Recap of 2014 Western New York Poker Challenge Day 1

On Saturday, the 2014 Western New York Poker Challenge $1,100 Main Event got underway at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel in Niagara Falls. With the total number of entries reaching 183 the guaranteed prize pool of $100,000 was easily covered.

By the end of the first day’s play, it was Jerry Calvaneso that was at the top of the chip leader board with close to 400,000 in chips. He was the commanding chip leader with pretty much double the amount of chips to his closest rival. But it wasn’t until late in the day until Calvaneso gained much of his momentum, which he will be hoping will continue on the commencement of play on Day 2. In total there were 33 other players that survived until Day 2 of the 2014 Western New York Poker Challenge and the action continued over thirteen blind levels.

Interestingly, Calvaneso, who won a satellite to gain entry into the WNY Poker Challenge Main Event, was actually wanting to sell his seat to get cash for it instead of playing in the event. He couldn’t manage to sell his seat and would be glad this didn’t go to plan as he will be wanting to convert this cheap lead into a much bigger payday.

The main event allowed players to re-buy into it during the first four blind levels, with Rick Block firing three bullets with no luck after subsequent bust outs. On his last re-buy, Block found himself with pocket aces and was up against McLeery’s pocket queens, but McLeery in a fortunate turn of events hit a queen for a set to send Block to the rail for the third and final time.

One player that was a force to be reckoned with in the field was Andy Spears. He has previously won two Main Events at the Seneca Niagara Falls Casino & Hotel over the last year and was fresh off a victory playing Event #12 the previous few days, although things didn’t go to plan for him in this tournament. Spears was hoping to double up on a coin flip, holding pocket eights, but his opponent got a lucky break after hitting one of the few outs he needed on the river to send Spears to the rail.

On Day 1, some of the other notable players that weren’t fortunate enough to survive the day’s play included Alex Rivera, Ryan Rivers, Jason Nablo, Randy Pfeifer, as well as WSOP bracelet winner Greg Ostrander.

Here is a look at the Top 10 Chip Counts:

1) Jerry Calvaneso 398,800

2) Pete Kaemmerlen 239,100

3) Bob De Wolfe 226,800

4) Mike Shavensky 223,700

5) Joe Cruz 217,400

6) Leon Halat 213,100

7) Ray Snell 208,200

8) John Aga 193,000

9) Eric Tumbioro 191,600

10) Joseph Elia 165,900

The remaining players will return to the felt on Sunday to recommence play on Day 2 when play will start at noon local time and continue until a victor is crowned. So will it be chip leader Calvaneso who goes on to dominate on Day 2 and end up with all of the chips in play? If chip stacks are anything to go by, you would have to say yes.

Those who survive the initial bustouts and make it in to the top 21 will make the money and be guaranteed a $2,119 payday. All Day 2 players will no doubt be thinking about the potential $45,915 for the first place prize money.