$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 16:  4,000/8,000 with an 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  287 of 2,290

The players have returned from their early dinner break to finish playing Level 16, with blinds of 4,000-8,000 and an 8,000 ante.

When the tournament staff stopped action before the dinner break, they asked every table to finish their hand in progress before heading to dinner.

As it turns out, the Money Bubble had been burst in that last hand before the dinner break, so everyone returning from dinner is in the money!

As a reminder, here are the payouts they’re playing for:

1st:  $1,128,250* + Showdown Trophy + WPT Trophy
2nd:  $745,000
3rd:  $550,000
4th:  $413,000
5th:  $312,000
6th:  $238,000
7th:  $183,000
8th:  $142,000
9th-10th:  $111,500
11th-12th:  $88,500
13th-14th:  $70,500
15th-16th:  $56,800
17th-20th:  $46,200
21st-24th:  $38,000
25th-32nd:  $31,500
33rd-40th:  $26,400
41st-48th:  $22,300
49th-56th:  $19,100
57th-64th:  $16,500
65th-72nd:  $14,400
73rd-80th:  $12,650
81st-88th:  $11,300
89th-104th:  $10,050
105th-120th:  $9,050
121st-136th:  $8,250
137th-152nd:  $7,550
153rd-168th:  $7,050
169th-184th:  $6,600
185th-208th:  $6,300
209th-232nd:  $6,050
233rd-259th:  $5,850
260th-287th:  $5,750

With 287 players remaining from a field of 2,290, the average chip stack is around 399,000 (50 big blinds). Action will continue tonight until the end of Level 20 (around 12:35 am).

* First prize amount includes the winner’s $10,400 seat into the 2023 WPT World Championship.

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 16:  4,000/8,000 with an 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  293 of 2,290

With the money bubble looming, the Action Clocks are set to go into action and the dinner break was looming. Tournament staff sent the players on their dinner break and they have an extra ten minutes to enjoy the facilities around the casino.

They will return at 8 pm to play into the money and through Level 20 before bagging up.

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 16:  4,000/8,000 with an 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  296 of 2,290

Michel Bittan got it all in from the small blind for about 50,000 against Naing Thu on the button and the UTG player. Any additional betting would create a side pot.

Both players checked to the river on a board of , and all three players turned over their cards.

Naing Thu:    (playing the board)
UTG Player:    (playing the board)
Michel Bittan:    (five-high flush)

Bittan’s five of clubs plays to give him a slightly higher flush than the board to win the pot and triple up in chips.

Michel Bittan  –  165,000  (21 bb)

With 296 players remaining from a field of 2,290, the average chip stack is around 387,000 (48 big blinds). There will be a 90-minute dinner break after Level 16 (about 6:35 pm), and action will continue tonight until the end of Level 20 (around 12:20 am).

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  330 of 2,290

There was a three-way preflop all-in situation at Table 37, with Euclid Zurbaran all in from the cutoff for 77,000, the small blind all in for 165,000, and Naing Thu covering them both from the button.

Naing Thu:  
Small Blind:  
Euclid Zurbaran:  

The board came , and the ace on the river gave the victories to Thu and Zurbaran, who chopped the main pot worth 243,000. Thu won the side pot worth 176,000 to eliminate the small blind from the tournament.

Naing Thu  –  645,000  (108 bb)
Euclid Zurbaran  –  122,000  (20 bb)

With about 330 players remaining from a field of 2,290, the average chip stack is around 347,000 (58 big blinds). There will be a 90-minute dinner break after Level 16 (about 6:35 pm), and action will continue tonight until the end of Level 20 (around 12:20 am).

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  350 of 2,290

After a flop of , the player in the big blind checked, Crystal Utley bet 50,000 from middle position, and the big blind called.

The turn card was the , the big blind checked, Utley moved all in for 119,000, and the big blind snap-called with . But Utley turned over , and she needed to avoid a queen on the river to stay alive.

The river card was the , and Utley won the pot with her aces to double up in chips.

Crystal Utley  –  385,000  (64 bb)

With about 350 players remaining from a field of 2,290, the average chip stack is around 327,000 (55 big blinds). There will be a 90-minute dinner break after Level 16 (about 6:35 pm), and action will continue tonight until the end of Level 20 (around 12:20 am).

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  378 of 2,290

The players have returned from break to begin Level 15, with increased blinds of 3,000-6,000 with a 6,000 ante.

A scan of the field during the break turned up five players with at least 900K in chips, creating an unofficial leaderboard:

1.  Stephen Sullo  –  1,170,000  (195 bb)
2.  Seth Fischer  –  1,114,000  (186 bb)
3.  Julien Milliard-Feral  –  1,071,000  (179 bb)
4.  Justin Swilling  –  947,000  (158 bb)
5.  Anes Kovacevik  –  941,000  (157 bb)

With about 378 players remaining from a field of 2,290, the average chip stack is around 303,000 (51 big blinds). There will be a 90-minute dinner break after Level 16 (about 6:35 pm), and action will continue tonight until the end of Level 20 (around 12:20 am).

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 14:  3,000/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining:  395 of 2,290

With the final board showing , the UTG+1 player was all in from an earlier street. The player in the big blind bet, Gal Yifrach raised, and the big blind called.

Gal Yifrach:  (jack-high straight)
Big Blind:  (jack-high straight)
UTG+1:  (queen high)

Yifrach and the big blind chopped the pot with their straights to eliminate the UTG+1 player from the tournament.

Gal Yifrach  –  255,000  (51 bb)

With about 395 players remaining from a field of 2,290, the average chip stack is around 290,000 (58 big blinds). There will be a 90-minute dinner break after Level 16 (about 6:35 pm), and action will continue tonight until the end of Level 20 (around 12:20 am).

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 14:  3,000/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining:  405 of 2,290

Eric Valerio got it all in from the button for 139,000 with , and needed it to hold against big blind’s .

The board came , and the pocket jacks held up for Valerio to win the pot and double up in chips.

Eric Valerio  –  286,000  (57 bb)

With about 405 players remaining from a field of 2,290, the average chip stack is around 283,000 (57 big blinds). There will be a 90-minute dinner break after Level 16 (about 6:35 pm), and action will continue tonight until the end of Level 20 (around 12:20 am).

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 14:  3,000/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining:  415 of 2,290

Scott Bohlman raised from middle position to 10,000, Leo Taffe reraised from the button to 26,000, and Bohlman moved all in.

Taffe called all in for 116,000 with , and Bohlman turned over .

The board came , and Taffe rivered an unnecessary full house, aces full of eights, to win the pot and double up in chips.

Leo Taffe  –  245,000  (49 bb)
Scott Bohlman  –  385,000  (77 bb)

With about 415 players remaining from a field of 2,290, the average chip stack is around 276,000 (55 big blinds). There will be a 90-minute dinner break after Level 16 (about 6:35 pm), and action will continue tonight until the end of Level 20 (around 12:20 am).

$1,100 Mixed PLO (Re-Entry)
Structure
Level 1:  100/100 with a 100 ante

Time is running out if you want to take home a Poker Showdown trophy, especially one of the Omaha ones. Today we have a $1,100 Mixed PLO tournament with a two-day structure and plenty of play for your buck.

Players start with 20K deep stacks and all levels last 30 minutes. Late registration and unlimited re-entries are available until the start of Level 9 at 8:30 pm. Day 1 will come to an end after Level 14 and survivors will return tomorrow to pay for the title.

• Players begin with 20,000 in chips
• Levels last 30 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 9 (8:30pm)
• Day 1 will end after Level 16
• Structure Sheet