Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2015 Western New York Poker Challenge
Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2015 Western New York Poker Challenge
Buy-in
$910
Prize Pool
$241,491
Entries
275
Level
26
Blinds
20,000 / 40,000
Ante
5,000
Scott Hosbach Leads After Day 1b of Western New York Poker Challenge
![[user153906]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 200 ante
The 2015 Western New York Poker Challenge Main Event continued Saturday with the second and final flight of Day 1. Players in the region flocked to Niagara Falls as the field nearly doubled the size from the previous day. The 183 entries, combined with the 92 on Friday, produced a total field of 275, creating a prize pool of $241,491. The eventual winner will pocket $59,162 along with the Main Event trophy.
Only 49 players survived the Day 1b flight, and leading the way when play commenced was Scott Hosbach. No stranger to the chip lead here at Seneca Niagara, the aggressive Hosbach fired a few bullets on Saturday but made the most of his last, cruising in the final levels to finish with 412,200.
Hosbach will begin Day 2 second in chips to Day 1a leader Damian Baird, who got max value on a Royal Flush Friday to end the day with 443,700.
Randy Pfeifer, fresh off his final table appearance at the World Poker Tour in Atlantic City, was among the leaders all day and finished second in chips Saturday with 285,500. He gained steam early on when he went runner-runner for two pair to counterfeit Scott Szatkowski's flopped two pair. That pushed Pfiefer above 100,000, and later in the day he rivered two pair again against Kyle Gauchat to send the friendly Buffalonian home empty handed.
Other notables advancing to Day 2 were Jason Nablo, Cameron Bartolotta, Alicia LaPorte, Scott Aitchison, Josh Knight and Event #1 champion Xiaohu Chen, who won an incredible hand to stay alive during the final level. Chen called a shove from Brad Perkins with 
on a 
flop and needed a lot of help against Perkins' flopped straight. Chen got exactly what he needed as the 
turn and 
river gave him a full house and a big stack to take into Day 2.
Among the less fortunate on Saturday were Travell Thomas, DJ MacKinnon, Dennis Durante, Rick Block, and defending champion Nick Walker, all of whom busted before the end of the day.
The WNY Poker Challenge Main Event continues Sunday at noon with Day 2 action on the balcony of the Seneca Niagara Hotel & Casino. Seventy-four players will attempt to make their way into the money and beyond, and we’ll have complete coverage of the tournament until a champion is crowned. Keep your browsers locked to PokerNews.com until the conclusion!
End-of-Day 1b Chip Counts (full)
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 200 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
412,200 | 72,200 |
|
285,500 | 10,500 |
|
236,800 | -3,200 |
|
236,700 | 16,700 |
|
233,200 | -31,800 |
|
228,200 | 28,200 |
|
228,000 | 133,000 |
|
188,300 | 8,300 |
|
178,600 | |
|
176,700 | |
|
173,200 | |
|
165,300 | 25,300 |
|
156,500 | -46,500 |
|
150,400 | |
|
149,900 | |
|
123,200 | |
|
122,000 | |
|
|
113,700 | |
|
112,000 | -17,000 |
|
100,400 | |
|
99,400 | 55,000 |
|
|
95,000 | |
|
93,800 | |
|
91,400 | -54,900 |
|
|
89,900 | 5,900 |
Perkins Flops Nuts, Loses to Runner-Runner Boat
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 200 ante
We heard a loud roar across the room and ran over to see a large pile of chips being pushed to Xiaohu Chen, who had the sitting in front of him. At the other end of the table was (former) chip leader Brad Perkins, who had tabled 
.
The board? .
We learned that Perkins had shoved all in on the flop, and Chen tanked for five minutes, had the clock called on him, and announced a call with time running out. He then went runner-runner for a full house to clip Perkins and stay alive in the Main Event.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
240,000 | -80,000 |
|
|
180,000 | 88,000 |
Stop The Clock
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 200 ante
The remaining 51 players will play five more hands before calling it a night. We'll have complete chip counts and a full recap of Day 1b at the completion of play.
Desai Makes a Big Laydown
Level 13
: 1,000/2,000, 200 ante
With the flop showing 
, Trushang Desai checked and Alex Rivera bet 7,000. The player in Seat 9 called, and action was back on Desai, who check-raised to 18,500. Rivera responded with a three-bet to 38,100, and Seat 9 got out of the way.
Desai thought it over for about a minute before folding 
face up.
Rivera called us over to show his 
. The big fold by Desai likely saved him his entire stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
265,000 | 75,000 |
Level: 13
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 200
From Zero To Hero
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
Alicia LaPorte Pachla had been working a short stack all day long, just barely keeping her head above water.
But thanks to a flurry of action that saw her double through Jason Nablo with sevens versus 
, then pick up a decent pot flopping a full house with 
, she's finally got some chips to work with.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
78,500 | -1,500 |
Thomson Joins the 200k Club
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
Jimmy Thomson made it 4,600 to go and the player in the big blind defended.
The big blind checked the 
flop, then folded when Thomson fired another bet.
After raking in the pot a quick check of Thomson's stack shows he is now over 200,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
220,000 | 145,000 |
Official Main Event Payouts
Level 12
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
The payouts were just handed to us by poker room manager Amanda Scarcelli. A total of 275 entries created a prize pool of $241,491, with the eventual winner taking home $59,162. The top 27 finishers will collect at least $1,835.
| Place | Payout | Place | Payout | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $59,162 | 9 | $5,434 | |
| 2 | $37,190 | 10-12 | $4,588 | |
| 3 | $26,806 | 13-15 | $3,381 | |
| 4 | $19,802 | 16-18 | $3,019 | |
| 5 | $14,731 | 19-21 | $2,415 | |
| 6 | $11,109 | 22-24 | $2,029 | |
| 7 | $8,694 | 25-27 | $1,835 | |
| 8 | $6,762 |