Event 15: Michael Newman Wins First Career SHRPO Title in Five-Way Chop Of $570 No Limit Hold’em

2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
Event #15 
$570 No Limit Hold’em 
Total Entries: 207
Total Prizepool: $103,500

Michael Newman Captures $570 No Limit Hold'em Title
Michael Newman Captures $570 No Limit Hold’em Title

If you’re looking for Michael Newman, he can usually be found in the tournament area at the Seminole Hard Rock.

The New York native is a regular tournament grinder in the South Florida area and has gone deep in several events, but the trophy has eluded him.

That all changed in the early hours of Wednesday morning when Newman bested a field of 207 players as part of a five-way chop in the $570 No Limit Hold’em. Newman was the chip leader when the final five players agreed to an ICM chop. Newman took home his first career SHRPO trophy and $17,579.

“A win is always great,” said Newman after the win. “I’ve gotten so deep so many times, but if you don’t run well at the end it doesn’t matter. Even if you are playing well, the cards have to hold up. And they did for me tonight. I got lucky.”

Newman didn’t get into poker until a couple years ago when he was still working on Wall Street. He worked for Paul Snead, who finished 21st in the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event. It was Snead who took him under his wing and taught him the game.

“I started working for his place back in 2011,” said Newman. “So I kind of got real series into poker around 2012 or 2013. I got real serious about it when I moved down here about a year ago.”

Newman left Wall Street about a year ago to move to Florida. He still is in the banking industry, but has much easier access to a poker room than he did living in New York.

“I couldn’t really play much up in New York,” said Newman. “Borgata was kind of far away and so was Foxwoods. But living down here, this place is only 10 minutes away. So it’s great.”

Having only been playing serious tournament poker for about a year, Newman has quickly racked up quite a resume. The win tonight gives him over $150,000 in career tournament earnings.

Even with his own personal success, Newman stays in touch with Snead to go over hands and talk strategy. He gives Snead credit for some of the concepts that he uses at the table today.

“He pretty much wants me to take my time,” said Newman of Snead’s advice. “I would say that the most important thing is knowing the percentages and the odds.

“And to try to get max value for my hands. I wasn’t getting max value and [Paul] told me that I needed to get more max value for my hands.”

Newman started off the final table on the right note by winning a massive pot in one of first few hands after the re-draw. He eliminated George Abdo in 10th and nearly tripled up after getting it in with the nut flush draw against the second nut flush draw and Abdo’s bare king-high.

Newman turned the flush to leave both players drawing dead. He eliminated Paul Balzano two hands later and had a huge chip lead over the field. He was able to ride that chip lead down to the final five players. When they agreed to an ICM chop, he just barely edged out Frankie Flowers for the chip lead and the title.

This is Flowers’ second chop in as many days as he continues his post-WSOP heater.

Newman finally gets the thrill of victory and the trophy, but it seems like he will continue to grind the tournaments at the Hard Rock and look for more hardware.

“This is the best place for tournaments,” said Newman. “I love it here. Nobody runs better series than here at the Hard Rock.”

Here is a look at the final table results:

1st: Michael Newman – $17,579
2nd: Frankie Flowers – $16,742
3rd: Nicholas Baurichter – $15,459
4th: Zoltan Czinkota – $11,039
5th: Brian Blanchard – $9,243
6th: Joseph Hubbell – $5,175
7th: Robert Engle – $4,190
8th: Silvio Derubeis – $3,105
9th: Paul Balzano – $2,070

Download Final Results (PDF)

Event 15: Michael Newman Wins in Five-Way Chop

$570 No Limit Hold’em
Level 21: 6,000/12,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 207

Michael Newman
Michael Newman

The final five players have agreed to an ICM chop. Michael Newman was the chip leader at the time of the deal and will take the most money and the trophy.

Here is a look at the breakdown of the chop:

1st: Michael Newman – $17,579
2nd: Frankie Flowers – $16,742
3rd: Nicholas Baurichter – $15,459
4th: Zoltan Czinkota – $11,039
5th: Brian Blanchard – $9,243

Frankie Flowers
Frankie Flowers
Nicholas Baurichter
Nicholas Baurichter
Zoltan Czinkota
Zoltan Czinkota
Brian Blanchard
Brian Blanchard

Event 15: Joseph Hubbell Eliminated in 6th Place ($5,175)

$570 No Limit Hold’em
Level 21: 6,000/12,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 207

Joseph Hubbell
Joseph Hubbell

On a flop of Ah9h8s, Joseph Hubbell got all in for about 75,000 from under the gun against Frankie Flowers on the button.

Hubbell showed 6h4h, good for a flush draw, but needed to find a heart against Flowers’ 9c7c.

The turn was the Jd and the river was the Ad. Hubbell bricks off his flush draw and Flowers dragged the pot. Hubbell was eliminated in sixth place and earned $5,175 for his finish.

Frankie Flowers – 700,000 (58 bb)
Joseph Hubbell – Eliminated 

Event 15: Nicholas Baurichter Doubles Through Joseph Hubbell

$570 No Limit Hold’em
Level 20: 5,000/10,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 207

On a flop of 9c9s4h, Nicholas Baurichter checked from the small blind and Zoltan Czinkota checked from the hijack.

Joseph Hubbell bet 65,000 on the button and Baurichter check-raised to 130,000. Czinkota quickly folded and Hubbell took a few minutes in the tank before calling.

The turn was the Ac and Baurichter checked. Hubbell moved all in and Baurichter quickly called. Baurichter was the player at risk, all in for his last 108,000.

Baurichter showed AdTd and turned the best hand against Hubbell’s 2s2c.

The river was the Jd and Baurichter doubled up at the expense of Hubbell.

Nicholas Baurichter – 560,000 (56 bb)
Joseph Hubbell – 95,000 (9.5 bb)

Event 15: Robert Engle Eliminated in 7th Place ($4,140)

$570 No Limit Hold’em
Level 20: 5,000/10,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 207

Robert Eagle
Robert Engle

Robert Engle moved all in for 31,000 on the button and Frankie Flowers called out of the big blind.

Engle showed 7s6s and needed to improve against Flowers’ Ac9s.

The board ran out 8d3c2sJcAd and Flowers dragged the pot with a pair of aces. Engle headed to the rail and took home $4,140 for his seventh place finish.

Frankie Flowers – 455,000 (45 bb)
Robert Engle – Eliminated 

Event 15: Joseph Hubbell Doubles Through Frankie Flowers

$570 No Limit Hold’em
Level 19: 4,000/8,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 207

After a few raises preflop, Joseph Hubbell got all in for 173,000 from the hijack against Frankie Flowers in the big blind.

It was a race with Flowers’ AcKd up against Hubbell’s QcQh.

The board ran out 7s3d2d3s5s and Hubbell won the flip to double up.

Joseph Hubbell – 350,000 (43 bb)
Frankie Flowers – 485,000 (60 bb)

Event 15: Silvio Derubeis Eliminated in 8th Place ($3,105)

$570 No Limit Hold’em
Level 19: 4,000/8,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 207

Silvio Deubeis
Silvio Deubeis

Brian Douglas Blanchard raised from the hijack and Silvio Derubeis got all in out of the small blind for about 20,000.

Derubeis showed AdTc and was dominated by Blanchard’s AhKc. The board ran out 7d4c3c7h8h and Blanchard’s big slick held up to knock out Derubeis in eighth place. Derubeis took home $3,105 and Blanchard took the pot.

Brian Douglas Blanchard – 235,000 (29 bb)
Silvio Derubeis – Eliminated 

Event 15: Joseph Hubbell Doubles Through Zoltan Czinkota

$570 No Limit Hold’em
Level 19: 4,000/8,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 8 of 207

Zoltan Czinkota raised from the hijack and Joseph Hubbell called on the button. The flop was Js7c4c and Czinkota bet 20,000. Hubbell moved all in for 49,000 and Czinkota called.

Czinkota showed As7h and needed to improve against Hubbell’s KhJc.

The turn was the Th and the river was the 3h to give Hubbell the double up with a pair of jacks.

Joseph Hubbell – 160,000 (20 bb)
Zoltan Czinkota – 300,000 (37 bb)

Event 15: Paul Balzano Eliminated in 9th Place ($2,070)

$570 No Limit Hold’em
Level 19: 3,000/6,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 8 of 207

Paul Balzano
Paul Balzano

On a flop of Qh8c3s, Paul Balzano was in the small blind and got all in for about 120,000 against Michael Newman on the button.

Balzano showed KdQc and was in trouble against Newman’s AsQd. The turn was the 8s and the river was the 9h to keep Newman in the lead.

Balzano was eliminated in 9th place for $2,070 and Newman opened up a massive chip lead on the rest of the table.

Michael Newman – 710,000 (118 bb)
Paul Balzano – Eliminated 

Event 15: George Abdo Eliminated in 10th Place ($1,346), Michael Newman More Than Doubles Up

$570 No Limit Hold’em
Level 19: 3,000/6,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 9 of 207

George Abdo
George Abdo

George Abdo moved all in under the gun for 21,000 and got six callers. Paul Balzano called from early position, Frankie Flowers called from middle position, Joseph Hubbell called from the hijack, Nicholas Baurichter called from the cutoff, Silvio Derubeis called on the button, and Michael Newman defended his big blind.

They were seven-handed to a flop of Qs5c2c and Newman moved all in for 177,000. Action folded around to Derubeis on the button, who called and three hands were tabled.

Newman showed Ac3c, Derubeis showed KcJc, and Abdo was drawing dead to half of the whole pot with KdJh.

The turn was the Qc to give Newman the nut flush and both of his opponents were drawing dead to the 6s river. Newman wins a massive pot, Abdo was eliminated in 10th place, and Derubeis was left with just a few big blinds.

Michael Newman – 550,000 (91 bb)
Silvio Derubeis – 30,000 (5 bb)
George Abdo – Eliminated