$100,000 Monster Stack Tournament

Coming Friday, April 26th to Sunday, April 28th to Rivers Schenectady Poker Room, our $100,000 Guaranteed Monster Stack Tournament! This event features 100,000 starting stacks, 30 minute blinds on Day 1, and 50 minute blinds on Day 2! With two Day 1s, on Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th, and Buy-ins not ending until the start of Day 2 on the 28th, there is plenty of time to enter!

There are also lots of ways to get into the Friday flight of the tournament, including a $75 satellite on Saturday the 20th where 1 in 10 are guaranteed a seat, and a $150 satellite on Monday the 22nd where 1 in 5 are guaranteed a seat! You can also win your way into the Friday flight,  Monday the 22nd through Thursday the 25th, by winning a High Hand giveaway every hour between 12pm and 5pm.

We hope to see you at the event!

Capital Region Classic Results

$100,000 GTD CAPITAL REGION CLASSIC NL Hold’em (Re-Entry) 10/25/2018-10/28/2018
DAY 1 Buy-In: $260 DAY 1 PLAYERS: 500
DAY 2 Buy-In: $1,100 DAY 2 PLAYERS: 39
Prize Pool : $143,380.00

Hans Taylor is Victorious

After about 30 minutes of heads up play, Hans Taylor was put to the test when Andy Klein shoved all in on a 7ₓJₓ2ₓ7ₓAₓ board. Hans thought for a moment and turned up AₓJₓ, and when Andy Klein turned over 10ₓ2ₓ, it made Hans the newest Capital Region Classic Champion! He take home $31,904 and the trophy!

Andy did a great job with the tournament and picked up $20,174, by far his biggest tournament score.

Thanks to everyone who came out and made this event such a success! We hope to see everyone in the future!

Sudhir Potluri takes 3rd

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 30: 75,000/150,000/150,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 2

Sudhir Potluri make an extremely impressive showing with his 3rd place finish. He got it all in with middle pair but couldn’t hold against Andy Klein’s flopped two pair.

We are now heads with the players having guaranteed themselves $20,174, but still playing for the $31,904 and the trophy.

We are down to 3

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 29: 60,000/120,000/120,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 3

Srikanth Gundela busted in 4th after his 9ₓ10ₓ fell to the Aₓ5ₓ of Andy Klein on a 5ₓ5ₓ9ₓ flop. He took home nearly $7,200 for his efforts.

Thomas Broderick finished a strong showing in this year Capital Region Classic after he got it all in preflop with AₓKₓ but was called and knocked out by Jₓ10ₓ on a Jₓ2ₓJₓ flop. He finished a fantastic event and earned $9,600.

Down to 5

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 28: 50,000/100,000/100,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 5

Andy Klein sat with about 3 million when he faced the all in of 1.8 million of Michael Latour. Andy thought for a moment and then called with Pocket 9s. Latour showed down pocket 10s, but when a 9 hit the flop, Andy went ahead and two cards later scored the knockout. Latour took home $5,420 for his impressive outing in this Capitol Region Classic!

headed on break six handed

The players are headed out on break as six handed play continues. The play has been steady, and the players all have playable stacks going into level 28. They have talked about an even chop, as the chop value is $14,582, but a couple of the players left seem intent on playing.

3 bustouts in quick succession

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 27: 40,000/80,000/80,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 6

6 players remain after 3 of our players went down in quick succession. Joesph Paigo took down 9th and $2,480, Adam Agnew got 8th and $3,183, and Ryan Niles took down 7th place and the $4,158 prize. Congrats to all of those guys as they put together a fantastic event!

6 players remain and are chasing down the top prize of more than $31,000!

9 angry men

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 26: 30,000/60,000/60,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 9

Okay, they are not angry, but they are down to 9 players as Matt Berner busted in 10th. He collected $2,036 for hit fantastic effort.

They are down to 9. Every elimination has a pay jump from here on out.

Final Table

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 24: 20,000/40,000/40,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 10

We have reached the final table with the knockout of our last woman standing, Holly Babbitt. She picked up $2,036 dollars for her effort.

The players discussed a chop, but have decided to play on for the time being. The next elimination will also pick up $2,036.

Latour with the knockout/Babbitt with the double up

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 24: 20,000/40,000/40,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 13

Michael Latour just knocked out our 14th place finisher when his pocket Jacks held up over AQ off suit to make him one of the new heavy weights.

A couple of hands later, Holly Babbitt, who just switched tables, moved all in after her stack had gotten a little short. She raised under the gun with KQ and was raised all-in with JJ. The board ran out in a sick way with a Qₓ10ₓ7ₓ flop, a Jₓ hit the turn, but a river Aₓ saved Holly tournament life.

We are now only 4 minutes from a break and the players are one bustout from another bump, up to $2,036.

Last woman standing

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 21: 20,000/30,000/30,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 15

After having 3 woman make very deep runs into this Capital Region Classic, we are down to just 1, Holly Babbitt. Kim Perrella was just knocked out in 16th place when she ran A7 into AK. Holly sits with a slightly below average stack.

We are down to 15 players and the average stack is now over 1 million. The tournament will redraw at 10, and the next break is in 40 minutes.

Down to 18

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1D
Level 18: 20,000/30,000/30,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 146
Players Remaining: 18

Aₓ10ₓ made it home against KₓKₓ when a J and 8 hit the turn and river to make a runner runner straight and knockout Jared Fishman in 19th place. We are now down to 2 tables and and the players just got another pay bump, now up to $1,333.

Back from break

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 22: 15,000/25,000/25,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 23

The players are back from break and the chips are flying with 5 knockouts in the 20 minutes back from break. Right before the break we found a new chip leader, Ryan Niles, who back on Day 1 declared that everyone is playing for second place. Ryan sits with around 1.7 million.

With 23 left, the payout have increased to $1,061. The next bump comes when we reach 18 players.

Dinner Break

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 21: 10,000/20,000/20,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 27

Jared Fishman and Kim Perrella both won a satellite earlier in the week to get their entry and are among the final 27.

We remain at 27 players with 10 minutes left until Dinner Break. The final 27 are chasing the 31,904 and the trophy!

Reizun Doubles and then some

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 20: 10,000/15,000/15,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 28

Reizun doubled up when his pocket queens help up over pocket 8s to keep his tournament hopes alive. About 2 hands later he added even more to his growing stack when he turned 2 pair and called a 100,000 chips bluff on the river. He went from 220,000 up to 650,000 in a very short time and now sits with an above average stack.

We are down to 28 players looking for one more elimination. At 27 there is a complete redraw and all the players will be seated at 3 different tables.

“couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy”

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 19: 6,000/12,000/12,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 34

Crazy action just occurred as we had 4 players called a raise to 24,000 preflop. The K♣️7♣️4 flop managed to hit every player, as every player raised until all 4 players were all-in. The hands were turned up, and they read A♣️9♣️ vs KQ vs KQ vs 6♣️5♣️. When the 7♣️ hit the turn, Andy Klein hit the nuts with the A♣️9♣️, and scored a triple knockout and a 650,000 chip stack. As the hand was being shipped, Joe Paigo who was seated next to Andy and not involved in the hand, looked up at me and said, “couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”

We are down to 35 players and the we have hit another pay jump, with the next 6 players all taking home $918.

Jared Fishman makes a big fold

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 18: 5,000/10,000/10,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 42

Jared faced an all-in bet on a 4♣️7♣️3♣️Qₓ9♣️ flop for about 140,000, or half of his remaining stack. After the shove Jared turned over K♣️Q♣️ for the second nut flush. With more than 100,000 chips in the middle, Jared continued to think about his hand, but after a couple of minutes mucked. His opponent turned over the A♣️ of clubs showing Jared that he made a fantastic fold.

Some housekeeping:

Of our 44 players we currently have 3 women remaining: Kathy Bigelow, Kim Perrella, and Holly Babbitt.

The biggest stack in the room appears to be Charles Herman who is nearing 800,000.

We are down to 5 tables as we have just reached 44 players and past a pay bump.

Players are about to go on the last break before dinner, as level 18 is ending. The dinner break will be around 6:20.

bubble busted

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 17: 4,000/8,000/8,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 58

Pocket Queens held up against QJ to bust the money bubble after 2 hands of hand for hand play. Congratulatons to all players who cashed. And thank you for everyone who came out for the tournament.

3 bustouts happened within 2 hands after the bubble burst as we are starting to short stacks at a very fast rate. Bustouts 53-46 cash for $731, with the first payout jump at 45 for $817. Player have jumped the first hurdle of the bubble and can now set their eyes on the top prize of $31,904!

Quads giveth, taketh away

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 17: 4,000/8,000/8,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 58

The only woman who played on Day 1A, Kim Perrella, just called an all-in preflop with pocket kings, flopped a set, and rivered quads kings to get the knockout. She adds another 100,000 chips to her stack and now sits firmly above average.

At the other end of the room another player flopped quads to secure a double up.

Within seconds of each other you can hear the players saying “Oh!” from across the room as the tension grows along with the chips stacks of some players.

10 minutes left in level 17, with a break set to happen after level 18. The bubble will almost certainly bust by then.

Mistake or not….

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 16: 3,000/6,000/6,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 63

Joe Paigo called an all-in out of turn with pocket 9ₓ9ₓ and exposed his hand to the table. The only other player left in the hand was put to a decision, but after a moment decided to call all-in with Aₓ10ₓ. The other all-in player also turned up Aₓ10ₓ, and Joe was guaranteed the double knockout on the flop when he scored a set of 9s. Joe now sits with more than 400,000 in chips.

The average stack is currently 277,000 as we move closer and closer to the money bubble.

New chip leader coming close to hand for hand

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
$143,380 Prize Pool
Level 16: 3,000/6,000/6,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 539
Players Remaining: 66

Charles Herman near doubled up on his way to the chip lead. He called off all but 12,000 of his chips with A♣️K♣️ on a 10ₓ6ₓ2ₓ flop. His opponent showed down KₓKₓ, but Charles spiked an Aₓ on the turn card to win what is probably the largest pot of the tournament thus far. He sits with more than 600,000.

Down to 66 players, so we are nearing hand for hand play. The play is slowing as players can sense the money bubble approaching.

And the Prize pool is up!

The prize pool is up!

$31,904 is up for grabs for first place! This tournament is paying 53, and a minimum cash is $731.

The current chip leader appears to be Kathy Bigelow who has more than doubled her stack to start the day and now sits with north of 500,000 chips. There are many players coming up on her with 400,000 chip stacks.

Jared Fishman

Jared is one of those chip stacks as he just called a players all-in with pocket Aces on a king high flop. With that knockout he sits with 450,000.

Another table broke as players have just left on a 10 minute break, and play will resume with level 16 when the players come back.

Buy-ins are over!

Buy-in are over as we come up on the start of Level 15! Prize pool and payouts will be available shortly!

Joe Pallace binks a one-outer

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
Level 14: 2,000/4,000/4,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 500

Joe Pallace just shoved all-in for less, with another player left to act, who called. Joe’s QₓQₓ were up against KₓK♠️ and Aₓ10ₓ. The flop looked bleak for Joe on a A♠️10ₓ5♠️, and the turn 9♠️ only gave him the Q♥️ for victory. That card managed to find the river, and the Joe managed a huge triple up to more than 160,000.

We are halfway through level 14, with buy-ins coming to an end at the end of the break after level 14. We are down to 12 tables as players continue to bust.

The thing about having 18 tables

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
Level 13: 2,000/3,000/3,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 500

The thing about having so many tables running at once, especially with so many players looking to get it in early, is that there are rapid bustouts and interesting folds. In one walk around the room, I saw a short stack fold pocket Jacks to a big raise and call, trips winning an all in for a double up to around 150,000, and a pocket Aces vs Queens matchup to take a chunk out of a bigger stack.

Tables are breaking as the field is starting to shrink. 14 full tables remain with buy-ins for the next hour.

Day 2 begins

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 2
Level 13: 2,000/3,000/3,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 500

We had 500 entries on all of the Day 1s combined. There are still plenty of open seats ready for Day 2 entries! Only one player eclipsed the 400,000 mark on Day 1, with several making it over the 300,000 barrier.

We are only minutes away from the start of Day 2 as the room starts to fill.

Day 2 Chip Counts!

• $100,000 GTD CRC DAY 2 CHIP COUNTS                                                                 TABLE
• BUY IN: $260
• TOTAL PLAYER:  500                         PLAYERS LEFT:   103
• TOTAL CHIPS:     12,422,000                        AVERAGE CHIPS:              120,602
• FIRST     LAST NAME        CITY       STATE    CHIP COUNT      TABLE    SEAT
• Christian              Smith-Socaris     Castleton On Hudson     NY          109,000                 1              1
• Carl        Mion     Albany  NY          25,000   1              2
• Jonathan             Giordano             East Syracuse     NY          46,000   1              3
• James   Albanese             Johnstown          NY          146,000                 1              4
• Greg      Pogarsky              Rexford NY          82,000   1              5
• Curtis    Bailey    Troy       NY          59,000   1              6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    1              7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    1              8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    1              9
• Joseph  Shores  Endicott               NY          169,000                 2              1
• Matthew             Ackley   Kingston              NY          65,000   2              2
• Matthew             Obrien  Albany  NY          139,000                 2              3
• Jason     Staalesen            Schenectady      NY          61,000   2              4
• Harsha  Wijesuriya           Albany  NY          231,000                 2              5
• Matthew             Berner  Poestenkill          NY          55,000   2              6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    2              7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    2              8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    2              9
• Eric         Due        Providence         RI            196,000                 3              1
• Charlie  Morrow               Painted Post       NY          173,000                 3              2
• Holly      Babbitt Schenectady      NY          112,000                 3              3
• Joanne Kozel     Stuyvesant Falls NY          113,000                 3              4
• Ramakrishna      Jammula              Guilderland        NY          122,000                 3              5
• Anthony              Dadamo               Cohoes NY          48,000   3              6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    3              7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    3              8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    3              9
• Sean      Barringer             Saugerties           NY          58,000   4              1
• Hans      Taylor    Milton   NY          233,000                 4              2
• Robert  Turcotte               Cohoes NY          67,000   4              3
• David     Dickerson            Albany  NY          34,000   4              4
• Kathy    Bigelow East Greenbush NY          275,000                 4              5
• Adam    Lawrence            Saratoga Springs               NY          118,000                 4              6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    4              7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    4              8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    4              9
• William Mutch   Troy       NY          132,000                 5              1
• Shawn  Curry     North Adams     MA         227,000                 5              2
• James   Namiot Canajoharie        NY          227,000                 5              3
• Samuel Pratt      Craryville             NY          122,000                 5              4
• Randolph             Collins   Schenectady      NY          193,000                 5              5
• Adam    Biron     Johnstown          NY          229,000                 5              6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    5              7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    5              8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    5              9
• Joseph  Mckittrick            Albany  NY          58,000   7              1
• Peter     Antenucci            Waterford           NY          60,000   7              2
• Nicholas               Baratto Saratoga Springs               NY          55,000   7              3
• Aidan    Hite        Esopus  NY          44,000   7              4
• David     Pohl       Waterford           NY          94,000   7              5
• Sean      Carlson East Hartford     CT           77,000   7              6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    7              7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    7              8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    7              9
• Shaquan              Francis  Cohoes NY          186,000                 8              1
• Maxwell               Sergovich            Watervliet           NY          72,000   8              2
• Adan     Gomez Walden NY          72,000   8              3
• Angelo  Gaudio Albany  NY          137,000                 8              4
• Ralph     Varick    Manchester       VT           112,000                 8              5
• Phillip    Heidel   Lanesborough   MA         227,000                 8              6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    8              7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    8              8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    8              9
• Jason     House   Pennellville         NY          151,000                 9              1
• James   Rue        Saratoga Springs               NY          85,000   9              2
• William Gamello               Rexford NY          108,000                 9              3
• Richard Kasouf  Jamesville           NY          145,000                 9              4
• William Noonan Groton CT           73,000   9              5
• Nicholas               Wildman              Rensselaer          NY          143,000                 9              6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    9              7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    9              8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    9              9
• William Gian       Astoria  NY          61,000   10           1
• Brian      Dugan   Camillus               NY          114,000                 10           2
• Marcus Reizun  Glen Cove           NY          103,000                 10           3
• Michael Richards               Cropseyville       NY          47,000   10           4
• John      Shultz    Altamont             NY          25,000   10           5
• Brian      Ballentine            Liverpool             NY          42,000   10           6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    10           7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    10           8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    10           9
• Michael Hashim Pittsfield              MA         126,000                 11           1
• Timothy               Crowley               Saratoga Springs               NY          69,000   11           2
• Kim        Perrella Saratoga Springs               NY          77,000   11           3
• John      Vonahn Johnstown          NY          63,000   11           4
• Braden Gellenthien        Hudson MA         96,000   11           5
• Daniel   Arcuri    New Hartford    NY          79,000   11           6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    11           7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    11           8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    11           9
• Andrew Klein      Berne    NY          123,000                 13           1
• Nelson  Sousa    Saugerties           NY          40,000   13           2
• Andrew Zhu        Plainfield             NJ           101,000                 13           3
• Ian          Bushie  Hannacroix         NY          144,000                 13           4
• Anthony              Sgambellone      Rexford NY          92,000   13           5
• William Watkins                Saratoga Springs               NY          109,000                 13           6
• Krishna Jammula              Schenectady      NY          148,000                 13           7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    13           8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    13           9
• Joseph  Paigo     Albany  NY          164,000                 14           1
• Michael Latour   Syracuse              NY          139,000                 14           2
• Thomas Broderick             Tuxedo Park       NY          133,000                 14           3
• James   Vandemark        Schenectady      NY          43,000   14           4
• Matthew             Pierce   Albany  NY          101,000                 14           5
• Stephen               Posa      Albany  NY          319,000                 14           6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    14           7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    14           8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    14           9
• Joseph  Rice        Waterford           NY          140,000                 15           1
• Jose       Lavezzary            Albany  NY          63,000   15           2
• Joseph  Pallace  Shirley  NY          115,000                 15           3
• Richard Martinez              Ballston Spa        NY          128,000                 15           4
• Robert  Hite        Esopus  NY          313,000                 15           5
• Aaron    Teeter  Cohoes NY          103,000                 15           6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    15           7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    15           8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    15           9
• Ralphael               Pipino   East Schodack    NY          184,000                 16           1
• Gerard  Salamone            Hopewell Junction           NY          30,000   16           2
• Paul       Young   Saratoga Springs               NY          301,000                 16           3
• Grove   Scribner               Buskirk NY          61,000   16           4
• Jonathan             Lasch     Albany  NY          58,000   16           5
• Christian              Greco    Schenectady      NY          192,000                 16           6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    16           7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    16           8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    16           9
• Aaron    Cagwin Latham NY          408,000                 17           1
• Fred       Bartlett South Glens Falls              NY          183,000                 17           2
• James   Gerow  Amsterdam        NY          77,000   17           3
• Daniel   Price      Albany  NY          71,000   17           4
• Christopher        Mayo    Ballston Lake      NY          98,000   17           5
• Jared     Fishman               Troy       NY          176,000                 17           6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    17           7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    17           8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    17           9
• Joseph  Mctiernan           Gansevoort        NY          106,000                 19           1
• Ian          Flanagan              Salem    NY          102,000                 19           2
• Michael Gilbert  Cossayuna          NY          27,000   19           3
• John      Nicol      Esperance           NY          58,000   19           4
• Shayne Hanafin Saratoga Springs               NY          283,000                 19           5
• Mark     Brennan               Valatie  NY          55,000   19           6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    19           7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    19           8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    19           9
• Vu          Lieu        Utica      NY          275,000                 20           1
• Armando             Tebano Schenectady      NY          59,000   20           2
• Brandon               Fisher    Fort Edward       NY          50,000   20           3
• Ryan      Niles      South Glens Falls              NY          233,000                 20           4
• Pablo     Delgado               Syracuse              NY          107,000                 20           5
• Adam    Agnew  Altamont             NY          43,000   20           6
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    20           7
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    20           8
• OPEN    OPEN                                                    20           9

Final break – Final day 1

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1E
Level 8: 1,000/1,500/1,500 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 84
Players Remaining: 30

Day 1E is 70 minutes from closing and giving way to what is sure to be a fun filled Day 2.

Day 2 will be Day 1 for the players who spend the $1,100 to get the 100,000 starting stack. Buy-ins do not officially end on Day 2 till level 15. Day 2 starts on level 13 with 40 minute blinds.

Day 2 chips counts and seat assignments will be posted here tomorrow morning as well as available in the Poker Room and Event Center!

Posa picks up Kings/Paigo a King

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1E
Level 8: 500/1,000/1,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 84
Players Remaining: 36

Posa picked up KₓKₓ and knocked out KₓJₓ on a Jₓ high flop. He has increased his stack to over 130,000.

After about 45 minutes of fast pace play, the feeling in the room is that the bigger stacks are not as interested in getting into hands with each other as they are with knocking out the smaller stacks. Very few pots have happened in the last 30 minutes over the 60,000 chip mark.

Joe Paigo

As I was about to publish this post as three way all in occurred, for what altogether amounted for around 70,000. AₓKₓ vs 10ₓ10ₓ vs 6ₓ6ₓ were racing, with the board running out very clean for the pair of 10s, right until a Kₓ hit the river and gave Joe Paigo a double knockout. Joe has done well at Rivers Schenectady, with many cashes in our Holiday Deepstack series, as well as cashing in the Capital Region Classic in August of 2017.

With those knockouts we are down to 4 tables as we approach the end of level 8.

Phillip Heidel cracks Aces

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1E
Level 7: 300/600/600 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 80

Heidel just cracked AₓAₓ when his pocket 9ₓ9ₓ hit a 9ₓ for a flopped set. The pot was three bet preflop, and the players got it all in on the turn, and the set held over the pockets aces. Heidel now sits with more than 100,000 in chips.

Players are now returning from their second break of the day, heading into level 7. A table just broke right before the break as we are down from our 81 entrants to 50 remaining players.

Slow and Steady

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1E
Level 5: 300/500/500 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 76

Play has been slow so far on Day 1E. The field is smaller than this morning, but action is sure to pick up as the blinds increase.

The number of entrants is steadily increasing, as we get ready for Day 2. There is still plenty of time to enter here on the last Day 1 flight.

$100,000 and counting

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1D
Level 3: 200/300/300 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 67

We have officially hit the $100,000 guarantee! With the 67 entries so far on Day 1E to go along with the 412 entries during the rest of the Day 1 flights, the prize pool has surpassed the guaranteed mark. The guarentee should get compeltely crushed with more entries today and the entries that we will get during Day 2!

88 players have advanced so far into Day 2, and Aaron Cagwin is currently blowing away the competition for top stack of the Day: his 408,000 is more than 100,000 more than the closest Day 2 stack!

Day 1E – Sort of last chance

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1E
Level 2: 100/200/200 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 58

Day 1E has started out slowly with only 61 players entered by the beginning of the level 2. It is slow, of course, in comparison to the 147 players who entered during Day 1D. 31 players made it through Day 1D adding to the 47 who made it the through the Friday and Saturday flights.

This is the last chance to enter for the $260, as Day 2 buy-ins are $1,100: but the players who enter Day 2 will receive 100,000 in tournament chips.

“Everyone’s playing for second place”

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1D
Level 11: 1,000/2,000/2,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 146
Players Remaining: 42

Ryan Niles two pair just held up for the double up against a pair and a flush draw for what turned out to be a pot worth more than 110,000 chips. After he won the hand, he announced that, “everyone is now playing for second place.” Niles now sits with more than workable stack with one level till the end of the flight.

The 146 entries trounced all the previous Day 1s, and looking around the room it appears as though there will be some monster stacks moving on from flight 1D to tomorrows Day 2.

Nuts vs 2nd nuts

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1D
Level 10: 1,000/1,500/1,500 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 143

Aaron Cagwin

Some pretty brutal beats are flying around the poker room coming up on the last break of Day 1D. A flopped set of Ks could not stand up to the flopped set of 4s when the final 4 hit the river to give him quads and let the all in player continue his march towards Day 2.

That hand happened right before two players got it all in on the river on a 8♥️4♥️Jₓ5♥️7ₓ board, for what is probably the largest pot of the tournament thus far. Aaron Cagwin turned over 6♥️7♥️ for the straight flush after his opponent turned over A♥️Q♥️ for the second nut flush. The pot had swelled with the all-ins, and Aaron Cagwin now sits with more than 160,000 with three levels left to play on Day 1D.

“9 High Like a boss”

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1D
Level 6: 300/600/600 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 131

Jonathan Giordano

Former Capital Region Classic winner Rob Saladin bet 90% of his stack on a 6ₓ6ₓ7ₓQₓ10ₓ board. The other heads-up player, Jonathan Giordano, thought for a moment, and put his whole stack in the middle to call. After the call, Rob announced, “9 high like a boss.” Giordano opponent turned over AₓAₓ, and took down a nice 50,000 chip pot.

We are down to 88 players here on Day 1D with 131 entries so far. Another table is breaking as players are coming up on a 10 minute break.

120 and counting

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1D
Level 5: 300/500/500 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 120

Players are continuing to enter, but not as fast as they are busting. The tournament had to open a new table which filled quickly, but broke only 20 minutes later as the bustouts have come swiftly.

For players interested, the largest chip stack so far going into Day 2 is Robert Hite, with 313,000. He played on Day 1A. Kathy Bigelow led the charge on Day 1C and has bagged the second largest stack so far with 275,000. Currently there are only 4 stacks over the 200,000 chip mark, with the average being 117,000 going Day 2.

Day 1D starts out big

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1D
Level 3: 200/300/300 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 96

Day 1D has already surpassed our largest buy-in of any day so far in our Capital Region Classic, and we are only in level 3. Players start with 25,000 in chips, and you can buy-in till the very end of the day. We are nearing the guaranteed prize pool here on Day 1D with an entire other flight left to play, as well as the Day 2 buy-ins. The $1,100 Day 2 buy-ins garner those players $100,000 in chips.

Headed into the final break of the day

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1C
Level 8: 600/1,200/1,200 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 84
Players Remaining: 39

Players are getting ready to color up here as we head towards the end of Day 1C.

Day 1D starts tomorrow at 11AM and 1E starts at 7PM. Hope to see you there!

Classic Race

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1C
Level 8: 500/1,000/1,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 84
Players Remaining: 43

Kathy won a classic race and the biggest pot of Day 1C so far when she called the all-in of Lucian Dublea for more than 50,000 chips. Her pocket Qs faced down and help up over the AK of her opponent. She now holds what is most likely the chip lead. Kathy is one of two women who remain here on Day 1C.

Another table just broke as we are now halfway through level 8 and are down to 43 players.

Lucian Dublea adds to his chip lead

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1C
Level 7: 400/800/800 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 80

Lucian’s flopped set of 3s were in peril against when he called the 25,000 chip all-in of his opponent who had top pair and a flush draw on a 2♥️3♥️7♠️ flop. His opponent had shoved with 7♥️8♥️. The flop ran out clean for the pocket 3s though, with an A♠️ turn and 5♠️ river. He added to what looks to be the current chip leading stack here on Day 1C.

The players are coming back from the break after level 6. Still time to buy in on Day 1C.

Pocket 9s hold up

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1C
Level 5: 300/500/500 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 72

Randolph Collins

Randolph Collins called the 12,000 chip all-in with 9ₓ9ₓ on a flop of 6♣️5♣️4♥️. His opponent had shoved with K♣️J♣️, and the board ran out Qₓ3ₓ to give him the nice pot. He currently sits with around 80,000 in chips.

Buy-ins to Day 1C have slowed, but we still have 73 entries so far. A couple of large chips stacks have formed around the event center, with a couple nearing 100,000 in chips. 110,000 is currently the average stack headed into Day 2. Still 7 levels left to play on Day 1C.

Brian Nicol binks the Qhsf

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1B
Level 4: 200/400/400 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 65

Brian Nicol has Q♠️Q♣️ on a 10♠️9♠️8♠️ flop. A 10♥️ hit the turn, and before the river the pot had swelled to nearly 20,000 in chips. When he rivered the J♠️ on the river to give him the stone cold nuts, he shoved all in for 11,000 and his opponent called with a K♠️ high flush. The hand gave him a nice pot and the double up.

Action is moving more quickly as we have reached 65 entrants. In the past two flights action has really picked up after the players have come back from break.

Real Play beginning

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1B
Level 3: 200/300/300 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 59

Players are now trickling in vs the steady stream that had been going for the first few levels. Also chips are now beginning to move at a slightly larger pace, as the first couple of levels there had been very little action. You can see when looking around the room now that play has started to pick up.

Day 1C is about to begin

Day 1C players are filing in. Players are trying to get their share of the $100,000 prize pool!

The End of Day 1B

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1B
Level 12: 1,500/2,500/2,500 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 92
Players Remaining: 23

The crazy table 2 broke as the end of Day 1B is approaching. With 10 minutes remaining in level 12, they have drawn to see how many hands they will play to end the day. Looks like 23 more players will be added to the day 2 list. So far that would equal 40 total players who have made it to day 2.

Day 1C starts at 7:00! $260 buy-in gets 25,000 in chips! Remember you can buy-in all the way till the end of any Day 1.

Greco claps for himself

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1B
Level 11: 1,000/2,000/2,000 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 90

Christian Greco

Table number 2 here on Day 1B has seen set vs set, one outers have been hit, and players have called all-in with gutshot straight draws and hit. One of the players at that table, Christian Greco, just shoved in for 70,000 chips with a double gutted straight draw, and managed to come away with the nut straight for a double up. As I sat here writing this post there was more players exclaiming “OH” as the play at that table continues to be a graveyard for players.

We are coming up on the end of level 11 with only one more level to play on Day 1B.

James Albanese stays hot

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1B
Level 10: 1,000/1,500/1,500 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 90

James Albanese

James is continuing what has already been a good day for him when he shoved all-in with 10ₓ10ₓ which held up against two players with short stacks and over cards. He is one of the bigger stacks so far on Day 1B, sitting with nearly 230,000.

Down to 35 players with 73 minutes remaining in the day.

Final Break of Day 1B

$260 Capital Region Classic Day 1B
Level 10: 1,000/1,500/1,500 Big Blind Ante
Total Entries: 90

We are headed into our final break of the day. Day 1A and Day 1B have had some similarities going into level 9. We have set to see any single stack pull away from the rest of the group. We are also seeing about the same number of players advance into the 10th level of the day.

Another table is about to break, and we will be down to 5 tables remaining.