WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 11: 1,000/2,000 with a 300 ante
Players Remaining: 30 of 64

WPT World Champion Asher Conniff began the day with one of the shorter stacks in the room but he’s given himself a little breathing room at the expense of Tyler Patterson.

They were heads up to the flop and Patterson check/raised Conniff all-in. Patterson was on a flush draw with against Conniff’s .

The board finished with the turn and the river to send Conniff the double.

Tyler Patterson – 120,000 (60 bb)
Asher Conniff – 70,000 (35 bb)

WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 11: 1,000/2,000 with a 300 ante
Players Remaining: 30 of 64

Joe Hachem, who started the day with just nine big blinds, doubled on the first hand of play after his held against the of Justin Young. While it was as good a start as he could hope for, it was short lived for the 2005 World Champion. He busted a little while later holding top two pair to Anthony Zinno’s Broadway.

Joe Hachem – Eliminated

WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 11: 1,000/2,000 with a 300 ante
Players Remaining: 31 of 64

Cards are in the air for the second day of play in the World Poker Tour Tournament of Champions. The 64-player field is down to 31 following yesterday’s 10 levels and they’re all jockeying for one of eight in-the-money spots. Leading the way is Farid Yachou with a stack of 216,700.

Yachou sits in pole position against a top-five that includes Michael Mizrachi in second, Justin Young in third, Ravi Raghavan in fourth and Noah Schwartz in fifth.

Full chip counts:

• Farid Yachou – 216,700
• Michael Mizrachi – 210,100
• Justin Young – 196,600
• Ravi Raghavan – 188,300
• Noah Schwartz – 170,200
• Tyler Patterson – 155,600
• Jonathan Jaffe – 154,100
• John Hennigan – 150,300
• Darren Elias – 137,900
• Mohsin Charania – 125,500
• Darie Vlad – 125,000
• Amir Babakhani – 115,100
• Jonathan Roy – 112,100
• Shawn Cunix – 111,300
• Griffin Paul – 99,200
• Andy Frankenberger – 98,700
• Bobby Oboodi – 91,200
• Keven Stammen – 67,600
• Matt Salsberg – 62,900
• Iaron Lightbourne – 61,600
• Anthony Zinno – 55,400
• Yevgeniy Timoshenko – 55,000
• Dylan Wilkerson – 52,000
• Jared Mahoney – 51,400
• Michael Scarborough – 47,400
• Taylor Paur – 45,800
• Asher Conniff – 39,000
• Ryan Van Sanford – 32,200
• Nam Le – 30,500
• Christopher Leong – 24,200
• Joe Hachem – 18,900

Cards are in the air now with blinds of 1,000/2,000 with a 300 ante. A min-cash in the elite event earns $38,160 while the Champion of Champions pockets $381,600 along with a slew of added prizes.

Updates will be available throughout the day right here at SHRPO.com.

WPT Tournament of Champions
Returning to Level 11: 1,000/2,000 with a 300 ante
Players Remaining: 31 of 64

The WPT Tournament of Champions had an exclusive field, filled with 64 title-holders from around the world. Less than half of them made it through the first day and come back today to the Paradise Live Theater. Here they will play down to the televised final table of six for taping in Hard Rock Live tomorrow.

WPT Amsterdam winner Farid Yachou leads the way at the restart with local legend Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi in second and our 2016 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Champion Justin Young in third.

Last year’s WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Champion Griffin Paul is still in along with WPT Player of the Year Anthony Zinno and 2015 WPT World Champion Asher Conniff.

They will take their seats at noon and we’ll wrap up the day when we have six remaining.

Top ten returning stacks:

Farid Yachou – 216,700 (108 bb)
Michael Mizrachi – 210,100 (105 bb)
Justin Young – 196,600 (98 bb)
Ravi Raghavan – 188,300 (94 bb)
Noah Schwartz – 170,200 (85 bb)
Tyler Patterson – 155,600 (78 bb)
Jonathan Jaffe – 154,100 (77 bb)
John Hennigan – 150,300 (75 bb)
Darren Elias – 137,900 (69 bb)
Mohsin Charania – 125,500 (63 bb)

Returning Day 2 Chip Counts
Returning Day 2 Table/Seat Assignments
WPT Tournament of Champions Payouts

WPT Tournament of Champions
Heading to Level 11: 1,000/2,000 with a 300 ante
Players Remaining: 31 of 64

Prize Pool

Day 2 kicks off at 12 p.m. Here’s a look at the table draws for the remaining 31 players:

WPT Tournament of Champions
End of Level 10: 800/1,600 with a 200 ante
Players Remaining: 31 of 64

At the end of 10 levels of play, Day 1 of the inaugural WPT Tournament of Champions has come to an end and Farid Yachou bagged up the chip lead heading into the second day of play.

Yachou won WPT Amsterdam earlier in the year to secure his spot in the event. It’s his first time on American soil and he bagged up 216,700. Joining him atop the counts are Michael Mizrachi (210,100), Justin Young (196,600) and Ravi Raghavan (188,300).

There were 64 eligible Champions Club Members that made it out to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino that put up the $15,000 buy-in. By the day’s end, only 31 remained.

The 64 player field generated a prize pool of $1,060,000 with the top eight players earning a cash. Eighth place is worth $38,160 and gradually increases all the way up to the $381,600 first place money.

The field was littered with top-flight pros, many of which hit the rail before the day’s end. Chino Rheem, Dan Smith, David Chiu, David Paredes, Tony Dunst, Harrison Gimbel, Jared Jaffee, Kevin Eyster, Mark Newhouse, Marvin Rettenmaier, Phil Laak and Scott Clements were among the players who failed to survive the day.

Noah Schwartz, Tyler Patterson, Jonathan Jaffe, Darren Elias, Mohsin Charania, Griffin Paul and Andy Frankenberger were among the laundry list of notables who advanced to Day 2.

Day 2’s action shifts from the Seminole Hard Rock Ballroom area to the Paradise Live theater. Action kicks off on Saturday at noon and will play down to the televised final table of six.

As always, SHRPO.com will have coverage of the day’s action. Here are the chip counts in descending chip order:

• Farid Yachou – 216,700
• Michael Mizrachi – 210,100
• Justin Young – 196,600
• Ravi Raghavan – 188,300
• Noah Schwartz – 170,200
• Tyler Patterson – 155,600
• Jonathan Jaffe – 154,100
• John Hennigan – 150,300
• Darren Elias – 137,900
• Mohsin Charania – 125,500
• Darie Vlad – 125,000
• Amir Babakhani – 115,100
• Jonathan Roy – 112,100
• Shawn Cunix – 111,300
• Griffin Paul – 99,200
• Andy Frankenberger – 98,700
• Bobby Oboodi – 91,200
• Keven Stammen – 67,600
• Matt Salsberg – 62,900
• Iaron Lightbourne – 61,600
• Anthony Zinno – 55,400
• Yevgeniy Timoshenko – 55,000
• Dylan Wilkerson – 52,000
• Jared Mahoney – 51,400
• Michael Scarborough – 47,400
• Taylor Paur – 45,800
• Asher Conniff – 39,000
• Ryan Van Sanford – 32,200
• Nam Le – 30,500
• Christopher Leong – 24,200
• Joe Hachem – 18,900

WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 10: 800/1,600 with a 200 ante
Players Remaining: 34 of 64

On the river with the board reading , Ben Cade bet 22,000 out of the small blind and Jonathan Jaffe moved all in.

Cade used up most of his time bank before calling. Jaffe showed , good two pair and Cade tried to muck his hand, but was forced to expose his since it was an all in pot.

Jaffe collected the chips and is one of the biggest stacks in the room as the night nears a close.

Jonthan Jaffe – 165,000
Ben Cade – Eliminated

WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 10: 800/1,600 with a 200 ante
Players Remaining: 37 of 64

There were a flurry of raises that led to Marvin Rettenmaier getting all in for about 40,000 from the cutoff against Farid Yachou in the small blind.

Yachou showed and Rettenmaier was dominated with his . The board ran out and Rettenmaier hit the rail as the level hit its midway point.

Yachou scooped the pot and is contending for the chip lead as he crosses the 200,000 chip mark.

Farid Yachou – 204,000
Marvin Rettenmaier – Eliminated

WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 9: 600/1,200 with a 200 ante
Players Remaining: 39 of 64

Jason Brin raised from the cutoff and Asher Conniff moved all in from the small blind for 28,100. Brin called and it was a flip for Conniff’s tournament life with his up against Brin’s .

The flop was to give Conniff the lead and leave Brin drawing to two outs. The turn was the and the river was the to give Conniff the double up and leave Brin on life support.

“Are you filming?” asked Brin to the camera crew. “This is going to be the best comeback in the history of the Tournament of Champions.”

Asher Conniff – 58,800
Jason Brin – 3,300

WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 9: 600/1,200 with a 200 ante
Players Remaining: 39 of 64

After a series of raises, Keven Stammen got all in preflop for 75,700 out of the big blind against Jason Brin from early position.

Stammen showed and Brin tabled . The board ran out and Stammen’s kings held up to double up.

Keven Stammen – 160,000
Jason Brin – 33,000