$3,000 Main Event ($500K GTD) Day 1c | 2020 Potomac Winter Poker Open

02-16-2020 15:18 UTC-4

Deutsch Scores the Double Knockout

Shirley Ang

Level 12 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

The flop read when all the chips went in for Faisal Siddiqui in the big blind, Melanie Hennigan on the button and they were called and covered by Stephen Deutsch in the small blind.

Faisal Siddiqui:
Melanie Hennigan:
Stephen Deutsch:

The rest of the board was completed with the on the turn and the on the river for Deutsch to hold with the set of treys to eliminate both of his opponents.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stephen Deutsch	295,000 124,000	124,000
Melanie Hennigan	Busted
Faisal Siddiqui	Busted

Tags: Faisal Siddiqui Melanie Hennigan Stephen Deutsch

02-16-2020 15:01 UTC-4

No Backpack!

Shirley Ang

Level 12 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Cordero Hines raised to 7,500 from the middle position and Keun Kwak shoved from the cutoff for 44,500 and got up from his chair and put his backpack on. Dave Alfa shoved too for just over 200,000 and got up from his chair too before putting his backpack on. Pearce Arnold in the big blind looked at his cards, confirmed the amount of Kwak's shove, and then made the call before getting up from his chair too.

Keun Kwak:
Dave Alfa:
Pearce Arnold:

The board ran out for Arnold to flop a set and improve to a full house on the turn to eliminate Kwak and earn a full double-up for the 81,000 he had behind.

"No backpack!" Arnold said with a big smile which earned him some laughter and a fist pump of Hines.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pearce Arnold	217,000 96,000	96,000
Dave Alfa	165,000 -5,000	-5,000
Keun Kwak	Busted

Tags: Dave Alfa Keun Kwak Pearce Arnold

02-16-2020 14:30 UTC-4

Liberto Busts Ahmadian

Shirley Ang

Level 11 : 1,200/2,400, 2,400 ante

Justin Liberto raised to 4,800 from the hijack and Ryan Tamanini three-bet to 15,300 on the button. Elia Ahmadian four-bet shoved for 66,000 in the small blind for the big blind to fold. Liberto confirmed the amount and checked how much Tamanini had behind before deciding to shove too for more. Tamanini threw his hands up in the air, looked at his cards once more, and then folded.

Elia Ahmadian:
Justin Liberto:

The board ran out for Liberto to hold with the pocket pair to eliminate Ahmadian.

Player	Chips	Progress
Justin Liberto	232,500 177,100	177,100

Ryan Tamanini	67,500 17,500	17,500
Brandon Hall	Busted
Ricardo Owens	Busted
Elia Ahmadian	Busted

Tags: Elia Ahmadian Justin Liberto Ryan Tamanini

02-16-2020 13:32 UTC-4

Carroll Taken Out by Zgorski

Shirley Ang

Level 10 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Mike Zgorski raised to 7,000 from under the gun and James Carroll called for less in the small blind.

James Carroll:
Mike Zgorski:

The flop came for Carroll to hit a pair of nines and pick up an open-ended straight draw.

The turn was the for both of them to improve to two pair. Only a seven, nine, or queen could help Carroll but the river completed the board with the instead to send Carroll to the rail.

Shortly after, Jack Eichenberger was also eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mike Zgorski	159,000 16,500	16,500
James Carroll	Busted

Jack Eichenberger	Busted

Tags: James Carroll Mike Zgorski

02-16-2020 03:16 UTC-4

Alfa in the Lead; Elias, Liberto, and Harder Still In It for the Continuation of Day 1c at Noon on Sunday

Shirley Ang

Level 9 : 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

Day 1c of the 2020 Potomac Winter Poker Open $3,000 Main Event started at 6 p.m. local time today which was be the last chance for players to make it through to Day 2 to win their share of the $500,000 guaranteed prize pool that has already been surpassed at the MGM National Harbor. On Day 1a, 80 entries were collected with 15 players making it through to Day 2 and Day 1b had 149 entries with 34 surviving which means that there are already 49 players who had made it to the next stage.

Day 1c had a bit of a different set-up than the first two starting flights as it was split up in two parts. Today the players played the first nine levels and the remaining 24 players out of 55 entries will return at noon, Sunday, February 16 to play the last four 45-minute levels of Day 1c. The late registration and single reentry period remains open until the first cards go in the air.

When play ends, those players who made it through the final hurdles will be thrown into the mix with the other 49 players for Day 2 which will resume shortly after. The expectation is that this will be around 3:30 p.m. local time. The level duration will be increased to 60 minutes each on Day 2 until the final table of nine as the levels will then go up to 75 minutes. Play on Day 2 will continue until there are six players left or until 2 a.m.

For now it is Dave Alfa in the lead for Day 1c with 273,200. He is followed by David Olshan (253,900), Cordero Hines (197,000), Melanie Hennigan (165,700), and Richard Weinhold with 150,700. But players like Darren Elias, Elia Ahmadian, Faisal Siddiqui, Justin Liberto, Phong Nguyen, and Christian Harder also found a bag for tomorrow.

PokerNews will be covering Day 1c from the restart until it is known who else makes Day 2 and then continue with the Day 2 coverage so make sure to come back at noon!

The 2020 Potomac Winter Poker Open $3,000 Main Event Schedule

Day	Date	Starting Time	Late Reg	Entries	Survivors	Further Information
Day 1a	Friday February 14	11:00	Start of Level 10	80	15	13 levels of 45 minutes
Day 1b	Saturday February 15	11:00	Start of Level 10	149	34	13 levels of 45 minutes
Day 1c (1)	Saturday February 15	18:00	Start of Level 10	55	24	9 levels of 45 minutes
Day 1c (2)	Sunday February 16	12:00	Start of Level 10	24	tba	4 levels of 45 minutes
Day 2	Sunday February 16	15:00	-	tba	tba	60-minute levels, play until final 6 or 2 a.m.
Day 3	Monday February 17	13:00	-	tba	-	final table levels increase to 75 minutes

Tags: Christian Harder Darren Elias Dave Alfa David Olshan Elia Ahmadian Faisal Siddiqui Justin Liberto Phong Nguyen

02-16-2020 02:09 UTC-4

Gilliam Doubles Up Again

Shirley Ang

Level 9 : 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

Johnathon Gilliam shoved from the hijack for 28,000 and was called by Timothy Glab on the button while the blinds folded.

Johnathon Gilliam:
Timothy Glab:

The flop came for Glab to stay ahead but for Gilliam to pick up the open-ended straight draw to stay alive. A jack on the turn on the river, however, would give Glab the higher straight.

The turn as the which didn't change things and neither did the on the river as Gilliam doubled up to stay alive.

Player	Chips	Progress
Johnathon Gilliam	66,000 36,000	36,000
Timothy Glab	57,000 -64,000	-64,000

Tags: Johnathon Gilliam Timothy Glab

02-16-2020 01:27 UTC-4

Hines Halts Young

Shirley Ang

Level 8 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Cordero Hines raised to 2,700 from the cutoff and was called by Orson Young and Johnathon Gilliam in the blinds.

The flop came , it was checked to Hines who continued with a bet of 3,000 which was called by both Young and Gilliam.

They all checked through the on the turn to the on the river. Young bet 12,000 and that was enough to get Gilliam out of the way but Hines raised to put Young all-in for his last 26,000 or so. Young glanced over to Hines and then made the call with the for the flush but Hines held the for the nut flush to eliminate Young on his first bullet for Day 1c. He quickly left the tournament area but might be back tomorrow before the restart of Day 1c.

Player	Chips	Progress
Cordero Hines	216,000 46,000	46,000
Johnathon Gilliam	63,000 63,000	63,000
Orson Young	Busted

Tags: Johnathon Gilliam Orson Young

02-15-2020 19:15 UTC-4

Day 1c Started at 6 PM; Keep Following the Day 1b Coverage Until Its Conclusion

Shirley Ang

Day 1c of the 2020 Potomac Winter Poker Open $3,000 Main Event started at 6 p.m. local time today which will be the last chance for players to get their hands on a share of the $5000,000 guaranteed prize pool event here at the stunning MGM National Harbor. On Day 1a, 80 entries were collected with 15 players making it through to Day 2 and Day 1b currently has 149 entries with registration still open for another hour.

Currently in the lead is Day 1a chip leader Jeromy Bittan with 478,500 in chips, followed by Justin Arnwine (406,500), Sam Panzica (384,500), Joe McKeehen (377,000), and Daniel Lim (305,000).

Players will receive 50,000 in chips in their starting stack and play nine levels of 45 minutes each today. A 15-minute break is planned after Level 3 and 6. Players can reenter once per starting flight and the late registration period will remain open until the start of Level 10 which will be on Sunday, February 16 at noon local time.

Everyone who makes it through the nine levels of today at noon on to play the last four levels of their day before Day 2 starts at 3 p.m. local time on Sunday, February 16 with play continuing until 2 a.m. or until the final six players have been reached. The level duration will be increased to 45 minutes each on Day 2 until the final table of nine as the levels will then go up to 75 minutes. And on Monday, February 17, a first-ever Potomac Winter Poker Open Main Event Champion will be crowned!

PokerNews will be covering Day 1c after Day 1b has come to a conclusion.