$25,500 Big 4 High Roller
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1: 400/800  with a 100 ante
Entries: 38

2017 SHRPO Super High Roller champ Nick Schulman has picked up right where he left off — winning! In fact, he’s currently sitting with nearly twice the starting stack. Meanwhile, it’s been a rough level for Ari Engel, who has less than half what he started with.

In a recent hand, Matt Glantz opened for 2,000  under the gun and Jonathan Jaffe called one spot over. Engel then three-bet to 7,100 from the button before Schulman four-bet to 25,000 from the big blind.

Both Glantz and Jaffe hurriedly folded and Engel, who was sitting with around 33,000 back, debated what to do. Eventually he settled on a fold and sent his cards to the muck.

Nick Schulman – 195,000 (244 bb)
Ari Engel – 33,000  (41 bb)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 21: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 28 of 887

Joel Harwood raised all in for about 195,000 from the cutoff and chip leader Aaron Mermelstein called instantly from the big blind with , leading Harwood’s .

The board came down , giving Mermelstein queens full of deuces to eliminate Harwood in 29th place.

Aaron Mermelstein – 2,890,000 (145 bb)
Joel Harwood – Eliminated in 29th Place ($19,531)

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 15: 1,500/3,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 66 of 395

Jason Koon opened to 7,000 from middle position, Joe McKeehen three-bet to 20,000 and Koon called.

The flop came Koon checked, McKeehen bet 18,500 and Koon called. The came on the turn, Koon checked and McKeenhen moved all in with Koon calling immediately.

Koon turned over (set of sevens) and McKeehen quickly flashed as the hit the river eliminating McKeehen.

Jason Koon  –  350,000
Joe McKeehen  –  Eliminated

$25,500 Big 4 High Roller
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1: 400/800 with a 100 ante
Entries: 35

The table in the far corner of the room is, like the others, short-handed to start play.

In an early pot, Niall Farrell opened the button to 1,800, and Matt Glantz three-bet to 5,300 in the big blind. Farrell called.

The flop was . Glantz continued for 4,200, and Farrell called. Both players checked through the turn, and the river was the . Glantz checked, Farrell bet 5,500, and Glantz called.

“Flush,” Farrell announced, showing to prove it. He won the pot, which provided an opportunity for us to notice that he’s already put himself in a bit of a hole this afternoon.

Each player starts with two T25,000 chips to make up half of their 100,000-chip starting stack. Farrell has lost both of his already, and the four in front of Nick Schulman seem to indicate he was the culprit.

Ari Engel and Jonathan Jaffe are also a part of that table.

Niall Farrell – 43,000 (54 bb)
Matt Glantz – 91,000 (114 bb)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 21: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 29 of 887

AJ Kelsall raised to 44,000 preflop from late position, and Gautam Lillaney reraised all in for 177,000. Kelsall tanked for a moment but called. The two players then tabled their cards.

Lillany:
Kelsall:

Board:

Lillaney doubled up to survive with 408,000, and Kelsall is down to 515,000 after paying out the double.

Gautam Lillaney – 408,000 (20 bb)
AJ Kelsall – 515,000 (25 bb)

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 15: 1,500/3,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 67 of 395

We saw a lot of action at the start of play today, players looking for doubles as the money bubble gets closer.

Javier Icaza moved all in for his short 13,500 stack and Grayson Ramage called to put him at risk. Icaza was in trouble with against but hit the on the flop. The unkind was put out on the turn and he was sent out early.

Jerry Wong was sitting nearby and hit the rail at the same time.

On Table 48, Pedro Idrogo opened to 6,000 and Gloria Jackson called in the big blind with 7,000 behind. She put those in the middle after the flop and Idrogo called.

Jackson:
Idrogo:

The turn and river were good for Jackson’s double up. In the meantime, her husband David Jackson is cruising along deep in the event as well.

The third big hand in early action saw Raja Chirumamilla open/shove for 60,500 and Joe McKeehen called after asking for a count. The rest of the table released and the hands were tabled.

Chirumamilla:
McKeehen:

Chirumamilla needed to win the race to stay in the game and he hit the flop. The turn and river changed nothing to move Chirumamilla up and knock McKeehen down to a short stack.

Grayson Ramage – 201,000 (67 bb)
Gloria Jackson – 290,500 (97 bb)
Raja Chirumamilla – 124,000 (41 bb)

$25,500 Big 4 High Roller
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1: 400/800  with a 100 ante
Entries: 32

The $25,500 Big 4 High Roller is off to a strong start with 32 players currently seated and more still coming in. Here’s a look at some players currently in action:

Harrison Gimbel – 100,000
Mike Leah – 100,000
Jonathan Little – 100,000
Mohsin Charania – 100,000
Ian O’Hara – 100,000
Ari Engel – 100,000
Nick Schulman – 100,000
Matt Glantz – 100,000
Isaac Haxton – 100,000
Taylor von Kriegenbergh – 100,000
Shaun Deeb – 100,000
Sam Panzica – 100,000
Bryn Kenney – 100,000
Seth Davies – 100,000
Shawn Cunix – 100,000
Ryan Laplante – 100,000
Joe McKeehen – 100,000

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 21: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 29 of 887

Luke Brereton limped in from the small blind and Daniel Blum checked his option in the big blind.

The flop came down and Brereton bet 25,000. Blum raised to 85,000, Brereton reraised to about 225,000, Blum shoved with a covering stack, and Brereton called all in for 546,000.

Brereton:
Blum:

Brereton led with two pair and held up through the turn and river to double up.

Luke Brereton – 1,153,000 (58 bb)
Daniel Blum – 435,000 (22 bb)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 21: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 29 of 887

Robert Heidorn raised all in for 207,000 from early position and Yi Chi Li called from the small blind.

Heidorn:
Li:

The board came down , no help to Heidorn, ending his tournament in 30th place.

Yi Chi Li – 2,100,000 (105 bb)
Robert Heidorn – Eliminated in 30th Place ($19,531)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 21: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 30 of 887

Cards are in the air on Day 3 at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship. The final 30 players return to blinds of 10,000-20,000 with a 3,000 ante for the first 60-minute level of the day. They will march down to a final table of nine today. Shuffle up and deal!