Main Event Day 1a | 2017 Western New York Poker Challenge

Main Event

Day 1a Completed

04-08-2017 02:55 UTC

Budwey Salhab Leads After Flight One of the 2017 WNYPC Main Event

[user127999]

Level 15 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante

On a snowy April day in Niagara Falls, NY, the first of two starting flights for the 2017 Western New York Poker Challenge Main Event drew 84 entries.

The weather likely played a role in that number being slightly low, but with a big one expected for Saturday's second starting flight and the skies clearing, the $200,000 prizepool guarantee should still be met and more.

Things started slowly for everyone except growing local legend Budwey Salhab, who got up to six-figures before most had wiped the sleep from their eyes.

Salhab only built up from there and was in and out of the chip lead all day, bagging the biggest stack in the end. This after challenger Chris Gras managed to blow a good chunk of his chips in the late levels and the charge from Jeff Hobrecker and Michael Malm fell slightly short.

When 15 levels of play were all said and done, just 17 players survived the flight. This group will move on to Sunday's playdown to a final table where the lion's share of the prizepool awaits.

In the meantime, the second and final starting flight for the 2017 WNYPC Main Event will go off beginning at 11 a.m. local time Saturday.

Stay tuned to this space for PokerNews' continuing coverage of the 2017 WNYPC Main Event.

Tags: Budwey Salhab Chris Gras Damian Baird

04-08-2017 02:55 UTC

End of Day 1a Chip Counts (full)

[user127999]

Level 15 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Budwey Salhab	360,000 5,000	5,000
Michael Malm	329,000

Jeff Hobrecker	325,000
Damian Baird	288,500 -33,500	-33,500
Anatoly Zharnitsky	163,500
Scott Murawa	143,500 67,500	67,500
Chris Gaddi	134,000
Chris Gras	132,500 -52,500	-52,500
William Ralph	123,500
Don Crimmen	110,500 -4,500	-4,500
David Olshan	86,000 56,000	56,000
Veerab Zakarian	84,500 -15,500	-15,500

Sal Guericio	60,000
Dennis Fleig	54,000 -11,000	-11,000
David Battaglia	53,500 -36,500	-36,500
Andrew Fitting	44,500
Chris Graham	27,500 -73,500	-73,500

Read full

04-08-2017 02:28 UTC

Three More Hands!

[user127999]

Level 15 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante

The clock was stopped with 10 minutes left on the level and a draw was conducted to determine the number of hands left to play tonight.

They drew a three - for the first time ever. Most were beginning to think they didn't even put a three in the deck, but tonight, there it was, a three. Three more hands! Three...more...hands. Three.

04-08-2017 01:56 UTC

Just 19 Players and 30 Minutes Remain

[user127999]

Level 15 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante

There's only 19 left in this thing as they move into the last level of the night.

The plan is to play until there are ten minutes remaining in the level, then draw for a number of hands to play before finishing up the flight.

Level: 15

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 400

04-08-2017 01:41 UTC

Running On Empty

[user127999]

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

Kim Long Trieu never truly recovered from his earlier tangle with Charles Johnson Jr. and now he's out.

He ran into David Battaglia's trip threes for the rest of his stack, although Trieu can take solace in the fact he did outlast Johnson, who went out somewhere along the way as well.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Battaglia	90,000
Kim Long Trieu	Busted
Charles Johnson Jr.	Busted

04-08-2017 01:32 UTC

Gras Mowed Down

[user127999]

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

Damian Baird just clipped Chris Gras in a big way.

With 65,000 already in the middle, Baird open-shoved the river for 96,000 after hitting a Broadway straight. Gras snap-called with two pair queens and tens.

Gras still has a decent stack, but it's Baird threatening Budwey Salhab for the lead now.