Break!
![[user127999]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Level 3
: 100/200, 0 ante
With the first three levels in the books the players are off on a 10-minute break. Live coverage will resume when play does.
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
Approaching the $200K Guarantee
Level 3
: 100/200, 0 ante
The tournament board reads 113 entries, which means we're only 15 away from reaching the $200,000 guaranteed prize pool. With more than six hours of registration still open, it looks like the guarantee is a lock.
Some of the former Seneca champs we recently saw in the field include Scott Hosbach, Joe Ciffa, and Randy Pfeifer, who won Event #5 of this series on Thursday.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000
-2,300
|
-2,300 |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
30,000 |
Poker Queen Punts
Level 3
: 100/200, 0 ante
Maria Parlatore, who won the title of Poker Queen by capturing the L.I.P.S. Poker Queen Ladies Championship at The Grand Poker Series in Las Vegas last year, has been bounced early here.
She got short, got frustrated and got it in with 
on on a 
board against Todd Saffron holding 
. Saffron made his flush on the 
river.
Parlatore has had a result this week, posting a third-place finish in Event #6 at the 2015 Western New York Poker Challenge, but if she wants one here in the Main Event she'll have to re-enter.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
38,000
8,000
|
8,000 |
|
Busted |
Setting The Pace
Level 3
: 100/200, 0 ante
Considering his results so far at the 2015 Western New York Poker Challenge, Bruce Pace is developing a reputation for himself as the kind of player that builds a big stack early, but busts late, failing to find another gear as the tournament moves on to the later levels.
Once again, Pace is setting the pace here in the Main Event, pushing up close to 40,000 in chips already.
After calling a 450-chip raise preflop and being joined by the big blind, it was pace who led into a 
flop with a bet of 800.
It was enough to take down the pot and get Pace off to the same kind of start he's had in several events here so far. But it's the finish, not the start, where he's hoping to improve.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
39,500
9,500
|
9,500 |
Olshan Looks to Improve on Yesterday's Performance
Level 3
: 100/200, 0 ante
Sharman Olshan was one of 25 players who bagged a stack on Day 1a, but she's back here on Day 1b to build something bigger than the 61,400 she finished with yesterday. Coincidentally, she's seated at the same table as yesterday, too.
Olshan is on a hot run in 2015. She cahsed in a $2,200 Turbo Bounty event at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in January, and followed that up with back-to-back final tables at the Card Player Poker Tour series at Foxwoods last month.
We'll keep an eye on her progress throughout the day.
Level: 3
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 0
Who Else is Here?
Level 2
: 75/150, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | |
|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 |
Tough Decisions
Level 2
: 75/150, 0 ante
After Jiten Surwade checked, Sharman Olshan bet 8,000 into a 10,000-chip pot on the turn of a board reading 
.
Surwade called and after he checked the river, Olshan put him to a decision for all his chips by jamming all in.
Surwade surmized she wouldn't make such a large bet with a full house or a flush and decided to make the call with 
.
In the end he was right as Olshan felted 
for the naked bluff gone wrong.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
42,000
42,000
|
42,000 |
|
8,500
-22,900
|
-22,900 |
Chen Slipping
Level 2
: 75/150, 0 ante
Toronto, Canada's Xiaohu Chen took down the second event on the 2015 Western New York Poker Challenge schedule last weekend, besting a field of 117 entries to book a $15,242 win - the biggest payday of the series so far.
However, his run for the Main Event title has started in the wrong direction.
Chen paid off a 13,375-chip shove on the river of a 
board, mucking when his opponent showed 
for the flush.
Chen lost close to half his starting stack in the hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
16,500
-13,500
|
-13,500 |
A Steady Stream
Level 2
: 75/150, 0 ante
A steady stream of players continues to roll on to the tournament floor.
Now into the day's second level the board reads 88 entries and counting.