Day 1B of the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship kicks off today at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood with a $3 million prize pool guarantee on the line. The $3,500 buy-in event runs through January 20th, with the final table scheduled for Wednesday.

The Quick Hit

• Event: WPT Lucky Hearts Championship, $3,500 buy-in
• Guarantee: $3,000,000
• Today: Day 1B at 11:00 AM
• Final table: Wednesday, January 21 at 2:00 PM
• Last year's winner: Alexander Yen ($975,240)

Day 1A Recap

Day 1A saw 101 players enter before the cards hit the felt, with more registrations throughout the day. WPT Champions Club member Eugene Katchalov was in the field along with a mix of grinders and recreational players hunting for a life-changing score.

Early action featured "Crazy" Carl Carodenuto cold four-betting from the small blind and taking down a pot without a flop. Katchalov got involved in a spot against Jose Silva, firing 6,500 from the big blind only to face a raise to 20,000 and muck his hand.

Players start with 50,000 chips. Blinds opened at 100-200 with a 200 big blind ante. Registration stays open with unlimited re-entries through Level 9 each flight—roughly until 9:15 PM.

Alexander Yen's 2024 Victory

The last time the WPT rolled through for Lucky Hearts in 2022, Alexander Yen took down a field of 1,928 entries for $975,240. We covered Yen's victory earlier this week when the series kicked off—he outlasted a stacked field to add his name to the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup.

Whether anyone approaches that field size remains to be seen, but the $3 million guarantee suggests organizers expect significant traffic. Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood has become one of the premier poker destinations in Florida, and January timing means snowbirds are in full effect.

Side Event Action

The Lucky Hearts festival runs January 6-20 with events at various buy-in levels. Earlier in the week, the Deep Stack event drew 3,586 entries, showing the appetite for action in South Florida.

The series offers something for everyone—from $400 buy-in daily events to the main championship. If you're in the area and don't want to commit $3,500, there are plenty of alternatives running throughout the festival.

What's Next

Day 1B continues today with registration open until the evening. Day 2 combines all survivors on Monday. Day 3 runs Tuesday with the final table broadcast Wednesday on PokerGO.

The broadcast will feature hole cards and commentary from the WPT team. If you can't make it to Hollywood, that's your way in.

For those on-site, the tournament room at Seminole Hard Rock is one of the best in the country. Good tables, comfortable chairs, solid dealers. Florida poker has come a long way, and this property is a big reason why.

The Bottom Line

WPT Lucky Hearts is one of the better-value stops on the tour. A $3,500 buy-in for a shot at a seven-figure score in a $3 million guaranteed prize pool is solid. The structure is player-friendly, the venue is excellent, and the Florida weather beats whatever's happening up north.

Day 1B kicks off at 11 AM today. If you're registered, good luck. If you're not, registration remains open for a while.