$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 8: 300/600/75 Ante

Just when Jonathan Duhamel was enjoying the Montreal Canadiens game and his 120,000 chips, it was deja vu for him all over again.  Two nights ago Duhamel was seated with Ryan Riess in Event 11 for an extended period of time and now Jamie Gold’s table just broke and the two world champions are at the same table separated only by Barbara Cardin.

Also on the table are Kelly Minkin who finished 3rd in the Lucky Hearts championship event a few months ago and Daren Stabinski who is a past event champion here at Seminole Hard Rock.  And just to make things interesting our resident king of wine-drinking and frivolity, Ed Blount, is also in on the action.

Table 19 should be one to watch for quite a while tonight as Day 1B rolls on.

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 8: 300/600/75 Ante

We didn’t catch the bet amounts but Ebony Kenney called bets on the flop and turn and then made a bet that looked to be close to 6,000 on the river after her opponent checked. The board was showing and Kenney’s opponent made the call.

The blue-haired pro turned over for flopped top pair that turned into a river jack-high straight. Her opponent sighed, looked back at his cards briefly, and slid them to the dealer.

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 7: 250/500/75 Ante

The rest of the field is about to hear some bad news: Chris Moorman has chips.

Recognized as one of the best and most dangerous players in the world, Moorman was the chip recipient of an beneficiary who tried to bluff him out of a hand while Moorman was holding a full house.  Because of the ill-timed play, Moorman now moves toward the top of tonight’s leaderboard with 170.000 chips.

Jamie Gold is also piling up some chips tonight.  The former world champion has gotten his stack over the 150,000 chip mark is also driving toward reaching Day 2.

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 7: 250/500/75 Ante

We got to the table with two players all in on a board of and Steven Diamond facing a decision. It appeared that Diamond had initially bet out of the small blind as there was a T5,000 chip in front of him. The player to his left had moved all in for 17,100 total and James Calderaro called all in for just slightly less than that.

Diamond appeared to be calculating the pot odds in his head and having both players covered decided to make the call with his for top pair with an open-ended straight draw. Calderaro had and the third player had . The turn would change everything as it was the to give Diamond a straight. The river was a meaningless and Diamond took down the pot.

“Good luck guys,” said Calderaro, winner of the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open just down the road in Coconut Creek back in February of 2014.

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 7: 250/500/75 Ante

The final number of entrants for today’s flight was 404 bringing the two day total thus far to 906 entrants.

In the meantime, if you want a chance at a free hat, go to your Twitter account and let us know how you’re doing:

Want a @HardRockHolly Poker Showdown hat? Tweet a pic of your Championship stack and table/seat with hashtag #SHRPO pic.twitter.com/eYnCFjAlFy

— SHRPO (@shrpo) April 18, 2015

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 7: 250/500/75 Ante

Players have returned from their dinner break. The tournament clock is showing 402 entrants with registration now being closed. We’ll have the official numbers for you as soon as they are available.

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 7: 250/500/75 Ante

At the dinner break, Jared Jaffee continues to be the only player over 200,00 with nine other players holding more than 100,000. They will return to blinds at 250/500 with a 75 ante, plenty of chips to work.

A few counts from around the room:

Jared Jaffee – 202,750 (406 bb)
Victor Cianelli – 154,700 (309 bb)
Paul Griffin – 147,025 (294 bb)
Brian Green – 144,000 (288 bb)
Brian Hastings – 127,300 (255 bb)
Jamie Gold – 124,325 (249 bb)
Carlo Nini – 122,100 (244 bb)
Omar Zazay – 119,050 (238 bb)
George Dolofan – 118,875 (238 bb)
Ryan Franklin – 105,350 (211 bb)
Cornel Cimpan – 98,625 (197 bb)
John Radvansky – 98,350 (197 bb)
Jonathan Duhamel – 96,750 (194 bb)
Long Nguyen – 95,100 (190 bb)
Blakely Pervis – 93,350 (187 bb)
Richard Arno – 93,275 (187 bb)
Chad Eveslage – 92,375 (185 bb)
Vanessa Selbst – 92,025 (184 bb)
Igor Skochilo – 86,750 (174 bb)
Curt Kohlberg – 78,425 (157 bb)
John Dolan – 77,850 (156 bb)
Nancy Birnbaum – 64,600 (129 bb)
Zo Karim – 38,200 (76 bb)
Harrison Gimbel – 25,925 (52 bb)
Tim West – 25,125 (50 bb)
Kevin Eyster – 17,550 (35 bb)

Players are now on a 90-minute dinner break. They will return at approximately 8:05 p.m. local time.

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 6: 200/400/50 Ante

Not only does this tournament bring out world champions but also brings out some of the most talented female poker players in the world.  Among all of these amazing women joining us for the Day 1B field are top pros Ebony Kenney, Nancy Birnbaum and Christina Lindley.

Stunningly, no woman has ever won a WPT Main Event Championship.  Could one of these ladies or the many others in the field finally make history here this week?  Only time will tell as we move forward on Day 1B.

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 6: 200/400/50 Ante

It was folded to the small blind who opened for a raise. Jared Jaffee was sitting in the big blind and made the call. The flop came and Jaffee called a 900 bet from his opponent. The turn was the and Jaffee would fold after his opponent bet 2,200.

Despite that small hit, Jaffee is currently sitting on the biggest stack in the room with approximately 205,000 in chips. There is approximately 15 minutes left before players will go on a 90-minute dinner break.