$2,500 Coco Poker Open Championship
Level 15: 1,500/3,000/500 Ante

There has been very little activity over the most part of Level 15. They returned from break with 73 players and 70 still remain in the second half of the hour.

We decided to take some time and check on our Seminole Poker regulars. There are a handful of players we see in almost every event during every series. Scott Efron gave back a little of his pre-break rush but still among the leader. Steven McKoy is in the mix and looking to add to his $600,000 in career earnings that include a 2014 Coco Poker Open title and 2015 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown trophy.

Scott Efron – 365,000 (122 bb)
Matt Affleck – 290,000 (97 bb)
Tristan Wade – 180,000 (60 bb)
Steven McKoy – 120,000 (40 bb)
Stewart Newman – 85,000 (28 bb)
Michael Laake – 70,000 (23 bb)
Steven Bennett – 65,000 (22 bb)

$2,500 Coco Poker Open Championship
Level 15: 1,500/3,000/500 Ante

Players are coming back from their second break of the day and four stacks stood out as tournament staff colored off the black chips.

Jean Gaspard was the first over 400,000 and now he’s the first over 500,000. He added another cool, full stack of 5K’s to his total. Javier Zarco jumped over 400,000 while Peter Walsworth and Scott Efron are making moves by getting over 300,000.

Two more levels of play before the dinner break and we should be getting an eye towards the money bubble before then.

Jean Gaspard – 528,500 (176 bb)
Javier Zarco – 401,500 (134 bb)
Peter Walsworth – 343,000 (114 bb)
Scott Efron – 366,000 (122 bb)

$2,500 Coco Poker Open Championship
Level 14: 1,200/2,400/400 Ante

Aaron Mermelstein is having a hard time knocking out short stacked players when he holds the best hand. The latest came when he had Abbey Daniels dominated with against .

They both caught the flop but it did no good for Daniels. The turn, on the other hand, was exactly what she needed and dodged the river in her attempt at another final table.

It was no big hit to Mermelstein. When he’s not busy getting caught in smaller hands, he moved his stack northward to sit behind 210,000 as the next break gets close.

$2,500 Coco Poker Open Championship
Level 14: 1,200/2,400/400 Ante

We began the day with 135 players and only a third of them would make it into the money. Now 45 players are gone to reach the point where half the remaining players will get paid and half will be unhappy with their result.

The action is moving a little quicker now as we’ve seen Michael Ortiz, Trevor Doughty, and Allen Kessler hit the rail. We have no independent Twitter verification, but Kessler is no longer seen or heard in the room.

$2,500 Coco Poker Open Championship
Level 13: 1,000/2,000/300 Ante

Jean Gaspard was telling the table that he likes his neat chip stack now. He should be with four uniformly stacked towers of 5K chips to put him as the first person over 400,000 in the Championship.

“I’m used to it,” he joked with the dealer. “I’ve been a ‘chip leader’ my entire life.”

“I’m talk, dark, and handsome.” Gaspard laughed.

Well, he is a “Prince”.

Tournament staff just broke another table to get us to 90 players remaining with less than 10 minutes left in the level.

$2,500 Coco Poker Open Championship
Level 13: 1,000/2,000/300 Ante

Matt Waxman was poised to make another deep run but might come up short thanks to a bad river. He had Eric Becks all-in and dominated with against in a hand that would push him over 170,000 if it held.

The flop was harmless and the turn left Becks with just two outs to stay alive. Waxman shrugged and Becks threw his hands in the air when the spiked on the river. Becks moved up to 130,000 while Waxman was under 50,000.

$2,500 Coco Poker Open Championship
Level 13: 1,000/2,000/300 Ante

There were 102 players remaining on the break after Ralph Massey was sent out. A few more eliminations and they’ll break another table to get us a little closer to the money.

Jean Gaspard continues to push the pace and added another 100,000 to his stack over the first two levels. Danny Notice lost a little ground while Javier Zarco and James Brown move under Gaspard on the count list.

There are 15 players sitting with 75 big blinds or more, the structure giving everyone room to maneuver.

Jean “Prince” Gaspard – 362,400 (181 bb)
Javier Zarco – 304,600 (152 bb)
James Brown – 239,000 (120 bb)
Danny Notice – 223,300 (112 bb)
James Carroll – 222,700 (111 bb)
Peter Walsworth – 211,300 (106 bb)
Corey Burbick – 192,000 (96 bb)
Jason Mercier – 176,400 (88 bb)
Tristan Wade – 176,400 (88 bb)
David Barbieri – 168,700 (84 bb)
Aaron Mermelstein – 166,100 (83 bb)
Alberto Rodriguez – 163,900 (82 bb)
Neil Blumenfield – 161,800 (81 bb)
Joelle Guarino – 158,600 (79 bb)
Alfonso Perez – 150,300 (75 bb)

$2,500 Coco Poker Open Championship
Level 12: 800/1,600/200 Ante

Tournament staff sent the remaining players off on the first 15-minute break of the day but there was still a hand going on Table 18.

Ralph Massey was all-in and looking good for the double with Kings versus of Peter Walsworth while everyone else was heading for the door. He was good right up until the river Ace sent him packing and move Walsworth over 200,000.

$2,500 Coco Poker Open Championship
Level 12: 800/1,600/200 Ante

The deep stacks are one reason why so many players are left in the Championship, but we’re also starting to see a few come-from-behind hands to keep them here.

Ryan Dunn caught a good one to stay alive for the Championship, he was all-in for 57,000 and up against one of the hottest players in the game right now. Aaron Mermelstein had Dunn covered and in trouble with against but didn’t have to wait long for the tough beat.

It was a flop that helped save Dunn’s tournament as the board completed and to move him up to 121,000. Mermelstein still has plenty of chips to wield, his 170,000 should keep him around for a bit longer as well.

$2,500 Coco Poker Open Championship
Level 12: 800/1,600/200 Ante

We caught up with the hand after John Depersio was all-in against Alberto Rodriguez and Mark Johnson. Depersio was under ten big blinds and needed to make a move.

Rodriguez and Johnson checked it all the way down until the board read . Depersion quickly tabled the rivered straight to beat Johnson’s and Rodriguez . The hand moved Depersio up to 60,000 while it was just a small blip against Rodriguez and Johnson.

There’s still very little movement among most of the tables. Besides Guarino and Depersion triple ups, Scott Efron caught a needed double while Harrison Gimbel was sent out. Another table was recently broken to get the field down to 117, still a long way from the money with the average stack at 55 big blinds.