Alex Nguyen Leads After Day 2 of WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown; 107 Players Remain
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Day 2 of the World Poker Tour (WPT) $3,500 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown saw 378 players from a 2,290-entry field return to action, but by the end of the night only 107 remained. Leading the pack is Alex Nguyen with 2,570,000 while not far behind are Nick Palma (2,295,0000), Ethan “Rampage” Yau (2,135,000), and Natasha Mercier (1,835,000).
Others still in contention for the $1,128,250 top prize include Day 1b chip leader Akash Seth (1,715,000), Kristen Foxen (1,580,000), Steve “Cuz” Buckner (1,285,000), Andrew Moreno (765,000), 2013 WSOP champ Ryan Riess (605,000), AJ Kelsall (380,000), Raminder Singh (350,000), and Chance Kornuth (330,000).
Top 10 Chip Counts at End of Day 2
| Place | Player | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Nguyen | 2,570,000 |
| 2 | David Lakein | 2,400,000 |
| 3 | Raffaelle Sorrentino | 2,380,000 |
| 4 | Nick Palma | 2,295,000 |
| 5 | Zachary Eichenbaum | 2,230,000 |
| 6 | Champie Douglas | 2,160,000 |
| 7 | Ethan Yau | 2,135,000 |
| 8 | Leo Taffe | 2,085,000 |
| 9 | Thomas Carroll | 2,035,000 |
| 10 | Scott Bohlman | 2,010,000 |
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The top 287 finishers made the money and some to head to the payout desk on Sunday were Alexander Yen (108th - $9,050), Athanasios Polychronopoulos (118th - $9,050), Phil Hui (139th - $7,550), David “ODB” Baker (147th - $7,550), Alex Foxen (154th - $7,050), Shannon Shorr (163rd - $7,050), Jeremy Ausmus (191st - $6,300), and 2022 WPT World Champion Eliot Hudon (202nd - $6,300).
Likewise, WPT Champions Club member James Calderaro wound up exiting on Day 2. According to WPT updates, it happened in Level 20 (10,000/20,000/20,000) when Calderaro jammed for 380,000 under the gun. Mercier didn’t see his shove and put out 45,000 thinking she was raising. Upon discovering the error, she used a time extension before calling the jam. Marc Spungin then moved all in over the top for 500,000 from the big blind, which Mercier also called.
James Calderaro: 9♣9♦
Marc Spungin: 10♠10♣
Natasha Mercier: K♣Q♣
Mercier went from worst to first when the flop fell K♠7♠3♥ to pair her king. Neither the 7♣ turn nor 6♠ river changed a thing and Mercier scored the double knockout. Calderaro wound up taking 122nd place while Spungin finished in 121st, both for $8,250.
The remaining 107 players are guaranteed $9,050 in prize money, though all are hoping to make their way to the final table where at least six-figure paydays await. Here’s a look at the payouts for the final nine:
| Place | Prize | POY Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,128,250 | 1,400 |
| 2 | $745,000 | 1,150 |
| 3 | $550,000 | 900 |
| 4 | $413,000 | 700 |
| 5 | $312,000 | 550 |
| 6 | $238,000 | 450 |
| 7 | $183,000 | 375 |
| 8 | $142,000 | 300 |
| 9 | $111,500 | 250 |
Day 3 will take place on Monday, May 1st at 12 p.m. EST with a plan to play down to 16 players. Day 4 is scheduled for Tuesday, May 2nd at 12 p.m. EST and will reach the final table, which will then be played at the Hyper X ESports Arena at the Luxor in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 25th.
*Images courtesy of WPT and Seminole Hard Rock.
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