John Weiss Leads Day 1A

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 17: 2,000/4,000/500
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Day 1A Players Remaining: 17
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

Day 1A of Event 1 drew a total of 136 entries and just 17 players remain. Play has now concluded with 4:27 left in level 17 and it's John Weiss (pictured) leading the way with 421,000.

Weiss chipped up early on and after a roller coaster of a day managed to edge past Andrew Heckman in the last few hands. Heckman is the only other player from this flight to bag over 400,000 and Robert Montuoro rounds out the top three Day 1A stacks with 355,500.

The combined Day 1A-D survivors will return Tuesday December 5 at 11 A.M. to resume Day 2 play. Below is a list of the players from this flight that will be advancing.

A full list of combined chip counts and Day 2 seating assignments will be posted as soon as they're available.

John Weiss- 421,000
Andrew Heckman- 402,000
Robert Montuoro- 355,500
Marten Bird- 353,000
Robert Holtz- 326,500
Guangyu Zho- 240,000
Luke Vrabel- 233,000
Sarith Suan- 203,000
Mingda Bi- 191,000
John McQuinn- 137,500
Fred Paradis- 112,500
Joseph Elliott- 91,000
Cheranne Carslon- 85,500
Adam Pepper- 81,000
Mike Ferraro- 62,500
Tom Mascia- 56,000
Christian Miniter- 29,500

Event 1: Heckman Doubles Through Miniter

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 17: 2,000/4,000/500
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Day 1A Players Remaining: 20
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

Andrew Heckman and Christian Miniter are heads up on the Q♦️8♦️4♣️J♣️ board and Heckman bets 22,000 into a main pot of about 90,000.

Miniter raises to 61,000 and Heckman moves all in for 156,500. Miniter goes deep into the tank and begins to talk himself through the hand. He eventually tosses in one chip to signify the call and Heckman turns over 8♥️8♣️ for a flopped set of eights.

The 2♠️ hits the river and Miniter quickly fires his hand into the muck without showing. Heckman moves into the chip lead and we are just three eliminations away from the end of Day 1A.

Andrew Heckman- 392,000
Christian Miniter- 40,000

Event 1: Cheranne Carlson Triples Up to Take the Lead

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 16: 1,500/3,000/500
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Day 1A Players Remaining: 24
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

In the very last hand before the break Mike Nye fired out a bet of 11,000 on the A♠️9♥️5♥️ flop. Cheranne Carlson (pictured) raised to 22,000 and the player on the button moved all in for 85,000.

With the action back on Nye he re-shoved all in for about 175,000 and Carlson called for her last 110,000.

Nye: A♥️J♥️
Carslon: A♦️9♦️
Button: A♣️Q♥️

"Just one heart" said Nye but he did not get his wish when the 4♠️ hit the turn. The K♦️ completed the board and Carlson's top two pair held up to earn her the massive pot.

The Day 1A chip lead has changed hands plenty of times and it now belongs to Cheranne Carlson with just 24 players remaining.

Cheranne Carlson- 335,000
Mike Nye- 65,000

Event 1: Break Time, 27 Players Remain

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
End of Level 15: 1,200/2,400/300
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Day 1A Players Remaining: 25
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

The players are now on a 15 minute color up break and the black 100 chips are being taken out of play. There are just 27 players remaining and we are just ten eliminations away from the end of the night.

When 17 players remain the bagging process will begin and they will all be advancing to Day 2.

Event 1: Mike Nye Chipping Up

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 14: 1,000/2,000/300
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Day 1A Players Remaining: 32
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

While we have focused mostly on the big stacks throughout the day a familiar face has quietly been climbing the chip counts. Mike Nye has been a bit under the radar but with the field thinning fast and his chip stack growing he can no longer hide.

He is now approaching 200,000 and is one of the healthiest stacks left in the hunt. With more than $500,000 in live tournament earnings and plenty of experience Nye is as good a bet as any to move on to Day 2.

He was also kind enough to buy dinner for all of his friends tonight for the first time since 1988.

Event 1: Miniter Sets Up Campbell

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 14: 1,000/2,000/300
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Day 1A Players Remaining: 32
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

Christian Miniter (pictured) and James Campbell were just involved in the largest pot of the day. The flop was A♦️J♦️2♣️ and all of the chips went into the middle.

Campbell turned over A♥️J♥️ for top two pair but Miniter tabled 2♠️2♦️ for a set of deuces. The turn 3♣️ and river 4♠️ was no help to Campbell and the 340,000 chip pot was shipped to Miniter.

Miniter moves into the chip lead and Campbell is left with less than ten big blinds.

Event 1: Play Resumes

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 13: 1,000/2,000/300
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Day 1A Players Remaining: 34
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

The Event 1 players have returned from dinner break and the cards are back in the air. We will now pick right back up on all of the live action here on the Foxwoods Poker blog.

Event 1: Robert Montuoro Leads on Dinner Break

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
End of Level 13: 800/1,600/200
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Day 1A Players Remaining: 34
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

Robert Montuoro (pictured) won a massive pot in the last level after making a huge call holding just bottom pair. He is now sitting behind a mountain of 285,000 and is well out in front of the field.

Just 34 Day 1A players remain and they are now on a one hour dinner break. When play resumes we will be playing down to the final 17 at which time the bagging process will begin.

We will pick back up on all of the live action here on the Foxwoods Poker blog when play resumes.

Event 1: Bryan Wilson Takes the Lead "Camby" on His Heels

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 12: 600/1,200/200
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Day 1A Players Remaining: 41
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

We are down to just 41 players here on Day 1A of Event 1 and Bryan Wilson (pictured) has taken the chip lead. Wilson is now sitting behind a massive stack of about 205,000 but he is not alone at the top of the counts.

James Campbell who got off to a red hot start is showing no signs of slowing down. He is now playing 195,000 and it's a neck and neck battle for the chip lead as we approach the dinner break.

Christain Miniter rounds out the top three with 175,000 and is now sharing the felt with Campbell. This means there's plenty of potential for a monster pot in the future if these two big stacks elect to clash.

Event 1: Adam Pepper's Kings Hold Up

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 11: 500/1,000/100
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Day 1A Players Remaining: 54
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

There is already close to 40,000 in the main pot on a flop of 7♥️6♠️5♦️ and Adam Pepper (pictured) leads out with a bet of 17,000. John Weiss moves all in and it folds back to Pepper who calls for his last 67,400.

Pepper: K♣️K♦️
Weiss: 8♣️8♥️

The turn 7♣️ is no help to Weiss and the Q♠️ completes the board. Pepper's pocket kings hold up and he earns the pot and the double up.

Adam Pepper- 170,000
John Weiss- 20,000

Event 1: Solomon Yi Vaults to the Top

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 11: 500/1,000/100
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Day 1A Players Remaining: 58
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

We catch up to the four handed action on a flop of 7♠️6♣️4♣️. The player first to act leads out with a bet of 8,000 and Eric Scribner calls. With the action on Solomon Yi (pictured) he raises to 22,000 and the button folds.

The original bettor check raises all in for about 60,000 and after giving it some thought Scribner folds. Yi quickly calls and they hands are shown.

Yi: 7♥️7♣️
Opponent: K♥️K♦️

Yi tables top set of sevens and his opponent sees the bad news turning over his pocket kings. The turn Q♦️ and river 8♣️ seal the deal for Yi and he earns the knockout and vaults to the top of the chip counts.

Solomon Yi- 190,000

Event 2: Omaha Hi/Lo 8+ Payouts

While Event 1 of the Foxwoods Poker Mega Stack Challenge has been the main focus of the blog there is another event moving along in the tournament area.

Event 2 is the $300 Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or better and there are 79 total entries creating a prize pool of $19,924. There are plenty of poker legends in the field including five time WSOP Circuit ring winner Roland Israelashvili (pictured) and Foxwoods' own Myron "The Burner" Bernstein.

The final 9 players will all make the money and be guaranteed at least $697. One lucky winner will take home $5,978 and the Foxwoods Poker Mega Stack Challenge trophy.

Below is a full list of the final Event 2 payouts.

1. $5,978+ trophy
2. $4,184
3. $2,590
4. $1,992
5. $1,495
6. $1,195
7. $996
8. $797
9. $697

Event 1: Big Stacks, Weiss Out in Front

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 10: 400/800/100
Total Day 1A Entries: 134
Day 1A Players Remaining: 81
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

With tournament registration and re-entry now closed and the field beginning to thin there are plenty of big stacks starting to emerge. John Weiss who we featured earlier on the blog continues to rake in pot after pot and looks to be our early chip leader with 140,000.

Christian Miniter (pictured) is right on his heels with 125,000. There are a handful of players hovering around the century chip mark including Gavin Z. (100,000), Robert Montuoro (95,000), and Eric Scribner (90,000) just to name a few.

Event 1: Registration Closed, 136 Day 1A Entries

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 9: 300/600/100
Total Day 1A Entries: 136
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

The players have returned from break and the cards are back in the air. Tournament registration and re-entry is now closed and there are a total of 136 Day 1A entries creating a prizepool of $72,080.

There will be three more starting flights over the next three days and the Event 1 field and prize pool will only get bigger as we inch closer to our $500,000 guarantee.

Event 1: Break, Last Chance to Register

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
End of Level 8: 250/500/75
Total Day 1A Entries: 105
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

The players are now on a 15 minute color up break and the green 25 chips are being taken out of play.

Tournament registration and re-entry will be closing when play resumes so don't miss your very last chance to get in on the Event 1 Day 1A action.

Event 1: Lucky Lady for Ricciuti

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 7: 200/400/75
Total Day 1A Entries: 105
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

Bob Ricciuti (pictured) just got involved in a preflop raising war and the end result was his opponent moving all in and Ricciuti calling for his last 25,000.

Ricciuti: Q♠️Q♣️
Opponent: A♣️K♠️

It's a classic coin flip situation with Ricciuti at risk for his tournament life and there is a king right in the window on the K♣️J♠️3♠️ flop. His opponent pairs his king to take control of the hand and the turn is the 2♦️.
Ricciuti will need one of the two remaining queens in the deck to stay alive and the Q♦️ hits the river. The feature table erupts as Ricciuti spikes his two outer to stay alive and he chips up to over 50,000.

Event 1: Weiss Sends One Home Thanks to a Lucky River

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 6: 150/300/25
Total Day 1A Entries: 105
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

Marten Bird raises to 800 from early position and three players call. With the action John Weiss (pictured) in the big blind he re-raises to 3,000 and all three players come along.

They see a flop of J♣️7♥️4♥️ and the small blind checks. Weiss fires out a bet of 7,000 and the late position player moves all in for 21,275. It folds back to Weiss who calls turning over K♠️J♠️ but he will need to improve against the Q♣️Q♥️ of his opponent.

The turn 3♥️ is no help to Weiss but the K♦️ completes the board. Weiss spikes his king on the river improving to top two pair to earn him the pot and the elimination.

Event 1: Marten Bird Adds to His Stack

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 6: 150/300/25
Total Day 1A Entries: 105
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

The under the gun player raises to 800 and three players call. They see a flop of K♠️4♠️9♥️ and it checks to the original raiser who bets 1,700 and all three players call.

The turn is the 5♥️ and the action quickly checks around. The A♥️ completes the board and the small blind checks. The big blind bets 6,000 and the under the gun player makes the call. Marten Bird (pictured) calls and they turn over the cards. 

Big Blind: 5♣️5♠️
UTG: A♦️K♥️
Bird: Q♥️10♥️

The big blind shows a set of fives and the under the gun player shows ace king but it's Bird's flush that will take the pot and he adds to his stack.

Marten Bird- 60,000

Event 1: The "Slaydog" Joins the Field

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 5: 100/200/25
Total Day 1A Entries: 105
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

Luke "The Slaydog" Vrabel (pictured) is among the latest wave of players to join the Day 1A field. Vrabel may be best known to some of you as the player who won the biggest PokerStars Sunday Million event in history in 2011.

There were a total of 59,128 entries entries creating a massive prize pool of over $12,000,000. In the end Vrabel (BdBeatSlayer) was the last man standing taking home $671,094 and a shiny new Lamborghini Gallardo.

Since Black Friday he has seamlessly transitioned into the live poker scene and has earned more than $500,000. His largest live cash came just last summer in another massive field, The WSOP Colossus NLH event with more than 18,000 entries.

Vrabel finished in 9th place adding more than $79,000 to his bankroll. He has made an impressive seven Foxwoods Poker final tables and tells us he needs to put gas in his Lambo so he will be giving it his all here in the opening event of the Foxwoods Poker Mega Stack Challenge.

Event 1: Field Continues to Grow on Break

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
End of Level 4: 100/200
Total Day 1A Entries: 95
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

The Day 1A players are now on their first 15 minute break of the day. There are currently 95 total entries and there's still plenty of time to register.

Tournament registration and re-entry will remain open until the start of Level 9 or approximately 3:30 P.M.

Event 1: "Camby" Climbing Early

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 4: 100/200
Total Day 1A Entries: 88
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

We are approaching the first break of the day and most players are still hovering around the 20,000 starting stack. James Campbell (pictured) however is not one of those players.

He tells us that he doubled up early on holding A♠️A♦️ against the 10♦️10♣️ of his opponent. Since then he has not looked back and is now one of the biggest stacks in the room with just over 48,000.

Event 1: Tough Competition on Table 10

Event 1: $600 NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Level 2: 50/100
Total Day 1A Entries: 80
Feature Table Live Stream Link:https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\

It's still very early on in the opening event of Foxwoods Mega Stack Challenge event but we are already seeing plenty of familiar faces. Two players that know a thing or two about tournament poker just happen to be seated side by side.

Soukha Kachittavong (pictured bottom) and Ralph Macri (top) are surely two of the most experienced players in the field and have earned more than $1,500,000 in live tournaments combined. Kachittavong holds 2 WSOP circuit rings which both came right here at Foxwoods.

He also holds a Borgata Poker title and has now amassed over $800,000 in live poker earnings with a staggering 16 first place tournament finishes.

Ralph Macri's list of tournament accolades boasts over $750,000 in career earnings a DeepStacks Poker Tour title, 2 Foxwoods title and 10 first place finishes. Macri navigated his way through the massive 5,512 entry field in January's Borgata Winter Poker Open $560 NLH event of his way to his largest tournament cash of over $200,000 for his third place finish.

The two are already mixing it up in pots here early on and there has been some friendly table banter between these two dangerous tournament pros.

Event 1: Cards in the Air

Event 1 of the Foxwoods Poker Mega Stack Challenge is now underway and the players continue to fill the tournament area. This event will be a $600 No Limit Hold'Em multi day tournament with a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.

There will surely be plenty of familiar faces joining the field and as always you can catch all of the live action here on the Foxwoods Poker blog or tune in to the feature table livestream at https://www.twitch.tv/foxwoodspoker\.