Event 1: Jerry Wong Captures Ultimate Re-Entry Crown

2017 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, FL
Event 1
$360 Ultimate Re-Entry No Limit Hold’em
Entries: 4,756
Prize Pool: $1,426,800
January 12 – 17, 2016

Jerry Wong, 2017 Ultimate Re-Entry Champion

The 2017 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open kicked off the schedule with a huge multi-day tournament that drew one of the biggest fields in state history. The event saw 4,756 entries get in the game and they all dropped to the side as local favorite, 2016 WSOP November Niner Jerry Wong outlasted them all to collect the title along with $250,000.

In 2016, the inaugural run of the Ultimate Re-Entry tournament drew 4,075 entries to create the biggest tournament field in Florida poker history. That record was surpassed during the first 2016 Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open” event and the 2017 Ultimate Re-Entry is now the second biggest.

The $360 buy-in tournament had a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool and the huge turnout pushed the prize money over $1.4 million when registration was officially closed with more than $250,000 reserved to the top spot.

The unique format of this tournament allowed players to enter as many opening flights as they wished and collect a multi-stack payout if they were able to advance more than one stack on to Day 2. The smallest stacks would be paid $2,500 with the biggest stack going into play. Each of the eight opening flights played down to 10% of the field to put everyone in the money at the start of Day 2.

Zack Milchman was the biggest winner in the multi-stack payout category. He managed to make the money in an incredible five of eight flights to put $10,000 in his pocket before playing a hand on Day 2. All told, 88 multi-stack payouts were awarded and 387 players returned for Day 2 on Monday.

Casey Carroll was the chip leader at the start of Day 2 but he did not play a role in the latter parts of the tournament. Since everyone was already in the money, the action moved along at a brisk clip and the field dropped under 100 before their dinner break.

A full day of action wasn’t enough to determine a champion on Monday and 22 players returned on Tuesday for some bonus poker with Fabio Pereira leading the way against a talented group that included Wong, Jake Schwartz, Victor Figueroa, Evan Teitelbaum, Nancy Thomas, Marcus Stein, Steven McKoy, and Seminole Hard Rock Poker team member Michael Laake.

The stacks were deep and it took three hours to whittle those 22 players down to the final table. Figueroa and Laake were the two big stacks at the start of the final table but that is when Wong began his great run.

Players dropped left and right while Wong continued to pile up the chips. After Christopher Arcidiacono was eliminated in fifth place, Wong held 42 of the 66 million chips in play and the last four players decided to divide up the remaining prize money with the lion’s share going to Wong as the champion.

“Everyone did what was in their best financial interest, and we reached a deal,” Wong stated afterward.

This is the third biggest score for Wong. He earned $1.1 million for his eighth place finish in the 2016 WSOP Main Event and $725,000 for a third place results in the 2013 PCA Main Event.

“After the (WSOP) Main Event, this is the largest field I’ve been deep in,” Wong said.

“I didn’t win that one, but it feels good to win this one,” he continued. “I played with some pretty tough players and had a nice run of cards, especially after the dinner break.”

Final table results:

1st: Jerry Wong – $250,000
2nd: Nancy Thomas – $104,113
3rd: Victor Figueroa – $103,826
4th: Steven McKoy – $91,241
5th: Christopher Arcidiacono – $45,765
6th: Michael Laake – $34,830
7th: Fabio Pereira – $26,730
8th: Jose De La Cruz – $19,440
9th: Gal Erlichman – $13,770

Event 1: We Have a Deal

$360 Ultimate Re-Entry No Limit Hold’em
Level 34: 250,000/500,000 with a 75,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 4,756
Average Stack: 16,500,000 (33 bb)

With Jerry Wong holding 42 of the 66 million chips in play, the four remaining players took some time to discuss a deal to chop up the remaining prize money.

Wong locked up $250,000 with his huge advantage while Nancy Thomas, Victor Figueroa, and Steven McKoy worked how to divide up the remaining money. Thomas officially took second place followed by Figueroa and McKoy.

Seat 2: Victor Figueroa – 8,925,000 (17 bb)
Seat 3: Steven McKoy – 5,900,000 (11 bb)
Seat 4: Jerry Wong – 42,150,000 (80 bb)
Seat 6: Nancy Thomas – 9,000,000 (18 bb)

1st: Jerry Wong – $250,000
2nd: Nancy Thomas – $104,113
3rd: Victor Figueroa – $103,826
4th: Steven McKoy – $91,241

Event 1: McKoy Doubles Through Thomas

$360 Ultimate Re-Entry No Limit Hold’em
Level 33: 200,000/400,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 4,756
Average Stack: 16,500,000 (41 bb)

Steven McKoy

Steven McKoy opened to 800,000 from under the gun. Nancy Thomas and Victor Figueroa called in the blinds to see the Jc6d3h flop. Thomas moved all-in, Figueroa folded, and McKoy quickly called for his final 4,650,000.

McKoy: AsAc
Thomas: JsTc

McKoy was dominating with his monster over-pair against Thomas’ flopped top pair. He doubled up after the 4d turn and 3c river to swap spots with Thomas.

Steven McKoy – 11,900,000 (30 bb)
Nancy Thomas – 5,100,000 (13 bb)

Event 1: Christopher Arcidiacono – 5th Place ($45,765)

$360 Ultimate Re-Entry No Limit Hold’em
Level 33: 200,000/400,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 4,756
Average Stack: 16,500,000 (41 bb)

Christopher Arcidicono

Christopher Arcidiacono open/shoved from under the gun for 3,750,000 and found a caller in chip leader Jerry Wong in the small blind.

Wong: JhJs
Arcidiacono: Ac2c

Another big pair for Wong and Arcidiacono couldn’t pair his ace on the Qs6d4c8hJc run out to exit in fifth place.

Jerry Wong – 37,700,000 (94 bb)
Christopher Arcidiacono – Eliminated in 5th place ($45,765)

Jerry Wong’s big lead brings out the 500k plaques

Event 1: Thomas Doubles Through Wong

$360 Ultimate Re-Entry No Limit Hold’em
Level 33: 200,000/400,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 4,756
Average Stack: 13,200,000 (33 bb)

Jerry Wong opened to 800,000 from under the gun and Nancy Thomas moved all in over the top for 5,500,000. Everyone else released and Wong called to put Thomas at risk.

Thomas: JhJs
Wong: AhQc

Thomas needed to dodge the over cards and did that on the Kd9c7cKh7s board, though she thought she was out for a second.

“I thought you had AK,” she laughed as she sat back down.

Jerry Wong – 32,600,000 (82 bb)
Nancy Thomas – 11,850,000 (30 bb)

Event 1: Michael Laake – 6th Place ($34,830)

$360 Ultimate Re-Entry No Limit Hold’em
Level 33: 200,000/400,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 4,756
Average Stack: 13,200,000 (33 bb)

Michael Laake

Michael Laake opened to 900,000 from under the gun and it folded around to Jerry Wong in the small blind. He moved all in to get Nancy Thomas to fold her big blind and Laake thought a minute before calling at risk for his 11,125,000 stack.

Wong: AcKd
Laake: AsQs

Laake was in danger and nothing on the 9s8c3c flop changed that. It looked like he was in line for a huge double after the Qc turn but Wong had a lot of outs with the club draw. Wong came back to win the hand on the Kc river to send Laake out and stack up more than half of the chips in play.

Jerry Wong – 33,900,000 (85 bb)
Michael Laake – Eliminated in 6th place ($34,830)

Event 1: Chip Counts at Dinner Break

$360 Ultimate Re-Entry No Limit Hold’em
Upcoming Level 33: 200,000/400,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 4,756
Average Stack: 11,000,000 (27 bb)

The players are in the midst of a 40-minute dinner break. Play resumes at 9:18 pm.

Seat 2: Victor Figueroa – 12,800,000 (32 bb)
Seat 3: Steven McKoy – 9,300,000 (23 bb)
Seat 4: Jerry Wong – 16,700,000 (41 bb)
Seat 6: Nancy Thomas – 7,500,000 (18 bb)
Seat 7: Michael Laake – 12,475,00 (31 bb)
Seat 9: Christopher Arcidiacono – 7,200,000 (18 bb)

Event 1: Laake Pushes Arcidiacono Off Hand

$360 Ultimate Re-Entry No Limit Hold’em
Level 32: 150,000/300,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 4,756
Average Stack: 11,000,000 (37 bb)

Action folded to the blinds and Michael Laake opened to 850,000. Christopher Arcidiacono called to see the 9s5h3s flop and Laake bet 875,000. Arcidiacono responded with a raise to 2,025,000 and Laake shoved after a few minutes thought.

Arcidiacono asked for a count and went in the tank after hearing 7,950,000. After a few minutes, Laake got Arcidiacono’s attention and told him “I don’t think you have anything.”

Arcidiacono thought for a few moments then released his hand after showing the 9d.

“Oh yeah, you had a decision,” Laake laughed and showed Ah4s.

Michael Laake – 12,100,000 (48 bb)
Christopher Arcidiacono – 10,100,000 (40 bb)

Event 1: Fabio Pereira – 7th Place ($26,730)

$360 Ultimate Re-Entry No Limit Hold’em
Level 31: 125,000/250,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 4,756
Average Stack: 11,000,000 (44 bb)

Fabio Pereira

On the last hand of the level, Christopher Arcidiacono opened to 500,000 from under the gun and Fabio Pereira moved all in from the small blind for 5,550,000 to get a snap call from Arcidiacono.

Arcidiacono: KhKd
Pereira: AsQh

Pereira missed his ace but paired the QcJh6s flop. The 9s turn changed nothing and the starting Day 3 chip leader was eliminated after the Tc river.

Christopher Arcidiacono – 13,700,000 (55 bb)
Fabio Pereira – Eliminated in 7th place ($26,730)