$1,000 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2018 Seneca Fall Poker Classic
$1,000 Main Event
Day: 1b
Amandeep "AJ" Taheem Leads 11 Day 1b Survivors in the Seneca Fall Poker Classic 2018 Main Event; Wagner Still in Contention
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
The second flight of the Fall Poker Classic 2018 $1,000 Main Event drew a total of 75 entries at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. At the end of 15 levels its was Amandeep "AJ" Taheem who would bag the biggest stack with an outstanding 439,000 in chips.
Taheem emerged as one of the front-runners to finish at the top just a few levels into play. He slowly, then suddenly built up his stack and when Day 1b reached the final four tables, a heater began. He could not miss with any of his pocket pairs, flopping a monster everytime and somehow managing to always get max value from his opponents.
The player nipping at the heels of Taheem is Canadian Jason James, bringing an impressive 403,000 chips with him to Day 2. James was out for revenge on Day 1b, after exiting Day 1a in fifth, just shy of the top three that moved on. After bagging he said, " Tell Barry (Kruger) that I am coming for him on Day 2!".
Some other notable stacks to round at the top six from this flight are Chris Meyers (261,000), Raymond Book (258,000), Tim Yance (219,500), and well-known Canadian grinder Veerab Zakarian (130,500). Book had almost 400,000 and was looking like a contender to finish at the top before making a big fold against Meyers during the final hands of the day, giving Meyers around 100,000 in the process and pushing himself down to just over a quarter of a million in chips.
Another big player still in contention is 2016 Fall Poker Classic champion Dan Wagner. The West Seneca native will be going into Day 2 with 108,000 in chips and all the experience needed to fight back and grab himself another title. Look for Wagner to make some moves early as he attempts to add another cash to his already stacked resume.
The turn out of 75 players accumulated a total of $68,250 towards the prize pool. The total of the first two flights is $87,360 and Day 1c will be looking to surpass the $200,000 mark.
Some notable players to finish just shy of making the Day 2 include Henry Zou, 2017 Fall Poker Classic champion Guy Klass, Seneca regular Matt Marcinkiewicz, Joseph [Removed:340], and well-known pro Andy Spears.
The final flight will be starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday the 17th. All players can join, including those who were eliminated during the first two flights and those who want to try for a larger stack than they bagged already.
The PokerNews reporting team will be bringing you all of the live coverage for the remainder of the Fall Poker Classic Main Event.
End of the Day Chip Counts
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
439,000 | |
|
403,500 | 21,500 |
|
261,000 | 149,000 |
|
|
258,500 | -136,500 |
|
219,500 | 124,800 |
|
130,500 | 52,700 |
|
|
126,000 | -1,000 |
|
123,000 | 15,000 |
|
121,000 | 44,000 |
|
108,000 | -14,000 |
|
60,000 | -66,000 |
Final Hands of the Night
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
The tournament has now been paused at the 10-minute mark and the remaining 11 players will play a total of five more hands before advancing to Day 2.
Kandiah Knocks Mueller Out
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Illankumaran Kandiah found himself short stacked after losing a hand to Raymond Book. Kandiah moved all in a few hands in a row after and found a caller in Johannes Mueller.
Illankumaran Kandiah: 
Johannes Mueller: 
The flop came down 
and Mueller was still ahead. But the 
on the turn and 
on the river gave Kandiah a runner-runner straight, eliminating Mueller and getting back over the 100,000 mark.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
395,000 | 104,000 |
|
|
382,000 | 10,000 |
|
|
127,000 | -80,000 |
|
|
122,000 | -56,000 |
|
|
112,000 | -70,000 |
|
Busted |
Book Making a Late Day Push
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Jason James opened to 6,500, Dan Wagner called from the button and Raymond Book raised to 24,000 from the big blind. James and Wagner both made the call to the flop of 
.
Book pushed 55,000 into the middle, James snap-folded and Wagner took a little longer but did the same as Book took down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
372,000 | -66,000 |
|
|
291,000 | 133,000 |
|
|
178,000 | 24,000 |
Level: 15
Blinds: 1,500/3,000
Ante: 3,000
Last Level of the Day Has Begun
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 2,400 ante
The tournament is now on the last level of the day, the day will finish at the end of this level or when there are only nine players left, whichever comes first.
Last Break of the Day
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 2,400 ante
The players will now take their last break of the day as the tournament director chips up all of the T- 100 chips.
Amandeep Steamrolling his Table
Level 14
: 1,200/2,400, 2,400 ante
Taheem Amandeep just sent another player home when Peter Bogulski moved all in on a flop that was showing 
with 
. Unfortunately for Bogulski his opponent turned over two jacks for a flopped set.
The board ran out dry as Amandeep eliminated another player near the end of the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
408,000 | 41,000 |
|
Busted |