$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 6: 400/800 with a 800 ante
Day 1B Entries: 721
Jason Klapman was all in for 12,300 with 
from late position, and Loni Hui had him covered holding pocket jacks under the gun.
The final board read 
, and Klapman doubled up to survive with 26,600 after collecting the pot.
Jason Klapman – 26,600 (33 bb)
$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 5: 300/600 with a 600 ante
Day 1B Entries: 694
John Sacha was all in short preflop with pocket sixes, and his opponent held 
with the final board reading 
. Sacha doubled up to survive with 15,500 after collecting the pot.
John Sacha – 15,500 (25 bb)
$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 5: 300/600 with a 600 ante
Day 1B Entries: 661
Here is a look at the top chip counts at the most recent break. There’s not really a bunch of runaway stacks just yet, but there is a group of three that have separated themselves from the pack.
Valreiy Pak – 293,800 (490 bb)
Noel Obreza Caballero – 196,000 (327 bb)
Daniel Aviles – 195,700 (326 bb)
$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 4: 300/500 with a 500 ante
Day 1B Entries: 600
Bryan Radigan was all in with pocket queens from late position, and UTG+1 had him covered holding pocket kings.
The board came to the rescue when it ran out 
, and Radigan doubled up to survive with 68,000 after collecting the pot.
Brian Radigan – 68,000 (136 bb)
$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3: 200/400 with a 400 ante
Day 1B Entries: 504
The cutoff raised to 2,000 preflop, Lee Markholt called on the button, the small blind called, and Justin Young also called on the big blind. The flop was dealt 
, and all three players checked to the 
on the turn.
The small blind bet 6,000, Young and the cutoff called, and Markholt folded. The river then delivered the 
, the small blind bet 21,000. Young moved all in, the cutoff folded, and the big blind folded as well. Young collected the pot to stack up an even 100,000.
Justin Young – 100,000 (250 bb)
$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3: 200/400 with a 400 ante
Day 1B Entries: 469
The first break ended, and players returned to their seats to play two more levels before the second break. The prize pool climbed over $4.5 million while they were gone, and it’s not far from creating a $5,000,000 prize pool.
WPT Champions Club member Matt Wantman is the early leader this afternoon with 134,200 and 2020 Tampa Winter Poker Open champ Maxwell Young is right on his heels with 130,200.
$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2: 200/300 with a 300 ante
Day 1B Entries: 420
The first break of the the flight is just about here with 420 entries and a ton more coming through the doors before registration closes at 9:15 pm.
We’ll take this chance to walk through the empty tables to find our early leaders.
$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2: 200/300 with a 300 ante
Day 1B Entries: 375
The entry count hit 375 once we rolled into the afternoon hours, the prize pool is over $4.2 million, and we have a steady parade of players through the doors and taking seats. Plus, we have another dozen making their way through the last-chance satellites.
We found a few of our Tampa friends in today’s field, all of them with success in our sister room on the other side of the state. Antuan Bunkley, Ashley Spring, Fred Paradis, Peter Walsworth, Jeremy Becker (via Vegas), and Manny Minaya are among the travelers here trying to add some Hollywood hardware.
$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1: 100/200 with a 200 ante
Day 1B Entries: 260
Flight B of the Championship is off to a flying start with 260 entries after 30 minutes and a fast-moving line at the registration desk. They are quickly closing on a $4,000,000 prize pool and we’ll cruise past $5,000,000 before too long.
One of the great things about our big Championship events is that we have many local players mixed with some of the best from around the world. Some early friends in the field include Ted Lawson, Anthony Zinno, former SHRPO Champ Dimitry Vorbe, Toby Boas, Chris Tryba, Eric Lindgren, Brett Bader, Nagui Yassa, Damian Simon, Marc Duquette, Spencer Champlin, and Paul Domb.
$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1: 100/200 with a 200 ante
Day 1B Entries: 210
The clock his 11 am and WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage put cards in the air for the last flight of the WPT Poker Showdown Championship. The $3,000,000 guarantee was surpassed last night so everything today spins up the prize pool.