Poker Open

Championship Day 1A: Joe Cheong Scores Another Knock Out

$5,250 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 4: 200/400 with a 400 ante
Total Entrants: 371

Joe Cheong

Joey Weissman opened to 800 from under the gun and a player in early position raised to 2,200. Joe Cheong called from the big blind as did  Weissman.

The flop came 10c8h7h it checked to early position who bet 5,600. Cheong raised to 16,500 and Weissman folded.

Early position went into the tank for a few minutes before moving all in. Cheong called with 10h9h and needed to improve against his opponents KcKs.

The turn was the 7c and the river was the 5h completing Cheong’s flush to eliminate his opponent.

Joe Cheong – 190,000

Championship Day 1A: Lexy Gavin vs Mike Dentale

$5,250 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 4: 200/400 with a 400 ante
Total Entrants: 368

Mike Dentale opened from the button and Lexy Gavin defended her big blind. The flop came Qd8s7c Dentale bet 1,500 and Gavin called.

The turn brought Qs, Gavin checked and Dentale bet 3,000. Gavin raised to 7,600 and Dentale called.

The river brought the 4h, Gavin moved all in having Dentale well covered.

Dentale went into the tank and said “Pretty sick if you have five six here.. I can beat nine ten. Will you show if I fold?”

Gavin shook her head no. Dentale asked the dealer “Do I have to show my hand if I call?” The dealer said yes. Dentale said “I’m so light I don’t even have a pair, scouts honor”

Gavin asked Dentale “Why do you always think I’m bluffing?”

Dentale folded and said “I’m gonna get you sooner or later”

Lexy Gavin – 50,000
Mike Dentale – 18,000

Championship Day 1A: Giuseppe Iadisernia Returns

$5,250 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3: 200/300 with a 300 ante
Total Entrants: 356

Giuseppe Iadisernia

Giuseppe Iadisernia may not be a household name but our Super High Roller players know about him. He is regularly seen in our higher buy-in events and he was part of the $50,000 Super High Roller and went all the way to a third-place finish for $190,000.

Iadisernia also likes the cash games and participated in the Poker Night in America High-Stakes cash game yesterday in front of their live-stream cameras.

Championship Day 1A: James Calderaro Eliminated by Joe Cheong

$5,250 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3: 200/300 with a 300 ante
Total Entrants: 349

Joe Cheong

Joe Cheong opened to 800 from under the gun and got two callers.

The flop came JhJd9s, it checked to James Calderaro who bet 5,600, Joey Weissman folded and Cheong called.

Both players checked the 5c, on the turn. The river brought the Ah, and Cheong moved all in having Calderaro covered. Calderaro folded leaving himself with around 15,000.

Cheong asked what he had and Calderaro said Ace King. Cheong said “You wouldn’t fold ace king to me.”

A few hands later Calderaro was eliminated by Cheong.

Joe Cheong – 115,000
James Calderaro – Eliminated

Championship Day 1A: Jacquelyn Scott Eliminated by Jeff Fielder

$5,250 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3: 200/300 with a 300 ante
Total Entrants: 349

Jeff Fielder

Jeff Fielder opened to 800 from middle position and Jacquelyn Scott three-bet to 2,000 from the big blind. Fielder called.

The flop came Kx10x8x, and Scott shoved for around 40,000. Fielder called with Kc10c and was out in front against Scott’s pocket queens.

The board came clean for Fielder as his two-pair held to eliminate Scott.

Jeff Fielder – 85,000

Championship Day 1A: Michael Caceres Leads After First Break

$5,250 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3: 200/300 with a 300 ante
Total Entrants: 338

Michael Caceres

Championship players returned from their first break of the day we had our first look at the stacks.

Michael Caceres leads the field with 89,000 after two levels for the biggest stack in the room. Justin Ligeri, Chance Kornuth, Ido Ashkenazi, Aram Zobran, and Derek Sudell round out the top six with 80K or more.

Michael Caceres – 89,000
Justin Ligeri – 85,000
Chance Kornuth – 84,000
Ido Ashkenazi – 81,500
Aram Zobran – 81,000
Derek Sudell – 80,000

Other random notables:

Stoyan Ogreshkov – 75,000
Kunal Patel – 73,800
Rex Clinkscales – 70,000
Phil Hui – 66,500
David Paredes – 65,000
Matt Stout – 62,000
Ralph Massey – 58,800
Anna Antimony – 57,000
Cliff Josephy – 57,000
Jonathan Jaffe – 55,700
Neil Blumenfield – 51,000
Maria Konnikova – 51,000
Lexy Gavin – 50,500
Tyler Patterson – 50,000
Kristen Bicknell – 47,800
Shannon Shorr – 46,300
Blair Hinkle – 46,000
Mike Leah – 41,500
Jacquelyn Scott – 40,500
John Cynn – 40,000
Scott Blumstein – 39,500
Darren Elias – 39,000
Brian Hastings – 38,000
Ryan Van Sanford – 37,900
Matt Affleck – 36,000
Jake Bazeley – 34,400
Noah Schwartz – 34,000
Jeff Gross – 33,000
Paul Balzano – 30,000
Harrison Gimbel – 30,000
Aaron Massey – 24,900
Michael Tureniec – 20,000

Championship Day 1A: Darryll Fish Leads POY Race

$5,250 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2: 100/200 with a 200 ante
Total Entrants: 309

Darryll Fish

Darryll Fish is a regular fixture in our big events and today is no different. He won his first career WPT title here in January in the Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship and that gave him the lead in the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Player of the Year race.

SHRP regular Brett Bader sits in second and this is the last tournament where the lead can change.

Championship Day 1A: Double Duty for Maria Ho

$5,250 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2: 100/200 with a 200 ante
Total Entrants: 303

Maria Ho

Maria Ho has a busy schedule this week. The pro has been hosting our video updates over the last few days but now she gets to sit down at the table to use her poker skills.

Ho recently moved her stack a little higher after taking her opponent to Value Town with AhTc on the AsAcQc5s9s board. She does not have an easy table with Northwest friends Tyler Patterson and Matt Affleck on one end and Harrison Gimble in the six-seat.

Tyler Patterson (left) and Matt Affleck (right)

Championship Day 1A: Marc MacDonnell Chipping Up

$5,250 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2: 100/200 with a 200 ante
Total Entrants: 301

Marc MacDonnell

On a board reading KcQc5c6d, a player in middle position bet 1,400, and Marc MacDonnell raised to 6,200 from late position. His opponent called.

The river brought the As, middle position checked and Marc MacDonnell bet 14,000. His opponent thought about it awhile before eventually deciding to lay it down.

Marc MacDonnell – 51,000