$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 7:  500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante
Day 1B Entries:  529

The players returned from dinner to begin Level 7, with increased blinds of 500-1,000 and a 1,000 ante.

Enough players entered during the dinner break to cross the $5 million mark for the prizepool. How much higher will it get?

The tournament clock shows 529 entries so far here on Day 1B, for a two-day total of 1,037. Registration remains open with a single re-entry option until the start of Level 9, around 9:15 pm. The prizepool is already worth more than $5.02 million, easily eclipsing the $3 million guarantee.

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 6:  400/800 with an 800 ante
Day 1B Entries:  516

David Jackson raised under the gun to 1,800, Shawn Cunix reraised from the cutoff to 4,300, and Jackson called.

The flop came , Jackson checked, Cunix bet 4,100, and Jackson called.

The turn card was the , Jackson checked, Cunix bet 9,300, and Jackson called.

The river card was the , Jackson bet 3,600, Cunix raised to 11,000, and Jackson quickly called. Cunix showed for a pair of aces with a ten kicker, but Jackson turned over to win the pot with a pair of aces and a queen kicker.

David Jackson  –  192,000  (240 bb)
Shawn Cunix  –  52,500  (66 bb)

The tournament clock shows 516 entries so far here on Day 1B, for a two-day total of 1,024. Registration remains open with a single re-entry option until the start of Level 9, around 9:15 pm. The prizepool has already smashed the $3 million guarantee, and it’s currently worth more than $4.96 million and counting.

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 6:  400/800 with an 800 ante
Day 1B Entries:  513

Shawn Cunix raised from the cutoff to 2,200, and Jordan Cristos reraised from the button to 4,400. The player in the small blind called, and Cunix called.

The flop came , and it checked to Cristos, who bet 2,000. The small blind folded, and Cunix check-raised to 6,000. Cristos quickly called.

The turn card was the , Cunix moved all in, and Cristos quickly called all in for 10,400 with for a set of aces.

Cunix said, “It’s not over yet,” and he turned over for a diamond flush draw with a gutshot straight draw.

The river card was — the .

Cunix rivered a diamond flush to win the pot and eliminate Cristos.

Shawn Cunix  –  117,000  (146 bb)
Jordan Cristos  –  Eliminated

The tournament clock shows 513 entries so far here on Day 1B, for a two-day total of 1,021. Registration remains open with a single re-entry option until the start of Level 9, around 9:15 pm. The prizepool has already smashed the $3 million guarantee, and it’s currently worth more than $4.95 million and counting.

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 6:  400/800 with an 800 ante
Day 1B Entries:  508

Francisco Picasso got it all in from UTG+1 for 7,100 with , and needed his hand to hold to stay alive against the of Quan Tran on the button.

The board came , and the pocket fives held up for Picasso to win the pot and double up in chips.

Francisco Picasso  –  15,100  (19 bb)
Quan Tran  –  240,000  (300 bb)

The tournament clock shows 508 entries so far here on Day 1B, for a two-day total of 1,016. Registration remains open with a single re-entry option until the start of Level 9, around 9:15 pm. The prizepool has already smashed the $3 million guarantee, and it’s currently worth more than $4.92 million and counting.

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 5:  300/600 with a 600 ante
Day 1B Entries:  494

Corey Hochman raised from middle position to 1,600, and John Owen reraised from the hijack to 5,500. The player in the cutoff called, and Hochman thought for a while before he also called.

The flop came , and it checked to the player in the cutoff, who bet 6,500. Hochman thought for a while before he folded, and Owen called.

The turn card was the , and both players checked.

The river card was the , and Owen moved all in. The player in the cutoff tanked for a while before he called all in for 17,200 with for an overpair.

But Owen turned over to win the pot with a bigger pocket pair, eliminating his opponent.

“You played it well,” said the player in the cutoff as he was leaving the table.

John Owen  –  63,000  (105 bb)
Corey Hochman  –  102,000  (170 bb)

The tournament clock shows 494 entries so far here on Day 1B, for a two-day total of 1,002. Registration remains open with a single re-entry option until the start of Level 9, around 9:15 pm. The prizepool has already smashed the $3 million guarantee, and it’s currently worth more than $4.85 million and counting.

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 5:  300/600 with a 600 ante
Day 1B Entries:  480

A player got his short stack all in from the cutoff with , and needed his hand to hold to stay alive against the of Fikret Kovac in the big blind.

The board came , and Kovac caught runner-runner clubs to win the pot with a flush to eliminate his opponent.

Fikret Kovac  –  155,000  (258 bb)

The tournament clock shows 480 entries so far here on Day 1B, for a two-day total of 988. Registration remains open with a single re-entry option until the start of Level 9, around 9:15 pm. The prizepool has already smashed the $3 million guarantee, and it’s currently worth more than $4.79 million and counting.

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 5:  300/600 with a 600 ante
Day 1B Entries:  475

A player limped from the cutoff for 600, and Jordan Cristos raised big from the button to 7,000. But then Brian Altman moved all in for about 45,000.

The original limper folded, and Cristos tanked for a long time before he also folded. Altman took the pot.

Brian Altman  –  53,000  (88 bb)
Jordan Cristos  –  34,000  (57 bb)

The tournament clock shows 475 entries so far here on Day 1B, for a two-day total of 983. Registration remains open with a single re-entry option until the start of Level 9, around 9:15 pm. The prizepool has already smashed the $3 million guarantee, and it’s currently worth more than $4.76 million and counting.

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 5:  300/600 with a 600 ante
Day 1B Entries:  458

The players returned from break to begin Level 5, with increased blinds of 300-600 with a 600 ante.

A scan of the field during the break turned up two players with at least 150K in chips, creating an unofficial leaderboard:

1.  David Jackson  –  186,700  (311 bb)
2.  A.J. Gambino  –  154,800  (258 bb)
3.  Quan Tran  –  150,700  (251 bb)

The tournament clock shows 458 entries so far here on Day 1B, for a two-day total of 966. Registration remains open with a single re-entry option until the start of Level 9, around 9:15 pm. The prizepool has already smashed the $3 million guarantee, and it’s currently worth more than $4.68 million and counting.

$5,300 SHRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 4:  300/500 with a 500 ante
Day 1B Entries:  439

Vanessa Kade raised under the gun, Steve Blackmon called from the button, and Ruben Perez reraised from the big blind to 6,000. Kade moved all in for 14,000, and Blackmon, who didn’t see Kade’s all-in bet, called 6,000.

At that point, Blackmon was given the option of forfeiting the 6,000, or calling the full 14,000. He thought for a while before he called, and then Perez five-bet all in over the top for 33,400.

Blackmon waited for an exact count and thought for a while before he called the 33,400, and all three players turned over their cards. Here they are in descending order of chip stacks:

Steve Blackmon:  
Ruben Perez:  
Vanessa Kade:  

The board came , and Perez flopped a set to Kade’s gutshot straight draw, but Kade improved no further. Perez won the pot with his of jacks to double thru Blackmon and eliminate Kade.

Ruben Perez  –  81,600  (163 bb)
Steve Blackmon  –  53,000  (106 bb)
Vanessa Kade  –  Eliminated

The tournament clock shows 439 entries so far here on Day 1B, for a two-day total of 947. Registration remains open with a single re-entry until the start of Level 9, around 9:15 pm. The prizepool has already smashed the $3 million guarantee, and it’s currently worth more than $4.59 million and counting.

2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 28
$1,100 H.O.R.S.E. (Freeze-Out)
Entries:  72
Prize Pool:  $69,840
August 4-5, 2022

Back in April during the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, Filippos Stavrakis made the final table of the $1,100 H.O.R.S.E. event, but ultimately finished sixth. This time, Stavrakis wanted to do better.

“I promised my kids I was coming home with a trophy,” said Stavrakis.

And Stavrakis was true to his word, winning his first Seminole Hard Rock trophy, earning $24,045.

There were 72 entries in this event, creating a total prizepool worth $69,840. It was a tough final table that included Phil Hui and Gabriel Ramos, who have 12 SHR trophies between them.

Ramos was eliminated in sixth place, and Stavrakis was the one who knocked out Hui in fifth hand, during a hand of Omaha-8. The final four players briefly discussed a deal, but decided to keep playing.

“I love playing poker for the challenge of it,” said Savrakis. “I ran hot and got lucky, and I think I played decent as well to get here.”

One thing Stavrakis loves about Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood is the skill of the mixed-game players.

“The competition here is unbelievable,” said Stavrakis. “I love playing against great players. I love playing tough competition, and learning new things from them. I appreciate everything they do here to support the mixed-game community. It’s a great stop, and I always try to come down at least two or three times a year.”

Final Results: