2020 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 26
$400 Six-Max PLO (Single Re-Entry)
Entries: 67
Prize Pool: $22,780
January 20, 2020
The first thing you notice about Ken “Teach” Aldridge is his signature yellow jacket and hat, which is easy to spot in a tournament field. But when you find yourself at a table with him, you quickly realize that he is one of the nicest people in poker, chatting up the table not for information and potential reads, but for the joy he has for the social aspects of poker.
“Everyone at this final table was great,” said Aldridge, a retired teacher from North Carolina. “The social part of poker just keeps a smile on my face.”
Though he’s ending on a high note, Aldridge had a rough start to the Lucky Hearts Poker Open.
“When I got here, I was the bubble in my first tournament,” said Aldridge. “And I was the bubble for a mega-satellite into the high roller. I’ve had some really close ones, and I did cash for a little in one event. It’s ironic, but I only jumped in this PLO event because this was the only thing I could play and still make my flight tomorrow.”
Now Aldridge is flying home with a trophy.
“It’s nice to get first place in something,” said Aldridge. “It doesn’t matter what the size of the tournament is. It’s nice to know that your efforts are paying off, not only monetarily, but at my age you need to feel like you still do something well.”
Aldridge also had high praise for the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
“The staff runs these tournaments wonderfully,” said Aldridge. “I can’t say enough positive things about the Hard Rock Casino, and the way everything is run.”
Final Results:
1st: Ken “Teach” Aldridge – $6,950
2nd: Artem Maksimov – $4,495
3rd: Carlos Garcia – $2,995
4th: Tom Guedj – $2,050
5th: Andrei Mitsiuk – $1,445
6th: David Levy – $1,055
7th: Eric Kolodny – $790
8th: Anthony Cousineau – $790
9th: Rafael Rodriguez Arango – $615
10th: Yuval Bronshtein – $615
11th: Michael Rosenberg – $490
12th: Kevin Love – $490