$400 Opening Event
Day 1a Completed
2020 Potomac Winter Poker Open
$400 Opening Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2020 Potomac Winter Poker Open
Buy-in
$400
Prize Pool
$588,900
Entries
1,812
Level
34
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
Entries
207
Players Left
16
Araya Claims Day 1a Chip Lead in Inaugural Potomac Winter Poker Open $400 Opening Event
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
With 5 minutes and 21 seconds left in Level 18, play has come to an end on Day 1a of the $400 Opening Event of the Potomac Winter Poker Open in the MGM National Harbor. The first of six starting flights in total attracted 207 entries and 24 players would make the money. Out of those 24 players, only 16 would make it through to Day 2 to battle it out for the lion-share of the $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.
Claiming the Day 1a chip lead is Daniel Araya with 529,000 in chips from Washington D.C. Araya has no tournament cashes recorded on his The Hendon Mob profile but doesn’t seem like he’s new to the poker world. The most notable elimination he could lay claim to today was the one when he took out Stanwood Yang who had been occupying a spot near the top of the chip counts for most of the day.
Araya is trailed in the chip counts by Waleed Mian who doubled up George Karmires during the bubble but managed to increase his stack to a nice 442,000 at the end of the day. Closing out the podium is Tomas LeBerre with 425,000 in chips while Karmires and Michael Flesch round out the top five for Day 1a.
Potomac Winter Poker Open $400 Opening Event Day 1a Top 5 Chip Counts
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Daniel Araya | United States | 529,000 |
| 5 | Waleed Mian | United States | 442,000 |
| 5 | Thomas LeBerre | United States | 425,000 |
| 2 | George Karmires | United States | 404,000 |
| 9 | Michael Flesch | United States | 401,000 |
Jerry Schraders was the first to send someone back to the cashier to reenter immediately after the dealers were instructed to “shuffle up and deal” when he had flopped a flush. Unfortunately for him, he wouldn’t make the money himself either but indicated he’d be coming back to try again.
By the time the first break came around, the field had already increased to 162 players with 188 showing on the tournament clock during the second break. The late registration and reentry period closed at the end of the break after Level 11 to get the tally up to 207. With the tournament paying out $550 to the top 12% of the field, the race to the bubble started really heating up after the fourth break.
It would take two full levels before hand-for-hand play would commence with two double-ups for Karmires and one for Mike Mather before Valentin Lita would burst the bubble. He had raised from the cutoff and the player in the big blind shoved for less than one big blind more which Lita called with pocket queens. The other player held king-queen but couldn’t beat the flush Lita made on the river.
With all the players guaranteed cash, a bunch of them left the tournament with $550 but no bag to put their chips in. Stephen Lam was the unlucky player to bubble Day 2 as he shoved his queen-ten into the raise of Glenn Robinette who had raise-called with ace-queen. No help on the board for Lam as he was the last player today to collect $550.
The other 16 players will return on Sunday, February 9 at noon local time to play down to a winner together with the other players who survive any of the other starting flights. PokerNews will be back at 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 6 for the coverage of Day 1b so make sure to return then.
The 2020 Potomac Winter Poker Open $400 Opening Event Schedule
| Day | Date | Starting Time | Late Reg | Entries | Survivors | Further Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1a | Wednesday February 5 | 17:00 | End of Level 11 | 207 | 16 | 8 players cashed for $550 |
| Day 1b | Thursday February 6 | 17:00 | End of Level 11 | tba | tba | 12% of field will be in the money, play down to 8% |
| Day 1c | Friday February 7 | 11:00 | End of Level 11 | tba | tba | 12% of field will be in the money, play down to 8% |
| Day 1d | Friday February 7 | 17:00 | End of Level 11 | tba | tba | 12% of field will be in the money, play down to 8% |
| Day 1e | Saturday February 8 | 11:00 | End of Level 11 | tba | tba | 12% of field will be in the money, play down to 8% |
| Day 1f | Saturday February 8 | 17:00 | End of Level 11 | tba | tba | 12% of field will be in the money, play down to 8% |
| Day 2 | Sunday February 9 | 12:00 | - | tba | - | Level duration increases to 45 mins, FT to 60 mins, play down to a winner |
End-of-Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
529,000
59,000
|
59,000 |
|
||
|
442,000
302,000
|
302,000 |
|
425,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
404,000
203,000
|
203,000 |
|
401,000
1,000
|
1,000 |
|
395,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
|
355,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
314,000
-136,000
|
-136,000 |
|
304,000
122,000
|
122,000 |
|
298,000
65,000
|
65,000 |
|
284,000
34,000
|
34,000 |
|
274,000
129,000
|
129,000 |
|
273,000
-23,000
|
-23,000 |
|
216,000
-84,000
|
-84,000 |
|
169,000
79,000
|
79,000 |
|
91,000
-49,000
|
-49,000 |
Play Ended
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
The 16 remaining players have bagged up their chips for Day 2. The full chip counts and a recap of today's action are to follow.
All Cashed for $550
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
The following players all cashed for $550 and will need to try again on any of the next five starting flights if they want to make Day 2:
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted |
Lam Doesn't Make Day 2
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Glenn Robinette raised to 40,000 from the early position and action folded to Stephen Lam in the big blind who shoved for 99,000 which Robinette snap-called with the bigger stack.
Stephen Lam: 
Glenn Robinette: 
The board ran out 
for Robinette to hit the flop for top pair to send Lam to the payout desk to collect $550.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
296,000
296,000
|
296,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Flesch Takes Ragland Down
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Ranyle Ragland shoved from under the gun for 99,000 and Michael Flesch called in the cutoff with the bigger stack for the rest of the table to get out of their way.
Ranyle Ragland: 
Michael Flesch: 
The board ran out 
for Flesch to hold with the pocket pair to send Ragland packing before being able to bag for Day 2.
There are now 17 players left and hand-for-hand play has commenced again to determine who will make it to Day 2.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
400,000 | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted |
Ragland Flops a Miracle
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Ranyle Ragland shoved from under the gun for 72,000 and was called by Beza Bililigne in the big blind when action was folded to him.
Ranyle Ragland: 
Beza Bililigne:
Ragland looked resigned when he saw he was up against the rockets of Bililigne but shouted excitedly when the flop came down 
to give him trips.
The rest of the board was completed with the 
on the turn and the 
on river to keep Ragland ahead and alive.
Bililigne was left with 11,000 which he lost shortly after.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
162,000 | |
|
|
Busted |
Level: 18
Blinds: 6,000/12,000
Ante: 12,000
End of the Day Approaching
Level 17
: 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
With the field reduced to 12% and only 8% bagging, four players have already busted. When there are 16 players left, play will end and they will all bag up their chips for Day 2 on Sunday, February 9.
Players can choose to surrender their stacks if they want to build up a bigger stack on one of the other five starting days but will need to give up on their current stacks before reentering any other starting flights.