$360 Main Event Day 1b | Moneymaker's Road to PSPC 2020 - Seminole Hard Rock

12-14-2019 20:43 UTC-4

Zoltan Czinkota Leads Day 1b of Moneymaker's Road to PSPC 2020 Seminole Hard Rock

Chad Holloway

Level 17 : 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Moneymaker's Road to PSPC 2020 at the Seminole Hard Rock in South Florida saw two more starting flights play out simultaneously on Saturday. The Seminole Casino Coconut Creek attracted 58 runners, while the Hard Rock Hollywood saw 229 entrants compete.

Along with Day 1a’s combined field of 177 entrants (42 from Coconut Creek, 130 from Seminole Hard Rock), the total field grew to 464 entries.

Bagging the big stack on Day 1b was Zoltan Czinkota with 492,500. Others advancing were Daniel Scorro (362,500), Devond Marshall (285,500), Matt Suarez (215,000), Willie Wiggins (114,500), and Sherif Elmessiri (48,500).

Among those to fall on Day 1b were Loni Harwood, Derrick Contreras, Peter Kao, Ariel Rosello Quintana, Ory Hen, 2019 PSPC Platinum Pass winners Brandon Welter, defending champ Andy Risquez, and Paul “kasspav” Kasselouris, the man behind the Olympus Poker vlog.

Sunday’s Day 2 will see 48 players (19 from Day 1a, 29 from 1b) return to action, which will get underway at 11 a.m. local time and resume with 15:15 remaining in Level 14 (1,500/3,000/3,000). They are already in the money (payouts will be published once they are made available). PokerNews will be on-site to capture all the action, so be sure to join us then.

Tags: Zolton Czihkota

12-14-2019 18:59 UTC-4

The Ladies Love Steege

Chad Holloway

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Casey Steege, who yesterday was playing this very event over at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek property, raised to 10,000 from the lojack and Vinnie Guerra moved all in from the button. Both blinds folded and Steege quickly called off for 47,500.

Vinnie Guerra:
Casey Steege:

Steege was way out in front and locked it up on the turn as the board ran out .

Guerra was left with 70,000 after the hand but went bust a short time later.

Player	Chips	Progress
Casey Steege	100,000 100,000	100,000
Vinnie Guerra	Busted

Tags: Casey Steege Vinnie Guerra

12-14-2019 17:46 UTC-4

Seven from Heaven Gives Gomez the Knockout

Chad Holloway

Level 12 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Solange Lucas was short-stacked in the hijack and moved all in for 11,500. Action folded to Jorge Gomez, who opted to call from the big blind.

Jorge Gomez:
Solange Lucas:

Gomez had a kicker problem and the flop didn't do him any favors except give him a backdoor flush draw. The turn took away that possibility, but it did put out some chop outs.

There would be no chop but it was even better for Gomez as the spiked on the river to pair his kicker. With that, Gomez sent Lucas to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jorge Gomez	170,000 50,000	50,000
Solange Lucas	Busted

Tags: Jorge Gomez Solange Lucas

12-14-2019 16:01 UTC-4

Contreras Sent to the Rail By Gomez

Chad Holloway

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

The preflop action escaped us but we do know that RGPS champ Derrick Contreras got his stack of approximately 35,000 all in and was at risk against Jorge Gomez.

Derrick Contreras:
Jorge Gomez:

Gomez had the superior ace and Contreras failed to get lucky as the board ran out a lowly .

Player	Chips	Progress
Jorge Gomez	120,000 120,000	120,000
Derrick Contreras	Busted

Tags: Derrick Contreras Jorge Gomez

12-14-2019 14:21 UTC-4

PokerStars Blog Feature: The Seminole Hard Rock’s New Guitar Hotel

Chad Holloway

Level 7 : 300/600, 600 ante

Visiting any Hard Rock facility can be enjoyable for musicians and fans of popular music thanks to the brand-influenced emphasis on music imagery and memorabilia. But the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has now seriously upped the ante in that regard (pun intended).

And oh man… it rocks!

Following several years of construction, in late October the property’s newest addition and primary element of a $1.5 billion expansion finally opened — the world’s first Guitar Hotel.

To continue this intimate look at the new hotel, check out Martin Harris' article "Excuse me, while I kiss the sky: The Seminole Hard Rock’s new Guitar Hotel" right here on the PokerStars Blog.

12-14-2019 14:16 UTC-4

An Orbit with 2019 PSPC Platinum Pass Winner Brandon Welter

Chad Holloway

Level 6 : 300/500, 500 ante

Last December, Minnesota's Brandon Welter was at the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Season 9 finale at Canterbury Park. It was there that a Platinum Pass was awarded after a random drawing of eight players, who then engaged in a heads-up flip-a-ment. Welter survived the three rounds and suddenly found himself with a $30K Platinum Pass to the Bahamas.

While there, he competed against some of poker's best, and not only did he make the money, he made the first pay jump before falling in 151st place for $35,000. Forced to take some vacation hours from his job back in Minneapolis, Welter opted to hop on a place down here to Hollywood, Florida to try and win himself another Platinum Pass.

We recently spent an entire orbit with Welter, who was sitting with 17,000 in chips. Here's what we observed.

Hand #1 (Big Blind): The under-the-gun player raised to 1,500 and an early-position player called. The player on the button came along and Welter folded from the big blind.

Hand #2 (Small Blind): A middle-position player limped before the button raised to 1,800. Welter called out of the small blind, the player in the big did the same, and the limper came along to make it four-way action to the flop, which checked around.

Welter then checked the turn and the big blind bet 2,400. Two folds put action back on Welter and he called to see the river. Welter paused for a few beats before betting 6,300, which matched his opponent's remaining stack. The player in the big blind thought for a bit before calling off with the for trip kings. Unfortunately for him, it was no good as Welter rolled over the for a full house and the win.

Hand #3 (Button): The player in the cutoff raised to 1,500 and Welter folded.

Hand #4 (Cutoff): A middle-position player limped and Welter folded.

Hand #5 (Hijack): Two players limped before Welter folded.

Hand #6 (Lojack): The under-the-gun player moved all in for 8,500 and everyone folded, including Welter.

Hand #7 (Middle Position): An early-position player limped and Welter folded.

Hand #8 (Early Position): Welter folded.

Hand #9 (Under the Gun): Welter folded.

It was a relatively lowkey orbit for Welter aside from the second hand he played in which he stacked a player. Welter ended the orbit with approximately 30,000 in chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brandon Welter	30,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Brandon Welter

12-14-2019 12:31 UTC-4

Defending Champ Andres "Andy" Risquez Takes His Seat

Chad Holloway

Level 4 : 200/300, 300 ante

Chris Moneymaker, Andres “Andy” Risquez and Tony Burns last November.

In November of last year, Andres "Andy" Risquez won the $86 buy-in Moneymaker PSPC Tour here Seminole Hard Rock for $25,427 and a coveted Platinum Pass. Making it even more incredible was that he defeated none other than Chris Moneymaker in heads-up play out of the 957-entry field to win the title for $14,000 cash plus the $30K Platinum Pass.

Risquez, a local player, has returned to the Seminole Hard Rock and is looking to nab his second Platinum Pass. If he plays his cards right, there could even be a rematch against Moneymaker, who bagged the Day 1a chip lead yesterday over at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.

We'll be sure to keep an eye on Risquez as he looks to navigate today's field.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andy Risquez	20,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Andres “Andy” Risquez

12-14-2019 08:58 UTC-4

Moneymaker's Road to PSPC Continues in South Florida!

Chad Holloway

The Moneymaker's Road to PSPC continues today in South Florida with Day 1b flights at both Hard Rock Hollywood and Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.

We're on site at the former property to offer live updates from the $360 buy-in, $100K GTD Main Event. The winner of the tournament, which will be determined on Sunday, will walk away with an added $30,000 Platinum Pass Package to attend the PSPC hosted in Barcelona, Spain in August 2020.

The surviving players from all flights at both venues will combine at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood for Sunday's Day 2, which will get underway at 11 a.m. All players who make Day 2 are in the money.

Players will start with 20,000 in tournament chips and levels last 30 minutes. Late registration and re-entries are available until the start of Level 9.

In yesterday's pair of flights, 177 runners participated between the two properties. Of those, just 19 bagged including 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event champ Chris Moneymaker, who was the chip leader at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek with 284,000. Over at Hard Rock Hollywood, three players bagged bigger stacks in chip leader Scott Baumstein (470,000), Charles Odenz (420,000), and Isaac Ebron (300,550).

Others to make it through were Sheldon Gross (222,500), Mark Cannon (174,500), WSOP bracelet winner Jackie Scott (156,000), Joe Teixeira (104,000), and Marc Wolfe (40,500).

Recent Platinum Pass Winners

PokerNews has been on hand at several tournaments recently where players have walked away with Platinum Passes. Click on a link below to check the live updates from the event!

Andrew Barham - winner of Moneymaker's Road to PSPC 2020 - Hippodrome London
Daniel Stancer - winner of Moneymaker's Road to PSPC 2020 - Newcastle
Valdir Santos - winner of Moneymaker's Road to PSPC 2020 - London
Victor Antoci (pictured) - winner of Moneymaker's Road to PSPC 2020 - Dublin

Victor Antoci and Chris Moneymaker — Chris Moneymaker awards Victor Antoci his Platinum Pass.

Future Opportunities to Win Platinum Passes

The PokerStars Blog has a dedicated page detailing future chances for players to get their hands on a coveted Platinum Pass, with plenty more opportunities before the end of 2019!

14th December - Chase Your Dream - EPT Prague
15th December - PSPC Mega Path Final
15th December - Moneymaker's Road to PSPC Florida
20th December - University Championship Paris
20th December - Road to PSPC Paris
20th December - PSPC Mega Path Final