CPPT and Ocean’s 11 Join Forces For San Diego Classic Events In April and July 2018

The Card Player Poker Tour has made its way to the Ocean’s 11 Casino for five separate runnings of the San Diego Classic since the spring of 2016, with over 3,900 total entries made and $1,051,164 in prize money awarded along the way. Now the CPPT is set to return to beautiful Oceanside, California for two more action-packed events in 2018. The second CPPT Ocean’s 11 San Diego Classic main event of the year will run from April 26–29, with the third taking place from July 26–29.

Both of these tournaments will feature $200 buy-ins and offer six starting flights, with one at 10 am and another at 6 pm for the first three days of the event. Players will also be able to take advantage of the popular Quantum Tournament structure of this event and buy in for $1,500 on Sunday, April 28 for day 2 and receive 100,000 in tournament chips. Players can also pay a $30 optional staff add-on and receive another 20,000 in chips. Players will only be able to directly buy-in for day 2 up to the start of play at 1 pm local time.

Scott ‘Brian’ Blount Wins Big In January

The most recent CPPT San Diego Classic event was held earlier this year from Jan. 25-28. A total of 641 entries were made over the six starting flights, with another 50 players opting to take advantage of the Quantum Tournament structure and buy directly into day 2 for $1,500. As a result of the solid turnout, the total prize pool swelled to $188,400.

Of the 92 players that survived the starting flights, it was Jose Magallanes who came into the day with the chip lead with 250,500. Scott ‘Brian’ Blount entered the day with 125,700 in chips, or just more than the 120,000 that most day 2 direct entrants sat down with. The 31-year-old San Diego resident and small business owner was able to accumulate throughout the day, though, and after an intense day of tournament action he emerged victorious with the title, the CPPT trophy and the first-place prize of $37,010.

“I would like to thank the Ocean’s 11 Casino staff and Card Player for running this unique tournament,” Blount told CPPT reporters after coming out on top. “Shout out to my wife Meryl, daughter Isla, best friend and famous rogue Richard Bondi, and everyone at Upswing Poker training. Don’t forget to HODL!”

An addition to Blount, four other CPPT Ocean’s 11 Champions have been crowned in recent years, including Robert DeAgazio, Barry Knowlton, Shawn Busse and Barry Seidman. In April of 2017 Busse topped the largest ever CPPT Oceans 11 San Diego Classic main event field when he outlasted 920 total entries to capture the first-place prize of $48,910.

Date Entries Champion Top Payout
April 25, 2016 778 Robert DeAgazio $23,813
January 31, 2017 630 Barry Knowlton $17,157
April 24, 2017 920 Shawn Busse $48,910
July 23, 2017 910 Barry Seidman $38,873
January 29, 2018 691 Scott ‘Brian’ Blount $37,010

About Ocean’s 11 Casino

Ocean’s 11 is the only casino in Southern California located along the Pacific Ocean on the Interstate 5 freeway, less than a mile from some of the area’s most picturesque beaches. The casino first opened in 1997, and in the 20 years that followed it has become the place to play in the San Diego area.

The property boasts 50 tables of the best poker and table games found anywhere in California with all the favorite poker games, including no-limit and limit hold’em, Omaha, Omaha eight-or-better and pot-limit Omaha. Popular table games available include Blackjack, Baccarat & Pai Gow Poker.

Haig Kelegian, the Ocean’s 11 owner known as “The King of Clubs,” notes that, “It is not enough to be the largest poker room in the region. We have to offer the best action and the best service day in and day out.”

In addition to the fantastic cash games, Ocean’s 11 also offers an exciting array of weekly tournaments. The $10,000 guarantee Deepstack tournaments every Saturday and Sunday morning feature 10,000 in starting chips and 25-minute levels, and are the jewel of their weekly series. With a low $75 buy-in, and $50 optional add-on, the Deepstack series draws an average of 120 to 160 players each day with prize pools of $12,000 to $16,000.

Ocean’s 11 also offers a $20,000 guarantee Deepstack tournament on the first and third Saturday of each month with a $200 buy-in. Daily players have something to look forward to with $3,000 guaranteed $45 buy-in tournaments Monday through Friday mornings at 10 a.m., and Monday through Thursday nights at 7 p.m. Each Friday night at 6 p.m. there is a $5,000 guaranteed $75 buy-in.

Finally, Ocean’s 11 also has a $10,000 ‘Top Dog’ monthly contest. Players earn points based on their tournament play during the qualifying period, with the top 40 players earning rewards. The player with the most points earned each month is awarded $2,000!

Speaking of player-friendly promotions, Ocean’s offers a $20,000 jackpot in all its hold’em and Omaha games. Whether the game is $1-$2 no-limit Hold’em, $40-$80 limit Hold’em, or $8-$16 Omaha, players at every game play for the same jackpot!

There is also a Bonus Rollover Hold’em Jackpot, which sees Ocean’s 11 add $2,500 to the jackpot total on Thursdays and Sundays from 10 AM to midnight. If no jackpot is hit during the applicable hours then the bonus rolls over to the same day the following week.

Players can also take advantage of the Racing For Dollars monthly $150,000 promotion, which pays players a rebate based on their hours paid in cash games, with players earning $60 for every 20 hours they play.

Will You Be The Next CPPT Champion?

The next runnings of the CPPT Ocean’s 11 San Diego Classic are right around the corner, with the second edition taking place from April 26–29 and the third from July 26–29. To learn more about the CPPT and see other upcoming tour stops, visit the tour’s homepage at www.CardPlayerPokerTour.com. ♠