Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open
$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold ‘Em (Re-entry)
$150,000 Guarantee

Total Entries: 144
Total Prize Pool: $144,000

Recap:

It was the Viet Vo show all the way even when things got tight in the end.  And a spectacular hand wrapped up a grueling heads-up match to win the Event 18 title.

Vo had chips stacked up to his chin for most of the final table and after he eliminated Robert Edelstein in 3rd place, Vo was looking close out matters but it wasn’t easy.  Hanz Winsler decided to play small ball despite his huge deficit and Vo decided to play along to try to end it.

Winzler caught a break when down to around 100,000 chips he pulled off a three-outer with against Vo’s catching a five on the turn.  After that, Winzler slowly chipped up to around 430,000 chips.  Vo was still sitting on around 1.3 million but the pressure was mounting from Winzler.

But in the end Vo found a miracle of his own.  Vo called Winzler with and Winzler holding .  A disasterous flop of put Winsler ahead and it was looking bad with a on the turn but the came on the river leaving Winzler stunned and giving the ecstatic Vo the title.  Vo’s dominance also led to a stunning 29 bounties collected along the way including keeping his own.

Vo’s reaction to the win and his wild ride was one of joy and satisfaction.   “First day was good with set over set over set.  It started there and it went all the way.  When he was up to 430,000 I was like ‘My goodness not again’ because I’d gotten second place in one just like this and when he was building it up my confidence went down but I stuck with it.  I know if we play post-flop I got the better hands and I didn’t want to get in a flip like I did in the end.”

On the final hand Vo was enjoying the exciting moment that won him the tournament. “Unreal!  Lucky three! That never happened to me it was the first time and it was worth it.  I don’t know what to say.  Someone’s watching out for me.  I love this place!  I love Fort Lauderdale!  I love Miami!  I love everything right now!”

Congratulations to our Event 18 Champion – Viet Vo!

Final Table Results:
1st – Viet Vo (Pearland, TX) – $46,080
2nd – Hanz Winzler (Miami, FL) – $26,640
3rd – Robert Edelstein (Chicago, IL) – 17,280
4th – Harry Arutyanya (Los Angeles, CA) – 11,880
5th – Jack Rolnitzky (West Bloomfield, MI) – $9,144
6th – Paula Alibrand – (Miramar, FL) – $7,128
7th – Michelle Shah (Delray Beach, FL) – $5,616
8th – Cornel Cimpan (Sacramento, CA) – $4,176
9th – Ory Hen (Cooper City, FL) – $2,880
10th – Jacob Schindler (Byrn Mawr, PA) – $2,375