They played to 17 last week, believe it's the same this weekend. If they do it should go till about 2am.

I can't handle the pressure

You can do it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qztuEucrNBc

Hopefully you used my chips well!

Flight A played 17 levels today. 715 runners in flight A.

Nope. Lost flips to bust 9th. Late regged the 5 pm and fired two bullets, but no luck. Try again tomorrow, then come back for main. Anyone want to buy a voucher? Make an offer!

Voucher is for satty into main?

Nice run. Good luck Saturday. I hope to see you Sunday!

Flights A and B had 1,234 runners with 104 bagging chips.

I'll buy it at a little discount. Won't be there until early Thursday though.

Can anyone help me out with what time the restart for day 2 of $200K will be?

Noon.

887 and climbing at 1st break, 2pm in Flight C(Sat noon)

Just broke 1k... (1005)

It is. Not sure I'll be here for the satty on Thursday. Would prefer to sell it this weekend.

For what it's worth Phil Helmuth is here and playing this 200k! Busted atleast twice.

3,258 runners. Pays 171. $372 min cash, $51,480 up top.

+1

Once again, Choctaw manages to pull off a huge field low buy in tournament very well with event 25 $200k guaranteed. Here are a couple of observations.

1. Yes play was erratic. It was a $125 buyin tournament, do not expect to see big one for one drop caliber players and plays. Players much more willing to gamble and therefore you will see a lot more suckouts.

2. Money bubble was handled the best I have ever seen in a significant field tournament. Ever. Period. Not even close. We held up play for one hand for maybe 5 minutes then we were in the money and off to the races.

3. Stacks got very short once we got under a hundred players and blinds went to 7000 14000 w 2000 ante. Not a lot of Post flop play when average chip stack is 20bb based on total chips but the majority had 15bb or less. At my table of 9 only 3 players had bigger than 15bb stacks. Not sure what the reason was for this or if it self corrected later on (I did not make it much past that point).

4. Kudos as well on the top heavy payout structure. I like that 5% of entries are paid and that payouts are weighted towards the final 3. Over $50k for first place is fantastic for a $125 buyin.

5. Anyone know if they made chop possible for final table? I know in past they have not been willing to facilitate chops by insisting someone sign for the first place money.

Thanks again to the tournament team at Choctaw. You make the drive up from Houston worth it.

Wish I could have come but had other obligations but will be at Choctaw for the upcoming WPT event. And as you said this is a great staff with many years experience running tourneys.

+1

I agree with all of your comments. There are a number of players who do not like the 5% payouts on these low priced, multi flight, Guaranteed money tournaments, but $51K up top for a $125 is great. Turnouts would suggest there are not enough players that don't like it to make a difference.

I think the blind situation corrected to some degree later on, but I think the cause for it is the 30 minute levels throughout. If day 2 was 40 minute levels, it may have been a little better, but than you risk not finishing in two days.

They won't facilitate chops ever. Even in the daily tournaments when no series is in town. I've heard two reasons stated. The first reason is the Gaming Commission won't let them. The prize pool must be distributed how it is calculated. I know Winstar does facilitate chops, but they have different Gaming Commissions. The other reason I heard was they dont want to assume the liability. Either way, they have never facilitated a chop that I'm aware of.

From what I have heard it is the Gaming Commission and I think this is the only thing that makes sense. I have heard the other statement too but assuming liability there makes no sense because if they are going to facilitate the chop they can simply adjust the payouts and give out the new payouts. Now in the dailys if people work out a chop you have to trust that when the 1st place guy gets his money he doesn't just leave the building because there really isn't any "legal" way to stop him.

I really wish this would change but it seems like thats how its going to be.

Sorry for the double post but I do think that at some point the levels should go to 40mins as well. I am not sure if it should be on day 2 or one the bubble burst. There is so much play in these with the 50/75 250/500 and 700/1400 blind levels that I think going to 40mins on day 2 will help the late game have play in them as well.

One last thought. I feel like there is a significant jump in blind levels from the

500 / 2500 / 5000 level to the 1000 / 3000 / 6000 level. I think the 3000/ 6000 should still only be 500 ante. Basically you go from paying 12k per round to 18k per round in. That is a huge jump with the levels still only being 30 mins.

Everything else was great and can't wait to see how big the 300k guarantee gets at the WPT in a couple months

they have done chops before.

Yea, old series they used to do in April --- three to five years ago we did multiple paychops during final table of the series championship (at 9 left, distributed x out of first place; at 5 distributed more; at three left talked about a final chop but couldn't agree on numbers).