Event 1 Flight A: Rafael Reis Sent to Re-Entry Desk

$570 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3: 75/150 with a 25 ante
Flight A Entries: 205

Raphael Reis

Raphael Reis knows a little something about winning these big opening events. The SHR Poker regular earned the biggest score of his career when he won Event 1 of the 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open for more than $150,000.

If he wants to repeat that performance, Reis will have to do it on at least two bullets.

He was all in at his starting table for 15,275 in a three-way pot with the board reading Js9c7cAs. Only one player stuck around and Reis showed top pair/nut flush draw Ac6c but he was behind his opponent’s flopped two pair Jd9d.

Reis couldn’t find a club or bigger two pair on the Kh river and he shrugged it off before heading to the re-entry desk.

Event 1 Flight A: Ari Engel Riding a Heater

$570 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2: 50/100
Flight A Entries: 135

Ari Engel

Flight A kicked off precisely at the top of the hour and 30 minutes later we had another 60 players jump in the game. We expect the event center to continue to fill up as we hit the afternoon hours.

Florida poker legend Ari Engel was an early entrant and we are not surprised. He’s running well in 2018 and maximizing his time at the tables.

Engel has earned more than $580,000 since the start of the year including a win during the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open, his ninth WSOP Circuit ring at the Bike, and he followed that up with a $315K win in their Mega Millions Quantum Reload tournament.

Not too shabby for a few months work.

Event 1 Flight A: Showdown Underway

$570 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1: 25/50
Flight A Entries: 82

Tournament staff performed the daily reading of the rules then kicked off the 2018 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown. Cards are in the air for Event 1 along with the Seniors Event on the back tables.

Flight A will play 14 full levels with registration closing at the start of Level 9.

Event 1 Flight A: Kicking off the Showdown

$570 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1: 25/50

The wait is complete and it’s time to start the 2018 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown in the new Hard Rock Event Center. The arena space is being used for the first time for a poker series and it will add to the excitement of a series which includes millions in guaranteed money.

The kick-off event is a $570 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament with six starting flights and a $1,000,000 Guaranteed prize pool. Two flights will run each day between now and Saturday with Flight B running this evening at 6 pm.

Each entrant will sit down to a 20,000 starting stack and levels will run 30 minutes long for all starting flights. Late registration is available until the start of Level 9 at 3:30 pm and unlimited re-entries are available during that time. They will continue grinding down from that point and all players with chips at the end of 14 full levels will bag them up for a return on Sunday for Day 2.

It should be a lot of fun today as players get their first look at the new tournament setup. Opening day will be exciting and we look forward to a great series.

  • $1,000,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 20,000 in chips
  • Day 1 levels last 30 minutes; Day 2 levels last 40 minutes
  • Late registration available until start of Level 9
  • Day 1 will end after Level 14 or Tournament Director discretion
  • Event 1 Structure Sheet

Showdown Day 1 Schedule

Primary Event Schedule

11AM: Event 1 Day 1A – $570 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)

  • $1,000,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 20,000 in chips
  • Day 1 levels last 30 minutes; Day 2 levels last 40 minutes
  • Late registration available until start of Level 9
  • Day 1 will end after Level 14 or Tournament Director discretion
  • Event 1 Structure Sheet

11AM: Event 2 – $300 Seniors Event (Re-Entry)

  • Players begin with 10,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
  • Event is open to players 50 years of age or older
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
  • Event 2 Structure Sheet

6PM: Event 1 Day 1B – $570 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)

  • $1,000,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 20,000 in chips
  • Day 1 levels last 30 minutes; Day 2 levels last 40 minutes
  • Late registration available until start of Level 9
  • Day 1 will end after Level 14 or Tournament Director discretion
  • Event 1 Structure Sheet

Secondary and Satellite Schedule

9AM: Event 23 – $80 Turbo Satellite to Event 1 (1-in-10)

  • 2 seats guaranteed into $1,000,000 GTD Event 1
  • Players begin with 8,000 in chips and 15-minute levels
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
  • Satellite will be held in the Poker Room
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
  • Event 23 Structure Sheet

3PM: Event 24 – $200 Multi Event Satellite (1-in-10)

  • 4 packages guaranteed worth $1,670 each
  • Package includes any Showdown $570 entry and WPTDeepStacks Day 1A entry
  • Players begin with 8,000 in chips and 20-minute levels
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
  • Event 24 Structure Sheet

8PM: Event 25 – $140 Turbo Satellite to Event 1 (1-in-5)

  • 2 seats guaranteed into $1,000,000 GTD Event 1
  • Players begin with 8,000 in chips and 15-minute levels
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
  • Event 25 Structure Sheet

Players are encouraged to park in Seminole Way Garage for easy, covered access to the tournament area and poker room
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