Photo Recap: Day 3 of WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown

Level 17: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante

By BJ Nemeth

The original goal for Day 3 of the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown was to play down to the money (45 players), but without a dinner break, the players wanted to end early, and action stopped after six levels with 51 players remaining.

The field should burst the money bubble fairly early on Day 4, but before that happens, here's a photographic look back at Day 3 of the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown:



"Ground Control to Major Tom."

Michael "Squeaky" Winnett showed up on Day 3 with an astronaut's helmet, presumably in honor of the Space Shuttle scheduled to launch later that afternoon in central Florida.



Michael "Squeaky" Winnett even brought an alien-looking card protector with him to continue the space theme. Unfortunately, the scheduled launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour was postponed for a few days due to a technical problem. That wouldn't be a good sign for Winnett.



Day 2 chipleader Todd Terry started at the top of the counts, and had a solid day to finish in the Top 10 heading into Day 3.



Bryan Colin took over the chip lead fairly early in the day and was near the top of the counts for a long time. Unfortunately, he couldn't hold the position, and while he survived the day, he's near the bottom of the chip counts with 93,000.



Abbey Daniels (left) contemplates whether or not to call the all-in raise from Michael "Squeaky" Winnett (standing, right). Winnett continued his trend from earlier days by loudly talking his way through hands that he played. Michael McNeil (not pictured) was already all in, and Winnett caught a break when Daniels would eventually fold J-10, which would've won the hand. (Winnett doubled up with A-Q vs. A-3.)

Winnett never had a lot of chips on Day 3, but he kept getting lucky in tight spots to stay alive -- possibly annoying his opponents more than his table talk. He did receive several penalties for his table talk during the tournament, primarily because he was discussing the contents of his hand with action pending.



Day 3 started with seven women in the field, a larger-than-normal percentage, and included some top female pros like Annette Obrestad (left) and Maria Ho. Unfortunately, both Obrestad and Ho would be eliminated later in the day by one of their own -- Lauren Kling.



Elio Cabrera had two big double-ups late in the day where he spiked a card on the turn or river to stay alive. In the second one, shown here, he had pocket aces against another player's set, but a third ace on the turn gave the pot to Cabrera.

It may not shock you to learn that Cabrera is friends with Michael "Squeaky" Winnett, and when Winnett learned of Cabrera's lucky come-from-behind victories, he proclaimed, "You can't beat luck! I don't care how good these guys are, you can't beat luck!"



Abbey Daniels was tournament chipleader for a while, and the first player to reach one million in chips. She finished the day second in chips with 1,016,500.



Former WPT winner Tommy Vedes moved all in on the river with the board showing 9988A, and David Farber (not pictured) called. Vedes turned over AA for a river full house, and Farber mucked in frustration, saying, "You are so lucky."

Vedes said, "I felt the ace was coming. Put you on ten-jack." Another player says, "He had the nine," and Vedes says, "Of course he had the nine. But how was I supposed to know?" Vedes finished the day fourth in chips with 446,500.



At 8:00 pm, the Seminole Hard Rock Casino hosted a $1,000 buy-in heads-up tournament, which attracted a lot of the players who had busted from the WPT event, including Will Failla (center). The WPT event continues deep in the background.



WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage (right) carefully and thoroughly explained the rules to Michael "Squeaky" Winnett during a two-orbit penalty. Savage also warned Winnett that his next violation would result in a three-orbit penalty, and anything after that had the very real possibility of expulsion from the tournament.



Steven Levy (left) contemplated a river bet from Taylor Von Kriegenbergh (center) on a board of 1043AQ. Levy would eventually call, and Von Kriegenbergh turned over AQ to win the huge pot worth nearly 300,000 in chips. Levy would bust a short while later, while Von Kriegenbergh went on to finish the day as chipleader with 1,080,500.



Lauren Kling was eliminated on the last hand of the day when she was outkicked against Taylor Von Kriegenbergh. Kling's elimination left Abbey Daniels as the last woman standing.



Michael "Squeaky" Winnett (foreground, right) checked in the dark before a flop of Q95, Kazu Oshima (far left, in black) bet 10,000, and Winnett min-raised to 20,000. Oshima moved all in, and Winnett called all in with 65 for a pair with a flush draw. But Oshima turned over A3 for an overcard with a higher flush draw.

The J on the turn kept Winnett in the lead, and both players watched as the dealer put out the river card -- the J.



Michael "Squeaky" Winnett was uncharacteristically mild-mannered after his elimination, quietly gathering his things and leaving the tournament area.


1. Taylor Von Kriegenbergh - 1,080,500 (216 BBs)
2. Abbey Daniels - 1,016,500 (203 BBs)
3. Justin Zaki - 461,000 (92 BBs)
4. Tommy Vedes - 446,500 (89 BBs)
5. Brent Roberts - 441,000 (88 BBs)


Day 4 begins at 12:00 noon ET. Return to WorldPokerTour.com for continuing live coverage, including hand updates, frequent chip counts, and another episode of the Jess & BJ Show.

RISE Player of the Day - Taylor Von Kriegenbergh

Level 17: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante

Lauren Kling Eliminated by Taylor Von Kriegenbergh

Level 17: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante

Lauren Kling was eliminated on the last hand of the day by Taylor Von Kriegenbergh. After a king-high flop, Kling's K-10 was dominated by Von Kriegenbergh's A-K, and she never caught up. 

Taylor Von Kriegenbergh  -  1,080,500
Lauren Kling  -  Eliminated

David Peters Eliminated by Taylor Von Kriegenbergh

Level 16: 2,000-4,000, 500 ante

After a series of preflop reraises, David Peters is all in with A9 against the JJ of Taylor Von Kriegenbergh. The board comes J85KK, and Von Kriegenbergh wins the pot with a full house, jacks full of kings, to eliminate Peters from the tournament. 

Taylor Von Kriegenbergh  -  820,000
David Peters  -  Eliminated

Steven Levy Eliminated by Zuhdi Mansour

Level 16: 2,000-4,000, 500 ante

Steven Levy moves all-in for 49,000 from middle position and Taylor Von Kriegenbergh reraises to 95,000 behind him.  Action folds to Zuhdi Mansour in in the big blind ad he counts down his own stack before announcing he is all-in for 107,000 more.

Von Kriegenbergh thinks a while before folding and Mansour shows AA.  Levy flips over an ace as well, the A, then follows it up with the 9.

The board runs out K52103 and Mansour's aces hold to eliminate Levy and take the pot.

Zuhdi Mansour - 520,000
Taylor Von Kriegenbergh - 525,000
Steven Levy - eliminated 

Taylor Von Kriegenbergh Wins a Huge Pot Against Steven Levy

Level 13: 1,000-2,000, 300 ante

Photo: Steven Levy (left) contemplates the river bet of Taylor Von Kriegenbergh (center).

With a little less than 100,000 already in the pot, the board shows 1043A on the turn. Taylor Von Kriegenbergh bets 42,500 from the small blind, and Steven Levy thinks for a while before he calls from the button. 

The river card is the Q, and Von Kriegenbergh thinks for a while himself before betting the same amount -- 42,500. Levy thinks for a bit before he declares, "Call." 

Von Kriegenbergh turns over AQ for top two pair, and Levy's body language indicates that he's beat. Levy studies the board for a few moments before he mucks his cards, and Von Kriegenbergh takes down the huge pot, worth about 275,000.

Taylor Von Kriegenbergh  -  487,000
Steven Levy  -  76,000

After the hand, Levy tells Von Kriegenbergh, "I almost folded because you bet so small."