$100 + $25 No Limit Hold’Em Deep Stack

Blinds 200/400 Ante 50

We’re only 3 hours in thus far and we’ve already lost nearly half the players as only 126 of the original 239 remain. It’s easy to see why when you see some of the hands that are taking place. At one table, kings bested queens for a 70K pot. Right in front of me, pocket 6’s cracked aces when quads were flopped and the aces could not get away from their hand. Short stacks are also putting in their chips, hoping to win a race, like one gentleman just did with pocket 8’s against A-J. The snowmen held and the short stack doubled up to just over the starting stack of 10K.

And just moments ago, on a flop, three players got all their chips in. A short stack had nothing but . The second shortest stack held for top pair. The biggest stack in the hand had flopped a set with pocket 8’s. The turn was the . The river was the giving the gentleman with a flush and the winning hand. “Flush?” the player who flopped the set said, a look of disbelief over his face. He slammed his headset down on the table. “F***ing unbelievable,” he muttered. He’s still glaring and muttering at his opponent nearly five minutes later.

$100 + $25 No Limit Hold’Em Deep Stack

Blinds 150/300 Ante 25

The players have just returned from a 15 minute break and registration is officially closed for this flight. We had an impressive 239 entrants, bringing the total through the first day to 427.

Taking a look at various stacks throughout the room, it looks like our chip leader currently has approximately 75K in chips. That’s a pretty good haul for two hours of play considering they started with 10K in chips. They’ll probably be out in less than an hour though if they play like most first few levels big stacks do.

$100 + $25 No Limit Hold’Em Deep Stack

Blinds 100/200

A common theme among poker players, especially the young generation, is to wear hoodies. You might think in South Florida that might be different but as you walk through The Poker Room at Seminole Hard Rock, there are countless players dressed as if it is the middle of winter in Minnesota – some are even blowing on their hands. Maybe it helps them focus more?

We have 15 minutes left in level 4 and registration will close at the end of this level. We have exceeded the number of entrants from this morning’s flight as the number currently showing on the tournament clock is 219. We’ll get you the final numbers shortly.

$100 + $25 No Limit Hold’Em Deep Stack

Blinds 75/150

We have just started play in Level 3 and we’re almost up to the number of entrants we had in Day 1A. 185 have registered and there is still approximately 55 minutes before registration closes for the night.

With the deep stacks and the blinds low, there is a lot of post-flop action which often at this stage will lead to big hands being cracked. An older (but young at heart) man doubled up with when he flopped an open ended straight draw and flush draw and turned the flush and moved all in when the river was a blank. As his younger opponent contemplated calling, the old man sat their stoic, staring off into space as if he was pondering all the things he’s done in his life. The younger opponent tried to get a read on him, and unable to do so decided to make the call. He slammed his cards face down in disgust when he saw the flush his opponent held.

Meanwhile, at another table pocket aces was actually able to withstand a flush and straight draw leading to a double up for the holder of the rockets. Cowboys, however, were not so fortunate at another table as the player holding the kings would call a large raise from his opponent on a 5-3-3 flop and also call his opponent’s all in on the 9 turn. Sure enough, his opponent held 4-3 suited for flopped trips.

$100 + $25 No Limit Hold’Em Deep Stack

Blinds 50/100

You can’t accuse South Florida of not gambling it up. At one table, there was an all in and a call on a flop. One player turned over for a flopped set. The other player turned over for bottom pair with a flush draw. The player with the set looked at his opponent, somewhat incredulous, and held his breath as he waited for what he probably thought was the inevitable spade. Fortunately for him, a spade did not hit and he doubled up.

This is the type of action we’re seeing here early and despite players starting with 200 big blinds, we have already had several calls of “Seat Open” being yelled by the dealers here. Fortunately for those players, they can re-enter at any time prior to the end of level four. And if they aren’t feeling it in tournament action, they can move downstairs to the cash tables where there is plenty to We already have 129 players registered for the event as Level 1 has just finished and we are starting Level 2.

Action has just gotten underway here at Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open” Event 1-B, the second part of eight that will lead to a massive field and prize pool by the time is all said and done. We had just shy of 190 entrants this morning and are already over 60 as cards have just started to be dealt. The blinds will start at 25/50 and the starting stack is 10,000 tournament chips. The levels are 30 minutes long today and play will go for 14 levels (7 hours plus breaks). It is only $125 to take part in this event – the potential return on that money is monumental. Lines are long but registration is open until the end of level 4 so come on down and join in on the action!

The final 36 players have returned from their short break to Level 13 and blinds of 1k/2k/200 ante. The average stack is 52,222 with just two more levels in Day 1A. Day 1B will get underway at 7pm, the same $125 buy-in with late registration and re-entries through four levels.

For those who prefer to play cash games, there are currently 14 tables in action with both Limit and No Limit Hold’em games.

It was bound to happen, play slowed dramatically over the last level with few eliminations as the short-stacks picked up much needed doubles. Just 36 players remain as they head off on a short 10-minute break and will play two more levels before they bag and tag their chips.

Early chip leader Eldred Williams was sent to the rail after a series of second best hands while a shy gentleman to Juliet Yarina’s left has taken over the chiplead with 120,000. Mike Beasley is still hanging around with an average stack but hasn’t been generating much action from the rest of his table.