2014 Seneca Niagara Summer Slam

$600 No-Limit Hold'em $100,000 Guaranteed Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2014 Seneca Niagara Summer Slam

Final Results
Winner
Prize
$41,744
Event Info
Buy-in
$550
Prize Pool
$195,847
Entries
369
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

$600 No-Limit Hold'em $100,000 Guaranteed Main Event

Day 1a Completed

Alex Rivera Leads After Day 1a of Summer Slam Main Event, Eyes 2nd Title

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante
Alex Rivera
Alex Rivera

After a long week of preliminary events, the 2014 Summer Slam Main Event kicked off Friday morning in Niagara Falls. The $600 tournament features a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool and two starting flights before a champion is crowned on Sunday.

Day 1a attracted a larger-than-expected field of 130 entries, meaning only 57 more are needed to meet the guaranteed prize pool. Only 16 players survived on Friday and the tournament staff was forced to stop the tournament 20 minutes early because the field was whittled down to the final 12 percent.

Leading the way after Day 1a was Alex Rivera, who won this same Summer Slam Main Event in 2012. Rivera will take 379,000 into Day 2 and is followed on the leaderboard by Ray Book (300,500), Budwey Salhab (286,500) and Glenn Pawlowki (240,500).

Rivera hit two huge draws late in the day to take the chip lead from Book. First, on a flop of {Q-Clubs}{10-Spades}{9-Spades} Rivera committed his 80,000-chip stack with the {A-Spades}{3-Spades} for a nut flush draw and David Schrader called with the {10-Clubs}{9-Clubs} for two pair.

Rivera stood up and celebrated as the {4-Spades} completed his flush on the turn, and the {8-Hearts} hit the river to send a big pot his way.

A short time later, Jamil Wakil committed his last 100,000 with the {K-Clubs}{K-Diamonds} on a {6-Hearts}{4-Spades}{2-Hearts} flop against Rivera who tabled a huge draw with the {8-Hearts}{5-Hearts}. The {10-Hearts} on the turn sealed it for Rivera, who eliminated Wakil and crossed the 300,000-chip mark for the first time all day. He continued building during the final level to secure his lead at the end of the day.

Summer Slam Main Event Day 1a Survivors

PlacePlayerChips
1Alex Rivera379,000
2Ray Book300,500
3Budwey Salhab286,500
4Glenn Pawlowski240,500
5Jacob Ostrander181,000
6Rondell Bogner165,000
7Shawn Wilmot163,500
8David Schrader130,500
9Matt Parry120,500
10Troy John Hurley106,500
11Jason Nablo102,500
12Daniel Okulowski96,500
13Randy Lingenfelter88,500
14Jeff Kandefer83,500
15Brian Healy82,000
16Karen DiNunzo73,500

The Summer Slam Main Event continues Saturday at 11 a.m. with Flight 1b, and a bigger field is expected for the weekend. We’ll have complete coverage of the tournament until a champion is crowned so keep your browsers locked to PokerNews.com until the conclusion!

Official Day 1a Chip Counts (full)

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante
Player Chips Progress
Alex Rivera us
Alex Rivera
379,000 49,000
Ray Book
Ray Book
300,500 -9,500
Budwey Salhab us
Budwey Salhab
286,500 46,500
Glenn Pawlowski
Glenn Pawlowski
240,500 -42,500
Jacob Ostrander us
Jacob Ostrander
181,000 -44,100
Rondell Bogner
Rondell Bogner
165,000 165,000
Shawn Wilmot us
Shawn Wilmot
163,500 163,500
David Schrader
David Schrader
130,500 92,500
Matt Parry us
Matt Parry
120,500 -4,500
Troy John Hurley
Troy John Hurley
106,500 106,500
Jason Nablo us
Jason Nablo
102,500 -33,500
Daniel Okulowski
Daniel Okulowski
96,500 96,500
Randy Lingenfelter
Randy Lingenfelter
88,500 -3,700
Jeff Kandefer
Jeff Kandefer
83,500 17,500
Brian Healy us
Brian Healy
82,000 82,000
Karen DiNunzo
Karen DiNunzo
73,500 73,500

Read full

Down to 16 -- Play Ends for the Night

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

With the elimination of Lewis Pizza in 17th place, the players are bagging and tagging for the night with 20 minutes left on the clock. The staff is ending play early with 12% of the field remaining to avoid the risk of playing down to 10% and into the money.

We'll have full chip counts for you shortly.

Salhab Wins Three-Way All-In, Sends Raimondi to Rail

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante
Peter Raimondi Eliminated
Peter Raimondi Eliminated

Peter Raimondi shoved for 49,000 from early position and Matt Parry called directly behind. Action folded to Budwey Salhab who moved all in for 92,000 total. Parry tossed in a call and put the other two at risk of elimination.

Raimondi: {Q-Spades}{8-Spades}
Salhab: {K-Spades}{K-Clubs}
Parry: {A-Clubs}{Q-Diamonds}

The board ran out {5-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts}{5-Spades}{K-Hearts}{3-Diamonds} and Salhab scooped a much-needed pot to climb to 240,000 in chips.

Player Chips Progress
Budwey Salhab us
Budwey Salhab
240,000 185,000
Matt Parry us
Matt Parry
125,000 -115,000
Peter Raimondi ca
Peter Raimondi
Busted

Rivera Hits Another Big Draw, Busts Wakil

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante
Alex Rivera
Alex Rivera

On a {6-Hearts}{4-Spades}{2-Hearts} flop Jamil Wakil committed his last 100,000 with the {K-Clubs}{K-Diamonds} against Alex Rivera who tabled a huge draw with the {8-Hearts}{5-Hearts}.

"Heart or a three and I'm good!" Rivera yelled to his friends at the other table.

Turn: {10-Hearts}

"Heart baby! Let's go!"

The meaningless {8-Clubs} completed the board and Rivera busted another player to cross the 300,000-chip mark.

Player Chips Progress
Alex Rivera us
Alex Rivera
330,000 130,000
Jamil Wakil ca
Jamil Wakil
Busted

Level: 15

Blinds: 2,000/4,000

Ante: 500

Last Break of the Day

Level 14 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante

The 21 remaining players are on a 10-minute color-up break before playing their final 40-minute level of the day. However, play will end if they get to 16 before the end of the level.

Meanwhile, the final Main Event satellite just got underway at 10 p.m. If you'd like to qualify into Day 1b for $90, this is your last chance!

Level: 14

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 400