2017 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, FL
Event 9
$150 No Limit Hold’em
Entries: 1,239
Prize Pool: $148,680
January 22 – 25, 2016

Event 9 was the last multi-day tournament on the 2017 Seminole Lucky Hearts Poker Open schedule and the small buy-in/big prize pool tournament brought out a lot of players. There were more than 1,200 entries in the game but it was Jordan Meltzer topping them all to take home the big prize and the LHPO trophy.

Event 9 helped close out the series with a $150 buy-in tournament with a big $100,000 guaranteed prize pool. There were six starting flights and they combined for 1,239 entries to put the prize pool up to $148,680. A huge increase on the guarantee. The last 72 players earned a piece but they would have to work for it after the opening flights.

Only 119 players survived for a shot at glory on Day 2. They joined together in the ballroom and quickly played down to the bubble in 90 minutes. Even after Afir Amirali put them in the money, they still didn’t slow down and were down to 22 players on dinner break.

Those players were relocated to The Poker Room to play it out and that is when Meltzer took command of the tournament. He was third in chips at a talented ten-handed final table and did a lot of work to get it shorter by knocking out several players.

Meltzer eliminated Bill Farnan in fourth place to hold more than 70% of the chips with three remaining. They quickly came to an agreement to chop up the rest of the prize pool with former SHRP champions Nicholas Mahabee and Franki Flowers taking home $20,000 each and Meltzer taking the remaining $33,620.

As Meltzer was processing the win and getting ready for his winner’s photo, he requested to take the picture with a pair of jacks. That was the favorite hand of his friend Jonathan “theSauceMkr” Abla who recently passed and Meltzer dedicated this win to him.

“I’ve been trying to win one for him ever since,” Meltzer commented. “I’m just really glad I could do it.”

Meltzer added to his $160,000 in career earnings, but in the end, all he wanted to do was to remember his friend who’s no longer here.

Congrats to Jordan for setting a goal and finishing it out to close the series. It was a great way to end the latest Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open and we crowned a very deserving champion.

Final table results:

1st: Jordan Weltzer – $33,620
2nd: Nicholas Mahabee – $20,000
3rd: Frankie Flowers – $20,000
4th: Bill Farnan – $9,590
5th: Voitto Rintala – $6,691
6th: Homero Molina – $5,204
7th: Andrew Thompson – $4,014
8th: Mark Nahama – $2,974
9th: Marcelo Bellizzi – $2,082

• Download: Event 9 Complete Results (PDF)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 32: 75,000/150,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 1,239

After Bill Farnan was eliminated, the three remaining players quickly agreed to a deal to chop up the rest of the prize pool. Frankie Flowers and Nicholas Mahabee grabbed $20,000 with the rest going to Jordan Meltzer as the overwhelming leader.

Counts:
Jordan Meltzer – 8,720,000 (58 bb)
Nicholas Mahabee – 1,850,000 (12 bb)
Frankie Flowers – 1,775,000 (12 bb)

1st: Jordan Weltzer – $33,620
2nd: Nicholas Mahabee – $20,000
3rd: Frankie Flowers – $20,000

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 32: 75,000/150,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 1,239

Bill Farnan opened to 450,000 from the button and Jordan Meltzer moved all-in from the small blind after a 90-second think. Frankie Flowers folded his big blind and Farnan called for his final 2,225,000.

Meltzer:
Farnan:

Farnan had two live cards and nailed the flop but Meltzer picked up the flush draw. The turn was a blank but the river filled the flush for Meltzer to send Farnan out in fourth place.

Jordan Meltzer – 8,500,000 (57 bb)
Bill Farnan – Eliminated in 4th place ($9,550)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 32: 75,000/150,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 1,239

Bill Farnan opened to 350,000 from the cutoff and Jordan Meltzer moved all-in from the button. Frankie Flowers called all-in from the small blind for 850,000 and Farnan released.

Flowers:
Meltzer:

It was a race but Meltzer took a huge lead on the flop. Flowers needed a ton of help, found the first saving club on the turn and completed the double up comeback on the river to double.

Jordan Meltzer – 4,600,000 (31 bb)
Frankie Flowers – 2,150,000 (14 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 32: 75,000/150,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 1,239

Voitto Rintala moved all-in from the button for 1,300,000 and Jordan Meltzer called from the big blind to put him at risk.

Meltzer:
Rintala:

Rintala needed to hit to find his over or some miracle cards to double but the was clean for Meltzer.

Jordan Meltzer – 5,500,000 (37 bb)
Voitto Rintala – Eliminated in 5th place ($6,691)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 31: 60,000/120,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 1,239

Homero Molina open/shoved for 820,000 and Jordan Meltzer called to put him at risk.

Meltzer:
Molina:

Molina needed to catch to stay alive but blanked the entire board to exit in sixth place.

Jordan Meltzer – 2,700,000 (23 bb)
Homero Molina – Eliminated in 6th place ($5,204)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 31: 60,000/120,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 1,239

Bill Farnan opened to 330,000 from the cutoff and Andrew Thompson called in the small blind to the flop. Thompson checked, Farnan bet 700,000 and Thompson moved all-in for 1,080,000. Farnan called and the hands were tabled.

Farnan:
Thompson:

Thompson was in tough shape and couldn’t come back on the turn or river to exit in seventh place.

Bill Farnan – 3,400,000 (28 bb)
Andrew Thompson – Eliminated in 7th place ($4,014)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 30: 50,000/100,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 1,239

Action slowed at the seven-handed table and the players decided to look at numbers to divide up the remaining prize pool. They could not come to a consensus and cards are moving again.

Seat 1: Andrew Thompson – 1,740,000 (17 bb)
Seat 2: — Empty —
Seat 3: Jordan Meltzer – 1,625,000 (16 bb)
Seat 4: Frankie Flowers – 1,990,000 (20 bb)
Seat 5: — Empty —
Seat 6: Nicholas Mahabee – 1,030,000 (10 bb)
Seat 7: Voitto Rintala – 1,900,000 (19 bb)
Seat 8: Bill Fanman – 2,455,000 (25 bb)
Seat 9: Homero Molina – 1,700,000 (17 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 1,239

Andrew Thompson open/shoved from early position, Nicholas Mahabee called on the button, and Mark Nahama called in the big blind for ~275,000.

Thompson:
Mahabee:
Nahama:

Namaha caught part of the flop but Thompson’s aces held after the turn and to send Nahama out while piling up better than a double.

Andrew Thompson – 1,450,000 (18 bb)
Nicholas Mahabee – 1,800,000 (23 bb)
Mark Nahama – Eliminated in 8th place ($2,947)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 28: 30,000/60,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 9 of 1,239

Matthew Yorra open/shoved from under the gun for 195,000 and Jordan Meltzer three-bet to 450,000 from the small blind. Frankie Flowers folded his big blind and the hands were tabled.

Meltzer:
Yorra:

Yorra hit a piece of the flop but couldn’t catch the rest of the way on the turn or river to exit the final table in tenth place.

Jordan Meltzer – 2,100,000 (35 bb)
Matthew Yorra – Eliminated in 10th place ($1,487)