Event 25: Long Money Bubble Finally Burst; Final Table Set

$1,100 Big Stack Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 12: 2,500/5,000
Players Remaining: 10 of 84

After about 50 minutes of hand-for-hand play on the Money Bubble, one of the short stacks moved all in for 55,000, and Tom Guedj quickly called.

Short-Stacked Player:  AcQc9d8d
Tom Guedj:  AhAd5h5d

The board came Qs10d4c7d3c — the short-stacked player flopped a gutshot straight draw, and turned an open-ended straight, but he had to avoid diamonds. The river card was a blank, and the pocket aces held up for Guedj to win the pot and eliminate his opponent in 12th place to burst the Money Bubble.

A few minutes later, Mathyeu Provost was eliminated in 11th place, and the final 10 players combined to the final table.

Mathyeu Provost  –  Eliminated in 11th Place  ($2,444)

Final Table - Event 25
Final Table – Event 25

These are the updated chip counts at the start of the final table:

Seat 1.  Zack Milchman  –  72,000  (14 bb)
Seat 2.  Jordan Dhanani  –  34,500  (7 bb)
Seat 3.  Timothy Banks  –  98,500  (20 bb)
Seat 4.  Joseph Irgon  –  107,500  (22 bb)
Seat 5.  Tom Guedj  –  281,500  (56 bb)
Seat 6.  Eitan Elbaz-Dahan  –  49,000  (10 bb)
Seat 7.  Mario Cohen  –  92,000  (18 bb)
Seat 8.  Joseph Rahman  –  98,500  (20 bb)
Seat 9.  Matt Bretzfield  –  281,000  (56 bb)
Seat 10.  Sam Snead  –  185,000  (37 bb)

Event 20: Nathan Grow Wins the $150 No Limit Hold’em Title ($15,006)

2019 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 20
$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  507
Prize Pool:  $60,840
January 20-22, 2019

Nathan Grow - Event 20 Champion
Nathan Grow – Event 20 Champion

When the final three players in the $150 No Limit Hold’em event agreed to chop the remaining prizepool on Tuesday night, it was Nathan Grow who had the lead with more than 72% of all the chips in play to win the title, the trophy, and $15,006.

Two days ago, Grow was chipleader in the Main Event from late on Day 1 to the Money Bubble. But then things turned south for Grow, and he wound up busting in 126th place for a disappointing $2,420.

Yesterday, Grow was the Day 1 chipleader once again, but he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. Grow took several self-imposed breaks during play so he could leave the tournament area and regain his focus.

“I’ve got ADHD, and whenever I get restless I start wanting to play a million hands, so I just have to walk away so I don’t spew off.”

The strategy paid off for Grow in overcoming this field of 507 entries, as he held onto the chip lead for almost all of Day 2 before claiming the victory with an overwhelming chip lead three-handed.

The only bump in the road for Grow came at the final three tables.

“I lost about half of my stack to [runner-up][James][Scott], but then I got it back, and from there just steamrolled through. I just ran good, bluffed at the right times, and sucked out when I needed to.”

Before last week, Grow had only a single live tournament cash on his resume, a seventh-place finish back in 2011 that was worth $1,510. Today he won nearly 10x as much, and with his dominant performance today, it likely won’t be Grow’s last trophy.

Final Table Results:

1st:  Nathan Grow  –  $15,006 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  James Scott  –  $10,090
3rd:  Rebecca Dellagloria  –  $7,458
4th:  Jose Nigaglioni  –  $4,411
5th:  Homero Molina  –  $3,255
6th:  Ignas Jasinevicius  –  $2,586
7th:  Paul Smerdon  –  $1,977
8th:  Marcelo Bellizzi  –  $1,430
9th:  Roman Fomin  –  $1,034
10th:  Paul Prager  –  $791

Event 20: Nathan Grow Wins in a Three-Way Chop ($15,006); James Scott 2nd ($10,090); Rebecca Dellagloria 3rd ($7,458)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27: 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 507

Nathan Grow
Event 20 Champion Nathan Grow

After the elimination of Jose Nigaglioni in fourth place, the final three players agree to a deal to split up the remaining prizepool. These were the official chip counts, followed by the payouts they agreed to:

1.  Nathan Grow  –  5,535,000  (92 bb)
2.  James Scott  –  1,560,000  (26 bb)
3.  Rebecca Dellagloria  –  505,000  (8 bb)

1st:  Nathan Grow  –  $15,006
2nd:  James Scott  –  $10,090
3rd:  Rebecca Dellagloria  –  $7,458

As the chipleader, Grow was declared the winner and received the title, the trophy, and the framed winner’s photo from Image Masters.

James Scott
Second-Place Finisher James Scott

These were the final table results:

1st:  Nathan Grow  –  $15,006
2nd:  James Scott  –  $10,090
3rd:  Rebecca Dellagloria  –  $7,458
4th:  Jose Nigaglioni  –  $4,411
5th:  Homero Molina  –  $3,255
6th:  Ignas Jasinevicius  –  $2,586
7th:  Paul Smerdon  –  $1,977
8th:  Marcelo Bellizzi  –  $1,430
9th:  Roman Fomin  –  $1,034
10th:  Paul Prager  –  $791

Stay tuned for a recap of this event, to be posted later tonight.

Rebecca Dellagloria
Third-Place Finisher Rebecca Dellagloria

Event 20: Jose Nigaglioni – 4th Place ($4,411)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27: 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 507

Jose Nigaglioni
Jose Nigaglioni

Jose Nigaglioni was all in from the cutoff for 300,000 with Ad10s, and he needed to improve to stay alive against the JsJd of James Scott in the small blind.

The board came Jc4c2s3h8d — Scott flopped a set of jacks, Nigaglioni turned a gutshot straight draw, and the river card was a blank. Scott won the pot with his set of jacks to eliminate Nigaglioni in fourth place.

Jose Nigaglioni  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($4,411)

And here are the official chip counts for the final three players:

Seat 1.  Nathan Grow  –  5,535,000  (92 bb)
Seat 2.  James Scott  –  1,560,000  (26 bb)
Seat 3.  Rebecca Dellagloria  –  505,000  (8 bb)

Event 20: Homero Molina – 5th Place ($3,255)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27: 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 507

Homero Molina
Homero Molina

Nathan Grow raised under the gun to 150,000, Homero Molina moved all in from the small blind for 290,000, and Grow called with 6h5d.

Molina turned over Ah7d, and needed his hand to hold to stay alive.

The board came Ad6c2s3h5h — Molina flopped a higher pair to take the lead, but Grow rivered two pair to win the pot. Molina was eliminated in fifth place.

Nathan Grow  –  5,000,000  (83 bb)
Homero Molina  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($3,255)

Event 20: Ignas Jasinevicius – 6th Place ($2,586)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26: 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 507

Ignas Jasinevicius
Ignas Jasinevicius

Jose Nigaglioni moved all in under the gun for 365,000, Ignas Jasinevicius called from the cutoff, and Homero Molina tanked for a while before folding 9s9c face up in the big blind.

Nigaglioni turned over Kd7d, and he needed to improve to stay alive against the AhJc of Jasinevicius.

The board came Qh8s5cQdKh, and Nigaglioni paired his king on the river to win the pot and double up in chips.

Jose Nigaglioni  –  875,000  (18 bb)
Ignas Jasinevicius  –  925,000  (19 bb)

A few minutes later, Nathan Grow raised from the button to 100,000, Jasinevicius moved all in from the small blind for about 800,000, and Grow snap-called with AhAc.

Jasinevicius turned over KhQs, and he needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came 8s8c3c7h5h, and the pocket aces held up for Grow to win the pot and eliminate Jasinevicius in sixth place.

Ignas Jasinevicius  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($2,586)

And here are the approximate chip counts for the final five players:

Seat 1.  Nathan Grow  –  4,400,000  (88 bb)
Seat 2.  James Scott  –  900,000  (18 bb)
Seat 3.  Rebecca Dellagloria  –  700,000  (14 bb)
Seat 4.  Homero Molina  –  475,000  (10 bb)
Seat 5.  Jose Nigaglioni  –  700,000  (14 bb)

Event 20: Recent Eliminations, 7th-24th

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26: 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 507

Frankie Flowers
11th-Place Finisher Frankie Flowers

Here is a list of the players who have been recently eliminated, along with how much they’ve earned.

7th:  Paul Smerdon  –  $1,977
8th:  Marcelo Bellizzi  –  $1,430
9th:  Roman Fomin  –  $1,034

10th:  Paul Prager  –  $791
11th:  Frankie Flowers  –  $791
12th:  Francisco Amaral  –  $791

13th:  Dennis Brinn  –  $639
14th:  Giovanni Massa  –  $639
15th:  Michael Meyer  –  $639

16th:  Adam Barnett  –  $548
17th:  Michael Bonsignore  –  $548
18th:  Gregory Anda  –  $548

19th:  Alexis Puga Alvarino  –  $456
20th:  Brian Guzman  –  $456
21th:  David Harmon  –  $456
22th:  Scott Sommer  –  $456
23rd:  Stephen Krackomberger  –  $456
24th:  John Bolde  –  $456

Event 20: Paul Smerdon – 7th Place ($1,977)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 25: 20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 507

Paul Smerdon
Paul Smerdon

Jose Nigaglioni raised from the hijack to 100,000, Nathan Grow called from the cutoff, and Paul Smerdon moved all in from the small blind for 160,000. Nigaglioni and Grow both called.

Nigaglioni and Grow checked all the way down on a board of Kc5h4s9c4d, and all three players turned over their cards.

Nathan Grow:  8d7d  (eight high)
Jose Nigaglioni:  Ac8h  (ace high)
Paul Smerdon:  Qs10s  (queen high)

Nigaglioni won the pot with his ace high to win the pot and eliminate Smerdon in seventh place.

Jose Nigaglioni  –  790,000  (20 bb)
Nathan Grow  –  3,000,000  (75 bb)
Paul Smerdon  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($1,977)

With six players remaining, the average chip stack is about 1,275,000 (32 big blinds).

Event 24: Rafael Bababekov Leads the Final Table

$570 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19: 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 10 of 182

Final Table - Event 24
Final Table – Event 24

The final 10 players combine to a final table, and Rafael Bababekov has the lead with 576,000 (58 big blinds).

Here are their updated chip counts and seating positions, followed by the remaining prizepool:

Seat 1.  Steve Pollack  –  240,000  (24 bb)
Seat 2.  Elias Nassif  –  415,000  (42 bb)
Seat 3.  Mark Wiser  –  275,000  (28 bb)
Seat 4.  Joseph Cheong  –  401,000  (40 bb)
Seat 5.  Paul Freedman  –  185,000  (19 bb)
Seat 6.  Walter Buss  –  132,000  (13 bb)
Seat 7.  Rafael Bababekov  –  576,000  (58 bb)
Seat 8.  Gautmam Lillaney  –  173,000  (17 bb)
Seat 9.  Ruth Ruffman  –  187,000  (19 bb)
Seat 10.  Luis Mantilla  –  216,000  (22 bb)

1st:  $23,568 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  $15,811
3rd:  $9,328
4th:  $5,674
5th:  $4,382
6th:  $3,631
7th:  $3,094
8th:  $2,721
9th:  $2,358
10th:  $2,002