$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 4: 100/200

Low drama is the standard early in these large field events while players get settled. Zach Kessler’s tables are rarely quiet but the first loud explosion of the series occurred there.

That was enough to get our attention as two players were sent to the desk to re-enter. The anonymous 8-seat was involved in a three-way all-in drawing thin with a backdoor straight draw against Kings and unimproved .

The turn and river came out perfect/perfect to send half the table to its feet and two players to the rail.

An exciting moment in an otherwise mellow affair so far.

There is one more level before the first break and it is closing in on 150 entrants.

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 3: 75/150

The entrant count clicked into triple digits shortly after the start of Level 2 with 130 currently showing on the tournament clock. A nice early pace to put the tournament on track to top the $100,000 Guarantee.

A few more Seminole Hard Rock Poker regulars jumped into recent action including Nigel Murray, Larry Klur, and the father/son duo of Jeff and Zach Kessler.

@shrpo playing day 1 of Wpt 100 GTD #troubleinthehouse pic.twitter.com/KblvMWfMoL

— Nancy Birnbaum (@NancyBirnbaum) April 6, 2015

$350 Big Stack Omaha 8B (Single Re-Entry)
Level 1: 500/100 Limits

While the first tournament of the series is underway at the front of the ballroom, a smaller event is underway in the corner. Event 2 is the first non-Hold’em tournament on the schedule and they’ll be playing some Limit Omaha/8.

The split-pot event has a $350 buy-in and a $20,000 guaranteed prize pool. It will be a small but talented group of players who put up their money along with several Omaha/8 specialists.

Players begin with 15,000 stacks and play 40-minute levels throughout the day. Late registration is open until the start of Level 7, approximately 4:30 this afternoon, and they have a single re-entry available if they lose their stack.

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 2: 50/100

It’s an easy start to the first event as players take their time getting in the game after a long holiday weekend and two more chances to play today.

The field size is closing in on 100 entrants at the start of the second level with nearly three hours left to register. Or re-enter should they lose their stack during that time.

There are a few past champions joining the field in the first level including Daren Stabinski, Nancy Birnbaum, Elliott Zaydman, and current Seminole Hard Rock Poker Player of the Year front-runner Ory Hen.

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 1: 25/50

The first event of the 2015 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown is set to go kicking off more than two weeks of top shelf tournaments.

Event 1 is a $250 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament with a nice $100,000 guaranteed prize pool. The first flight is set to run at 11am with two more today, one at 3pm and the final of the day at 7pm. Players begin with 12,000 stacks, 30-minute levels throughout the day, and late registration/re-entry available until the start of Level 7. They are scheduled to get through 14 levels before bagging up for Day 2 on Wednesday.

If players can’t make it through today, there are three more flights on Tuesday.

Tournament staff are ready to go and players are taking their seats to get things underway shortly.