Event #16A ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Flight A Advancing Players (By Chip Count)

Vinny Maglio - Chip Leader of Flight A

The first of two starting flights (Flight A) of the $2,200 No-Limit Hold'em Championship drew a total of 59 runners. After nine levels of play, 18 players are advancing to Day 2.  Those 18 players will join with any players that bag in tomorrow's Flight B, and will return to play Day 2 on Sunday at 11 am.  Because players are allowed to enter up until the start of play on Day 2, the prizepool has not yet been calculated. The prizepool will be tabulated and posted as soon as it's available sometime after 11am on Sunday.

Vinny Maglio ended as the Flight A chip leader. Maglio held the lead for most of the evening after dinner break, and then won another huge hand in the last level of the night to push him over the 200,000 chip mark. The very last hand of the night, Maglio raised in middle position and John Cyr (in the big blind) jokingly asked fellow player Michael Nye, "What should I do here, the last hand of the night?"  Nye responded, "Fold man, he is just running way too hot."  Cyr folded and Maglio showed Q♥Q♣ to end on a high note, causing a few of his table mates to giggle as the bags were passed out.

Maglio ultimately bagged 237,000, and was the only player to pass the 200k chip mark. Coming in second from Flight A is John Shin, with 154,600. Juno Kim rounds out the top three, ending the night with 146,300.

Over the course of the day many notables fell including Vanessa Selbst, Nick Palma, Roland Israelashvili, Bob Riccuti, Luke Vrabel, and Michael Guzzardi. All of these players will have the option to enter in tomorrow's Flight B, or to buy in directly to Day 2 on Sunday at 11 am.

This is a best stack forward event, so even those that bagged in this flight still have the option to try again tomorrow to accumulate a bigger stack, if they so choose.

Here is a look at the 18 players advancing from Flight A (by chip count):

Name:	Chip Count:
Maglio, Vincent	237,000
Shin, John	154,600
Kim, Juno	146,300
Stefanski, David	124,600
Lavoie, Michael	120,400
Paredes, David	105,000
Lauer, Andrew	104,000
Stone, Andrew	101,700
McKinnon, James	100,800
Magner, James	96,500
Kostrov, Gennadiy	95,600
Matteo, Paul	94,000
Chin, Derek	83,800
Yi, Solomon	58,900
McKenzie, Kevin	43,700
Nye, Michael	41,500
Cyr, John	38,000
Frangoulidis, James	21,400

Event #16A ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Daniel Podheiser Falls Last Hand of the Night

Daniel Podheiser

Level: 9

Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 100
Current Number of Entries: 59
Current Players Remaining: 19

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

David Stefanski raises to 2,000 in middle position, and Daniel Podheiser shoves all in on the button for 14,100. Juno Kim calls in the big blind, and Stefanski folds.

Podheiser: K♥K♦
Kim: A♥K♠

The 10♠7♦2♠ flop comes safe for Podheiser, but the A♦ on the turn gives Kim a pair of aces to take the lead.

Unfortunately the Q♠ river does not improve Podheiser's hand and he is eliminated from play.

"Max pain, last hand of the night," table mate Zach Donovan says genuinely.

Juno Kim - 146,300

Event #16A ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Six More Hands

Level: 9

Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 100
Current Number of Entries: 59
Current Players Remaining: 20
Average Chip Stack: 88,500

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

The clock has been paused with just ten minutes remaining in the night, and the floor has announced that they will play a total of six more hands before bagging and tagging. 

Event #16A ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Vinny Maglio Increases Chip Lead

Level: 9

Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 100
Current Number of Entries: 59
Current Players Remaining: 20
Average Chip Stack: 88,500

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

Vinny Maglio just won another monster pot and sent Michael Farris home just 15 minutes before the end of the night.

The two players got it all in on the river.  Farris had flopped trip jacks holding ace-jack, and Maglio held pocket kings, and rivered a king for a full house to send Farris to the rail.

Vinny Maglio - 225,000

Event #16A ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Home Stretch Chip Counts

Level: 9

Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 100
Current Number of Entries: 59
Current Players Remaining: 24
Average Chip Stack: 73,750

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

The players are now 15 minutes into the last level of the night. Here is a look at a few of the notable stacks still in the field:

Vinny Maglio - 140,000
David Stefanski - 110,000
David Paredes - 95,000
Andrew Lauer - 90,000
James Magner - 80,000
Michael Lavoie - 85,000
James McKinnon - 75,000
Solomon Yi - 75,000
Gennadiy Kostrov - 70,000
Michael Farris - 65,000
Daniel Podheiser - 60,000
Mike Nye -55,000
James Frangoulidis - 50,000
John Cyr - 45,000
Zach Donovan - 15,200

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Final Break of the Night

Level: 8

Blinds: 300/600
Ante: 100
Current Number of Entries: 59
Current Players Remaining: 25
Average Chip Stack: 70,800

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

Players are now on their final 15 minute break of the night. They will return to play one more level, Level 9 (400/800 blinds and a 100 ante) before bagging and tagging for the night.  Play will resume around 8:55 pm Eastern Time, and registration is open up until the start of play on Day 2 (Sunday April 2nd at 11am)

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Michael Farris Doubles Up Set Over Set

Michael Farris

Level: 8

Blinds: 300/600
Ante: 100
Current Number of Entries: 59
Current Players Remaining: 25
Average Chip Stack: 70,800

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

There's around 30,000 in the middle, and the board reads K♣J♣7♠.  After a betting and raising war, Michael Farris is all in from middle position for 28,500, and has been called by the player in the small blind.

Farris turns over J♥J♠, and the small blind says, "I thought that was the hand you had," as he turns over 7♦7♣.

The table is surprised to see the two big hands, but the small blind does not seem all that surprised saying, "I think I am zero for six against jacks."

The 4♥ turn and 2♠ river do not change the outcome of the hand, and Farris doubles up.

Michael Farris - 90,000

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Andrew Lauer Bets the River

Level: 8

Blinds: 300/600
Ante: 100
Current Number of Entries: 59
Current Players Remaining: 27
Average Chip Stack: 65,555

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

There is around 7,000 in the middle, and three players looking at the K♠7♠3♠ board. David Paredes checks in the small blind, Andrew Lauer checks in the big blind, and the player under the gun bets 3,700. Only Lauer calls.

Both players check the J♠ turn.

The river is the 2♠, putting four spades on the board. Lauer pauses for over a minute, and then places a bet of 9,000. The player under the gun quickly folds.

Lauer shows the Q♠, and mucks his second card without showing.

Andrew Lauer - 105,000

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - David Paredes Sends One Home

Level: 7

Blinds: 250/500
Ante: 75
Current Number of Entries: 58
Current Players Remaining: 28
Average Chip Stack: 62,142

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

Normand Frigon raises to 1,500 in the hijack. James Magner calls in the cutoff, David Stefanski calls on the button, and David Paredes calls in the big blind.

The flop comes 10♥6♥6♦. Paredes checks, Frigon makes it 4,000, Magner and Stefanski both fold, and Paredes moves a stack of chips forward, putting Frigon all in should he choose to call.  Frigon pauses for a few moments, looks at the board, and then moves his remaining chips forward (totaling around 20,000.)

Frigon: J♣10♣
Paredes: Q♦10♥

Unfortunately for Frigon, the 5♣ turn and 2♦ river do not help him, and Paredes takes the pot with his higher kicker.

"You can always buy back in tomorrow," table mate James Magner says to Frigon as he stands and gathers his belongings.

Frigon responds undecidedly, and walks away from the table.

David Paredes - 105,000
Normand Frigon - Eliminated with the option to re-enter

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Post Dinner Chip Counts

Level: 7

Blinds: 250/500
Ante: 75
Current Number of Entries: 57
Current Players Remaining: 34
Average Chip Stack: 50,294

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

Players have just returned from their 60 minute dinner break. They will play another three one-hour levels before bagging at the end of the night.  Here is a look at a few of the notable chip stacks in the room:

Andrew Lauer - 90,000
James Magner - 90,000
Daniel Podheiser - 78,000
David Stefanski - 74,000
Mike Nye - 65,000
David Paredes - 65,000
Solomon Yi - 60,000
Gennadiy Kostrov - 50,000
John Cyr - 48,000
James McKinnon - 45,000
Zach Donovan - 40,000
James Frangoulidis - 40,000
Michael Lavoie - 40,000
Nick Palma - 40,000
Michael Farris - 36,000
Normand Frigon - 35,000
Vinny Maglio - 34,000
Bob Riccuti - 32,000
Michael Guzzardi - 26,000
Roland Israelashvili - 26,000
Luke Vrabel - 20,000

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Dinner Break

Level: 7

Blinds: 250/500
Ante: 75
Current Number of Entries: 56
Current Players Remaining: 33
Average Chip Stack: 50,909

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

Players are now on a 60 minute dinner break. They will return to play Level 7, with 250/500 blinds and a 75 ante.  Play will resume around 6:35pm Eastern Time, and registration is open for the rest of the night (closes at Level 10/start of Day 2).

After dinner, play will resume for three more one-hour levels, and Flight A play will conclude around 10pm tonight. Players will then bag and tag, and they will return to play Day 2 on Sunday April 2nd at 11am. 

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Vanessa Selbst Eliminated By Daniel Podheiser

Level: 5

Blinds: 150/300
Ante: 25
Current Number of Entries: 55
Current Players Remaining: 30
Average Chip Stack: 55,000

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

Zach Donovan raises to 1,000 in the hijack, and Daniel Podheiser calls on the button. The small blind folds, and Vanessa Selbst raises to 3,400 in the big blind. Donovan folds, and Podheiser pauses for a few seconds before shoving all in. Selbst quickly moves her 12,000 stack forward to call.

Selbst: A♠Q♣
Podheiser: A♥10♦

The 7♣7♦3♥ flop comes safe for Selbst. The 8♥ also leaves her in the lead, but the 10♥ on the river gives Podheiser a pair of tens to win the hand.

Selbst quietly stands up from her chair and exits the tournament area.

Daniel Podheiser - 75,000
Vanessa Selbst - Eliminated with the option to re-enter

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Normand Frigon Eliminated

Level: 5

Blinds: 150/300
Ante: 25
Current Number of Entries: 53
Current Players Remaining: 35
Average Chip Stack: 43,714

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

Action folds around to Norman Frigon on the button who shoves all in for around 4,000, and the player in the big blind quickly calls.

Frigon: J♦10♥
Big Blind: Q♠Q♥

"It's a race," Frigon says with a smile.

The flop comes 5♣5♥4♥ prompting a player at the tables that's not involved in the hand to say, "Not anymore it's not." (Referring to the race comment.)

The K♦ turn and 8♠ river do not change the outcome of the hand, and Frigon is eliminated from play, with the option to re-enter.  

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Player Profile: Vanessa Selbst

Vanessa Sebst - Foxwoods Poker Classic 2017

Level: 5

Blinds: 150/300
Ante: 25
Current Number of Entries: 51
Current Players Remaining: 36
Average Chip Stack: 42,500

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

Vanessa Selbst is arguably one of the most recognizable faces in poker with over $12,000,000 in live earnings. A former lawyer, Selbst made the move to professional poker player around 2010 and has made a name for herself with some very deep runs in large buy in events. Selbst won a record three World Series of Poker bracelets in open-field events, a feat never matched by any other female. In addition to her WSOP earnings, Selbst also took down the PCA High Roller event in 2013 for $1,424,420, and won the $100,000 buy-in Super High Roller Celebrity Shootout in Las Vegas for another $1,000,000 in 2015.  Selbst's biggest cash to date came after winning the €8,500 Partouche Poker Tour event in Cannes back in 2010 for €1,300,000 (approx. $1,800,000).

Before Selbst became the world traveling poker player that she is today, she made a start in poker here on the East coast at Foxwoods Casino. Back in 2008 and 2009 she won two Foxwoods events (and cashed in many others) including the $2,000 World Poker Finals event for $115,000. Selbst also won the $5,000 Pokerstars North American Poker Tour event at neighboring casino Mohegan Sun in 2010 for $750,000, and then again in 2011 for $450,000, prompting locals to joke that the name of the tournament should be changed to, "The Vanessa Selbst Invitational."

A few days into the current Foxwoods Poker Classic series Selbst tweeted out to the world that she was excited to return to Foxwoods for this event. Make sure to watch her tournament progress here at Foxwoodspoker.com.

I'm so excited to return to my home turf where my career began @FoxwoodsPoker next weekend. I love playing in Connecticut so much!

— Vanessa Selbst (@VanessaSelbst) March 25, 2017

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Second Break

Players are now on their second 15 minute break of the day. They will return to play Level 5 with 150/300 blinds and a 25 ante.

At the moment there are 47 entries, and 38 players remaining, making the average stack upon return from the break 37,105.

The field is expected to increase as the day moves forward, and registration/re-entry does not close until the start of play on Day 2 (Sunday April 2nd at 11am).

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Baseem Nsier Doubles Through Paul Matteo

Baseem Nsier

Level: 4

Blinds: 100/200
Current Number of Entries: 47
Current Players Remaining: 39
Average Stack: 37,105

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

There are two players to see the J♣10♣8♠ flop. Paul Matteo shoves all in from the hijack, and Baseem Nsier quickly calls on the button for slightly less.

Nsier: 9♠7♣ (straight)
Matteo: K♣K♠

The 9♦ gives Matteo outs, but the 5♦ river means Nsier will double up, while Matteo is left with only ten big blinds.

Baseem Nsier - 50,000
Paul Matteo - 2,000 

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Player Profile: Andrew Lauer

Andrew Lauer - Foxwoods 2016 - After Winning Second Circuit Ring

Level: 4

Blinds: 100/200
Current Number of Entries: 46
Current Players Remaining: 40

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

Andrew Lauer is one of the newer players on the sceen, but he has very rapidly made a name for himself not only at Foxwoods, but also on the World Series of Poker Circuit scene.  Lauer accomplished an incredible feat after taking down back-to-back tournaments last August during the WSOP Circuit at Foxwoods.

Lauer won Event #1, a $365 buy in event for $17,475. Right after he took down the first event, Lauer registered for Event #3 (a $365 Turbo), the only event that still had open registration. He went on to win that event for his second gold Circuit ring and $14,097.

Shortly after his amazing run here at Foxwoods, Lauer traveled to other casinos on the Circuit and cashed at Palm Beach Kennel Club, and then cashed another three tournaments in a row in Atlantic City.

Back in Level 2 of today's tournament Lauer flopped a set of threes and improved to a full house on the river when his opponent rivered trip jacks, so it's clear that so far, luck has been on Lauer's side. He's already proven that he has the skill, so will luck continue to go his way? Stay tuned here at Foxwoodspoker.com to watch Lauer's progression throughout this Main Event, with a guaranteed prizepool of $400,000.  

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - More Friendly Faces Join the Crowd

Level: 3

Blinds: 100/200
Current Registrants: 43
Current Players Remaining: 39

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

As the morning progresses, the late sleepers are slowly trickling in.  Since the first break we have added the following notables to the field:

David Paredes
Zach Donovan
Vincent Maglio
Gennadiy Kostrov
Juno Kim
Paul Matteo
Luke Vrabel
Mustapha Moutaouakil
Michael Guzzardi

Jason Calnan was also spotted on his way to the poker room to register.

The players listed above joined the previous "early riser" notables in the field including Baseem Nsier. James McKinnon, Bob Riccuiti, James Magner, and Vanessa Selbst.

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Now on First Break

The early players in the $2,200 Main Event Flight A are now on their first 15 minute break of the day. They will return around 1:20 pm Eastern time to play Level 3, with 100/200 blinds.

Anyone wishing to enter/re-enter has until Level 10 (the start of Day 2) to do so.

Here are the details for today's event:

11 AM - Event #16A: $2,200 No-Limit Hold'em Championship **$400,000 Guaranteed

• Late registration is open until the start of Level 10 (start of Day 2)
• Re-entries will remain available until the end of registration (start of Day 2)
• Players begin with 30,000 in chips
• This is a best stack forward event
• Two Starting Flights:
• Flight A: 11am Friday March 31st
• Flight B: 11am Saturday April 1st
• All levels are 60 minutes in length
• There will be a 15 minute break after Levels 2, 4, and 8
• There will be a 60 minute dinner break after Level 6
• Day 1 will play nine total levels
• Day 2 will resume on Sunday April 2nd at 11am
• Structure sheet can be found by clicking this link

***There will also be a Mega Super Satellite today at 2pm with 10 seats guaranteed into the $2,200 Main Event

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Player Profile: David Stefanski

David Stefanski

Level: 2

Blinds: 75/150

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

Well known Foxwoods player David Stefanski made a very deep run in the 2015 World Series of Poker Main Event. During his deep run, PokerNews article did an article on Stefanski explaining that he is a stay at home dad who plays online cash games. It also said that Stefanski tries to limit traveling for poker so that he is able to stay home with his baby daughter Resse. The article joked that Stefanski was in contention to win "a lot of diapers," should he take home the top prize of $7,680,000. Stefanski was ultimately eliminated in 16th place (out of 6,420 total entries), for an amazing payday of $325,034.

Since his deep run in the WSOP Main, Stefanski has had an incredible amount of success here at Foxwoods as well.  In March of 2016 he chopped the $2,700 Foxwoods Poker Classic Main Event for $100,637. Fast forward a few months later, and he won the $3,250 World Series of Poker Circuit High Roller event, adding another $51,300 to his live earnings tally.

Will Stefanski have another repeat performance, and go back to back years as the FPC Main Event Champion?  Just yesterday Michael Dobbs won back to back Multi-Flight Re-Entry events, so anything is possible.

Make sure to keep watch here at foxwoodspoker.com to see how Stefanski progresses in today's Flight A, and beyond.

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Eric Scribner Takes from Solomon Yi

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Feature Table Live Stream Link: www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker

There is around 4,000 in the middle, and the board reads 8♣6♥2♠3♠. Eric Scribner checks in the small blind, and Solomon Yi bets 1,600 on the button. Scribner calls. 

The river is the 2♣. Scribner checks again, and Yi bets 2,000. Scribner quickly calls, and Yi mucks his cards without showing.  Scribner turns over 5♠5♦ to show the table before mucking.

Eric Scribner: 28,000
Solomon Yi:  30,000

Event #16 ($2,200 NLH Main Event) - Early Notables in the Field

Level: 1
Blinds: 50/100
Feature Table Live Stream Link: https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker 

The $2,200 Main Event is off and running, and players are trickling in to take their shot at the $400,000 Guaranteed prizepool in the first of two starting flights of Event #16.

Here is a look at a few of the notables in this morning's field:

Baseem Nsier
James McKinnon
Bob Riccuiti
James Magner
Vanessa Selbst

Schedule For Fri. March 31st - Foxwoods Poker Classic

9 AM - $60 No-Limit Hold'em

9 AM - $200 Mega Super Satellite (win a $2,200 voucher) 1 seat guaranteed

11 AM - Event #16A: $2,200 No-Limit Hold'em Championship **$400,000 Guaranteed

• Late registration is open until the start of Level 10 (start of Day 2)
• Re-entries will remain available until the end of registration (start of Day 2)
• Players begin with 30,000 in chips
• This is a best stack forward event
• Two Starting Flights:
• Flight A: 11am Friday March 31st
• Flight B: 11am Saturday April 1st
• All levels are 60 minutes in length
• There will be a 15 minute break after Levels 2, 4, and 8
• There will be a 60 minute dinner break after Level 6
• Day 1 will play nine total levels
• Day 2 will resume on Sunday April 2nd at 11am
• Structure sheet can be found by clicking this link

2 PM - $300 Mega Super Satellite (win a $2,200 voucher) 3 seats guaranteed

6 PM - $300 Mega Super Satellite (win a $2,200 voucher) 10 seats guaranteed

8:30 PM - $100 No-Limit Hold'em Bounty

A full schedule of all Foxwoods Poker Classic events can be found HERE.