Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open: Chinni and Berg Lead Day 1c Survivors; Guarantee Smashed
Day 1c, the third and final starting day of the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open $10 Million Guarantee Championship Event, is in the books, and leading Saturday’s flight is Jesse Chinni with 377,500 chips. Chinni only has two cashes in 2013, including one in a $1,500 pot-limit Omaha event at the 2013 World Series of Poker.
Ben Berg ended Day 1c second with 331,100 chips. Berg has eight career live scores, with his largest ($14,710) coming in December of 2012. The Pennsylvania native took down a $235 buy-in event during the 2012 Christmas Classic at the Palm Beach Kennel Club.
Right behind them is pro Justin Bonomo, who bagged up 326,900 on his fifth bullet.
Top 10 Entering Day 2
| Rank | Name | Chips |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jesse Chinni | 377,500 |
| 2 | Gjergj Sinishtaj | 376,00 |
| 3 | Benjamin Berg | 331,100 |
| 4 | Justin Bonomo | 326,900 |
| 5 | Aaron Schaaf | 326,600 |
| 6 | Raj Vohra | 322,000 |
| 7 | Alan Le | 309,800 |
| 8 | Robert Kleinfeld | 293,400 |
| 9 | Chino Rheem | 284,800 |
| 10 | Jacob Naquin | 276,500 |
There were 1,060 entries on Day 1c, bringing the total number of entrants to 2,384 for the tournament. The prize pool closed at $11,920,000, which is nearly 20 percent more than the massive guarantee promised by the venue. The top 338 players will earn a minimum of $7,500, each member of the nine-handed final table will take home at least $174,525, and the winner will bank a whopping $1,745,245.
For more information, simply click the Payouts tab in the live reporting blog.
Among the notables still in contention for that huge first-place prize are Jeremy Ausmus, Phil Laak, Danny Masterson, Chino Rheem, Shaun Deeb, Lee Childs, Jim Collopy, Jake Cody, and Dwyte Pilgrim.
Laak shipped a huge double up in the last level of the evening when he was all in with a flopped full house against an opponent holding trip aces. The Unabomber faded the case ace and three jacks to double to over 200,000 chips, and will be looking for his second six-figure score of 2013.
Pilgrim made a big bluff towards the end of the day, winning a much-needed pot. On a board of 7♦6♣5♥6♦3♦ he moved all in for 32,000 over a bet of 15,000. His opponent tank-folded a six for trip sixes, and Pilgrim triumphantly showed ace-high.
“That’s why I’m a living legend!” Pilgrim shouted after the hand.
While players like Bonomo and Ausmus survived after firing multiple bullets, others fell. Cliff “Johnny Bax” Josephy, Jason Koon, Russell Thomas, Matt Affleck, and Lauren Kling will all miss Day 2, but we can bet that some of them will stick around to play in the World Poker Tour Alpha-8 Super High Roller.
Affleck was eliminated when his pocket kings couldn’t hold up against an opponent’s ace-king, and Josephy hit the rail when he three-bet shoved with pocket tens. An opponent called him with ace-queen, hit a queen on the river, and Josephy’s tournament was over.
2013 November Niner JC Tran finally showed up on Saturday to fire only one bullet, and he did so unsuccessfully. Tran says that he skipped Days 1a and 1b because he wasn’t feeling well, but will most likely play in the Alpha-8.
Well it was fun. Swingy session after dinner break and ended up a victim of the rail. Just bummed I wasn't feeling well enough to play 1a-1b
— JC TRAN (@jctran23)
Definitely a great tournament. Good luck to the rest still in this tourney. Next up, most likely the Highrollers. #SHRPO
— JC TRAN (@jctran23)
The 768 survivors from all three starting flights will return at noon on Sunday, where Chinni will start the day with a slight chip lead over Gjergj Sinishtaj (376,000). PokerNews will be on hand for coverage of this massive Championship Event. Players will once again be able to update their status immediately using the PokerNews MyStack App, and you can expect more features and interviews as well.
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