2023 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 17
$1,100 Deep Stack Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Entries:  117
Prizepool:  $113,490
July 31 – August 1, 2023

On Tuesday afternoon, 17 players returned to action in the Seniors event, and it reached heads-up play so quickly that the average chip stack for the final two players was 118 big blinds. It took less than half an hour for the final table to drop from seven players to the final two.

But then things slowed down considerably, and there was a two-and-a-half-hour heads-up battle between Steven Bennett and Mark Edward Kerness, with Bennett coming out on top to win the title, the trophy, and $33,010.

“It feels great,” said Bennett. “It’s been a long time.”

This is the third trophy for Bennett in major events here at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood.

“Winning the trophy feels like I’m doing something right,” said Bennett. “I know I’m playing at least well enough that if I run well I can win.”

When asked about his thoughts on Seniors events, Bennett said, “There’s always some really good players in them. But there are some spots where some players just play the exact same way all the time, so you can kind of figure out how they’re playing. So in thin spots, you know what to do more.”

Bennett particularly praised this specific Seniors event, as he was a big fan of the two-day format and the longer blind levels that kicked in on Day 2.

“Honestly, this was the best Seniors event,” said Bennett. “They usually have a couple of Seniors events, but I really like this one. I like the structure. You don’t have to play 14 hours on the first day, you only play eight. I hope they don’t change anything, because I think it will only get bigger.”

Will we see Bennett in the Championship event this weekend?

“I’ll probably fire a satellite,” said Bennett. “I told myself that if I won this, I’d direct buy, but we’ll see.”

Results: