partypoker Presents: WPT500 – Day 1B

Day 1B Chipleader: Messadek Soufiane

Level 19: 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante

Messadek Soufiane (pictured) steamrolled late in Day 1B to dominate the leaderboard with more than 1.1 million in chips. That easily eclipses yesterday’s Day 1A chipleader, Scott Montgomery, who finished with 767,000.

The average stack after two starting days is just a hair less than 300,000 in chips. Soufiane has nearly four times that many.

Messadek Soufiane – 1,143,000 (142 bb)

The official chip counts will be updated for the final 18 players from Day 1B when they are released from the casino overnight.

Day 1C begins tomorrow (Sunday) at 12:00 noon, with late registration open until about 4:30 pm. Return to nj.partypoker.com/blog for continuing coverage of this unique World Poker Tour event, sponsored by partypoker.

Day 1B Ends Within Five Minutes of Day 1A

Level 19: 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante

With the unusual structure of this event, each starting day will almost certainly play for a different length of time. Instead of playing a set number of levels, each starting field plays down until only 5% of those players remain.

Yesterday, action ended at 1:19 am for Day 1A. Today, action ended at 1:15 am for Day 1B.

When Day 2 begins on Wednesday, the blinds will roll back to where they were for the fastest finishing field, which so far is today — four minutes and 23 seconds left in Level 19, with blinds at 4,000-8,000 and a 1,000 ante.

End-of-Day-1B Bubble

Level 19: 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante

With 19 players remaining in the Day 1B field, action will continue tonight until one more player is eliminated, leaving 18 (5% of those who started today) to advance to Day 2 on Wednesday.

This isn’t a hand-for-hand bubble, because 19th place will earn $1,250, everyone who survives to Day 2 is guaranteed the same amount — there is no money jump in play right now.

Walton Carlisle Eliminated 20th by Mohsin Charania

Level 19: 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante

A player raises from the cutoff to 20,000, Walton Carlisle moves all in from the button for 57,000, and Mohsin Charania moves all in for about 65,000. The cutoff folds.

Charania shows A

Q

, and Carlisle turns over J

J

. Carlisle needs his pocket jacks to hold in order to stay alive.

The board comes Q

10

5

2

2

, and Charania pairs his queen on the flop to win the pot and eliminate the Carlisle from Day 1B.

Mohsin Charania – 145,000 (18 bb)
Walton Carlisle – Out in 20th Place ($1,250)

Recent Money Finishers: 21st-24th

Level 19: 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante

Here’s a look at the most recent money finishers here on Day 1B:

24th: Michele McLeod – $1,000
23rd: Christopher Odle – $1,000

22nd: Adam Berger – $1,250
21st: Matthew Batoon – $1,250

Action will continue tonight until two more players are eliminated, leaving 5% of the Day 1B starting field (18 players).

Level 19 Begins (24 Left for Day 1B)

Level 19: 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante

Level 18 comes to an end, and Level 19 begins with increased blinds of 4,000-8,000 and a 1,000 ante. Play continues without a break.

There were 366 entrants here on Day 1B, creating a two-day total of 799 entrants. There are still four more starting fields, and players can enter once per Day 1 if they’d like, even if they have already cashed.

There are currently 24 players remaining here on Day 1B. Here is the remaining prizepool for today’s field:

23rd-24th Place: $1,000
19th-22nd Place: $1,250

Final 18 Players: Advance to Day 2 (guaranteed at least $1,250)

Action will continue tonight until there are 18 players remaining.

Money Finishers

Here’s a look at the most recent money finishers here on Day 1B:

31st: Idan Greenberg – $1,000
30th: Scott Clements – $1,000
29th: Dana Kellstrom – $1,000
28th: Lynne Beaumont – $1,000
27th: David Mintz – $1,000
26th: Cerente Nemethy – $1,000
25th: Spencer Tan-Sahl – $1,000

Scott Clements Eliminated in 30th Place ($1,000)

Level 18: 3,000-6,000, 1,000 ante

WPT Champions Club member Scott Clements, who had more than 500,000 in chips about an hour ago, has just been eliminated from Day 1B.

Scott Clements – Out in 30th Place ($1,000)

Level 18 Begins (31 Left for Day 1B)

Level 18: 3,000-6,000, 1,000 ante

The players return from break to begin Level 18, with increased blinds of 3,000-6,000 and a 500 ante.

There were 366 entrants here on Day 1B, creating a two-day total of 799 entrants. There are still four more starting fields, and players can enter once per Day 1 if they’d like, even if they have already cashed.

There are currently 31 players remaining here on Day 1B. Here is the prizepool for today’s field:

23rd-31st Place: $1,000
19th-22nd Place: $1,250

Final 18 Players: Advance to Day 2 (guaranteed at least $1,250)

Action will continue tonight until there are 18 players remaining.

Last #teampartypoker Player Standing On Day 1B Eliminated

Sadly, we say goodbye to Scott Baumstein,l who took 37th place for a min-cash of $750. Scott will be playing the WSOP Main Event tomorrow.

Recent Money Finishers: 32nd-37th

Level 17: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante

Here’s a look at the most recent money finishers:

37th: Scott Baumstein – $750
36th: James Manning – $750
35th: Lazaro Hernandez – $750
34th: Antoine Nasr – $750

33rd: Vivien Rassool – $1,000
32nd: Hajar Elmouahid – $1,000

Recent Money Finishers: 38th-41st

Level 17: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante

Here’s a look at the most recent money finishers:

41st: Deborah Phillips – $750
40th: Kenneth Coppens – $750
39th: Brandon Schwartz – $750
38th: Taurean Summers – $750

Level 17 Begins

Level 17: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante

Level 16 comes to an end, and Level 17 begins with increased blinds of 2,500-5,000 and a 500 ante. Play continues without a break

Recent Money Finishers: 42nd-44th

Level 16: 2,000-4,000, 500 ante

Here are the players who have finished in the money so far:

44th: Agustin Benavida Alaban – $750
43rd: Frank Magliarditi – $750
42nd: Oneil Thompson – $750

Notables Who Survived the Money Bubble

Level 16: 2,000-4,000, 500 ante

Here’s a look at some of the notables who have survived the Money Bubble, and are still in action with a shot to make Day 2.

Scott Clements – 525,000 (131 bb)
Lazaro Hernandez – 175,000 (43 bb)
Jonathon Halfmann – 155,000 (38 bb)
Mohsin Charania – 90,000 (22 bb)
Scott Baumstein – 75,000 (18 bb)
Walton Carlisle – 55,000 (13 bb)
Dana Kellstrom – 55,000 (13 bb)

Money Bubble Bursts Before It Begins — Again

Level 16: 2,000-4,000, 500 ante

As the field reaches 45 players, Tournament Director Matt Savage called out for every table to finish the hands in progress so the Money Bubble could begin.

As action concludes on all the tables, there is one more elimination, leaving 44 players in the field, and all 44 are getting paid at least $750. So, just as it happened on Day 1A, there will be no hand-for-hand play on the Money Bubble here on Day 1B.

Action will continue tonight until there are 18 players remaining to advance to Day 2.

Here are the payouts for Day 1B:

34th-44th Place: $750
23rd-33rd Place: $1,000
19th-22nd Place: $1,250

Chip Counts

Level 16: 2,000-4,000, 500 ante

Level 15 (48 Left on Day 1B)

Level 15: 1,500-3,000, 500 ante We are now in Level 15, with increased blinds of 1,500-3,000 and a 500 ante. There were 366 entrants here on Day 1B, creating a two-day total of 799 entrants. There are still four more starting fields, and players can enter once per Day 1 if they’d like, even if they have already cashed. There are currently 60 players remaining here on Day 1B. Here is the prizepool for today’s field: 34th-44th Place: $750 23rd-33rd Place: $1,000 19th-22nd Place: $1,250 Final 18 Players: Advance to Day 2 (guaranteed at least $1,250) Action will continue tonight until there are 18 players remaining.

Chip Leader Jonathon Halfmann

Level 15: 1,500-3,000, 500a

Chip Leader Jonathon Halfmann

Jonathon Halfmann, who had an average Day 2 starting stack at the dinner break, continues to dominate the field as his stack nears the 400,000 mark. Jonathon Halfmann – 390,000 (130 bb)

Chip Counts

Level 15: 1,500-3,000, 500a Other chip counts are as follows:

Players Return From Break

Level 15: 1,500-3,000, 500a #teampartypoker player Scott Baumstein is still in it to win it, and sitting with 125K at the moment.

Walton Carlisle Eliminates Two Players in One Hand

Level 14: 1,200-2,400, 400 ante Three relatively short-stacked players are all in against each other before the flop. Here are their cards in descending order of chips: Walton Carlisle: A

Q

Player X: K

K

Player Y: K

2

Here’s a bit of foreshadowing — the players that we didn’t identify did not fare well in this hand. The board comes 8

7

2

10

9

, and Carlisle flops an ace-high flush to win the pot and eliminate both of the other players from the tournament, more than doubling up his own stack in the process. Walton Carlisle – 80,000 (33 bb)

Chip Counts

Level 12: 800-1,600, 200 ante

Level 12 Begins

Level 12: 800-1,600, 200 ante The players return from dinner to begin Level 12, with increased blinds of 800-1,600 and a 200 ante. The final 44 players will finish in the money, and action will continue tonight until the field is down to the final 18 players. Here’s a look at the prizepool that will be awarded today: 34th-44th Place: $750 23rd-33rd Place: $1,000 19th-22nd Place: $1,250 Final 18 Players: Advance to Day 2 (guaranteed at least $1,250)

Level 11 Begins (120 Left for Day 1B)

Level 11: 600-1,200, 200 ante Level 10 comes to an end, and Level 11 begins with increased blinds of 600-1,200 with a 200 ante. Play continues without a break. There were 366 entrants here on Day 1B, creating a two-day total of 799 entrants. Registration is now closed, but there are still four more starting fields, and players can re-enter on a future Day 1 if they’d like. Levels are now 40 minutes long. There will be a one-hour dinner break after this level, about 6:30 pm. There are currently 120 players remaining from the Day 1B field, and action will continue tonight until the field is down to the final 18 players (which is 5% of the field).

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

Some of the notables no longer with us include:

We also said goodbye early in the tournament to one of our very favorite players EVER, Julie Anna Cornelius.

Wearing her standard smile, Julie Anna Cornelius exits the field early.

Level 10 – 500/1000/100a

184 players remain (of 799 registered)

Current Chip Counts:

Our very own #teampartypokerplayer Scott Baumstein is 2nd in chips, currently. Go, Scott, go!

Scott Baumstein, 2nd in chips in Level 10

Notables Spotted In The Field

And as we look around the field, we continue to spot more and more notable players; the first of whom being Phil Helmuth, who just shook hands with everyone at the table he joined and wished them good luck. I think with Phil sitting there, they might need it. We also spotted current WPTC Champ Keven Stammen taking a seat and firing his 2nd bullet at this event. Mike Linster and Joe Kuether have just joined the field, as well. Scott Clements was one of the last few to exercise the last-minute entry option, and he’s taken his seat with a fresh starting stack of 15,000 chips. Will Failla is here, as well, with that Monster Headphones bounty lingering over his head, as always. And Lazaro Hernandez, perpetual WPT Championship chip leader, has just joined the party, too!

4:21 pm – Break

Level 8 400/800/100a

Professional poker player, heads-up wizard, and color commentator for the WPT Alpha8. Always turning up in style, Olivier Busquet took his seat in the field during Level 8 with his 15,000-chip starting stack.

Olivier Busquet, commentator extraordinaire, joined the field in Level 8

Day 1B Updates

When play began on partypoker Presents: WPT500 Day 1B, the tournament room was mostly full but peppered with empty seats at each table. As the first couple levels have ticked off, those chairs have filled in nicely. There are also about a dozen extra tables in play inside the poker room, which is serving as the overflow area during Day 1. The last pass through the room turned up a few new notables as both Joseph Cheong and #teampartypoker player Scott Baumstein have joined the action. Also spotted here on Day 1B is our hero, mixed game beastette, Melissa Burr.

#teampartypoker representative Melissa Burr

We ran into partypoker favorite Michael Azzaro, aka ‘Mikey Casino’, who said “I’m so excited to be here for the WPT500. It’s the best structure – I mean, you only have to play 2 days – how good is THAT?” We totally agree, Mikey.

partypoker player ‘Mikey Casino’

Early exits have included Esther Taylor-Brady and Lynn Gilmartin. Although Lynn took a couple bad beats, she’s still more than pumped about this series, as you can tell by her commentary here: http://instagram.com/p/qFcUT0KbOc/?modal=true And ICYMI, #teampartypoker player Jamie Kerstetter has joined the field after late regging just minutes ago. We’ll be keeping our eye on her, obviously! Stay tuned for more updates as they happen here on the partypoker blog.

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