2017 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open 
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida 
Event 16
$250 No Limit Hold’em 
Entries: 91 
Prize Pool: $30,000 
November 29, 2017 

Dennis O’Connor’s 2017 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open got off to a rough start, but he finished strong with back-to-back final tables and a win to close out his series.

O’Connor defeated 91 entries in the $250 no limit hold’em on the final day of the series. He took first place as part of a three-way chop and earned $6,000.

“It feels wonderful,” said O’Connor. “It was a long series for me. I didn’t cash in much. So, finishing up the last day was very much needed.”

The Pennsylvania native made two final tables in as many days after finishing sixth yesterday in the $300 HORSE. Despite, by his own admission, pretty green in 60% of the games in the mix, it was a nice confidence boost heading into Wednesday’s $250 no limit hold’em.

“The HORSE defnitely helped me out a lot because I was busting out of so many tournaments prior to that,” said O’Connor. “So, when I finally finished up int he HORSE tournament, especially since thy weren’t my strongest games, that helped a lot.”

O’Connor was comfortable in the two flop games, but avoided the stud variants until he was forced into some pots at the final table, which is what inevitably sent him to the rail.

On Wednesday, he was playing a game he was playing a game that he’s made a living playing for the last three years. O’Connor has been making his living playing no limit hold’em cash games for the last three years.

He is new to the tournament scene, however, having only started playing tournaments a month ago at a tournament stop in Jacksonville. He talked to a few friends of him and worked on his tournament game.

His early tournament success brought him down to South Florida to take his shot at this tournament series.

“I just came in for the series,” said O’Connor. “I have a couple of friends that have done very well in some tournaments and stuff. I just started playing tournaments last month.”

It’s no surprise that O’Connor enjoys Florida after his success. He just recently sold his house in Pennsylvania and is traveling around the country for the next few months playing cards and looking for a new place to live.

He might just become a new regular at the Hard Rock.

“I love Florida overall,” said O’Connor. “And the poker scene in Florida is wonderful.”

Results:

1st: Dennis O’Connor – $6,000*
2nd: Kane Lai – $5,800*
3rd: Adam Koppel – $4,996*
4th: Daren Stabinski – $1,890
5th: Mitchell Mantin – $1,470
6th: Daiane Mendes – $1,230
7th: Eric Rivnki – $1,065
8th: Matthew Yorra – $947
9th: David Moreno – $839
10th: Alain Rodriguez – $735
11th: Gregory Baird – $735
12th: Jesse Hatfield – $735
13th: Ethiel Garcia – $638
14th: Butchie Mitchell – $638
15th: Marc Kropf – $638
16th: Syed Shah – $548
17th: Lev Parnas – $548
18th: Solange Lucas – $548

• Download: Final Results (PDF)

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 20: 3,000/6,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 91

Mitchell Mantin was eliminated in fifth place and Daren Stabinski was eliminated in fourth, leaving the three bigger stacks discussing a deal.

Dennis O’Connor held the chip lead and got credit for the victory. Kane Lai took second and Adam Koppel finished third.

Here are the final table results:

1st: Dennis O’Connor – $6,000
2nd: Kane Lai – $5,800
3rd: Adam Koppel – $4,996
4th: Daren Stabinski – $1,890
5th: Mitchell Mantin – $1,470
6th: Daiane Mendes – $1,230
7th: Eric Rivkin – $1,065
8th: Matthew Yorra – $947
9th: David Moreno – $839

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 19: 3,000/6,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 91

After eliminating Daiane Mandes in fifth place, Dennis O’Connor took the chip lead with five remaining and then extended it in a pot with Daren Stabinski.

On the river with a completed board of , Stabinski checked from the big blind and O’Connor moved all in for Stabinski’s remaining 49,000. Stabinski thought for a couple minutes and then folded.

O’Connor flashed , giving him the nuts, and has a huge lead with five players remaining.

Here are how the chip counts look for the remaining five players;

Adam Koppel – 215,000
Mithcell Mantin – 65,000
Daren Stabinski – 49,000
Kane Lai – 135,000
Dennis O’Connor – 405,000

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 16: 1,500/3,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 10 of 91

The $250 no limit hold’em event is down to its final 10 players and they have redrawn for seats at the unofficial final table.

With one more elimination, the final nine players will be credited with a final table. Here is a look at the seating arrangement and chip counts of the final 10 players:

Seat 1: Adam Koppel – 68,500
Seat 2: David Moreno – 12,000
Seat 3: Matthew Yorra – 107,500
Seat 4: Mitchell Mantin – 95,000
Seat 5: Daiane Mendes – 95,000
Seat 6: Alan Ramos – 52,000
Seat 7: Daren Stabinski – 127,000
Seat 8: Kane Lai – 105,000
Seat 9: Eric Rivkin – 81,000
Seat 10: Dennis O’Connor – 172,500

Here are the remaining payouts:

1st: $8,381
2nd: $5,280
3rd: $3,135
4th: $1,890
5th: $1,470
6th: $1,230
7th: $1,065
8th: $947
9th: $839
10th: $735

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 9: 300/600 with a 100 ante
Total Entries: 91

With cards in the air at the start of level 9, registration is closed for the $250 no limit hold’em event. There are 91 entries in the second to last event of the series and the top 18 spots will finish in the money.

Here are the payouts for the event:

1st: $8,381
2nd: $5,280
3rd: $3,135
4th: $1,890
5th: $1,470
6th: $1,230
7th: $1,065
8th: $947
9th: $839
10th-12th: $735
13th-15th: $638
16th-18th: $548

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guarantee | Structure
Level 1: 25/50

Time is running out to pick up an RRPO trophy and this afternoon kicks off a great value tournament. Event 16 is a $250 buy-in tournament with a nice $30,000 guaranteed prize pool that will award a trophy before the night is through.

Each entrant will start with a 10,000 stack and play 30-minute levels throughout the day. Late registration is available until the start of Level 9 at 4:30pm and unlimited re-entries are available during that time.

Before we are done today, we will crown one of the last RRPO champions of the series. Cards fly at noon and we’ll keep an eye on the field as they play down to a winner.

• $30,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 10,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 16 Structure Sheet

Primary Event Schedule

12PM: Final Table – $3,500 RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)

• Championship Final Table Seat and Counts
• Championship Payouts

12PM: Event 16 – $250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

• $30,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 10,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 16 Structure Sheet

1PM: Event 12 Day 2 – $150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

• Event 12 Day 2 Chip Counts
• Event 12 Day 2 Table/Seat Assignments
• Event 12 Payouts

6PM: Event 17 – $100 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

• $20,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 15,000 in chips and 20-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 17 Structure Sheet