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.

Even with the stacks getting deep once again, players continue to roll the dice and head for the door. 40 players remain at the start of Level 11 and it will be a race to whether the field completes 14 full levels or get down to 17 players.

Juliet Yarina (West Bloomfield, MI) is making moves late in the day and now sits with just under 90,000. Yarina has shown success here in the past with a win in the $150 NLH Turbo during the 2013 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown.

Another level in the books and another table with its players sent elsewhere. Level 10 began as tournament staff broke another table leaving less than 54 with five levels remaining. Eldred Williams (Miami, FL) has continued to add to his stack as the apparent leader.

Blinds are up to 500/1k/100 ante and the average stack is up to ~35,000.

Players are back from their second break and the field is down to exactly seven tables with 63 players. The average chip stack is just shy of 30,000 with blinds up to 400/800/100 ante and Eldred Williams (Miami, FL) looks like the early leader with 84,600.

Players are off on their second 15-minute break of the day after tournament staff colored off the 25 chips. Under 70 players remain of the starting 188 with just six levels left for the day.

Many poker players don’t have access to great food during their games and hours spent in the poker room usually don’t help. Things are a lot different at The Poker Room at Seminole Hard Rock. Instead of leaving the tables to enjoy a nice bite to eat, players have a great menu of items perfect for table-side dining and grinding.

Players have options which range from breakfast sandwiches, appetizers including tasty looking sliders, cold or hot sandwiches, flat bread pizzas, and a number of healthy options. Better than your standard poker room fare found elsewhere, satisfied poker players are happy poker players.

Players continue to find their way to the door at regular intervals and all tables are now in the upstairs area. Only 11 tables are now in play as the field has been reduced to less than 100 remaining in Day 1A.

Play is scheduled to run through 14 hours or 9% of the starting field, it will be a race to see which hits first. No one has pulled out as a clear cut leader but they will begin to emerge as the day moves along.

The previous declaration of Mike Beasley’s demise was exaggerated as his new re-entry seat  was well hidden. He moves into Level 7 with a healthy stack as the blinds increase to 250/500/50 ante.