put out a bet of 3,600 and was up against the ever-discerning eye of Kevin Eyster. The quiet pro quietly put out a stack of chips – a raise to 7,700 – and waited to see how Jaffee responded.

Respond he did, with a reraise of his own, to a total of 17,000. Eyster didn’t think too long before letting his hand go.

Championship Day 1B: Second Break

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 4: 100/200/25 Ante

Players are heading off on their second break of the day just after 1B crossed over 350 entrants. More chip counts when they return.

Championship Day 1B: Grinder Not Grinding (Yet)

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 4: 100/200/25 Ante

Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi is a South Florida legend and its well deserved. He has over $14 million in career earnings including five seven-digit victories. Three WSOP bracelets and two WPT titles.

It’s unclear whether he will jump in the action today but he is walking around the room greeting his friends and opponents.