$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event
Blinds 200k/400k/50k ante

On a board of Eric Afriat bets 6 million, putting James Mackey in the tank before eventually calling.

Afriat explodes from his seat after turning over for the nut flush and gets high fives from his Canadian rail.

The hand cripples Mackey who mucks as Afriat wins the 25+M chip pot for the commanding chip lead.

Three-Handed Chip Count

Eric Afriat 33.7 Million (84 bb)
Mukul Pahuja 15.3 Million (38 bb)
James Mackey 4.5 Million (11 bb)

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event
Blinds 150k/300k/50k ante

On a board of Vinny Pahuja check-raises the flop for 2.5 million and Eric Afriat calls.

Turn:

Pahuja bets 3.2 million and Afriat calls.

River:

Pahuja moves all in for 4.6 million and Afriat tank-calls.

Pahuja turns over for the winning pair of Queens as Afriat mucks.

Pahuja wins a 20+M chip pot and is in a virtually tie with James Mackey for the chip lead.

Final Three Chip Counts

Pahuja 22.5M (75 bb)
Mackey 22.5M (75 bb)
Eric Afriat 8.6M (29 bb)

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event
Blinds 150k/300k/50k ante

On a board of  Mukul Pahuja check-raises all-in and James Mackey snap calls all in with Pahuja drawing dead.

Mackey
Pahuja

Mackey’s trip 5s gets him an all-in double up of 8.55 million and vaults him into the chip lead, while Pahjua drops into third place.

Updated Chip Counts

James Mackey 23.5M (78 bb)
Eric Afriat 19.5M (65 bb)
Mukul Pahuja 10.4M (35 bb)

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event
Blinds 150k/300k/50k ante

Remaining Players

Mukul Pahuja 26.7 Million (89 bb)
Eric Afriat 15.6 Million (52 bb)
James Mackey 11.3 Million (38 bb)

Remaining Prize Pool

Place-Amount

1st $1,081,184
2nd $691,965
3rd $441,128
4th Jacob Bazeley $371,931
5th Matt Stout $308,501
6th Chance Kornuth $247,954

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event

Jacob Bazeley and Eric Afriat see a flop of .

Afriat bets 300k
Bazeley raises to 1.3 million
Afriat makes it 2.8 million
Bazeley moves all in for 6.1 million total and Afriat snap calls.

Afriat: (two pairs)
Bazeley: (over pair)

Turn:

River:

Bazeley busts with pocket Aces as Afriat flops the winning two pairs.

“Brutal, what are you going to do,” says Bazeley who earns $371,931.

Bazeley says he didn’t have enough chips to get away from the hand (~30 bb) and the result was unavoidable.

“It’s a draw heavy board when you get raised there. He doesn’t necessarily have a set or two pairs. It’s an unavoidable spot and 99.9% of pros go broke there.”

Bazeley is 31-years-old and adds to his $1.3 million in career recorded live tournament earnings. He has a business degree from Christian Brothers University where he played Division II basketball.

“Fourth place pays pretty well in this profession.” he said. “I love it here and definitely will be back,” he says of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Tough bust hand but super happy!! Thanks everyone for the support along the way #4thenati #muchlove

— Jake Bazeley (@Bazemanwhat) April 17, 2014

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event
Blinds 100k/200k/25k ante

Matt Stout moves all in from the button from 3.3 million (16 bb) from button and Mukul Pahjua tank calls.

Stout:
Pahuja:

Flop: (Pahjua, pair of 8s – Stout, gutshot straight draw)

Turn: (no change)

As Stout’s rail yells, “nine” to complete the straight, he looks back and laughs, “are you saying ‘no’ in German?”

River:

Stout misses 10 outs on the river (any Queen, Ten or Nine) and is on the rail in 5th place, Pahuja with the winning pair of 8s.

“If you’re going to finish 5th this is a good one to do it at, I like the money,” says Stout after earning $309,501.

Stout adds to his $2.3 million in career recorded live tournament earnings, (with another $3.6 million earnings online), but is still looking for one big score.

“I’m happy with it, but definitely need a major title pretty soon.”

Stout is a 29 year-old originally from New Jersey who has two degrees from the college of New Jersey.

Busted 5th for $308k in the #SHRPO main event. Got short and shoved QT on btn into Mukul's A8. Thx for all the support!!! Time to celebrate!

— Matt Stout (@MattStoutPoker) April 16, 2014

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event
Blinds 75k/150k/25k ante

Chance Kornuth  moves all in for 2.6 million after a min raise from James Mackey who makes the call.

Mackey:
Kornuth:

Flop: (Kornuth pair of Queens)

Turn: (Mackey pair of Aces)

River:

Mackey wins the hand with a pair of Aces to eliminate Kornuth in 6th place.

“I came five places short of where I wanted to be, but it was pretty fun,” said Kornuth who takes home $247,954.

Kornuth is originally from Denver, Colorado and pushes his career recorded live tournament earnings to more than $1 million.

“I think I played my “A” game for most of it (tournament), there’s only a couple of hands I could have played differently,” he said from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Kornuth is a 27-year-old pro who won a WSOP bracelet in 2010 (PLO).

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event
Blinds 75k/150k/25k ante
6 Players Remaining, 8.975 Million Avg (60 bb)

My office for the day @shrpo with @BJNemeth @Luccrazy & @WPTlive #shrpo pic.twitter.com/LauyKSldsk

— Jeff Shurilla (@ShurillaGorilla) April 16, 2014

I've been in South Florida for 9 days…all for the purposes of this moment. Countdown to Showtime! #WPT @SHRPO pic.twitter.com/D2mKpbJrHD

— Marie♠Lizette (@MarieLizette) April 16, 2014

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event
Blinds 75k/150k/25k ante
6 Players Remaining, 8.975 Million Avg (60 bb)

Matt Stout 4-bets all in on the first hand of the day, but gets James Mackey and Chance Kornuth to fold, and with that the Championship final six action is underway.

Here’s how the table is configured and chip counts to start the day.

Seat-Name-Chip Count

1 Eric Afriat 6.760M
2 Jacob Bazeley 7.305M
3 James Mackey 11.680M
4 Chance Kornuth 5.315M
5 Matt Stout 3.665M
6 Mukul Pahuja 18.895M

$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event
Blinds 75k/150k/25k ante
6 Players Remaining, 8.975 Million Avg (60 bb)

The atmosphere is electric with hard rocking music, a fog show and strobe lights as the final six players are introduced before they play for the $1,081,184 here at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown.

Here’s a look at the chip counts and what’s on the line as play resumes at 4 pm.

Chip Counts

Mukul Pahuja 18.895M
James Mackey 11.680M
Jacob Bazeley 7.305M
Eric Afriat 6.760M
Chance Kornuth 5.315M
Matt Stout 3.665M

Place-Amount

1st $1,081,184
2nd $691,965
3rd $441,128
4th $371,931
5th $308,501
6th $247,954