Friday, February 9, 2018 11:22 PM Local Time
The first of two starting flights of the World Series of Poker Circuit $1,675 Main Event at Potawatomi has concluded, and after 15 levels of play Michael Crawford (pictured) bagged the chip lead for Flight A, ending the day with 321,000. Crawford is the only player to have crossed over the 300,000 chip mark today.
According to Crawford, he started his upward climb early in the day, in the second level when he flopped quad eights and eliminated Keith Heine after Heine hit a full house on the river. The rest of the day was, “A slow steady climb,” according to Crawford.
Today’s flight generated a total of 243 entries. By the end of the day, only 45 remained in the field. Joining Crawford at the top of the counts are Jonathan Hanner (282,500), and Michael Wolff (226,000).
Other notable players to bag up in this first flight included: Jose Montes (141,000), Maurice Hawkins (133,000), Keven Stammen (110,500), Kenny Nguyen (110,000), Max Havlish (109,000), Nadya Magnus 103,500, Lee Rzentkowskiu (90,000), TK Miles (88,500), Aaron Massey (65,500),Ravi Raghavan (53,000), and Niel Mittelman (51,500).
Not everyone was fortunate enough to make it through to Day 2 in this first flight, but luckily they will all have a second chance in Saturday’s Flight B. A few of the players that will have to try their hand again tomorrow include: Sam De Silva, Janet Fitzgerald, Michael Holm, Allen Kessler, John Reading, John Richards, and Craig Varnell.
The second and final flight begins tomorrow, with cards in the air at 11 a.m. Anyone that makes it through in tomorrow’s flight will join the 45 players from today’s flight, and will return to play Day 2 on Sunday at 12 p.m.
Complete chip counts from Day 1A can be found in the “Reports” tab above.
Friday, February 9, 2018 11:18 PM Local Time
The clock reads 52 players remaining, and they are now in the process of bagging up for the night. The official final count, along with a recap from Day 1A will be posted shortly
Friday, February 9, 2018 10:44 PM Local Time
The tournament clock has been paused with ten minutes remaining, and the remaining payers will now play five more hands before bagging and tagging for the night.
Friday, February 9, 2018 10:37 PM Local Time
The player in the small blind puts his 2,400 blind in, and says, "i guess I am committed, as he counts out the 6,400 he has behind.
Lee Rzentkowski raises to 5,500 from under the gun, and ti folds to the big blind who moves all in. It's unclearr of the player actually looked at his cards before moving his chips forward. The player then slowly turns over the , and then the .
Rzentkowski shows .
The board runs out , awarding Rzentkowski the pot, and eliminating his opponent from play just shortly before the end of the night.
Friday, February 9, 2018 10:18 PM Local Time
Level: 15
Blinds: 1,200/2,400
Ante: 400
Friday, February 9, 2018 10:17 PM Local Time
Michael Wolff opens to 4,500. Craig Trost calls in the cutoff. The button calls, and so does both blinds.
The flop comes . Both blinds check. Wolff puts out a continuation bet of 9,000. Trost folds. The button calls. Both blinds fold.
The turn is the . Wolff contemplates a move, then pushes out a large stack of purples (5K chips), a bet that more than surpasses his opponents stack. The button folds and Wolff chips up with the decent stack.
Michael Wolff - 162,000
Wolff won Event #1 at the start of the Potawatomi Circuit for his first gold ring.
Friday, February 9, 2018 9:31 PM Local Time
Matt Avery opens to 7,000 in middle position, and the player on the button moves all in for 56,000. Bob Mather shoves all in for less (a total of 48,700) in the small blind, and Avery goes deep into the tank. After nearly three minutes, Avery hesitantly releases his cards into the muck.
Mather:
Button:
The board runs out , awarding Mather a double up.
Bob Mather - 106,500
Friday, February 9, 2018 9:29 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia took a hit to his stack recently, falling back under the 100,000 mark.
A player in middle position limps in. Battaglia, also in middle position, follows with a limp of his own. The big blind moves all in for 30,100. The original limper folds. Battaglia gets the count and then calls the shove.
Battaglia:
Big Blind:
The board runs out . The big blind was dead on the turn when Battaglia hit a set of threes.
Blake Battaglia - 82,000
Friday, February 9, 2018 9:28 PM Local Time
Level: 14
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 300
Friday, February 9, 2018 9:25 PM Local Time
Joe Tauber limps in the cutoff. Aaron Massey raises to 7,000 on the button. The blinds fold.
"Are you ready? Are you ready to do it." Tauber says. "I don't know what it is," responds Massey. Tauber calls.
The flop comes . Both players check, bringing the turn card.
Tauber checks. Massey bets 10,000. Tauber calls and the river is the .
Tauber checks again. Massey quickly shoots out a bet of 25,000. Tauber folds.
Aaron Massey - 150,000
Joe Tauber - 220,000
Friday, February 9, 2018 9:15 PM Local Time
There is around 12,000 in the middle, and four players to see the flop. The big blind checks. Blake Battaglia bets 7,500 from under the gun, Jonathan Hanner calls in the cutoff, and both the button and the big blind fold.
The turn is the . Battaglia bets 22,000, and Hanner announces that he is all in. Battaglia sits back in this chair, pauses for over a minute, and then counts out the 49,000 chips to call. Another thirty seconds pass before Battaglia moves the chips forward to call.
Battaglia shows , and Hanner says, "Nice call, " as he turns over .
The river is the inconsequential , and the players chop it up.
"I was so mad that I bet so much on the turn," Battaglia says as the chips are passed over to the two players.
Jonathan Hanner - 68,000
Blake Battaglia - 110,000
Friday, February 9, 2018 8:59 PM Local Time
Joe Tauber has held the chip lead in flight A for the last few levels, and even with a table full of very highly recognizable players, he continues his upward climb.
There's around 10,000 in the middle, and three players to see the flop. Tauber checks in the small blind, Aaron Massey checks in the big blind, and Maurice Hawkins bets 4,700 in middle position. Only Tauber calls.
The turn is the , and this time Tauber bets out 7,000. Hawkins quickly mucks, and a player not involved in the hand mutters, "And the rich get richer."
Joe Tauber - 220,000
Maurice Hawkins - 110,000
Friday, February 9, 2018 8:47 PM Local Time
Level: 13
Blinds: 800/1,600
Ante: 200
Friday, February 9, 2018 8:33 PM Local Time
The players are now on their final 15-minute break of the night, and registration will close upon return to play. We will bring you an update on final numbers for the first flight as soon as they are finalized.
Friday, February 9, 2018 8:26 PM Local Time
Joe Tauber has been raking in the chips all day. His stacks tower over his table mates, as well as the majority of the remaining stacks in Flight A. With his massive chip accumulation, Tauber is not shying away from any hands.
Maurice Hawkins opens to 3,200 from middle position. Eddie Blumenthal calls on the button. Tauber calls in the small blind and Aaron Massey makes it a four-man pot, calling from the big blind.
The flop comes . Tauber, with no fear, puts out a bet of 4,400. Massey follows with a call. Hawkins folds, as does Blumenthal.
The turn is the . Tauber leads again, betting 8,000 into Massey's stack of around 30,000. Massey thinks for a bit, but ultimately lets it go and Tauber adds to his chip collection.
Joe Tauber - 290,000
Ralph Massey - 30,000
Friday, February 9, 2018 8:17 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart raises to 2,600 in middle position, and Ravi Raghavan moves all in from the big blind. Banghart quickly calls, and Raghavan asks, "You called?" Banghart confirms, and the players table their hands.
Raghavan:
Banghart:
The flop comes , leaving Banghart in the lead, but Raghavan takes the lead when the turn comes the , giving him two pair.
The river is the , and the dealer counts out Raghavan's 18,400 in chips, and passes that amount across the table from Banghart.
Ravi Raghavan - 39,400
Jeff Banghart - 75,000
Friday, February 9, 2018 8:00 PM Local Time
Level: 12
Blinds: 600/1,200
Ante: 200
Friday, February 9, 2018 7:40 PM Local Time
There is a flop reading and three players in the hand. The big blind checks. Jeff Banghart bets 3,000. Nadya Magnus calls and the big blind folds.
The turn is the . Banghart bets 7,000. Magnus calls again.
The river is the . Banghart unloads bullet number three, a bet of 21,000. Magnus enters the tank. After a couple minutes go by, Magnus decides to lay down her hand and Banghart takes the pot.
Jeff Banghart - 103,000
Nadya Magnus - 56,000
Banghart is no stranger to the Main Event stage. During the Horseshoe Hammond Circuit this year, he made it all the way to heads-up action, but fell one spot short of the Main Event title.
Friday, February 9, 2018 7:33 PM Local Time
The player under the gun raises to 2,700. Kelly Cortum calls in middle position, and Andy Philachack calls in the big blind.
The flop comes , and all three players check.
The turn is the . Philachack bets out 3,500, the original raiser folds ,and Cortum asks, "Forty five?"
"Thirty five," Philachack says. Cortum pauses for a few seconds, and then calls.
The river is the . This time Philachack checks, and Cortum bets 6,5000. Philachack calls.
Cortum turns ovver for a flopped set of sevens, and Philachack mucks without showing.
Kelly Cortum - 95,000
Andy Philachack - 55,000
Friday, February 9, 2018 7:27 PM Local Time
Level: 11
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 100