2016 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
Event #10
$250 Limit Omaha 8 or Better
Entries: 99
Prize Pool: $20,790
January 18, 2016

Hollywood, Fla. (January 19, 2016) — Miami’s Kevin Love was victorious in Event 10 of the Lucky Hearts Poker Open, a $250 limit Omaha 8 or better tournament. Love, who claimed his title during the early morning hours of Tuesday, bested a field of 99 players and walked with the lion’s share of the prize pool — a $3,628 first prize — following a five-way ICM chop.

Having been in this spot before, Love learned from past mistakes and even came out of pocket a bit to sweeten the deal for the shorstack, Joel Harwood.

“I did play a prior tournament and I think I was in first place,” Love remembered. “We were chopping and somebody wanted [first]. I gave it to him, but yes, I did regret it because I was in first place. Usually when you chop the first place person gets the trophy.”

Love’s redemption in Event 10 took just over 12 hours from start to finish. The field narrowed from 99 starters to the final 10 following less than 10 hours of play. From there, there was a seven-handed stalemate that saw the short stack double up what seemed like a dozen consecutive times. After Stephen Reid busted seventh, Brandon Berkenfeld followed close behind in sixth. The final five players returned from the first break of the final table with an average stack of less than four big bets. Love, the chip leader, held less than seven big bets. It was then he proposed a chop and a few minutes later all remaining agreed.

“It feels great,” Love said. “I was down to 25,000 chips. I didn’t give up. I battled back. It’s a great feeling.”

Love resides in nearby Miami where he works as a lawyer. This marks his fourth career cash at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. He previously finished third in the 2014 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open $250 limit Omaha 8 or better tournament.

Final results:

1st: Kevin Love – $3,628
2nd: Richard Holland – $3,489
3rd: Daniel Genachte – $3,250
4th: Mengchao Yu – $2,820
5th: Joel Harwood – $2,816
6th: Brandon Berkenfeld – $1,170
7th: Stephen Reid – $975
8th: Brian Gelrod – $780
9th: Jeff Cookson – $586
10th: Loras Sabers – $426
11th: Errol Massey – $426
12th: Martin Raschkovan – $426