Event 10 (Day 1A)
$350+50 Monster Stack 40/40 NLH Re-Entry
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 15 (complete): Blinds 2000/4000/4000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 275
Players Remaining: 56
Average Stack: 196,000
612,500 for Michael Rossitto.
Rob “Team Lotus” Elias came all the way from 26,000 post registration to finish near the top at 420,500. AA in his final hand of the day help clip a few chips from Rossitto.
More big stacks and players covered today:
Travis Hartshorn – 321,000
John Clifford – 400,000+
Mike McGuinness – 405,000
Ragavan Thiagarajah – 381,500
Official counts will be posted in the morning.
Flight B continues in the Poker Room.
Day 2 players should return Tuesday, April 17 an 12 noon.
$350+50 Monster Stack 40/40 NLH Re-Entry
$150,000 Guaranteed
End of Level 15: Blinds 2000/4000/4000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 275
Players Remaining: 60
Average Stack: 183,000
Michael Rossitto on 5 just picked off a drowning stack, 
over 
, and is up to about 575,000.
However, the real story is the rapid downfall of Josh Liptzin. Chip leader just a level ago, he was cooled off twice and is out. The majority of his stack went to John Clifford in the ten seat, when he flopped a set and got all in against an unfortunate pair of aces.
John Clifford continues to thrive on table 4.
Josh then ran 
into a mid-stack’s , and couldn’t escape.
Meanwhile back on 1, McGuinness continues to swing but is currently at a very strong 400,000. Sundiata Devore on his left has 300,000.
He’s called the Pokermantis for some reason, but whatever the reason, it is true it is hard to get rid of this perennial shortstack expert and constant online qualifier.
Survival: The Pokermantis.
“It sucks to be card dead,” he complained. Magically, he was dealt 
, but couldn’t get any action.
“Two cougars!” the Pokermantis declared, flashing his hand.
The final five hands has been announced.
$350+50 Monster Stack 40/40 NLH Re-Entry
$150,000 Guaranteed
End of Level 14: Blinds 1500/3000/3000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 275
Players Remaining: 70
Average Stack: 157,000
Baruch Krieger, before table 8 broke, picked off a Travis Hartshorn bluff with a better ace high on 
. Both 
and 
had flopped straight draws middle position versus blind. Krieger is up to 250,000.
Baruch Krieger has about 250,000 after the strong call.
Je Wook Oh on their table had risen to 350,000. With Hartshorn in Passantino’s former seat, it appears likely Oh took from Frank.
Meanwhile, McGuinness on 1 swung up to 460,000 before getting outdrawn on the river and paying off a check raise with a now second best two pair. Kevin Grabel, now at Mike’s table and long a big stack, has taken a big hit and is under 200,000.
McGuinness frowns and figures: in a spot again.
Michael Rossitto on 6 has risen to nearly 400,000. Ken Roberts, left, has gotten short.
On three, the adventurous Nihal Advani just let a 25 bb stack launch into his top pair and added over 70,000 to his stack. He’s healthy at 200,000.
We head into the final level of the flight.
$350+50 Monster Stack 40/40 NLH Re-Entry
$150,000 Guaranteed
End of Level 13: Blinds 1200/2400/2400 BB Ante
Total Entries: 275
Players Remaining: 80
Average Stack: 137,500
Mike McGuinness had just taken over the chip lead – it’s been shifting between him, Kevin Grabel, David Jackson, and Josh Liptzin – but has taken a hit.
First John Gottlieb stuck in a 35,000 river shove against the notoriously sticky McGuinness on 
. Mike restrained his normal instinct to call holding a naked , and laid it down.
Discipline: McGuinness flicks the best hand away.
Gottlieb showed him, upon request, 
for total air.
Unfortunately for Mike, he then raised an open, and bet 50,000 on air himself on the flop, after missed on a jack high board. The short stack had gotten lucky with 
to double. Mike takes a tumble from over 350,000 back to 290,000.
Mike’s misfortune with AQ leaves Josh Liptzin on 4 with over 370,000 and the apparent lead. Kevin Grabel is just behind him, while David Jackson has taken a significant hit.
On 3, where Fitzgerald had moved and Asher Conniff has been big stacked almost since buying in, a significant cooler just went down.
In yet another multiway limped pot, Andrew Saba led 
for 7,000, and was raised by Scott Fitzgerald to 25,000. Norman Rodriguez now jammed his final 75,000 and the rest of the money went in between the three players.
Outdrawn but still in: Andrew “Tooch” Saba takes the cooler well.
The saving grace for Saba and Fitzgerald was Norman’s short stack, as his set of fours was immediately cracked on the turn when the 
completed Norman’s 
flush draw. Fitzgerald was still left with 35,000 in chips, however, remaining in third place with 
for top two pair. The river 
missed everyone.
Fitzgerald: cooled off and soon out.
The unlucky Fitzgerald, who lost the main and side pots, is soon out, while Rodriguez is right behind the chip leaders with 250,000 and Saba holds firm at 125,000.
We’re back at 7:50 for two more levels.
$350+50 Monster Stack 40/40 NLH Re-Entry
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 12: Blinds 1000/2000/2000 BB Ante
Total Entries: 275
Players Remaining: 100
Average Stack: 110,000
David Jackson, on 11 with Marder, Martin, and Fitzgerald, has 290,000.
On 6, Liam McLoughlin has shot up to 160,000 after knocking out his adversary boat over boat, according to Andrew Klein.
Liam McLoughlin on 6.
“I would have made a worse full house, but was smart enough to get out of the way,” Andrew said modestly, just before doubling up Ken Roberts.
Rob Elias, left, looks on as Ken Roberts’ shove is paid off by Andrew.
Meanwhile, on the Limping Table, 8, they have outdone themselves. In a five way unraised pot, the flop came . Jewook Oh moved in, and after some time, Frank Passantino made the call. The other three folded.
Je Wook Oh and Frank Passantino on 8. Frank just added to his stack with a 25,000 called value bet on the river, pushing him near 140,000.
Both players turned over to chop up the limps.
$350+50 Monster Stack 40/40 NLH Re-Entry
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 11: Blinds 800/1,600/1,600 BB Ante
Total Entries: 275
Players Remaining: 130
Average Stack: 84,600
John Clifford stacking his newly acquired chips
After tussling earlier today, it was inevitable that Bobby Flanigan and John Clifford would but heads again. They got to the river and John showed down pocket Kings. Bobby’s cards went into the muck as the table speculated what he held.
John is up to about 210,000 and among the big stacks. Now that registration is closed, tables will start to break quickly as the end of the flight is just about three hours away.
$350+50 Monster Stack 40/40 NLH Re-Entry
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 11: Blinds 800/1,600/1,600 BB Ante
Total Entries: 275
Play has resumed after the break and the unofficial entry count for Flight A is 275.
Kevin Grabel
It’s no surprise that the two biggest stacks in the room belong to Kevin Grabel (~280,000) and Asher Conniff (~260,000).
Asher Conniff
$350+50 Monster Stack 40/40 NLH Re-Entry
$150,000 Guaranteed
End of Level 10: Blinds 600/1,200/1,200 BB Ante
Entries: 274
We take another 15 minute break.
Registration ends when level 11 starts – time to get it there!
Mike Marder returns undaunted, now on 11 with Dre Martin, center, and Fitzgerald a few seats down.
$350+50 Monster Stack 40/40 NLH Re-Entry
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 10: Blinds 600/1,200/1,200 BB Ante
Entries: 272
Mike Marder, tournament reg and self-acknowledged “tight player”, opened to 2500 from early, picking up less-than-tight player Nihal Advani, as well as Florida tournament scenester Paula Alibrandi.
On 
, Marder continued, and both players called.
Marder can’t have liked the on the turn, as it filled, among other hands, , but on the whole was not the worst card. He fired again, this time 10,000. It’s probable Nihal’s hand improved, as Marder’s range grew narrow yet he still found the call. Paula, however, let it go.
The river was a non club , again improving Nihal’s possible hand, but holding , Marder blocked the straight, was stuck out of position, and still held value. He shoved for about 25,000 and Nihal quickly called, turning over for a winning two pair
With the count confirmed, Marder is out.
Nihal Advani collects Mike Mardner’s stack; Paula Alibrandi on his left.
“I knew he had an overpair,” explained Nihal.
“I had the clubs,” lamented Paula.
In the next hand, Nihal took down a pot with a cbet, and is suddenly nearing 100,000.
However, Paula gets a little back from Nihal two hands later. After opening yet again, Nihal declines to cbet 
, and flashes the to Paula after she bets.
Alibrandi shows him the the 
kindly.
Alibrandi is hovering around starting stack.
“I can’t outplay them,” Paula remarked, “but I can outbet them.”
“You can outbet me!” confirmed Nihal.
Careful – Mike Marder couldn’t.
$350+50 Monster Stack 40/40 NLH Re-Entry
$150,000 Guaranteed
Level 10: Blinds 600/1,200/1,200 BB Ante
Entries: 269
Kevin Grabel
Kevin Grabel has been here grinding away all day and he’s pulled into the chip lead, thanks to a “one-outer on the river” according to Sean Barringer.
Kevin’s up to about 240,000.
Stephen Moy
Over on table 8, Stephen Moy was all-in again, this time on the turn with a board of 
and with two opponents. On the river card, it was checked down and seat 4 showed 
for Ace-high and missed straight draw. Frank tabled 
for a pair of Queens to take the side pot.
Stephen showed 
and he also missed his straight draw. He was felted for the second time today.
Frank chipped up to about 210,000 and appears to be second in chips behind Kevin.
Frank Passantino