2017 Seneca Fall Poker Classic

Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2017 Seneca Fall Poker Classic

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a8
Prize
$58,608
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$239,212
Entries
271
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
5,000

Seneca Fall Poker Main Event Final Table Set; Guardarramas Leads

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Seneca Niagara Casino
Seneca Niagara Casino

After two starting flights drew 271 entries and reentries in the $1,000 buy-in 2017 Seneca Fall Poker Classic Main Event, just 57 players returned to the Niagara Falls Poker Room at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino Sunday to play into the money and down to a final table of nine.

They hit the money after just a few levels of play when Alan Findlay's comeback effort fell short on the stone bubble. At the time, Leo Kaplin was in complete control, becoming the first player over the one-million-chip mark before anyone was even close.

However, things went south for Kaplin from there. Suddenly, he couldn't win a hand. A few tables over, Ernie Guardarramas couldn't lose one, and he moved into the chip lead. He traded that lead with start-of-day leader Paul McLean for a while, as the shorter stacks around the room began exiting at a brisk pace.

But by the time they got down to two tables remaining, Guardarramas took control and moved over the one-million mark himself.

Kaplin got bluffed off half his stack by Bradley Girdler, then lost a race to Lou Procopio to say goodbye 16th.

Guardarramas added to his lead busting Dave Grana 13th and it looked like he was running away with it all, until he got in a massive race with Procopio. After a series of preflop raises saw them get in a 1.3 million chip pot, Procopio's queens held over big slick to put him in the lead.

Guardarramas was still healthy, and continued to pluck away until he was back on top.

That's when McLean slow played aces at the wrong time and busted to a Mark Roberts flush to put the survivors at one table of ten.

Minutes later, Thomas Mader ran queens into Guardarramas aces to bow out tenth and the final table of nine was set with Guardarramas holding a healthy lead again.

Here's how the final table will look when play resumes at 12 p.m. local time in Niagara Falls Monday:

SeatPlayerChips
1Bradley Girdler213,000
2Ernie Guardarramas1,855,000
3Jason Sagle1,290,000
4Mark Roberts1,048,000
5Tommy Tomasello746,000
6Guy Klass139,000
7Rob Bourkney435,000
8Hassan Jamil1,297,000
9Lou Procopio1,110,000

PokerNews continuing coverage of the 2017 Seneca Fall Poker Classic Main Event will resume at 12 p.m. Monday and won't conclude until a winner is crowned. Tune in then to see who can capture the coveted crown.

Mader Busts Quick, Final Table Set

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Thomas Mader
Thomas Mader

In one of the first few hands in the final ten, Thomas Mader jammed queens on a jack-high flop smack into Ernie Guardarramas aces.

Mader busted tenth after two bricks and the official final table of nine was set. Play was stopped for the night. We will have full chip counts and a recap coming up shortly.

Player Chips Progress
Thomas Mader us
Thomas Mader
Busted

Roberts Cracks McLean, Aces

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Paul McLean
Paul McLean

Paul McLean was slow playing aces until Mark Roberts turned a Broadway straight and flush draw.

After Roberts bet it, McLean sprung the trap shoving in. However, it was too little too late to get Roberts to fold.

Roberts called and hit the flush and Broadway to bust start-of-day chip leader McLean. With that, there is ten left and they are at one table. Once they lose one more, they will halt play for the night.

Player Chips Progress
Mark Roberts us
Mark Roberts
900,000 100,000
Paul McLean ca
Paul McLean
Busted

Procopio Gets Over On Guardarramas

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Lou Procopio
Lou Procopio

Ernie Guardarramas raised and Lou Procopio three bet the small blind, making it 110,000.

Guardarramas four-bet to 325,000, and after an eternity in the tank, Lou Procopio shoved the 560,000 he had behind.

Guardarramas called with the {a-Spades}{k-Diamonds} and Procopio had the {q-Spades}{q-Diamonds}. The board ran out {5-Hearts}{8-Spades}{6-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{j-Spades}, and just like that, Guardarramas is no longer running away with this thing.

In fact, Procopio now has a slight lead over him and a big one over the other nine remaining.

Player Chips Progress
Lou Procopio
Lou Procopio
1,300,000 650,000
Ernie Guardarramas
Ernie Guardarramas
1,100,000 -600,000

Guardarramas Leads, Final Two Tables Set

Level 21 : 6,000/12,000, 2,000 ante
Joe Ciffa
Joe Ciffa

An extremely short stacked Joe Ciffa finally stuck it in with top pair queens. Paul McLean had him outkicked.

In the meantime, Mike Latour shoved 200,000-plus with the {a-}{q-} over a Ernie Guardarramas raise. He called with the {a-}{10-} and found a ten.

They're now down to the final two tables of nine with Guardarramas the only one over one million and leading.

Player Chips Progress
Ernie Guardarramas
Ernie Guardarramas
1,100,000 250,000
Joe Ciffa us
Joe Ciffa
Busted
Mike Latour us
Mike Latour
Busted

Kaplin Gets There

Level 17 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Leo Kaplin
Leo Kaplin

Leo Kaplin has vaulted into the chip lead after a huge hand saw him knock yet another player out.

It started with Kaplin becoming the fourth caller to a raise from the blinds with the {q-}{9-}. He bet the {9-}{5-}{4-} flop and only one player called. Kaplin also led the {9-} turn after picking up trips, and when his opponent called and the {4-} river filled him up, he bet it all.

Kaplin's opponent called all in with two fives, but his full house was smaller. As he hit the exit, Kaplin moved on to the top of the leaderboard.

Player Chips Progress
Leo Kaplin us
Leo Kaplin
495,000 136,500

Day of the 2017 Seneca Fall Poker Classic Main Event Starts Now!

Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino
Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino

After two starting flights drew 271 entries and reentries in the $1,000 buy-in 2017 Seneca Fall Poker Classic Main Event, just 57 players remain heading into Day 2 at 11 a.m. local time Sunday.

The money starts at 27 with a min-cash worth $1,818. Once the bubble pops they will vie for seats at Monday's final table where a $58,608 top prize, Seneca Niagara poker glory and a spot on the cover of CardPlayer Magazine awaits the winner. Plus, the top six will all earn over $10,000 in prize money.

The levels increase to 60 minutes today as the decisions get tougher and the tension mounts inside the Niagara Falls Poker Room at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls, NY.

Two local regulars who have had big years in Recurring Tournaments on the property lead the field.

Paul McLean will come in with the most chips, as the only player over the 400,000-chip mark. He'll be looking for some kind of redemption after falling in 15th in this event last year, leaving behind what was once a big stack in that one.

Leo Kaplin is right behind McLean, and having his best year in poker ever earning over $85,000 in live tournaments so far, including a second-place finish in the opening event here for over $20,000.

Defending champ Dan Wagner did not make Day 2, but there's plenty of local talent still in the mix.

The always solid Dave Grana is in the top ten. Guy Klass, who won the 2017 Seneca Summer Slam Main Event title just a few months ago sits with a threatening stack. Plus, local heros like Blake Napierala, Silvio DeRubeis, Cameron Bartolotta, and the hot running Chris Meyers are all in with more than just the average chance of booking a big score.

There's also a host of top rounders from near and far still in the hunt and with blinds beginning at 2,000/4,000 with a 500 ante, and an average stack of 142,632, anything can happen and most likely will.

Sit back and enjoy as PokerNews presents live updates from the room throughout the day, from the call to shuffle up and deal until a 2017 Seneca Fall Poker Classic Main Event final table is set.