$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 5: 150/300/50
Flight 1B Entries: 257

South Florida pro Sam Panzica recently earned his largest career score in the EPT Dublin High Roller event. He bested a field of 140 entries and pocketed more than $418,000 surpassing his previous career high of $109,326 which came in a $570 event at this very property.

Here in Event 1, Panzica is in need of some help late in Level 5. Most recently, he opened to 700 and a player in late position three-bet to an unknown amount. It was back on Panzica and he sloppily slid the remainder of his 11,000-chip stack in. The opponent folded and Panzica increased his holdings.

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Start of Level 5: 150/300/50
Flight 1B Entries: 244

Elizabeth Dantas leads the way in Flight B of Event 1 as cards are in the air following the first break. Dantas’ stack sits at 85,125 while a slew of notables nips at her heels.

Chip leaders and notable players:

• Elizabeth Dantas – 85,125
• Roberto Alberro – 77,875
• Pedro Diaz Omar – 57,925
• Damien Simon – 49,675
• Michael Newman – 47,000
• Alberto Eskanazi – 46,825
• Joseph Frandino – 46,575
• Steven Bennett – 45,100
• Zoltan Czinkota – 20,225
• Phil Hui – 9,950

Roughly two of hours of late registration remain with the clock currently showing 244 entries.

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
End of Level 14: 1,200/2,400/400 Ante
Flight 1A Entries: 370
Players Remaining: 71

Flight A drew 370 entrants with 71 moving on to Day 2 on Sunday.

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 4: 100/200/25 Ante
Flight 1B Entries: 224

Seminole Hard Rock Poker team member Darryll Fish is firmly in his seat here in Flight B of Event 1. Fish looks to continue a good 12 months of poker that have included a victory in the Aussie Millions Tournament of Champions, a 3rd-place finish and $150,000 score in the WSOP National Championship and a runner-up finish in the WPT Montreal Main Event for nearly $230,000.

With Level 4 nearing its send, Fish is hovering right over 20,000 chips.

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 3: 75/150/25 Ante
Flight 1B Entries: 184

Herbert Woodbery is fresh off a victory in the Seminole Immokalee Poker Challenge from earlier this month and back in action here in Hollywood. It was March 13 when Woodbery claimed his largest career score in the form of a $51,000 haul in Immokalee. Now, he’s competing for his share of a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool and yet another Seminole Hard Rock Poker victory.

He’s off to a fine start toward the end of Level 3 as he’s chipped up slightly and holds over starting stack.

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 2: 50/100
Flight 1B Entries: 166

Flight B is showing a steady increase in players since cards went in the air just under an hour ago. The clock reads 166 entered to this point with no shortage of notables making up the field. One of those standouts is World Series of Poker bracelet winner Phil Hui.

Hui, who owns more than $775,000 in career earnings, recently lead out for 4,500 on a board. His opponent made it 9,000 and Hui called after some deliberation. The opponent flipped over for sevens-full and Hui’s cards hit the muck. He now claims about 11,000 chips from 20,000 starting.

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
End of Level 14: 1,200/2,400/400 Ante
Flight 1A Entries: 370
Players Remaining: 71

Play has come to an end in the opening flight of the 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown. A nice, even 370 entrants took part in Flight A with 71 of them making it through to Day 2.

Christopher Thompson is your early Event 1 leader and put 240,000 into his bag. John Magnetta is not far behind with 231,000 but the average stack will remain deep when they restart on Sunday afternoon. Eric Ward, Remy Bougeios, and Thang Nguyen round out those who finished with more than 200,000.

Full end of flights counts to be published as soon as they are available. They will return to blinds at 1,500/3,000 and a 500 ante.

Top ten Flight A counts:

Christopher Thompson – 240,000 (80 bb)
John Magnetta – 231,000 (77 bb)
Eric Ward – 222,000 (74 bb)
Remy Bougeios – 213,500 (71 bb)
Thanh Nguyen – 204,500 (68 bb)
Evan Young – 177,500 (59 bb)
Greg Levine – 177,000 (59 bb)
Philippe Goureau – 169,500 (57 bb)
Jeff Gold – 158,500 (53 bb)
Alex Campillo – 154,500 (52 bb)

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 14: 1,200/2,400/400 Ante
Flight 1A Entries: 370
Players Remaining: 81

Nine tables worth of players made it through to the 14th level of the day and tournament staff paused the clock with 10 minutes remaining to play three more hands. Anyone with chips at that point will bag them up for a return on Sunday.

Loni Harwood was among the leaders as they moved into Level 14, but was dropped back to an average stack after doubling up an opponent.

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 1: 25/50

The clock strikes 6 p.m. and the second of six starting flights in the $500,000 guaranteed Event 1 of the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown is underway. Today’s 11 a.m. opening flight drew 370 entries and is under 100 toward the middle of Level 13. Like those before them, players in the 6 p.m. flight start with 20,000 chips and are set to log 14, 30-minute levels on Day 1.

Here’s a closer look at the structure of play:

• $500,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 20,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• Day 1 will end after Level 14 or Tournament Director discretion
• Event 1 Structure Sheet

Updates throughout the flight’s conclusion will be available right here at SHRPO.com.

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
End of Level 12: 800/1,600/200 Ante
Flight 1A Entries: 370
Players Remaining: 117

Players are on their final break of the day and will return for two more levels. Those still with stacks at the end of Level 14 will bag them up and return for Day 2 on Sunday.

Four-time Seminole Hard Rock Poker champion Luis Santoni is doing well and coming back to 120,000 in his stack. One of the nice guys in the room, Santoni has over $1 million in tournament cash including a Legends of Poker win for $112,000 back in 1995. That was a lot more money 20 years ago.