South Florida’s Christopher Arcidiacono punched his ticket into the 2019 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open $50,000 buy-in Super High Roller Monday night via a $5,100 mega satellite at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. Christopher is 31 years old and was born in Rochester, New York. He is a full time cash game player, primarily at the Seminole Hard Rock, and the largest buy-in tournament he’s played prior to the SHRPO Super High Roller is $1,500.
We caught up with him after his big score.
Q: What prompted you to play the $5,100 satellite?
A: I won the Splash the Pot promotion [at][Seminole][Hard][Rock][Hollywood] while playing $2/5 and received a $550 super satellite ticket. I played the $550 and won entry into the [Seminole][Casino][Coconut][Creek] $5,100 satellite.
Q: What are you most looking forward to about playing in a $50,000 buy in?
A: I’m going to try and relish the entire experience because I know it’s a very rare opportunity. I had to get lucky just to be able to get into the event.
Q: What is your experience at Seminole poker rooms?
A: I’m currently a daily grinder at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood – easily my favorite poker room in Florida. When I lived in Central Florida, I would often visit [Seminole][Hard][Rock][Tampa] and it’s the first casino I ever played at when I was 18 years old.
Q: Do you play at Coconut Creek often? How often do you play the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood events?
A: I don’t play at Coconut Creek as often – maybe a few times a month – because I’m closer to the Hollywood location. I usually will fire a bullet or two at some of the low buy-in, high guarantee tournaments that run at the Seminole Hard Rock, but I try to focus mainly on cash games.
Q: Seminole Super High Rollers attract some of the game’s best — Erik Seidel, Jason Mercier, etc. Does that intimidate or excite you?
A: More excites. I have not ever been intimidated at a poker table – so far. I have a lot of respect for the guys who regularly play and do well in the high rollers and I’m looking forward to it.
Q: What does this opportunity – to play in a $50,000 buy in – mean to you?
A: The opportunity means a lot. The price point is so high that it’s not a tournament I could see myself buying directly into so I know how rare the situation is. I’m ready to bring my “A” game and hopefully I will run a little bit better than the high stakes regulars that day.
