2017 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open 
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
Event 11
$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Entries: 105
Prize Pool: $157,500 (Inclusive of $52,500 in Bounties)
November 26-27, 2017

To say Ken Ray’s path to victory in the $1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry) was tumultuous would be an understatement.

“I came back to life five or six different times over the course of the tournament,” said Ray after the final three players agreed to an even chop.

“It was crazy today, but it was fun.”

As the chip leader when the deal was agreed upon, the 59-year-old Ray officially was declared the winner. Hailing from Cumberland, Maine, Ray doesn’t often get the chance to play tournament poker.

“I love poker, but there isn’t a lot in Maine. I play in New Hampshire in a couple of home games, but I try to travel to areas where there are tournaments.”

For Ray,  it was a good run at the 2017 World Series of Poker that’s given him the confidence and opportunity to play a little more often. He finished 23rd in a $5,000 No Limit Hold’em turbo event for $14,277, and he used those winnings to enter the $10,000 Main Event where he finished 248th for $40,181.

“I came down here for the golf, but decided to play a little poker too. I’ve had a good year for someone that doesn’t play a lot,  and it’s been a lot of fun.”

Full Results:

*1st:  Ken Ray – $20,859 + Trophy
*2nd: Brandon Caputo – $20,859
*3rd: Derek Bowers – $20,859
4th: Johanssy Joseph – $7,613
5th: Matt Shafman – $5,880
6th: Alexandre Caperonis – $4,830
7th: David Eller – $4,095
8th: Yvonne McQuillan – $3,570
9th: Phil Laak – $3,150
10th: Nick Pupillo – $2,783
11th: Anton Wigg – $2,783
12th: Arkadiy Tsinis $2,783
13th: Gerald Aiello – $2,468
14th: Bruce Kramer – $2,468

*denotes three-way even chop

• Download: Final Results (PDF)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guarantee | Structure | Payouts
Level 23: 6,000/12,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 105

The remaining three players have agreed to an even chop. Here were the chip counts at the time of the deal:

Ken Ray – 526,000 (44 bb)
Brandon Caputo – 402,000 (33 bb)
Derek Bowers – 332,000 (28 bb)

As chip leader, Ken Ray is the official winner.

1st:  Ken Ray – $20,859 + Trophy
2nd: Brandon Caputo – $20,859
3rd: Derek Bowers – $20,859
4th: Johanssy Joseph – $7,613
5th: Matt Shafman – $5,880
6th: Alexandre Caperonis – $4,830
7th: David Eller – $4,095
8th: Yvonne McQuillan – $3,570
9th: Phil Laak – $3,150
10th: Nick Pupillo – $2,783
11th: Anton Wigg – $2,783
12th: Arkadiy Tsinis $2,783
13th: Gerald Aiello – $2,468
14th: Bruce Kramer – $2,468

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guarantee | Structure | Payouts
Level 23: 6,000/12,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 105

Derek Bowers was all in from the button for 160,000 against Ken Ray in the big blind.

Bowers:
Ray:

The flop fell , giving Ray a pair of fours with a flush draw.

“Every time there’s a sweat against you,” chuckled Bowers.

The turn and river completed the board, though, as Bowers faded Ray’s many outs to double up.

Derek Bowers – 332,000 (28 bb)
Ken Ray – 526,000 (44 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guarantee | Structure | Payouts
Level 23: 6,000/12,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 105

Ken Ray limped from the button, Derek Bowers limped from the small blind, and Brandon Caputo raised to 62,000 from the big blind. Ray folded, and Bowers called all in for 62,000.

Bowers:
Caputo:

The board ran out , giving Bowers a queen-high straight to double through Caputo.

Derek Bowers – 142,000 (12 bb)
Brandon Caputo – 576,000 (48 bb)

Two orbits later, Bowers was all in from the small blind for 100,000 and Caputo called from the big blind.

Bowers:
Caputo:

The board came down , safe for Bowers to double up again.

Derek Bowers – 206,000 (17 bb)
Brandon Caputo – 435,000 (36 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guarantee | Structure | Payouts
Level 23: 6,000/12,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 105

Brandon Caputo raised to 26,000 from the button, Ken Ray three-bet shoved for 262,000 from the small blind, Derek Bowers called from the big blind, and Caputo folded.

Ray:
Bowers:

The board came down , giving Ray a flush to double through Bowers.

Ken Ray – 556,000 (46 bb)
Derek Bowers – 72,000 (6 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guarantee | Structure | Payouts
Upcoming Level 23: 6,000/12,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 105

Brandon Caputo – 682,000 (57 bb)
Derek Bowers – 330,000 (27 bb)
Ken Ray – 248,000 (21 bb)

1st: $31,497 + Trophy
2nd: $19,425
3rd: $11,655
4th: Johanssy Joseph – $7,613
5th: Matt Shafman – $5,880
6th: Alexandre Caperonis – $4,830
7th: David Eller – $4,095
8th: Yvonne McQuillan – $3,570
9th: Phil Laak – $3,150
10th: Nick Pupillo – $2,783
11th: Anton Wigg – $2,783
12th: Arkadiy Tsinis $2,783
13th: Gerald Aiello – $2,468
14th: Bruce Kramer – $2,468

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guarantee | Structure | Payouts
Level 22: 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 105

Ken Ray raised  from the button, Derek Bowers three-bet to 105,000 from the small blind, and Ray called.

The flop was , Bowers bet effectively 46,000, and Ray called all in.

Bowers:
Ray:

The turn kept Bowers ahead, but the river gave Ray a flush to double up.

Ken Ray – 315,000 (31 bb)
Derek Bowers – 325,000 (32 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guarantee | Structure | Payouts
Level 22: 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 105

Brandon Caputo raised from the small blind to 28,000, and Ken Ray called from the big blind.

The flop came down , and Caputo continued for 18,000. Ray called, the turn was the , and Caputo bet 53,000. Ray raised all in with a covering stack, and Caputo called all in for 255,000 with for a set of queens. Ray showed for an inferior set, and was not helped by the river.

Brandon Caputo – 620,000 (62 bb)
Ken Ray – 123,000 (12 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guarantee | Structure | Payouts
Level 22: 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 105

Derek Bowers raised to 27,000 from the button, Ken Ray reraised all in for 193,000 from the big blind, and Bowers called.

Bowers:
Ray:

The board came down , giving Ray a pair of queens to double through Bowers.

Ken Ray – 394,000 (39 bb)
Derek Bowers – 580,000 (58 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guarantee | Structure | Payouts
Level 22: 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 105

Brandon Caputo raised all in for 163,000 from under the gun, and Johanssy Joseph called all in for slightly less from the button.

Caputo:
Joseph:

The board came down , no help to Joseph, ending his tournament in fourth place.

Brandon Caputo – 325,000 (32 bb)
Johanssy Joseph – Eliminated in 4th Place ($7,613)