Championship Day 1: Mizrachi Runs Into a Full House

Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 9: 400/800 with a 100 ante
Players Remaining: 603 of 1,222

With a completed board of Qs9h9dJh7c, Michael Mizrachi bet 2,200 and his opponent raised to 7,200. Mizrachi’s opponent tabled QxQx and Mizrachi mucked his hand.

He loses the pot, but is still very healthy in chips. Mizrachi just won the $570 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max event a few days ago for more than $32,000 after besting Steve Karp heads-up.

It’s been a good series for the Mizrachi family as a whole with Robert taking second in a four-way chop in the $570 No Limit Hold’em Re-Entry event for over $174,000.

Michael Mizrachi – 110,000

Championship Day 1: Registration Closed

WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 9: 400/800 with a 100 ante
Total Entries: 1,222

The field has just returned from their final break of the night, and registration is now closed for this Championship Event. The board shows an unofficial (and astounding) total of 1,222 entries. The official numbers will be released shortly, along with the prizepool and payouts.

Championship Day 1: Johannsy Joseph Picks Off a Bluff

Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship 
Level 8: 300/600 with a 75 ante
Total Entries: 1,162

On a flop of 8s5s2d, Michael Newman checked from the small blind and the player under-the-gun checked as well. Johanssy Joseph bet 1,400 from middle position and Newman folded.

Under-the-gun called and the turn was the 8d. Both players checked and the river was the Jd. Under-the-gun bet 4,000 and Joseph called.

Under-the-gun showed Qc4h, giving him queen-high and Joseph won the pot with TcTd.

Joseph has had a very successful series thus far, making three final tables in the preliminary events. His best finish was a fourth place finish in the $570 No Limit Hold’em Double Black Chip Bounty.

He’s continued his hot streak in the early goings of this event as he nears a six-figure chip count.

Johanssy Joseph – 96,000

Championship Day 1: Tough Table Gets Tougher

WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 8: 300/600 with a 75 ante
Total Entries: 1,149

There’s not really an easy table in this room, but Table 39 has been intimidating to even walk past, let alone play at. The two newest members of the SHRP Team, Loni Harwood and Chance Kornuth, are both seated there, along with Maria Ho, Casey Kaplan, Abraham Korotki, and Aaron Overton.

“What is this table?” Ho said quietly, wide eyed and shaking her head.

The seat between Harwood and Kornuth has been a revolving door so far, with at least three different players coming and going over the course of the day.

Jason Mercier was indeed in that seven seat for a short while, but it sounds like Kornuth is responsible for his (and the cupholder’s) recent absence.

Things aren’t really getting any easier over there. Mercier’s former seat is now occupied by none other than Mike Sexton, who is working on his second entry this evening. “I think Jason is in for three or four,” he said as he sat down, initially unaware he was taking Mercier’s place.

Championship Day 1: Tyler Patterson Triples Up

WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 7: 250/500 with a 75 ante
Total Entries: 1,110

Tyler Patterson
Tyler Patterson

Jamie Gold opened to 1,500 in middle position, and Tyler Patterson three-bet shoved for 5,750 next to act. Jason Bral called, and Gold called the remainder to create action on the side.

The board ran out Jh8h3sKs5d, with the two live players checking it down. Since Patterson was all in, all three hands were tabled.

Gold: 5c7c
Patterson: AhKs
Bral: 6d6h

Patterson turned the winner, tripling up with a pair of kings.

Tyler Patterson – 18,600 (37 bb)

Championship Day 1: Dentale Off to Another Fast Start

Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship 
Level 7: 250/500 with a 50 ante
Total Entries: 1,088

Mike Dentale
Mike Dentale

Nick Palma raised to 1,300 from the cutoff and Mike Dentale called on the button. Chad Eveslage defended his big blind and they were three-handed to a flop of JcTc6c.

Eveslage and Palma both check and Dentale bet 2,400. Eveslage and Palma both fold and Dentale dragged the pot without a showdown.

Dentale chipped up to over 84,500 and is off to a good start in the Championship event. He’s gotten off to plenty of fast starts this whole series.

He bagged up one of the top stacks at the end of his starting flight in the $570 No Limit Hold’em Re-Entry event, which resulted in a cash on Day 2, and earned 14 bounties in an earlier bounty event before the third break of the day.

He’s kept that trend alive today with more than quadruple his original starting stack.

Mike Dentale – 84,500

Championship Day 1: Matt Salsberg Moving Up

WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 7: 250/500 with a 75 ante
Total Entries: 1,063

Matt Salsberg opened to 1,100 on the button, the small blind three-bet to 2,700, and Daniel Weinman called in the big blind. Salsberg called the remainder, too, making it a three-way flop.

All three players checked through the Ts9c6s, and the turn was the 6h. The small blind bet 3,300, Weinman folded, and Salsberg called. The river was the Tc. The small blind check-called a bet of 5,100, and Salsberg showed JsTd, winning the pot with tens full.

Matt Salsberg – 56,000 (112 bb)

Championship Day 1: David Farber Leads At Dinner

Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
End of Level 6: 200/400 with a 50 ante
Total Entries: 1,029

With players returning from their dinner break and cards getting back in the air momentarily, it is David Farber pacing the field and holding the chip lead with 158,500 in chips.

Here is a look at the top five chip counts:

  1. David Farber – 158,500
  2. Fraser Short – 138,800
  3. Michael Simon – 120,950
  4. Sam Stein – 114,800
  5. Alex Turyansky – 112,225

Championship Day 1: Another Milestone

WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 6: 200/400 with a 50 ante
Total Entries: 1,000

Ryan Dunn (Tallahassee, FL)
Ryan Dunn (Tallahassee, FL)

With ten minutes left before the dinner break, the Championship field crossed over 1,000 entrants and still growing. That puts the prize pool at $3.2 million with the 90-minute dinner break and two more levels of play before registration closes.

We found former WPT final table member, and Seminole Hard Rock Poker champion, Ryan Dunn taking a seat at the front of the room. He earned $90,000 for a fifth place finish at the 2015 WPT bestbet Bounty Scramble and followed that up with a $140,000 win during this January’s Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open.