2017 April Big Slick
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Hollywood, FL
$1,100 No Limit Hold’em
Entries: 148
Prize Pool: $143,560
April 28-30, 2017

Plantation pros nabs first major victory, punches his ticket into August’s Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship.

(Hollywood, FL) — AJ Gambino won the April Big Slick at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sunday night scoring $39,632 along with a $5,250 seat in August’s Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship. The $1,100 buy-in event featured two starting flights each allowing a single re-entry. In all, the tournament drew a field of 148 entries amassing a total prize pool of $143,560. Gambino beat out a tough Day 2 field that included Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi, Seminole Hard Rock regulars Paul Balzano and Michael Newman and chip leader Kevin Chan.

Gambino is a 28-year-old professional poker player who resides in Plantation. He moved to the States about a year ago after spending some time in Canada making his living playing online. The Big Slick victory marks his first major win, but simply complements a tournament resume that now boasts over $450,000 in earnings including a $119,000 score in a $1,600 buy-in event in Las Vegas this summer.

Joining Gambino as Big Slick cashers were Chan (third, $14,787), Newman (4th, $8,977), Chad Eveslage (13th, $2,943) and David Shmuel (19th, $2,153). Mizrachi, who was coming off a win in last week’s $130 Big Stack Special, headlined the action before bowing just shy of the final table in 10th.

Proving to be his toughest opponent, South Florida standout TK Miles dueled Gambino heads up. Miles began play with an advantage of roughly two-to-one over the eventual champ, but the duo played a significant pot early on that marked the beginning of the end for Miles.

At the 10,000/20,000 level and on a flop of , Gambino checked and Miles bet 50,000. Gambino raised to 150,000 only to see Miles three-bet to 375,000. Gambino flatted putting a huge chunk of his stack at risk. The turn was the and Gambino checked. Miles shoved and Gambino snapped turning over for a straight. Miles owned for two pair. The river was a blank and Gambino raked a huge pot. Miles busted second a few hands later earning $25,123.

Gambino’s $5,250 SHRPO seat was added to the prize pool courtesy of the Seminole Hard Rock. The event features two starting flights beginning August 11 and 12 and permits a total of two one re-entry. More details on the tournament will be released in the coming days.

Full Big Slick results:

1st: AJ Gambino – $39,632 + $5,250 SHRPO Seat
2nd: TK Miles – $25,123
3rd: Kevin Chan – $14,787
4th: Michael Newman – $8,977
5th: Eric Beller – $6,963
6th: Oleksiy Lyashenko – $5,750
7th: Bryan Rosen – $5,025
8th: Ran Shahar – $4,486
9th: John Valevich – $3,964
10th: Michael Mizrachi – $3,445
11th: Michael Tait – $3,445
12th: Joel Lumpkins – $3,445
13th: Chad Eveslage – $2,943
14th: Dolphus Powers – $2,943
15th: Frank Silverstein – $2,943
16th: Ronald Spooner – $2,512
17th: Jake Schwartz – $2,512
18th: Andrew Thompson – $2,512
19th: David Shmuel – $2,153

Next up for the Seminole Hard Rock is the May Big Stack Special running the 4th-7th.