Main Event
Day 1a Started
2023 bestbet Winter Open
Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2023 bestbet Winter Open
Prize Pool
$580,425
Entries
327
Level
25
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
50,000
Entries
131
Players Left
17
$2,000 bestbet Winter Open Main Event Begins Friday
While temperatures may be dropping in the middle of winter, the poker scene in Florida is heating up, nowhere more so than bestbet Jacksonville this weekend for the 2023 Winter Open Main Event.
Last year, the $2,000 buy-in tournament drew a field of 387 entries that created a $692,739 prize pool, with Tyler Payne of Fayetteville, North Carolina taking home the huge $140,058 first prize.
The Main Event is the culmination of bestbet’s Winter Open series that has seen big fields for every preliminary event, including 128 runners for Thursday’s single-day $1,000 buy-in 6-max event that saw 126 entries build a prize pool of $108,360 with Daniel Anderson taking home $28,218 for his win.
bestbet Winter Open Side Event Winners
| Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $400 NLH | 733 | $250,225 | Kelly Andrews | $40,377* |
| Event #2: $400 NLH with $100 Bounties | 121 | $27,830 | Phillip Napier | $7,247 + Bounties |
| Event #3: $300 NLH | 88 | $21,560 | Kenneth Brossoit | $5,548* |
| Event #4: $400 NLH | 106 | $34,980 | Mark Marcellus | $7,970* |
| Event #5: $300 Ladies NLH | 72 | $17,640 | Kim Sukyung | $4,999* |
| Event #6: $400 NLH with $100 Bounties | 96 | $20,210 | Pablo Valdivieso | $6,341 |
| Event #7: $1,000 NLH 6-Max | 126 | $108,360 | Daniel Anderson | $28,218 |
| *indicates a deal was made |
If the big numbers continue, tournament organizers’ hopes of crossing the 400-entry mark for this year's Main Event could certainly happen.
The first of two opening flights kicks off at noon local time, with players receiving 30,000 chips and starting blinds of 100/200. A big blind ante begins in the second of the day’s 14 scheduled 40-minute levels.
Players will receive a 15-minute break every three levels, with a 60-minute dinner break after level 9. Unlimited re-entry and registration remain open until the end of that dinner break (the start of level 10).
Players do have the ability to enter Day 1b Saturday even if they bag Day 1a, with their biggest stack being moved forward to Day 2.
Day 2 will take place Sunday at noon with the survivors of the opening flights combining to play 60-minute levels until they reach the final table, which will be streamed Monday on bestbet’s YouTube channel. The final table begins at 4 pm local time and will stream on a delay.
PokerNews will be on the scene to bring live reports until a champion is crowned on Monday, so keep it right here for all the action from the outstanding bestbet Jacksonville poker room.
Level: 1
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 0
Shuffle Up and Deal!
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 0 ante
Cards are in the air for the opening flight of the bestbet Winter Open Main Event.
This is the first of 14 40-minute levels of play, with the survivors advancing to Sunday's Day 2.
Early Pot for Harper
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 0 ante
Mario Harper, who may be wearing the best t-shirt in the room that says, "run good, play better" with the 
on the front has taken an early pot.
After raising to 600 in early position six-handed, Harper got calls from the players in the hijack and the big blind.
On the 
flop, action was checked to the hijack who bet 1,000. Only Harper made the call.
On the 
, turn, Harper again checked and now faced a bet of 2,000, which he again called.
The river brought the 
, and Harper checked a final time. This time his opponent checked back, which proved to be wise as Harper showed 
for a rivered straight.
His opponent showed 
for top pair, which was dumped into the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
33,500
33,500
|
33,500 |
Phillips Raises River and Gets Paid
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 0 ante
Picking action up on the flop with the board reading 
, action was checked to Tyler Phillips in the cutoff who bet 600. The small blind check-raised to 1,400 and Phillips called.
On the 
turn, the small blind bet 800 and Phillips called.
The river brought the bringing four to a straight and a backdoor flush.
The small blind led once more, this time for 3,000, which Phillips raised to 17,000. The small blind quickly called and got bad news.
Phillips showed 
for the backdoor flush, while his opponent showed 
for a rivered straight which went into the muck as the sizeable pot was pushed to Phillips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
55,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
bestbet Winter Open Side Event Results
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 0 ante
It's been a great week of tournament action already here at bestbet Jacksonville as the Main Event begins.
Seven preliminary events are already in the books with a $500 Pot-Limit Omaha event Saturday and the bestbet 500, a $500 No-Limit Hold'em event on Sunday still to come.
Here is a look at the winners of the preliminary events so far.
bestbet Winter Open Side Event Winners
| Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $400 NLH | 733 | $250,225 | Kelly Andrews | $40,377* |
| Event #2: $400 NLH with $100 Bounties | 121 | $27,830 | Phillip Napier | $7,247 + Bounties |
| Event #3: $300 NLH | 88 | $21,560 | Kenneth Brossoit | $5,548* |
| Event #4: $400 NLH | 106 | $34,980 | Mark Marcellus | $7,970* |
| Event #5: $300 Ladies NLH | 72 | $17,640 | Kim Sukyung | $4,999* |
| Event #6: $400 NLH with $100 Bounties | 96 | $20,210 | Pablo Valdivieso | $6,341 |
| Event #7: $1,000 NLH 6-Max | 126 | $108,360 | Daniel Anderson | $28,218 |
*indicates a deal was made
Level: 2
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 200
A Few Notables in the Field
Level 2
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
A few more faces have been spotted in the field including Event #7: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em runner-up Matthew Johnson
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
52,500
52,500
|
52,500 |
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
30,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
30,000 | |
|
28,700
28,700
|
28,700 |
|
28,200
28,200
|
28,200 |
|
26,200
26,200
|
26,200 |
Mroczkowski Sends a Non-Believing Player Home
Level 2
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
After the player under the gun raised to 400 and got calls from the button and small blind, Edward Mroczkowski three-bet to 2,500 in the big blind. Only the button called.
On the 
flop, Mroczkowski continued for 1,700 and got called.
Mroczkowski bet 3,100 on the turn and got called again, with each player holding about 10,000 behind.
On the river, Mroczkowski shoved his last 9,700 and after some deliberation got a call from the button for slightly less to put himself at risk.
Mroczkowski showed 
with his overpair being the best hand as his opponent showed 
before leaving the tournament area.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
35,200
5,200
|
5,200 |