Tom Scanlon continues to lead here into Level 6. He chipped up making the nut flush moments ago and is close to 90,000.
That lead is a tenuous one, however, as Tonawanda. NY's Sal Incartona is right behind him after flopping two pair with , getting it in against pocket kings and a set of sixes, and turning a full house to scoop.
In the meantime, Jeff DeVoesick ran into , doubling to 37,500 and leaping into contention.
Renowned TV and Film actor Kirk Acevedo suddenly finds himself among the chip leaders here at the 2015 Seneca Niagara Falls Summer Slam $200 No-Limit Hold'em Event #1.
Having earned acting credits in films like Boiler Room, Invincible and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Acevedo has also appeared in a number of top TV shows including The Walking Dead, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Fringe.
He also happens to be a veteran poker player with $99,570 in career tournament earnings and a solid resume with cashes all the way back to 2006.
Today he fired a bullet in the first flight to no avail, but the evening flight has been much more kind to the New York native.
"All thanks to the ATM on my right," Acevedo told PokerNews.
Apparently the player on Acevedo's right busted two players, then proceeded to dump all his chips to him over a series of four hands. This included one where Acevedo flopped the joint and his opponent called down all the way to the river with bottom pair and a gut shot.
Conversations about the best tournament players based in Western New York always include Andy Spears.
Spears had a great 2015 WSOP cashing in six events for some $55,000 and his $617,654 in career tournament earnings that include a win here at Seneca Niagara in the 2013 Fall Poker Classic ensures that.
As this flight's seventh level comes to a close, Spears has jumped into a spot among the top contenders, telling PokerNews he's put together a stack winning three flips in a row holding pairs against overcards.
Hollywood stalwart and poker vet Kirk Acevedo just became the first player past the 100,000-chip mark here in this flight and has moved into the chip lead.
Players have been gifting Acevedo chips all day and the merriment continued moments ago in a hand where four-spades filled a board and his heads-up opponent pushed all in without one. Acevedo made the call holding the to bust the player he suspects never even thought of the possibility he had made a flush.
A veteran of some of the tougher L.A. cardrooms like The Commerce and The Bicycle Club, Acevedo says he's used to finding a little more aggression on the felt than he's seen here in Niagara Falls, but apparently he's enjoying the free ride.
The players are now on a 15-minute break with eight full levels behind them. Registration will close when play resumes, but the staff here have already proclaimed the prizepool will exceed $90,000.