The 2022 Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open consisted of 44 trophy events over 15 days of action that once again drew record numbers to the Grand Ballroom. The place was packed and the prize pools were huge.
Guarantees: $5,250,000
Prize Pools: $13,482,340
The entry count and prize pool numbers represent the biggest we’ve had for the RRPO series. It was the fifth biggest series in our history, trailing only the traditionally bigger Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open and Poker Showdown series.
2022 Showdown – 20,359 entries
2022 SHRPO – 20,045 entries
2021 SHRPO – 19,881 entries
2013 SHRPO – 18,018 entries
2022 RRPO – 16,284 entries
The WPT RRPO Championship headlined the series and drew 1,541 entries for the $3,500 buy-in tournament. The field more than doubled the $2,000,000 guarantee into a prize pool worth $4,931,200 and Andrew Wilson took the Championship title for a $785,800 payday.
The final table featured three former winners, including defending champ Gediminas Uselis, three-time WPT champ Brian Altman, and (now) WPT Player of the Year front-runner Chad Eveslage.
The series kicked off with the massive $400 Deep Stack tournament that drew 6,134 entries over eight starting flights for a prize pool worth more than $2,000,000. Peter Hsu won the tournament and collect $191K for the win.
Other notable wins include Raminder Singh extending his record for most major Hollywood titles; he won the $600 Turbo NLH event to take home the ninth Hollywood trophy of his career.
Three players posed for RRPO winner’s photos twice; Michael Newman ($400 Turbo and $300 Bounty), Eric Afriat ($1,700 Purple Chip Bounty and $400 Seniors), and John Holley ($600 PLO and $400 Omaha 8/Stud 8) went double during the series with Afriat and Holley doing it on back-to-back days.
With Scott Baumstein and David Shmuel also winning titles this series, we have a fresh look at the all-time trophy list:
Raminder Singh – 9 wins
Michael Newman – 8 wins
Brian Altman – 7 wins
David Prociak – 7 wins
Gabriel Ramos – 7 wins
Yuval Bronshtein – 7 wins
David Shmuel – 6 wins
John Holley – 6 wins
Scott Baumstein – 6 wins
A huge thanks to our old friends and new; we appreciate every one of our players and their support. We look forward to seeing everyone when we kick off the new year with the 2023 Lucky Hearts Poker Open!
WPT RRPO Championship: Andrew Wilson – $785,800
Event 1 ($400 Multi-Flight): Peter Hsu – $191,223
Event 2 ($600 Seniors): Wilmer Chivara – $16,031
Event 3 ($600 Big O): Chris Kostoulas – $7,418
Event 4 ($200 Bounty): Jesus Figueroa – $4,313
Event 5 ($600 H.O.R.S.E.): A.J. Kelsall – $13,625
Event 6 ($1,100 5-Card PLO): Robert Lupo – $24,148
Event 7 ($150 Big Stack): Joseph Diaz – $6,935
Event 8 ($600 Turbo): Matt Bretzfield – $5,828
Event 9 ($600 O8): Sal Pipitone – $16,900
Event 10 ($600 Bounty): Dan Chlimper – $15,425
Event 11 ($600 PLO8): Long Nguyen – $18,065
Event 12 ($400 NLH): Scott Baumstein – $27,965
Event 13 ($1,100 6-Max NLH): Glen Cressman – $46,170
Event 14 ($600 PLO): John Holley – $30,191
Event 15 ($600 Turbo): Raminder Singh – $7,897
Event 16 ($400 OE): John Holley – $8,950
Event 17 ($200 Big Stack): Chris Lewis – $32,400
Event 18 ($400 Turbo): Michael Newman – $7,136
Event 19 ($400 6-Max NLH): Larry Elliott – $7,965
Event 20 ($1,100 Shootout): Colin Robinson – $22,135
Event 21 ($1,700 Bounty PLO): David Moreno – $26,020
Event 22 ($400 Turbo): Matt Vinke – $7,095
Event 23 ($400 Bounty PLO): David Goodis – $9,450
Event 24 ($200 Bounty): Christopher Corrales – $5,695
Event 25 ($150 Holiday DS): Igor Tolstov – $7,816
Event 27 ($400 Bounty): Daniyal Gheba – $9,550
Event 28 ($600 Mixed PLO): Floyd Scott – $10,090
Event 29 ($400 Ladies): Lisa Levy – $5,870
Event 30 ($150 Big Stack): Sebastian Espinoza – $4,052
Event 31 ($400 Bounty): Alexander Perez – $12,806
Event 32 ($10K PLO): Elliott Kampen – $121,600
Event 33 ($1,700 Bounty): Eric Afriat – $46,515
Event 34 ($600 NLH): Duff Charette – $76,075
Event 35 ($1,100 Turbo): Matthew Davenport – $18,870
Event 36 ($1,100 NLH): Milen Stefanov – $33,640
Event 37 ($25K High Roller): Sergio Aido – $500,000
Event 38 ($400 H.O.R.S.E.): David Shmuel – $7,471
Event 39 ($5,000 PLO): Dominique Mosley – $61,170
Event 40 ($150 Big Stack): Alexander Morgovsky – $4,112
Event 41 ($400 Seniors): Eric Afriat – $9,110
Event 42 ($5,000 NLH): Frank Lagodich – $133,241
Event 43 ($1,100 6-Max PLO): Rafael Rodriguez – $28,895
Event 44 ($400 Bounty): Michael Newman – $6,437
, only to see Wilson turn over 
. 
, forcing a chopped pot with two pair on the board and an ace kicker. Even though he was saved by the river, Kay was still down 10-to-1 in chips. But that chopped pot seemed to give him new life.
, Wilson bet, and Kay moved all in with 
, and the kings held up for Wilson to win the title, the trophy, and $785,800.
, the river card was the 
, and Wilson won the pot — and the WPT title — with pocket kings.
, and Josh Kay called all in for 12,800,000 with 
, and Kay paired his king on the flop to win the pot and double up in chips, cutting Wilson’s lead to about 2-to-1.
, and Kay called.
. Wilson checked, Kay moved all in, and Wilson snap-called all in for about 25,000,000 with 
, and Wilson called.
, Kay bet 1,600,000, and Wilson called.
, Kay checked, Wilson bet 5,800,000, and Kay called.
, Kay checked, and Wilson used one of his Time Chips to tank for nearly a minute before he moved all in.
, and Wilson paired his five on the turn to pick up additional outs, but improved no further. Kay won the pot with his pocket eights to double up in chips.