146 Players Return Chasing Inaugural PokerStars Open Philadelphia Main Event Title
After four opening flights at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, it is time for the dramatic conclusion to the first edition of the PokerStars Open Philadelphia $1,100 Main Event.
An impressive total of 1,154 entries took their shot this week, with only 146 players bagging up for a spot in Sunday’s finale. Action begins at 11:15 a.m. local time, where the survivors of all four flights will join together to battle for this prestigious title.
At stake on Day 2 is a share of the $1,107,840 prize pool, with the top prize of $184,800 awaiting the champion.
Just four players return with at least 100 big blinds, led by Day 1c pace-setter Norman Rodriguez with 860,000 chips. Angel Lopez sits just behind with 841,000, while Day 1d chip leader Elliot Moore returns with 822,000 chips.
Michael Tweedlie (803,000) is the only other player with 100 bigs, climbing over 800,000 on Saturday’s final hand. Day 1a leader George Alberto ranks sixth, while Michael Bohmerwald led the way on Day 1a and will sit down on Sunday in eighth position.
Day 2 Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norman Rodriguez | Dominican Republic | 860,000 | 108 |
| 2 | Angel Lopez | United States | 841,000 | 105 |
| 3 | Elliot Moore | United States | 822,000 | 103 |
| 4 | Michael Tweedlie | United States | 803,000 | 100 |
| 5 | Justin Laudadio | United States | 789,000 | 99 |
| 6 | George Alberto | United States | 776,000 | 97 |
| 7 | Edric Nicoli | United States | 741,000 | 93 |
| 8 | Michael Bohmerwald | United States | 719,000 | 90 |
| 9 | Steven Christopher | United States | 693,000 | 87 |
| 10 | Osman Nasir | United States | 690,000 | 86 |
The Live! poker room has been buzzing all week, and PokerStars is proud to serve this booming market. “I am absolutely thrilled with the turnout for the PokerStars Open Philadelphia,” Madeline O’Brien, PokerStars Live Events Associate Manager told PokerNews before the final day of action.
“Surpassing $1 million for the Main Event prize pool—doubling our original guarantee—is a true testament to the growing popularity of live poker tournaments and the strong reputation PokerStars has built within the poker community. The passion for live poker has created something really special here in Philly, and this momentum is just getting started.”
That momentum will certainly carry into Sunday’s exciting conclusion, as players will return to their seats at 11:15 a.m. local time. PokerStars Ambassador Maria Konnikova is among the returning players, sitting inside the top 40 to start the day with 451,000 chips.
The first two flights finished on Level 17, and that is where action will resume with blinds of 4,000/8,000 along with a big blind ante of 8,000.
Players will navigate 60-minute levels until the trophy is handed out tonight. All 146 survivors have earned at least $1,420 by making to Day 2, and the battle for a spot at the final table begins this morning.
Don’t miss any of the action as the PokerNews team will bring you every exciting moment in our live reporting and social media channels. It’s sure to be a dramatic finish in Philadelphia, as the first PokerStars Open Main Event champion will be crowned.