2017 Western New York Poker Challenge Warm-Up

$300 No Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2017 Western New York Poker Challenge Warm-Up

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
ak
Prize
$10,144
Event Info
Buy-in
$300
Prize Pool
$39,021
Entries
155
Level Info
Level
23
Blinds
15,000 / 30,000
Ante
3,000

$300 No Limit Hold'em

Day 1 Completed

Dan Wagner Wins Western New York Poker Challenge Warm-Up $300 Event

Level 23 : 15,000/30,000, 3,000 ante
Dan Wagner
Dan Wagner

Dan Wagner has won another tournament here at Seneca Niagara Casino after defeating Sahar Khajavi in the opening event of the 2017 Western New York Poker Challenge Warm-Up. This is his second title in just a few months after he took down the 2016 Fall Poker Classic Main Event towards the end of the year.

Wagner took home $10,144 for his efforts after steamrolling his opponents throughout the day and in the final moments on the final table. Khajavi went on a tear to begin the final table and Wagner took over once talks of a chop were squashed when play was shorthanded.

In the final hand, Khajavi got her chips in the middle in a classic race with pocket tens against Wagner's ace-king. The king on the river sealed the deal, handing Wagner the title. Khajavi pocketed $6,350 for her efforts today.

PositionPlayerPrize
1Dan Wagner$10,144
2Sahar Khajavi$6,349
3George Crozier$4,509
4Rob Greene$3,194
5Jim Girdlestone$2,442
6Leo Kaplan$1,916
7Tyler Orsini$1,465
8John Brock$1,127
9Jim Pifer$902
10Ed Reid$714

The day started off with a bang and the $25,000 guarantee was met by the fourth level of play. Players began dropping quite quickly and two-thirds of the field had hit the rail by the time registration closed.

As the money bubble neared, Omar Stefanini and Alan Findlay both dropped in back-to-back hands and hand-for-hand play began. John Perri was eliminated on the bubble as he was incredibly short-stacked. A few players dropped once they were in the money before play stayed steady with around 14 players left.

Dietrich Kuhlmann finished in 11th place and hit the rail on the final table bubble. Wagner led the way when the final ten players came together and he held that lead for a while until Khajavi started to turn on the jets. Players slowly started to drop, with Ed Reid and Jim Pifer getting knocked out in the same hand where they both held ace high and couldn't improve against Rob Greene's pocket nines. Reid finished in tenth place while Pifer came in ninth.

John Brock was the next player to go, holding pocket eights after he was out flopped by Dietrich Girdlestone who held ace three. The flop was ace-high and he was on his way out the door in eight place. Tyler Orsini was eliminated shortly after in seventh place after his ace-nine suited of diamonds was unable to make anything happened against Green's ace-ten of hearts.

Leo Kaplan fell at the hands of the Champion in sixth place and couldn't get his pocket tens to hold after Wagner hit an ace on both the flop and the turn, tabling ace seven for the knockout.

Jim Girdlestone lost a devastating hand with ace-king of clubs after running into Wagner's two red aces. The flop gave him a flush draw but he was unable to improve, busting in fifth place the next hand after running into pocket kings with his short stack.

Rob Greene was next to go in fourth place after missing both his flush and straight draws against Khajavi's king-jack of diamonds for two pair. George Crozier was the next to go in third place after getting in his remaining 311,000 stack with pocket sixes and running into Khajavi's pocket tens. He was unable to improve and hit the rail for a solid payday.

The feature event this weekend begins tomorrow, Saturday, February 25th at 11:00 AM. The buy-in is $600 and there will be a $50,000 guarantee on the event. Registration runs until the end of level eight, which is at approximately 4:00 PM.

A full list of results can be found under the Payouts tab.

Good luck players! Stay with PokerNews all weekend for more updates as the weekend progresses.

Tags: Adam Stephany; Dan WagnerDietrich KuhlmannEd ReidJim GirdlestoneJim PiferJohn BrockJohn PerriLeo KaplanOmar StefaniniRob GreeneSahar KhajaviTyler Orsini

Sahar Khajavi Eliminated in 2nd Place ($6,350)

Level 23 : 15,000/30,000, 3,000 ante
Sahar Khajavi
Sahar Khajavi

Sahar Khajavi and Dan Wagner put all of their chips in the middle before the flop, with Khajavi being the player at risk with about 1,000,000 behind.

Wagner tabled {a-Spades}{k-Spades} while Khajavi showed {10-Clubs}{10-Diamonds} for a classic race.

The board ran out {q-Spades}{7-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}{k-Diamonds} and Khajavi is the runner up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Dan Wagner us
Dan Wagner
3,100,000
1,700,000
1,700,000
Profile photo of Sahar Khajavi ca
Sahar Khajavi
Busted

Tags: Sahar KhajaviDan Wagner

George Crozier Eliminated in 3rd Place ($4,509)

Level 23 : 15,000/30,000, 3,000 ante
George Crozier
George Crozier

Sahar Khajavi raised to 75,000 on the button and George Crozier moved all in for 311,000 from the small blind. Dan Wagner called from the big blind and Khajavi called as well.

The flop came {9-Hearts}{7-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}. Wagner checked and Khajavi moved all in. Wagner folded.

Khajavi tabled two black tens and Crozier showed {6-Spades}{6-Diamonds}.

The turn was the {2-Clubs} and the river was the {a-Spades}, sending Crozier to the rail in third place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Sahar Khajavi ca
Sahar Khajavi
1,800,000
700,000
700,000
Profile photo of Dan Wagner us
Dan Wagner
1,400,000
-350,000
-350,000
Profile photo of George Crozier us
George Crozier
Busted

Tags: Adam Stephany; Dan WagnerSahar Khajavi

Level: 23

Blinds: 15,000/30,000

Ante: 3,000

Rob Greene Eliminated in 4th Place ($3,194)

Level 22 : 12,000/24,000, 3,000 ante
Rob Greene
Rob Greene

On a board reading {k-Clubs}{j-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}, Rob Greene moved all in and was called by Sahar Khajavi.

Khajavi tabled {k-Diamonds}{j-Diamonds} for top two pair and Greene showed {q-Clubs}{10-Hearts} for a flush and a straight draw.

The turn was the {2-Spades} and the river was the {q-Diamonds}, sending Greene to the rail in fourth place for $3,194.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Dan Wagner us
Dan Wagner
1,600,000
150,000
150,000
Profile photo of Sahar Khajavi ca
Sahar Khajavi
1,300,000
250,000
250,000
Profile photo of George Crozier us
George Crozier
220,000
85,000
85,000
Profile photo of Rob Greene
Rob Greene
Busted

Tags: Rob GreeneSahar Khajavi

Jim Girdlestone Eliminated in 5th Place ($2,442)

Level 21 : 10,000/20,000, 2,000 ante
Jim Girdlestone
Jim Girdlestone

Jim Girdlestone lost a massive pot to Dan Wagner a few short moments ago and got his remaining 150,000 chips in the middle with king jack.

Wagner called with queen six and flopped a queen, sending Girdlestone to the rail in fifth place for $2,442.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Dan Wagner us
Dan Wagner
1,450,000
200,000
200,000
Profile photo of Jim Girdlestone
Jim Girdlestone
Busted

Tags: Adam Stephany; Dan WagnerJim Girdlestone

Dan Wagner Takes a Commanding Lead

Level 21 : 10,000/20,000, 2,000 ante

Dan Wagner was on the button and faced a three-bet of 175,000 from Jim Girdlestone in the big blind. He thought for a moment and shoved for 590,000. Girdlestone called.

Wagner: {a-Hearts}{a-Diamonds}
Girdlestone: {a-Clubs}{k-Clubs}

Girdlestone jumped up in his seat as soon as he saw Wagner's aces and said, "Unbelievable! He's had aces like seven times today."

The flop came {j-Clubs}{7-Clubs}{7-Spades} and Girdlestone picked up a flush draw, The turn was the {k-Spades} and gave him some more outs, but the river was the {3-Spades} and Wagner now has well over a million in chips.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Dan Wagner us
Dan Wagner
1,250,000
630,000
630,000
Profile photo of Sahar Khajavi ca
Sahar Khajavi
1,050,000
850,000
850,000
Profile photo of Rob Greene
Rob Greene
520,000
-190,000
-190,000
Profile photo of Jim Girdlestone
Jim Girdlestone
150,000
-600,000
-600,000
Profile photo of George Crozier us
George Crozier
135,000
-85,000
-85,000

Tags: Dan WagnerJim Girdlestone

Level: 22

Blinds: 12,000/24,000

Ante: 3,000