Friday, September 21, 2018 11:00 PM Local Time
Joshua Hood
The first of two starting flights in the 2018 World Series Circuit Main Event at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek has come to a conclusion after 15 levels of play. There were 323 players who put up the $1,700 to enter the first flight of the tournament and only 75 players remained by the end of the night. The players that survived will return for Day 2 at 12:00 PM local time on Sunday along with all of tomorrow’s Day 1B survivors.
Gold Bracelet and gold ring winners littered today's field. Some of the Bracelet winners to enter today’s flight include Phil Hui, Ben Zamani, Jonathan Hilton, James Calderaro (193,000), and four-time bracelet winner Brian Hastings (202,000).
Leading at the end of Day 1A is Joshua Hood (pictured) with 536,000 chips from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Other notables to advance chip stacks to Day 2 include Spencer Champlin (232,500) Stu Patterson (138,500), Jerry Wong (120,000), David Inselberg (110,500), Scott Davies (62,000),
Players that were not fortunate enough to make it to the end of the day include Peter Walsworth, Justin Harvell, Neil Blumenfield, Michael Lake, Brett Bader, Marcus Stein, and six time ring winner John Holley.
The second flight of the Main Event will begin tomorrow at 11:00 AM local time. With registration open until the start of level 13.
Friday, September 21, 2018 10:34 PM Local Time
Play is complete for Day 1A of the Coconut Creek main event. A complete recap will be posted shortly.
Friday, September 21, 2018 10:26 PM Local Time
A player in middle position raises to 6,500 and gets calls from the player in the small blind and Brandon Barnes in the big blind.
The flop comes and the small blind checks. Barnes shoves all in for 40,800 and the middle-position player calls. The player in the small blind reshoves for about 240,000 and the original raiser goes into the tank. Eventually, he open-folds for top two pair. The small blind reveals , also top two pair, and Barnes excitedly yells, "Diamond! One time!" as he tables for a flush draw.
The turn is the to give Barnes some outs for a straight as well. "Three or eight!" yells Barnes. Sure enough, the river is the and Barnes makes a straight to triple up. "Yes! Let's go!" cheers Barnes, raking in the pot.
Brandon Barnes - 150,000
Friday, September 21, 2018 10:21 PM Local Time
With ten minutes left in the night Tournament staff has just announced that there will be three more hands left in the night.
Friday, September 21, 2018 10:21 PM Local Time
Briant Hastings raises to 6,500 from early position and the player on the button calls. James Calderaro three-bets to 19,500 out of the big blind and is called by both players.
The flop is Qh6s4d and Calderaro bets. Hastings folds and the button calls.
"Got something good?" asked Calderaro. "I was worried about his hand."
The turn is the and both players check to the river. Calderaro checks and the button checks behind. Calderaro shows and wins the pot against the button's .
"You can just rebuy tomorrow if you lose," joked the button.
"That's how they get you," said Calderaro.
James Calderaro - 158,000
Friday, September 21, 2018 10:11 PM Local Time
Action folds to Jerry Wong on the button and he raises to 6,000. The player in the big blind asks to see Wong's big chips and moves a tall pile of T5,000 chips in the middle. Wong snap-calls for a total of 52,500.
Wong:
Opponent:
The flop comes and Wong still looks safe to double up. The turn is the to give the big blind a straight draw, but the river is the and the High Roller Champion doubles up.
Jerry Wong - 111,000
Friday, September 21, 2018 9:53 PM Local Time
Another group of players not seen in their seats late in Day 1A include, Ben Zamani, Peter Walsworth, John Holley, Johanssy Joseph, and Sean Shah.
Friday, September 21, 2018 9:51 PM Local Time
Level: 15
Blinds: 1,500/3,000
Ante: 400
Friday, September 21, 2018 9:38 PM Local Time
Action folds around to the player in the cutoff and he raises to 5,500. The player on the button calls, and Mitchell Lekarczyk three-bets to 20,500 from the small blind. The player in the big blind moves all in for 30,800 and the cutoff folds, while the button and Lekarczyk both call.
Lekarczyk and the button check down a board of and the big blind tables . The button reveals but Lekarczyk says, "This is painful to show" and tables for two pair to take down the pot.
The Monster Stack champion rakes in the pot and says, "I don't do that very often."
Mitchell Lekarczyk - 280,000
Friday, September 21, 2018 9:23 PM Local Time
Hamid Izadi limps the button, Jake Schwartz raises to 6,000 from the small blind and Russ Head reraises to 17,000 from the big blind. Schwartz calls.
Both players check the flop. The turn brings the , Schwartz bets 24,000 and Head calls.
The river is the , and both players check. Head turns over the winning two-pair and scoops the pot.
Russ Head - 230,000
Jake Schwartz - 160,000
Friday, September 21, 2018 9:12 PM Local Time
Level: 14
Blinds: 1,200/2,400
Ante: 400
Friday, September 21, 2018 8:52 PM Local Time
Some players who were seen exiting the tournament area late in Day 1A include, Juan Martinez, Jake Abady, Justin Harvell, and Casino Champion points leader Zo Karim.
Friday, September 21, 2018 8:45 PM Local Time
Registration is officially closed for Day 1A. The field drew 323 entrants and currently 99 remain.
Friday, September 21, 2018 8:40 PM Local Time
Level: 13
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 300
Friday, September 21, 2018 8:25 PM Local Time
Players are taking their final 10-minute of the night. When they return, they will play three more levels and bag up chips for the night.
Friday, September 21, 2018 8:20 PM Local Time
On the turn, with the board reading , the player on the button gets all in for his last 39,800 against Zo Karim in the big blind.
Karim shows , good for two pair, but is drawing dead against the button's . The river is the irrelevant and Karim takes a huge hit to his stack after being on the wrong side of a cold deck.
Zo Karim - 21,000
Friday, September 21, 2018 8:05 PM Local Time
John Depersio has 4,600 in front of him in the big blind, and Matt Lambrecht raises to 18,000 from under the gun. Corey Bierria calls from late position.
The flop comes and Depersio moves all in for 36,000 winning himself the pot.
John Depersio - 90,000
Corey Bierria - 135,000
Matt Lambrecht - 70,000
Friday, September 21, 2018 7:37 PM Local Time
Level: 12
Blinds: 800/1,600
Ante: 200
Friday, September 21, 2018 7:34 PM Local Time
On a final board reading Spencer Champlin bets 18,000 into a pot of around 30,000. Herbert Woodbery moves all in for 58,000 and Champlin thinks about it for a while before eventually deciding to call.
Champlin tables for two-pair but is no good against Woodbery's straight.
Herbert Woodbery - 140,000
Spencer Champlin - 150,000
Friday, September 21, 2018 7:31 PM Local Time
On a final board reading , with around 30,000 in the pot, Scott Baumstein checks from the late position. Zo Karim puts Scott all in for 35,000 effective.
Baumstein thinks about before eventually laying it down. Karim shows the .
Zo Karim - 80,000
Scott Baumstein - 35,000