bestbet Jacksonville Winter Open $2,000 Main Event Day 1a | 2021 bestbet Jacksonville Winter Open

01-29-2021 13:30 UTC-4

Conrad and Walters Among Early Arrivals

HillKerby

Level 1 : 100/100, 0 ante

The field is nearing triple digits as 95 players are now in their seats. Among them are a pair of familiar faces in Chris Conrad and David Walters.

Walters, better known as "Bama" enters the day hoping to ride momentum after finding a cash in Thursday night's Event #8. Quite apropos to his nickname, Walters is decked out in Alabama Crimson Tide apparel: mask, sweater, shirt, and all.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chris Conrad	25,000	25,000
David Walters	25,000	25,000

Tags: Chris Conrad David Walters

01-29-2021 13:21 UTC-4

Hodge Misses the Freeroll

HillKerby

Level 1 : 100/100, 0 ante

There was 1,200 in the middle on a board reading with three players holding cards in front of them. Action was on Mark Hodge in the big blind, facing a bet of 1,300 from the player on the button after both Hodge and the hijack had checked to him.

Hodge put in a check-raise to 6,000 and the hijack folded, sending action back to the player on the button, who reached for the remainder of their stack and slid it forward onto the felt. Hodge quickly called.

Mark Hodge:
Opponent:

Both players saw each other's Broadway, but Hodge's came with an accompanying nut-flush draw, giving him nine outs to a quick double. However, the player on the button faded disaster on the river , and the two split the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mark Hodge	25,000	25,000

Tags: Mark Hodge

01-29-2021 13:08 UTC-4

And We're Off!

HillKerby

Level 1 : 100/100, 0 ante

Pre-tournament announcements have been made and play is officially underway for the 2021 bestbet Jacksonville Winter Open $2,000 Main Event. Eighty-one players are in their seats and ready to go with registration remaining open until the beginning of Level 10 at what should be a few minutes past 7:30 p.m. this evening.

Level: 1

Blinds: 100/100

Ante: 0

01-29-2021 10:51 UTC-4

Welcome To Day 1a of the 2021 bestbet Jacksonville Winter Open $2,000 Main Event

HillKerby

A week's worth of prelims in the 2021 bestbet Jacksonville Winter have played to their completion and the stage has been set for this weekend's $2,000 Main Event.

Play begins Friday at noon ET with Day 1a, the first of two starting flights. Upon the completion of both Day 1a and Saturday's Day 1b, the field will then combine for the first time under one roof on Sunday's Day 2 to play down to a winner.

Starting stacks are 25,000 apiece with blinds beginning at 100/100, and levels will increase every 40 minutes for the duration of the tournament. Big-blind ante will come into play in Level 3 (100/200/200), with Day 1 play continuing until the end of Level 14 (2,000/4,000/4,000), at which point all remaining players will advance and put their chips into bags for Day 2. Fifteen-minute breaks will occur after every three levels (two hours of play) with a one-hour dinner break at the end of Level 9 (approximately 6:30 p.m.)

Registration is open with unlimited re-entries until the beginning of Level 10 at the end of the dinner break (approximately 7:30 p.m). This tournament also features a best-stack forward format, meaning even players who advance in Day 1a may re-enter on Saturday and try to take a bigger stack into Day 2 if they choose to do so.

Who will be the one on top of the counts when the action is done for the night? PokerNews will be bringing you updates live from the floor (from a safe distance, of course) every step of the way, so be sure to stick around.

bestbet Jacksonville Winter Open $2,000 Main Event

Day 1a Started