2018 Western New York Poker Challenge

Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2018 Western New York Poker Challenge

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
45
Prize
$66,736
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$278,050
Entries
315
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000

The Final Table of the 2018 WNYPC Main Event is Set

Level 24 : 12,000/24,000, 3,000 ante
Final Table chipleader Andrew Miller
Final Table chipleader Andrew Miller

The 2018 Western New York Poker Challenge (WNYPC) Main Event is down to a final table of nine with a familiar face leading the remaining hopefuls. Andrew Miller ended Day 2 with a huge chip lead with the likes of Patrick Tighe, Mike Latour, and Scott Murawa giving chase.

Miller made a splash in the very first event of the 2018 WNYPC where he was among the chipleaders after Day 1 and rode it all the way to a fifth-place finish for $7,500. Miller does not have any live-recorded results other than the cash earlier this series and will look to make his next one a big one.

Miller's stack steadily grew all day but got a significant boost just before dinner taking sizeable pots from Jeff Hobrecker and Jordan Lagano. When play ended for the night, Miller tossed 2,630,000 in the bag.

Final Table Seat Draw:

SeatPlayerChip Count
1Matt Marcinkiewicz624,000
2Mike Latour1,273,000
3Scott Murawa905,000
4Victor Smith806,000
5Patrick Tighe1,443,000
6Jeff Hobrecker332,000
7Andrew Miller2,630,000
8Henry Zou751,000
9Jeff Mahoney692,000

Day 2 began with 59 players remaining and took only two levels to get to the money bubble, paying just 36 spots. Hand-for-hand play lasted for five hands before Budwey Salhab popped the bubble. Salhab trapped a player with pocket kings and got them to commit their stack with just ace-high.

From there, the start of day chipleader,Jason Eisele, was the first player to earn a prize, falling in 36th place. The field was narrowed down slowly until just 15 players went to dinner. Just 30 Minutes into play after the dinner break, the field was at a final table of 10. Illan Kandiah (15th), Salhab (14th), Joe Catalano (13th), Chris Meyers (12th), and Lagano (11th), all busting in quick succession.

About a level went by without an elimination with several players finding a double up. Finally, a short-stacked Medhat Ramzy got his last six big blinds in and found himself dominated by Matt Marcinkiewicz. Getting no help on the board, Ramzy busted in 10th and play ended for the night.

The final nine players will return to the felt Monday at noon local time to determine the 2018 WNYPC Main Event champion and continue battling for that $66,736 top prize.

PokerNews will be here throughout the festival, bringing you all the news and live updates. Follow @pokernews on Twitter, on Facebook, and Instagram.

Tags: Andrew MillerBudwey SalhabChris MeyersHenry ZouJason EiseleIllan KandiahJeff HobreckerJeff MahoneyJordan LaganoJoe CatalanoMatt MarcinkiewiczMedhat RamzyMichael LatourPatrick TigheScott Murawa

Medhat Ramzy Eliminated in 10th Place ($5,283)

Level 24 : 12,000/24,000, 3,000 ante
Medhat Ramzy
Medhat Ramzy

Medhat Ramzy was down to just 6 big blinds when he got his stack in the middle preflop and was put at risk by Matt Marcinkiewicz.

Medhat Ramzy: {a-Hearts}{9-Hearts}
Matt Marcinkiewicz: {a-Clubs}{k-Spades}

The board ran out {j-Spades}{3-Clubs}{7-Clubs}{2-Spades}{3-Diamonds} and Ramzy didn't find any assistance to bubble the official final table.

Player Chips Progress
Matt Marcinkiewicz us
Matt Marcinkiewicz
600,000 150,000
Medhat Ramzy ca
Medhat Ramzy
Busted

Tags: Matt MarcinkiewiczMedhat Ramzy

Jordan Lagano Eliminated in 11th Place ($5,283)

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Jordan Lagano
Jordan Lagano

On the turn of a {3-Clubs}{10-Clubs}{8-Spades}{a-Diamonds} board, a massive pot was created between Jordan Lagano and Patrick Tighe with Lagano all in and at risk.

Jordan Lagano: {10-Spades}{a-Hearts}
Patrick Tighe: {10-Diamonds}{10-Hearts}

The worst turn card possible for Lagano as he was left drawing to just an ace. The {5-Hearts} was not it, and Lagano left the rest of the field converging on the final table.

Player Chips Progress
Patrick Tighe us
Patrick Tighe
2,450,000 850,000
Jordan Lagano us
Jordan Lagano
Busted

Tags: Jordan LaganoPatrick Tighe

Joe Catalano Eliminated in 13th Place ($3,976)

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Joe Catalano
Joe Catalano

Joe Catalano was down to less than five big blinds when he got it in against Matt Marcinkiewicz. Catalano was behind with the {k-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds} against the {a-Spades}{8-Spades} of Marcinkiewicz. The board ran out {j-Spades}{a-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}{3-Spades}{q-Hearts} and Catalano was sent to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Matt Marcinkiewicz us
Matt Marcinkiewicz
300,000 5,000
Joe Catalano us
Joe Catalano
Busted

Tags: Matt MarcinkiewiczJoe Catalano

Budwey Salhab Eliminated in 14th Place ($3,976)

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Budwey Salhab
Budwey Salhab

The action folded around to Budwey Salhab on the button and he shoved for about 400,000. Patrick Tighe looked down at his holdings and snap-called out of the big blind, putting Salhab at risk.

Budwey Salhab: {2-Spades}{2-Diamonds}
Patrick Tighe: {k-Spades}{k-Clubs}

An unfortunate spot for Salhab turned to gold when the flop fanned out {6-Diamonds}{a-Spades}{2-Hearts}. The turn was a safe {8-Diamonds} with Salhab just needing to fade a king on the river. It was not to be his day as the {k-Diamonds} peeled off sending Salhab to the rail in 14th place.

Player Chips Progress
Patrick Tighe us
Patrick Tighe
1,300,000 605,000
Budwey Salhab us
Budwey Salhab
Busted

Tags: Budwey SalhabPatrick Tighe

Illan Kandiah Eliminated in 15th Place ($3,976)

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Illan Kandiah
Illan Kandiah

On the turn of a {5-Hearts}{8-Diamonds}{7-Spades}{j-Clubs} board, Illan Kandiah moved all in and found himself behind and at risk against Henry Zou. Zou had flopped two pair with the {8-Hearts}{7-Diamonds} and Kandiah and turned top pair with the {a-Diamonds}{j-Spades}. No help came with the {6-Clubs} on the river and Kandiah was eliminated in 15th place.

Player Chips Progress
Henry Zou us
Henry Zou
800,000 256,000
Illan Kandiah ca
Illan Kandiah
Busted

Tags: Henry ZouIllan Kandiah

Jason Zawacki Eliminated in 16th Place ($3,031)

Level 22 : 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante
Jason Zawacki
Jason Zawacki

Patrick Tighe opened to 33,000 on the button and Jordan Lagano called in the small blind. Jason Zawacki three-bet shoved for 234,000 out of the big blind finding a caller in Tighe.

Jason Zawacki: {5-Hearts}{5-Clubs}
Patrick Tighe: {a-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}

The board ran out {a-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{2-Hearts}{j-Diamonds}{j-Spades} and Zawacki was sent to the rail in 16th place.

Player Chips Progress
Patrick Tighe us
Patrick Tighe
850,000 370,000
Jason Zawacki us
Jason Zawacki
Busted

Tags: Jason ZawackiJordan LaganoPatrick Tighe

Murawa Busts Kruger in Massive Pot

Level 20 : 5,000/10,000, 1,000 ante
Scott Murawa (from a previous event)
Scott Murawa (from a previous event)

Barry Kruger opened to 30,000 from early position and then called a three-bet to 75,000 from Scott Murawa just one seat to his left. The two saw a {j-Diamonds}{4-Hearts}{a-Diamonds} flop and things escalated... quickly.

Kruger checked, Murawa bet 80,000, Kruger raised to 170,000, Murawa three-bet shoved for about 600,000 and Kruger went into the tank. Kruger would eventually make the call putting himself at risk.

Scott Murawa: {a-Spades}{k-Diamonds}
Barry Kruger: {a-Hearts}{q-Hearts}

Kruger was in trouble and found no help on a {4-Clubs}{7-Clubs} run out to bust in 22nd place.

Player Chips Progress
Scott Murawa us
Scott Murawa
1,300,000 680,000
Barry Kruger ca
Barry Kruger
Busted

Tags: Scott MurawaBarry Kruger

Jason Eisele Leads 59 Hopefuls into Day 2 of the 2018 WNYPC Main Event

Jason Eisele
Jason Eisele

Just 59 hopefuls remain as the 2018 Western New York Poker Challenge (WNYPC) returns to action on Sunday with Day 2 of the $200,000 guaranteed Main Event. Only 36 will walk away with a prize.

After Day 1a saw 116 entries gather, Day 1b followed with 199 for a total of 315. The largest field ever accumulated for a Seneca Niagara poker room $1,000 Main Event. A $278,050 prize pool was created easily surpassing the $200,000 guarantee. Anyone who makes the money will lock up at least $1,974 with a top prize of $66,736 awaiting the eventual champion.

Day 1a chipleader, Jason Eisele, tops the field heading into play, wielding a stack of 423,300. His Day 1b counterpart, Alex Visbisky, narrowly missed out on the title himself, bringing forward a stack of 422,000.

Other notables near the top of the counts include Medhat Ramsay (359,500), Dave Grana (353,000), Budwey Salhab (322,000), Chris Meyers (294,200), Dominic Baranyi (287,500), Illan Kandiah (279,000), Patrick Tighe (276,000), Mike Latour (273,500),Joe Cantalano (269,500).

Cards will get in the air at 11 AM on Sunday with Day 2 action. The plan will be to play down to a final table but may continue on if the final table is reached early.

PokerNews will be here throughout the festival, bringing you all the news and live updates. Follow @pokernews on Twitter, on Facebook, and Instagram.

Tags: Alex VisbiskyBudwey SalhabChris MeyersDave GranaDominic BaranyiIllan KandiahJason EiseleMike LatourPatrick Tighe