The first of four starting flights in the $200 No-Limit Hold'em $50,000 Guaranteed Event #1 on the 2015 Seneca Fall Poker Classic drew 127 entries and re-entries to the the Niagara Falls Poker Room today.
This puts the event well on it's way to surpassing the guarantee with three starting flights still to come over the next day and a half.
After 14 30-minute levels of play, just 15 players remained. Alex Visbisky grabbed the chip lead, catching some big hands early, then one massive one late to bust the swingy Jeffery Hobrecker and vault into the lead. The Cheektowaga native bagged 185,700 at day's end.
However, it was Michael Davis grabbing the overnight lead, after doubling up through early leader John Abraham with a flush, then flopping a set of kings and rivering a boat to crack aces and another player's flush draw in the final few hands and bag a massive 342,000-chip stack for the overwhelming lead.
Peter Alba also enjoyed the final few hands, making a boat of his own to push up to 228,200 and join other local heroes still in with a shot including Abraham, 2014 Seneca Fall Poker Classic champ Rick Block and Cameron Bartolotta. In the meantime, regulars like Jerry Calvaneso, Brett Short and Scott Aitchison were among the masses joining Hobrecker on the rail.
The 15 survivors will come back Sunday to play down to a winner, but first there are three more starting flights, continuing with the evening session that began at 6 p.m. local time.
Stay tuned for continued coverage of the 2015 Seneca Fall Poker Classic Event #1 right here on PokerNews.
In a hand before the break, Rick Block opened to 3,200 and Jeffrey Hobrecker bumped it to 7,800 one seat over. Alex Visbisky called and Block dumped his hand.
The flop came and Hobrecker led for 10,000. Visbisky called, the turn came the and Hobrecker jammed in for a little more than 25,000.
Visbisky took a second before calling with the and his set was good over Hobrecker's . The river was the meaningless and as Hobrecker hit the rail, Visbisky moved into the chip lead.
John Abraham continues to plow his way through the field here thanks to a few key set ups and some cagey moves.
A moment ago he made it 4,000 before the flop from early position, getting just one call from the big blind with 12,700 behind.
The flop fell and after a check from the big blind, Abraham confirmed his stack size and checked as well. The turn was the and when the big blind led for 5,000, Abraham set him all in. The big blind called happily with the , but his turned set was no good.
Abraham had flopped one with the and now has the chip lead closing in on the 200,000-chip mark.
Coming off an eighth-place finish at the 2015 Seneca Niagara Summer Slam a few months back, local standout Jeffery Hobrecker has players talking to themselves today.
First he got three streets of value out of pocket aces to push up among the leaders, then he found middle pair and a a call when one opponent shoved a five-high flush draw to take the lead outright.
"Never bluff the guy who never folds," Hobrecker's opponent admonished himself as he headed to the cage to re-enter.
Orchard Park, NY's Dave Paluch claims he's only a Buffalo Bills fan when they win.
They did last night, beating the NY Jets 22-17 in New Jersey, so he's smiling today.
The grin may also be related to the fact he's jumped on board the early-double-up bandwagon here, making a straight on the river to crack one opponent's set and find a spot among the leaders.
Fall is in full effect and as the leaves change colors and the temperature drops in Western New York, the collective attention turns to the Buffalo Bills playoff hopes and the Niagara Falls Poker Room at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino where the 2015 Seneca Fall Poker Classic is ready to pop off.
The Bills beat the AFC East rival New York Jets on the road Thursday and the action kicks off in the poker room today with the first two of four starting flights in the $200 No-Limit Hold'em $50,000 Guaranteed Event #1 set for 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time.
A host of the area's top rounders and colorful regulars are expected to turn up for the first morning flight, including 2014 Seneca Fall Poker Classic Main Event champ Rick Block.
The plan for each flight will be to play through 14 full 30-minute levels or down to 12 per cent of the starting field, whichever comes first.
Players will start out with 15,000 in chips and registration and unlimited re-entry is available through the first eight levels. Of course, even players who bag chips can fire in another flight, taking their best stack forward to Sunday's second and final day.
The Niagara Falls Poker Room has a long track record of obliterating its guarantees in these multiple-entry multiple starting flight events and the kick off of the 2015 Seneca Fall Poker Classic Should be no different as players come from all over Western New York and beyond to fire multiple bullets in the hunt for a big score.
PokerNews will be on hand throughout bringing you live updates of all the action as the crowds pour in so keep it locked right here.
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and Hobrecker led for 10,000. Visbisky called, the turn came the 
and Hobrecker jammed in for a little more than 25,000.
and his set was good over Hobrecker's 
. The river was the meaningless 
and as Hobrecker hit the rail, Visbisky moved into the chip lead.
and after a check from the big blind, Abraham confirmed his stack size and checked as well. The turn was the 
and when the big blind led for 5,000, Abraham set him all in. The big blind called happily with the 
, but his turned set was no good.
and now has the chip lead closing in on the 200,000-chip mark.
, trip fives over kings and made a good call on the river with tens over nines to push up to 120,000 over this past level.
