The two starting flights are in the books, and now it's moving day in the $1,000 Seneca Fall Poker Classic Main Event. Sixty-five players punched their ticket to Day 2 with the ultimate goal of winning the trophy and the $57,736 top prize.
Joe Ciffa enters Day 2 with the lead after 297,600. He holds a sizable edge over his next closest opponent, Mandeep Chahal, who finished Flight B atop the counts with 244,500. Among the others taking big stacks into Day 2 are Rob Davis, Greg Miller, Ryan Rivers Jeff Hagen and Veerab Zakarian.
The action resumes at noon ET today with blinds at 1,200/2,400 and a 300 ante. The levels will be increased from 45 to 60 minutes, and then increased again to 90 minutes later today as the pressure builds. Only the top 24 places will be paid, meaning more than half the the returning players will go home empty-handed today.
We'll be on the floor covering the action from start to finish so keep your browsers locked to PokerNews.com!
On the last hand before the 10-minute break, Thomas McKenzie bet 50,000 on a board and Chris Gras raised to 150,000. McKenzie went into the tank before calling with the for a flush. Gras showed the , and McKenzie took down a massive pot to grab the lead with 30 players remaining.
We're on the money bubble at 25 players after the simultaneous eliminations of Naveen Chopra and Jonathan Cosme. We witnessed Cosme's elimination, and it was ugly.
Thomas MacKenzie raised to 25,000 from early position and Cosme shoved for 83,000 from the cutoff. MacKenzie got an exact count and called.
Cosme:
MacKenzie:
Cosme appeared destined for a double up on the board though the turn but the spiked on the river to eliminate him in 26th place.
We're playing hand-for-hand until the bubble bursts. Stay tuned.
Ronny D'Grillo moved all in for his last 34,500 from early position. Matt Dubuc, Anthony Sgroi and Rick Block all called and checked it down on a jack-high board. D'Grillo tabled but he was bested by Sgroi's pocket kings.
With that, each of the remaining players have locked up $2,194.
A double knockout occurred moments ago which saw Thomas MacKenzie further extend his chip lead. Mandeep Chahal opened to 25,000, MacKenzie called and Kyle Haberman moved all in for just under 100,000. Chahal reshoved and MacKenzie called.
MacKenize:
Chahal:
Haberman:
MacKenzie's pair held up, sending two players to collect their payout. MacKenzie, who entered the day with only 103,000, is now sitting behind a massive stack of 1.2 million.
With two eliminations at Table 12 we're now down to our final 18. After Randy Lingenfelter busted Tim Silman in 20th place, chip leader Thomas MacKenzie took care of Scott Gaddi in 19th.
Gaddi was all in and ahead preflop with the against MacKenzie's , but the board gave MacKenzie two pair and the win.
Robert Donegan opened to 50,000 from early position, Joe Ciffa called from middle position and Thomas MacKenzie called on the button.
The dealer fanned the flop and Donnegan made a huge overshove for 464,000. Ciffa snap-called, and MacKenzie folded.
Ciffa showed for a queen-high flush, and Donagean sheepishly tabled his as he was was only drawing to a miraculous chop. The and completed the board and Donegan made his way out of the room.
Ciffa has now joined MacKenzie in the million-chip club. There are a lot of chips at Table 6.
Chris Gras opened from the hijack, Veerab Zakarian flatted from the small blind and Vincent Palma three-bet from the big blind. Gras folded, but Zakarian woke up with a shove for around 350,000. Palma called off for a little less.
Zakarian:
Palma:
Two monster hands in the blinds, but it was Palma needing help and he failed to get any on the board.
John Michalak and Joseph [Removed:340] saw a raised flop of with more than 200,000 already in the pot. [Removed:340] moved all in, putting Michalak to a decision for all of his chips, and Michalak pushed his remaining stack into the pot.
[Removed:340]:
Michalak:
Michalak needed a queen but the turn and river ended his run in 14th place.
Anthony Sgroi opened from middle position and Chris Gras shoved for 134,000 from the button. Action folded to Veeran Zakarian in the big blind, but Sgroi acted out of turn by calling Gras' shove. The dealer explained that Sgroi was committed to call Gras' shove if Zakarian folded, but the action would change of Zakarian called or raised.
Zakarian announced all in and Sgroi quickly folded, and the hands were turned up.
Gras:
Zakarian:
Zakarian found aces again and once again they held through the board, sending Gras out in 12th place.
![[user153906]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
board and Chris Gras raised to 150,000. McKenzie went into the tank before calling with the 
for a flush. Gras showed the 
, and McKenzie took down a massive pot to grab the lead with 30 players remaining.
board though the turn but the 
spiked on the river to eliminate him in 26th place.
, but the 
board gave MacKenzie two pair and the win.
flop and Donnegan made a huge overshove for 464,000. Ciffa snap-called, and MacKenzie folded.
as he was was only drawing to a miraculous chop. The 
and 
completed the board and Donegan made his way out of the room.
board.
turn and 
board, sending Gras out in 12th place.