Championship Day 1B: Vinny Pahuja Grabs One

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3:  300/500 with a 500 ante
Day 1B Entries:  410

Vinny Pahuja

Vinny Pahuja raised to 1,200 preflop UTG+1, and the big blind called before the flop fell Ad6d3c.  Pahuja bet another 1,200, and the big blind check-called before the turn was dealt Js.

Both players checked to the 5d on the river, and then they checked again. The big blind showed 9s6d, but Pahuja had 8h8d to win the hand. Pahuja stacked up 41,000 after collecting the pot.

Vinny Pahuja – 41,000 (82 bb)

Championship Day 1B: Evan Teitelbaum Doubles Up

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2:  200/400 with a 400 ante
Day 1B Entries:  381

Evan Teitelbaum

The hijack reraised to 3,100 preflop, and Evan Teitelbaum reraised all in for 29,500 after originally raising from middle position. The hijack called so the two players tabled their cards.

Teietelbaum: 10h10s
Hijack: JcJs

Board: Ad8h4d5h10d

Teitelbaum doubled up to survive with 60,000, and the hijack was left with a single 100 chip after the hand. He was eliminated  a short time later.

Evan Teitelbaum – 60,000 (150 bb)

Championship Day 1B: Steve Blackmon Takes One Out

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2:  200/400 with a 400 ante
Day 1B Entries:  356

Steve Blackmon

There is a few thousand in the pot, and the flop read 7s4h2s when Steve Blackmon bet 1,500 from middle position. Vanessa Kade raised to 4,000 on the button, and the small blind check-called. Blackmon called as well before the turn fell 8h.

Kade bet 6,000, and the small blind check-raised all in for 10,300. Blackmon tanked before check-calling, and Kade called to cover the small blind as well. The river brought the Jd and the two remaining live players checked.

The small blind showed 8s6c, and it was not enough to hold up against either the 9d9c held by Kade, nor the QhQd that won the hand for Blackmon. He stacked up 85,000 after collecting the pot, and Kade was at 17,800.

Steve Blackmon – 85,000 (212 bb)
Vanessa Kade – 17,800 (44 bb)

Championship Day 1B: Another Big Number

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3:  200/400 with a 400 ante
Day 1B Entries:  333

Chance Kornuth

Flight B players returned from break and the entry count pushed the prize pool to another level. We have 333 entries today and they are now playing for a prize pool of over $4,000,000 and it will keep going up until registration closes at 9:15 pm.

A few more familiar faces include Chance Kornuth, Taylor von Kriegenbergh, Blake Bohn, Vanessa Kade, Fred Goldberg, and Michael Wang.

von Kriegenbergh holds a special place in our record books. We have crowned 42 major Championship/Main Event winners over the years but there can be only one to collect the first trophy. von Kriegenbergh holds that distinction among all of our former champs, winning the WPT Poker Showdown in 2011, our very first major.

Taylor von Kriegenbergh
Taylor Von Kriegenbergh was the first WPT Poker Showdown Champion

Championship Day 1B: Farid Jattin Doubles Thru Tony Cousineau

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2:  200/300 with a 300 ante
Day 1B Entries:  283

Farid Jattin

Tony Cousineau raised to 700 preflop from the button, the small blind called, and Farid Jattin reraised to 8,800 (leaving just 300 behind). Cousineau called, and the small blind folded before the flop was dealt Jc7d5s.

Jattin got his last 300 into the middle, and Cousineau called before he flipped over 3c3s. Jattin held 9d9s, and that was enough to score the double up after the turn and river came 8d7s. Jattin held 19,700 after the hand, and Cousineau was at 23,000.

Farid Jattin – 19,700 (65 bb)
Tony Cousineau – 23,000 (76 bb)

Championship Day 1B: Steve Buckner Bets Everyone Off

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2:  200/300 with a 300 ante
Day 1B Entries:  268

Steve Buckner

Aaron Mermelstein raised to 700 preflop under the gun, Steve Buckner called on the hijack, the button called, and the big blind called as well.

The flop was dealt Ac10d2s, and all four players checked before the turn fell Qs. Buckner bet 1,700, and the button folded. The big blind check-folded, and Mermelstein check-called.

The river delivered the Qh, Buckner bet 4,000, and Mermelstein check-folded. Buckner stacked up 38,500 after collecting the pot, and Mermelstein was at 28,100.

Steve Buckner – 38,500 (128 bb)
Aaron Mermelstein  – 28,100 ( 93bb)

Championship Day 1B: Familiar Faces

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1:  100/200 with a 200 ante
Day 1B Entries:  227

Darren Elias

Familiar faces in the field early on Day 1B include Steve Buckner, Tony Cousineau, Mike Beasley, Eric Afriat, Darren Elias, Bob Mather, Cedrric Trevino, Billy Pilossoph, Luke Brereton, Vanessa Kade, Taylor von Kriegenbergh, Timothy Miles, Ryan Van Sanford, and Spencer Champlin.

Registration remains open until the start of Level 9 around 9:15 pm this evening.

Spencer Champlin

Championship Day 1B: Eric Afriat Wins One Early

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1:  100/200 with a 200 ante
Day 1B Entries:  190

Eric Afriat

There was a little over 1,000 in the pot with the flop reading Jc6h5c when Eric Afriat bet 2,000 from the button. Two players check-folded before the cutoff check-called.

Both remaining players checked the Kh on the turn, and the Jh on the river. Afriat flipped over Kc6s, and that was enough to top the Ac5h of his opponent. Afriat held 43,000 after the hand.

Eric Afriat – 43,000 (215 bb)

Championship Day 1B: Tampa in Town

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1:  100/200 with a 200 ante
Day 1B Entries:  190

Wagner Wysotchanski

With the last weekend of the series here, we are seeing many friends from Tampa making the trip across the state.

Those in the mix early include Wagner Wysotchanski, Jeff Morzella, Kevin Blewitt, Manny Minaya, Jeremy Becker, Fred Dabus, and Justin Zaki with many more expected.

Jeff Morzella