Was cruising with good stack then decided to play 3 way all in on QJ4 with KT and didn’t get there – Busted little later – GG 2k 6 max

— Stewart Newman (@stnewman) February 4, 2015

$2,200 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Freezeout)
Level 5: 100/200/25 Ante

Two of the most outgoing personalities in poker are seated at the same table and it didn’t take long for the fun to start.

Chance Kornuth seemed like a fish out of water until his good buddy, Jared Jaffee, showed up after a late registration.  And of course right off the bat, the two of them got in a hand and the prerequisite snappy banter.  Kornuth won the first round but the rest of their table is for quite a treat as long as these two stay together tonight.

$2,200 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Freezeout)
Level 5: 100/200/25 Ante

It’s very early on but here are the top stacks in the room here in Event 15:

David Bell – 63,700
Ravi Raghavan – 48,975
Jake Schwartz – 43,5000
Roberto Alberro – 42,450
Jose Parra – 42,175
Jacob Bazeley – 37,900

$2,200 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Freezeout)
Level 4: 100/200

With all the incredible successes and the travels that have come with them, Jonathan Duhamel has had one place on the yearly poker schedule he’s missed out on in his career.  Suprisingly, the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion is making his first trip to the Seminole Hard Rock-Hollywood to play a tournament series.

Duhamel explained what finally got him here.  “I’ve been wanting to go to Florida and here at Seminole for a quite long time but there was always something going on and it was kinda tough with the schedule to make it happen.  But the last few months I traveled quite a lot so I didn’t really want to travel to Austrailia again or Deauville because it was pretty far away.  So I thought it was a good occasion to finally  go to Florida for the first time and enjoy it.  And so far it’s been really nice.  I’m very happy to be here.”

Duhamel seemed to be thrilled with his choice to come to play the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open and has been initially impressed with the property.  “It’s pretty good – it’s pretty big!  Hard Rock is always pretty nice.  You know, it’s a lot of rock n’ roll so it’s good to be here.  Weather is amazing too and it was pretty freezing cold in Montreal.  So I’m just really happy.  It’s my first day and I just got here but so far I’m loving it.”

What’s on the docket for Jonathan while he’s here?  “I just plan to play poker, enjoy the sun and be outside by the pool.  I’ll try to have some drinks here and there and just have some fun and enjoy the week.  I know it’s going to be a good time.  I have a good feeling about being here so we’ll have some fun and see what happens.”

“I just got here so I went straight from the airport to my hotel room to the tournament” said Duhamel who just arrived but is looking forward to getting to explore the property and the area.  “There’s a lot of people around the pool so that sounds like fun and I’m just going to the enjoy the sun and go play a round of golf.  It’s a good mood around here so I like it!”

Hopefully Duhamel will enjoy more than the pool as he tries to add the Seminole Hard Rock-Hollywood WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open title to his stellar resume.

$2,200 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Freezeout)
Level 4: 100/200

Playing in a field with so much talent is tough enough.  Playing it six-handed with the added pressure of faster rotations is even more tricky.

But because registration is still open for about a half hour, seats need to be held open and most of the field is playing five-handed right now until the tournament consolidates.

Fortunately for most of these players, they are quite experienced in short-handed play and some of them may actually be enjoying the unique opportunity.  But for those who are not, it could make these early levels a minefield to survive until some tables are broken and everyone gets back to normal six-handed play.

$2,200 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Freezeout)
Level 4: 100/200

As we get ready for the World Poker Tour Lucky Hearts Poker Open $3,000,000 Guaranteed Main Event to kick off on Thursday, some of the most successful players in WPT history are in the field for Event 15.

Keven Stammen won the 2014 WPT World Championship Event last April picking off the biggest score of his career winning $1,350,000 at the Borgata.  Anthony Zinno also added his name to the WPT Champions Cup at Borgata winning a Borgata Open title last September.

Will Failla is also in the house.  “The Thrill” won the 2011 WPT Legends of Poker in Los Angeles and may have been a bad beat away from winning back-to-back events finishing 11th in the Borgata Open.

Also here is Noah Schwartz.  One of Florida’s most successful players won his WPT title in Jacksonville in 2012 and recently made WPT history as the first player to win a WPT Main Event and a WPT Alpha 8 title.  Schwartz won that Alpha 8 championship right here at Seminole Hard Rock last month.

Many more players whose names are on the WPT Champions Cup are on the way to Seminole Hard Rock along with so many hopefuls trying to make poker history.  Come join us this week and it could be you standing alongside these incredible poker talents.

$2,200 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Freezeout)
Level 2: 75/150

In a field full of wizards, it’s former WPT runner-up David Bell leading the early action with pretty small lead over the rest of the field.

Notable counts:

David Bell – 26,625
Carter Gill – 19,350
Stewart Newman – 17,775
Joe Kuether – 17,525
Chance Kornuth – 16,850
Darryll Fish – 16,600
John Dolan – 15,825
Cliff Goldkind – 15,775
Shannon Shorr – 15,550
Noah Schwartz – 14,925
Matt Waxman – 12,575
Faraz Jaka – 12,000
Jonathan Duhamel – 11,075
Aaron Massey – 9,175
Anthony Zinno – 8,550
Brian Hastings – 7,075
Jason Mercier – 5,200
Hans Winzeler – 4,075
Will Failla – 3,600

$2,200 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Freezeout)
Level 2: 50/100

It’s hard to find a soft spot at a $2,200 6-Max table and this one is shaping up to be a tough one. So far 65 entrants have jumped into the Freezeout and it’s already an impressive lineup.

A quick walk through the field found Jason Mercier, Noah Schwartz, Matt Waxman, Carter Gill, John Dolan, Ian O’Hara, Brian Hastings, Darryll Fish, Joe Kuether, Cliff Goldkind, Jacob Bazeley, Shannon Shorr, Chance Kornuth, and Will “The Thrill” Failla.

But the biggest name in the short-handed event would have to be 2010 WSOP Main Event Champion Jonathan Duhamel, making his first trip to the state and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood.

$2,200 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Freezeout)
Level 1: 25/50

They are underway in final event before the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open. It’s a big $2,200 6-Max No Limit Hold’em tournament with a Freezout setup. No re-entries this time around. If they dust off one stack, they can’t buy another.

The tournament has a $200,000 guaranteed prize pool and will attract big names and locals alike. They’ll sit with 12,000 stacks and long, 60-minute levels throughout the day. Late registration is open until the start of Level 5, approximately 7:30 this evening. They will stop play at the end of Level 10 and return tomorrow to play it out.

Cards are in the air and we will track them all day.