2015 Seneca Fall Poker Classic

$1,000 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2015 Seneca Fall Poker Classic

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a3
Prize
$62,933
Event Info
Buy-in
$910
Prize Pool
$256,866
Entries
291
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
5,000

LIVE: The 2015 Seneca Fall Poker Classic $1,000 Main Event

2014 Seneca Fall Poker Classic champ Rick Block
2014 Seneca Fall Poker Classic champ Rick Block

After a week of preliminary events at the 2015 Seneca Fall Poker Classic, including two $50,000 guaranteed tournaments and more than $150,000 in prize money doled out, the $200,000 Guaranteed 2015 Seneca Fall Poker Classic $1,000 Main Event kicks off this morning.

The first of two Day 1 starting flights will go off on the balcony inside the Seneca Resort & Casino b‌eginning at 11 a.m. local time.

After hosting a bevvy of satelittes and juicing local rounders' bankrolls throughout the week leading up to the Main Event, staff at the Niagara Falls Poker Room are expecting some big numbers for this one.

Among the players likely to get in on the action include the past two Seneca Fall Poker Classic Main Event champions, as both 2014 champ Rick Block and 2013 champ Andy Spears have been see kicking around the prelims. The top rounders from across Western New York and beyond always turn out in droves for a shot at a big score and Seneca Niagara poker glory and since its on the balcony, the event is open to anyone 18 and up.

Players start out with 30,000 in tournament chips with plans to play 15 40-minute levels on Day 1. There is a 45-minute dinner break following Level 10 and registration and unlimited re-entry is available until it is over. Even those bagging chips tonight can try again on Saturday's second starting flight, taking thier best stack forward to Sunday's Day 2, where the levels increase to 50 minutes and the final table will be set.

They will play down to champion Monday inside the poker room on a day featuring 60-minute levels.

PokerNews will be on hand throughout, bringing you live coverage right from the floor of the Main Event, so get your popcorn ready, this is bound to be one action-packed event worth watching.

Tags: Andy SpearsRick Block

Sgroi Leads Into The Break

Level 3 : 100/200, 0 ante
Anthony Sgroi
Anthony Sgroi

Maria Parlatore flopped trips and turned it full, but her name is not at the top of the chip counts heading into the break. In fact, it isn't even on the list anymore.

That chip lead would belong to Rochester, NY's Tyler Orsini, who would not be pushed off this hand on third or fourth street, and eventually made a Royal Flush on fifth.

He got his stack in and almost a full double up out of it when Parlatore couldn't fold her monster. But he isn't the leader either.

Parlatore somehow got it back to 24,000 and when she lost all but 375 of that in a three way all-in pot with a straight and a flush draw against Youngstown, NY's Anthony Sgroi's bigger straight and a third player with a pair and a draw, Sgroi appeared to be the leader.

Parlatore cracked Orsini's aces with the {j-Hearts}{3-Hearts} making two pair a hand later, and it was clear Sgroi was in the lead.

Parlatore busted unceremoniously a hand or two later and the first break of the day starts now.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Anthony Sgroi
Anthony Sgroi
64,000
64,000
64,000
Profile photo of Tyler Orsini us
Tyler Orsini
57,000
57,000
57,000
Profile photo of Maria Parlatore ca
Maria Parlatore
Busted

Tags: Anthony SgroiMaria ParlatoreTyler Orsini

Chip Off The Old Block

Level 5 : 150/300, 25 ante
Rick Block
Rick Block

Defending Seneca Fall Poker Classic Main Event champion Rick Block is at the cage firing a second bullet after finding no joy on the first.

He lost half his stack running kings into aces, likely owing his tournament life to a flop with two jacks that slowed things down considerably.

The other half went in soon after with Block being run over a little. In the end, he flopped a set that got four-flushed and broke him.

He starts again with 30,000 now heading into Level 6.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Rick Block
Rick Block
30,000

Tags: Rick Block

Cooked-To-Order, Seasoned and Grilled

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante
Ronny D'Grillo
Ronny D'Grillo

It's Niagara Falls, NY local Ronny D'Grillo who will actually take the lead into the break on close to 75,000.

He managed to flop the nuts with {a-}{q-} on a {k-}{j-}{10-} board. Randy Pfeifer had a pair, an open-ender and and itchy trigger finger, firing bets into Broadway on every street until D'Grillo showed him the goods.

Don't feel too bad for Pfeifer though, he cracked {q-Hearts}{q-Clubs} with the {a-Spades}{5-Spades} a couple hands later, making three fives to take 70,000-plus into a ten minute break that starts right now.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ronny D'Grillo
Ronny D'Grillo
76,000
Profile photo of Randy Pfeifer
Randy Pfeifer
74,000
44,000
44,000

Tags: Ronny D'GrilloRandy Pfeifer

Fair Catch

Level 7 : 250/500, 50 ante
Buck Ramsay
Buck Ramsay

Andy Spears punted on third and short to give Buck Ramsay a huge stack with the mid-point of the day in sight.

He somehow got it all in preflop after three-betting the {a-}{2-} suited versus Ramsay's {k-}{k-}. Kings held, and while Spears elected to re-enter and started again with 30,000, Ramsay suddenly had his single bullet up close to 90,000.

Spears' re-entry has proved profitable though. He just got it in holding {a-}{a-} over {10-}{10-} and {q-}{q-}, fading all trouble to triple up and join the group at the top of the counts.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Buck Ramsay ca
Buck Ramsay
88,000
36,000
36,000
Profile photo of Andy Spears us
Andy Spears
75,000
75,000
75,000

Block Leads; Spears Swears Blood Vendetta Against Tomorrow's Day 1b Field

Level 9 : 400/800, 100 ante
Andy Spears
Andy Spears

Rick Block made it 1,400 from late position and Joe Ciffa flatted from the cutoff. It folded to Andy Spears in the big blind and he three-bet, making it 6,500.

Block fired back, making it 15,000, and after Ciffa released, Spears pushed his entire 69,000-chip stack in the middle.

Block snap-called with the {a-Spades}{k-Spades} setting up a classic showdown against Spears' {q-Clubs}{q-Spades} with dealer Eddy Williams nowhere to be found.

The board rolled out {9-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}{6-Spades}{8-Clubs} to the turn, but Spears vowed to return again tomorrow when the {a-Clubs} river came down, knocking him out and pushing Block up to the top of the counts.

"See you tomorrow," the always affable Spears said genuinely, with a smile and zero animosity towards Block or anyone else.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Rick Block
Rick Block
155,000
90,000
90,000
Profile photo of Andy Spears us
Andy Spears
Busted

Tags: Andy SpearsRick Block

Running Out Of Customers

Level 13 : 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
Buck Ramsay
Buck Ramsay

Buck Ramsay just hit the 300,000 mark, busting Mike Rellinger in the process.

Ramsay opened, Thinh Bui flatted and Rellinger shoved the small blind for less than 40,000. Ramsay slid out all his red T10,000 chips and Bui folded.

Ramsay: {j-Hearts}{j-Spades}
Rellinger: {a-Hearts}{9-Hearts}

Rellinger got up to walk away, but that old trick did not work, as the board rolled out {j-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}{5-Spades}{7-Clubs}{6-Clubs}, leaving him dead on the turn.

"Keep this up and you're going to run out of customers," Bui said with a smile.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Buck Ramsay ca
Buck Ramsay
305,000
45,000
45,000
Profile photo of Thinh Bui
Thinh Bui
75,000
-70,000
-70,000
Profile photo of Mike Rellinger us
Mike Rellinger
Busted

Tags: Buck RamsayMike RellingerThinh Bui

Block Threatens After Felting Napierala

Level 15 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante
Rick Block
Rick Block

Rick Block is now a good bet to bag big in defense of his title after felting Blake Napierala.

He defended his big blind with the {k-Clubs}{6-Clubs} against a Napierala open, then check-raised on the {j-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{5-Clubs} flop. Napierala called, and then led again for 35,000 when Block checked the {k-Diamonds} turn.

Block called and then slyly checked the {10-Clubs} river. Napierala shoved and Block beat him to the pot with the call. Napierala mucked and complimented Block's play before saying goodnight.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Rick Block
Rick Block
295,000
135,000
135,000
Profile photo of Blake Napierala us
Blake Napierala
Busted

Tags: Blake NapieralaRick Block

Buck Ramsay Leads Day 1a of the Main Event as 13 Survive

Level 15 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante
Buck Ramsay
Buck Ramsay

The first of two Day 1 flights for the 2015 Seneca Fall Poker Classic $1,000 Main Event went off in Niagara Falls, NY, on Friday.

Day 1a drew a total of 82 entries, with just 13 players making it through 15 40-minute levels to book a seat in Sunday's Day 2.

As it seems every Main Event at Seneca Niagara is these days, this one was all about Port Colborne, ON, Canada's Buck Ramsay.

The winner of both the 2015 Western NY Poker Challenge Main Event and the 2014 Summer Slam Main Event got things started by winning a big pot with kings early. Then, just before the halfway mark of the day, Andy Spears ran {a-}{2-} suited into Ramsay's kings to give him close to 100,000 in chips.

Ramsay spun that up even more before picking up another pot with aces, and finally stacking a second player on six figures with kings, again, against the {a-Spades}{k-Spades} right before play halted. In the end, he bagged a massive 461,500.

University of Rochester student Yi-Wei Lu also had a big day, running well, playing well, and threatening for the lead all day and night before bagging his own massive stack of 395,000.

But it was 2014 Seneca Niagara Poker Classic champ Rick Block who earned the spot under Ramsay on the leader board at the end of play.

Block's title defense started off a little rocky, as he busted early and fired a second bullet. A swingy day saw him head into the late levels with a decent stack, before he played Blake Napierala like a fiddle in Level 15, check-calling all in with a rivered flush to bust the Seneca superstar and bag a big 397,000 himself.

The 13 surviving players will return to play for seats at the final table Sunday morning, but Saturday is another day and another flight, as Day 1b of the the 2015 Seneca Fall Poker Classic $1,000 Main Event kicks off at 11 a.m. local time.

PokerNews will be on hand for every flop, turn, and river, and you are more than welcome to join us then.

Tags: Andy SpearsBlake NapieralaBuck RamsayRick BlockYi-Wei Lu