2012 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown Attracts Heavy Hitters, Alleged Scammers

The 2012 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown Day 1 ended with poker “bad boy” Chino Rheem among the top 10 chip leaders. 

Rheem was among those at the final table of the 2008 World series of Poker Main Event.  Rheem has an arrest record and was more recently embroiled in an alleged cheating controversy. 

John Dolan was the second biggest chip leader.  He has won just shy of $2.5 million in live tournaments to date. 

280 players registered as of late Thursday with 201 remaining.  Registration was open through Friday morning so that the final number won’t be known until later in the day. 

Here's a look at the Top 10 chip stacks heading into Day 2:

1

David Nicholson

132,300

2

John Dolan

120,200

3

William Brown

118,875

4

Eric Afriat

118,500

5

Brian Senie

112,900

6

Micah Smith

109,975

7

Sam Soverel

106,225

8

Chino Rheem

106,100

9

Kyle Bowker

104,000

10

Lee Thomas

100,800

- Patrick Flanagan, Gambling911.com