There's already 156 entries on the board in what's shaping up to be a big day inside the Niagara Falls Poker Room.
The second starting flight for last year's Seneca Niagara Summer Slam Main Event drew a record-breaking 291 entries and they're setting that kind of pace again today.
The unique $600 buy-in for this event creates what's close to a two-for-one special. Seneca Niagara Main Events generally come with a $1,000 buy-in, but not Summer Slam. As a result, players can fire two bullets for only $200 more than it usually costs for one.
And fire they will. Reentry is available until the start of Level 11 and there's little doubt that fact will help push the number of entries, and the prizepool, up through the roof as the flight moves forward.
Former Calvin Klein underwear model and Upstate New York police officer Greg Ostrander has it all. Almost.
He's got a World Series of Poker Bracelet from back in 2012, compromising photos of any number of famous poker pros on his phone, and a slowly building chip stack here in the 2017 Seneca Niagara Summer Slam Main Event.
What he doesn't have is the $100 he bet he would make the final table of the 2016 Western New York Poker Challenge, getting 100:1 when he was short stacked with 25 players left.
He finished 15th, but at 100:1, it was a sweat, and Ostrander says he enjoyed it almost as much as the event itself. Maybe more.
Ostrander will be looking for more action as the tournament moves forward, but remember, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas - And on Greg Ostrander's phone.
The Buffalo, NY Deals On Wheels Tire salesman is running hotter than a Buffalo chicken wing without the ranch dipping sauce.
Even when he gets it in bad, he comes out of it squeaky clean. Kings versus aces all in pre? No problem for Privatera, who quietly spiked a king and added another victim's name to a growing list of those kneecapped by his luck.
He's on 95,000 now and among the leaders heading into Level 6.
'Poker Queen' Maria Parlatore has joined the six-figure stack club heading into the second break of the day.
The biggest hand she played saw her flop Broadway and check-call two big bets before getting a river lead paid off.
She also busted a short stacked Brian Bowen, getting it in with sixes versus kings preflop and spiking a six.
According to Parlatore, other highlights have also included a number of favorable river cards on her way to 100,000. Plus, she made a set of aces and faded a flush draw in what appears to be a never ending string of good fortune right now.
'Buffalo' Ray Williams' day started off in Seat 2 on Table 17 and things only went downhill from there. He couldn't buy a hand and busted out in short order.
Then he hit the cage to reenter, drew Seat 3 on Table 17, and got hit by the deck from the jump.
Williams four-bet kings and took down a huge pot without a sweat when he got four callers preflop and four folders post. He's spiked a couple of sets and, truth be told, has been enjoying his new home just one seat over from his old one.
Williams apparently likes winning, as it's a whole lot more fun than losing.
It appears the two-hour drive up from Warren, PA was worth it for John McCauley.
He's sitting on six figures now after flopping a set of queens against one overzealous opponent with two jacks in the hole. They got it in with the jacks drawing all but dead and ultimately the set held.
It has been onward on upward from there and McCauley is now among the chip leaders here in Level 7.
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