2017 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, FL
Event 6
$360 No Limit Hold’em Black Chip Bounty 
Entries: 157
Prize Pool: $31,400 + $15,700 in bounties
March 20, 2017

Gil Aboodi won the $360 no limit hold’em black chip bounty event on Monday night. Aboodi came out on top of a basically even six-way chop, where he bested a field of 157 entries to win $3,647, the trophy and a seat into the freeroll with a $10,000 WPT Finale seat on the line.

Aboodi, who splits time between New Jersey and Florida, doesn’t like the spotlight that tournament poker can sometimes put on him, but was still fairly elated about the win.

“It feels great,” said Aboodi. “I left some money on the table since I was the chip leader, but hopefully I win the next tournament and get that seat.”

During the chop negotiations, Aboodi was one of the players hesitant to accept the deal, but once he realized that he had secured a seat in the freeroll, he was more amenable towards finalizing the deal.

Unlike many other deals, this event had a basically even six-way chop. Aboodi received two dollars more than the second through sixth place finishers. Even John De Soto, who had five big blinds at the time of the chop, took home an even share of the prizepool.

Runner-up James Conner was adamant about doing an even chop. Aboodi was skeptical about the deal at first, but the freeroll seat that he would receive tipped the scales in favor of doing it. Just from a math perspective, Aboodi likes his chances of getting a seat into the WPT Finale.

“It’s only 14 people,” said Aboodi. “So, I got a better chance than in a tournament that has hundreds of people. We’ll see.”

Aboodi has been playing poker for quite some time, but mostly in a cash game setting. He didn’t make the switch to tournament poker until two years ago, but he likes the steady improvement he’s been seeing.

“I’m climbing the ladder,” said Aboodi. “I got two fifths and sixth places and now I’ve won a couple. It feels good.”

Here is a look at the results:

1st: Gil Aboodi – $3,647 + Freeroll seat
2nd: James Conner – $3,645
3rd: Haim Toorgeman – $3,645
4th: Anthony Astarita – $3,645
5th: Wai Ngai – $3,645
6th: John De Soto – $3,645
7th: Narimaan Ahmadi – $1,091
8th: Paula Alibrandi – $980
9th: Gary Greenlee – $844
10th: Austin Paramore – $738
11th: Michael Watkins – $738
12th: Alfred Vargas – $738
13th: Daren Stabinski – $636
14th: Aaron Hemphill – $636
15th: David Lithgow – $636
16th: Yousef Nassr – $537
17th: Mark Wiser – $537
18th: Claudio Docarmo – $537
19th: Dmitry Savelyev – $440
20th: Donald Drapel – $440

$360 No Limit Hold’em Black Chip Bounty
Level 19: 4,000/8,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 157

The final six players agreed to an even six-way chop. All six players, including John De Soto who only had five big blinds, will take home $3,645 and Gil Aboodi takes home the trophy and the seat to the $10,000 WPT Finale freeroll.

A complete recap will be posted later tonight.

$360 No Limit Hold’em Black Chip Bounty
Level 19: 4,000/8,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 157

James Conner raised to 22,000 from the cutoff and Gil Aboodi called from the small blind. They were heads-up to a flop of and Aboodi led out for 21,000.

Conner moved all in for 175,000 and Aboodi went into the tank.

“I have a feeling I’m outkicked,” said Aboodi.

After tanking for a couple minutes, Aboodi called. Aboodi showed and was dominated by Conner’s .

“My feeling was right,” said Aboodi.

The turn was the and the river was the . Conner doubled up with two pair.

James Conner – 388,000 (48 bb)
Gil Aboodi – 290,000 (36 bb)

$360 No Limit Hold’em Black Chip Bounty
Level 18: 3,000/6,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 157

Gil Aboodi raised from middle position to 12,000 and James Conner defended his big blind.

The flop was and Conner checked. Aboodi bet 30,000 and Conner check-raised all in for 120,000. Aboodi called.

Conner showed , good for trip threes, and is in the lead against Aboodi’s . The turn was the and the river was the . Conner doubles up with a full house and takes a chunk out of Aboodi’s chip lead.

James Conner – 273,000 (45 bb)
Gil Aboodi – 435,000 (72 bb)

$360 No Limit Hold’em Black Chip Bounty
Level 18: 3,000/6,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 157

On the turn with the board reading , Nick Ahmadi checked from the small blind and Gil Aboodi moved all in from under the gun.

Ahmadi called and was the all in player for his last 140,000. Ahmadi showed , but was in trouble against Aboodi’s .

The river was the and Ahmadi was eliminated in seventh place for $1,091. Aboodi extends his already large chip lead.

Gil Aboodi – 570,000 (95 bb)
Nick Ahmadi – Eliminated

$360 No Limit Hold’em Black Chip Bounty
Level 17: 2,500/5,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 157

James Conner moved all in for 76,000 from under the gun and Gil Aboodi called from the cutoff.

Conner showed 8d8s and is flipping with Aboodi’s . The board ran out and Conner doubles up with a full house.

James Conner – 162,500 (32 bb)
Gil Aboodi – 355,000 (71 bb)

$360 No Limit Hold’em Black Chip Bounty
Level 16: 2,000/4,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 157

Paula Alibrandi moved all in from middle position for 68,000 and Anthony Astarita moved all in for about 180,000 from the cutoff. Everybody else got out of the way and the cards are tabled.

Astarita showed and was dominating Alibrandi’s .

The board ran out and Astarita wins the pot to pick up a bounty and eliminate Alibrandi in eighth place. She took home $980 for her deep run.

Anthony Astarita – 255,000 (63 bb)
Paula Alibrandi – Eliminated

$360 No Limit Hold’em Black Chip Bounty
Level 16: 2,000/4,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 8 of 157

Gary Greenlee moved all in from under the gun for his last 38,000 and Nick Ahmadi called from middle position.

Greenlee showed and was dominated by Ahmadi’s . The board ran out and Ahmadi wins the pot with ace-high to eliminate Greenlee in ninth place.

Nick Ahmadi – 217,000 (54 bb)
Gary Greenlee – Eliminated

$360 No Limit Hold’em Black Chip Bounty
Level 16: 2,000/4,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 9 of 157

With a double elimination last hand, the $360 no limit hold’em black chip bounty is down to its final table. Gil Aboodi leads the final nine players with 400,00 in chips.

Here is a look at the seating arrangement and chip counts for the final table:

Seat 1: Gary Greenlee – 39,000
Seat 2: Anthony Astarita – 167,000
Seat 3: James Conner – 97,000
Seat 4: Nick Ahmadi – 161,500
Seat 5: Haim Toorgeman – 220,000
Seat 6: Gil Aboodi – 400,000
Seat 7: Wai Ngai – 192,000
Seat 8: Paul Alibrandi – 90,000
Seat 9: John De Soto – 181,000

Here are a look at the remaining payouts:

1st: $8,437
2nd: $5,475
3rd: $3,226
4th: $1,936
5th: $1,515
6th: $1,256
7th: $1,091
8th: $980
9th: $844

$360 Black Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 14: 1,200/2,400 with a 400 Ante
Players Remaining: 18 of 157

It took a little while to get there, but the Black Chip Bounty is now in the money and down to the last two tables. Daren Stabinski and WPTDeepStacks Tampa champ Antony Anastasi are still around but there’s still a long way to go.