2019 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 21
$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  1,258
Prize Pool:  $149,760
December 2-4, 2019

When the final table of the WPT Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship came to an end Wednesday night, there was still one event waiting to award a trophy — Event 21, $150 No-Limit Hold’em.

This is the kind of event that usually ends in a deal, with a very low buy-in but big prize money and large pay jumps for the final few spots. But there was no deal on this night, and Juan Endara defeated Daniel Le after a lengthy heads-up battle.

“It feels incredible,” said Endara. “I’ve made maybe six final tables, and the best I’ve finished is third place. I’ve gotten sixth a couple times. But this is my first win, and I’m very happy.”

There was a great turnout for this final event, with 1,258 entries in six starting flights over the previous three days, and they created a prizepool worth $149,760. There were 138 players who survived those starting flights to reach Day 2, but only 72 of them would finish in the money.

“It’s a small tournament, a $150 tournament, but you know what? A win is a win,” said Endara. “And it’s nice money. First place is a fantastic return on my money.”

Nice money indeed. Endara won $37,828, which is a 252x return on his $150 buy-in.

When the field got down to five players, there were murmurs about a possible deal, but they died quickly, and then they came up again when it was down to the final three players. But eventual runner-up Daniel Le wanted to keep playing. So they kept playing.

“I know sometimes it makes sense to chop,” said Endara, “and I was considering it, because we were very evenly stacked, and there was high variance. But honestly, I wanted to play.”

Endara was thrilled to win his first trophy in a poker tournament, and was particularly proud that he won it outright, with no deal. And it was his first time playing heads-up in a live tournament.

“I’ve played heads-up online,” said Endara, “but it’s not the same. I think I played well. I made two mistakes — I’m sure I made a lot more, but two that I know of for sure — but I think I played well overall.”

Endara lives in Miami, and has been coming to Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood for about eight years.

“I love the staff,” said Endara. “Honestly, they’re the best around the country. I’ve played up in Atlantic City, I’ve played in Vegas, I’ve played in L.A., and these guys are top notch. Everything about the Seminole Hard Rock is just the best.”

Final Table Results:

1st:  Juan Endara  –  $37,828 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  Daniel Le  –  $21,940
3rd:  William Jennings  –  $14,377
4th:  Salvatore Sollecito  –  $9,660
5th:  Ross Lebo  –  $6,739
6th:  Michael Tait  –  $5,242
7th:  Jose Avila  –  $4,044
8th:  Brooks Long  –  $2,995
9th:  Alcides Gomez  –  $2,097

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 35: 200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 1,248

With the final board showing on the river and more than 2.5 million already in the pot, Juan Endara moved all in for about 13 million, dwarfing Daniel Le’s remaining stack of 2,825,000.

Le tanked for a very long time before he called with for a rivered pair of kings, but Endara turned over to win the pot — and the final RRPO trophy of this series — with a flopped two pair, fives and threes.

Stay tuned for a recap from this final event of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open.

1st:  Juan Endara  –  $37,828 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  Daniel Le  –  $21,940
3rd:  William Jennings  –  $14,377
4th:  Salvatore Sollecito  –  $9,660
5th:  Ross Lebo  –  $6,739
6th:  Michael Tait  –  $5,242
7th:  Jose Avila  –  $4,044
8th:  Brooks Long  –  $2,995
9th:  Alcides Gomez  –  $2,097

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 35: 200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 1,248

After a flop of with 2.1 million already in the pot, Juan Endara checked, Daniel Le bet 525,000, and Endara thought for a while before he check-raised to 1,500,000.

Le took a moment or two to think before moving all in, and Endara stood up and took a deep breath before he said, “I call.”

Le said, “I have a five,” as he showed for a pair of fives, and Endara turned over for a pair of nines. Endara needed his hand to hold to stay alive.

The turn card was the , the river card was the , and Endara won the pot with his pair of nines to double up into the chip lead.

Juan Endara  –  13,650,000  (34 bb)
Daniel Le  –  5,050,000  (13 bb)

Here are the payouts they’re playing for:

1st:  $37,828 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  $21,940

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 35: 200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 1,248

Daniel Le raised to 625,000, and Juan Endara called. The flop came , Endara checked, Le bet 525,000, and Endara called.

The turn card was the , and both players checked.

The river card paired the board with the , Endara checked, Le bet 1,450,000, and Endara tanked for a while before he called. Le showed to win the pot with trip aces, and Endara mucked. Le won the pot to nearly tie things up.

Daniel Le  –  8,900,000  (30 bb)
Juan Endara  –  9,800,000  (33 bb)

A few minutes later, in the last hand of Level 34, Juan Endara raised to 850,000, Daniel Le reraised to 2,850,000, and Endara went into the tank for a very long time.

After a while, Endara said, “It’s a flip. A flip situation.”

Eventually, Endara folded, and Le took the pot — and the chip lead. Here are the official chip counts from the break, followed by the remaining payouts:

Daniel Le  –  10,125,000  (25 bb)
Juan Endara  –  8,575,000  (21 bb)

1st:  $37,828 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  $21,940

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 33: 125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 1,248

With the board showing on the turn, Daniel Le checked, Juan Endara bet 1,075,000, and Le tanked for a while before he moved all in.

Endara snap-called all in for 4,250,000 with for an eight-high straight, and Le turned over for a pair of fives.

Le was drawing dead, and the meaningless river card was the , giving him trips that were still not enough. Endara won the pot with his straight to double up in chips.

Juan Endara  –  11,800,000  (47 bb)
Daniel Le  –  6,900,000  (28 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 33: 125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 1,248

William Jennings got it all in from the button for about 3.5 million with , and he needed his hand to hold to stay alive against the of Daniel Le in the small blind.

The board came , and Le spiked a king on the river to win the pot and eliminate Jennings in third place.

William Jennings  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($14,377)

Here are the approximate chip counts for the start of heads-up play:

Daniel Le  –  12,400,000  (50 bb)
Juan Endara  –  6,300,000  (25 bb)

And the remaining prizepool they’re playing for:

1st:  $37,828 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  $21,940