2026 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 36
$3,500 WPT LHPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  1,229
Prize Pool:  $3,932,800
January 16 – 21, 2026

The 2026 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship began last Friday and drew 1,229 entries, producing a prize pool of $3,932,800, which easily beat the $3 million guarantee. Taking it down was Giuseppe Iadisernia, winning outright for $611,700.

Iadisernia is no stranger to tournament poker at the Seminole Hard Rock, with cashes dating back to 2018, including several High Roller and Super High Roller cashes. In fact, on the same day Iadisernia entered this Championship event, he finished runner-up in the $25K High Roller for $187,700. However, there would be no runner-up finish this time, as from the start his sights were set on nothing but the top prize.

His path to victory started with smooth sailing on Day 1A, as Iadisernia finished as the chip leader of the 216 players that advanced. In fact, his lead atop the Day 1A chip counts could have been bigger, but on the last hand of the night he ran pocket queens into pocket aces. Iadisernia started Day 2 in great shape, and made it to Day 3 with an above-average chip stack. Another solid day of poker followed, and Iadisernia finished that day 5th in chips with 16 players remaining. He separated himself from the pack on Day 4, scoring two knockouts and chipping up consistently to finish as chipleader of the remaining seven players.

Remember that High Roller event where Iadisernia finished runner-up, and then immediately entered the Championship? The top three finishers in that event (winner Thomas Boivin, runner-up Iadisernia, and third-place finisher Anatoly Nikitin) all made it to the final five here. Nikitin would be the first of the three to fall once again, finishing fifth here to earn $167,000. And while Boivin got the best of Iadisernia in the High Roller, this time it was Iadisernia who won the last hand between them.

Boivin was short-stacked and made his final stand with ace-seven, but Iadisernia picked up pocket aces to win the pot and eliminate Boivin in third place, which was worth $295,000.

Beginning heads-up play with more than a 2-to-1 lead, Iadisernia extended his lead and fought off two short-stack doubles from Jorge Gomez before ultimately closing out the win for his first SHRP major series trophy victory.

* First-place amount includes the winner’s $10,400 entry into the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, which takes place in December 2026.

$3,500 WPT LHPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $3,932,800  |  Structure  |  Payouts  |  Results
Level 36:  400,000/800,000 with an 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  1 of 1,229

Giuseppe Iadisernia raised all in with his chip-leading stack from the button and Jorge Gomez called all in for his remaining three big blinds in the big blind.

Iadisernia: 
Gomez: 

The board came , keeping Iadisernia’s jacks best to win the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Championship outright for $601,300. Gomez finished runner-up for $395,000.

A recap will be posted later tonight.

$3,500 WPT LHPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $3,932,800  |  Structure  |  Payouts  |  Results
Level 35:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,229

$3,500 WPT LHPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $3,932,800  |  Structure  |  Payouts  |  Results
Level 35:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,229

Giuseppe Iadisernia raised to 1,800,000 from the button and Jorge Gomez called in the big blind.

The flop was , Gomez checked, Iadisernia bet 2,500,000, Gomez check-raised all in for 5,300,000, and Iadisernia called with for a pair of tens. Gomez showed for a flush draw with a backdoor straight draw.

The turn and river completed the board, giving Gomez a seven-high straight to double up and survive.

Jorge Gomez – 14,800,000 (25 bb)
Giuseppe Iadisernia  –  46,600,000  (78 bb)

1st:  $611,700
2nd:  $395,000

$3,500 WPT LHPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $3,932,800  |  Structure  |  Payouts  |  Results
Level 35:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,229

Giuseppe Iadisernia   –  42,700,000  (71 bb)
Jorge Gomez  –  18,700,000  (32 bb)

1st:  $611,700
2nd:  $395,000

3rd:  Thomas Boivin  –  $295,000
4th:  Martins Adeniya  –  $220,000
5th:  Anatoly Nikitin  –  $167,000
6th:  Eddie Blumenthal  –  $127,000
7th:  Ted McNamara  –  $98,000

$3,500 WPT LHPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $3,932,800  |  Structure  |  Payouts  |  Results
Level 35:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,229

Giuseppe Iadisernia raised to 1,200,000 from the button, Thomas Boivin reraised all in from the small blind for 5,900,000, and Iadisernia called.

Iadisernia: 
Boivin: 

The board ran out , no help to Boivin, ending his Championship run in third place.

Thomas Boivin  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($295,000)

$3,500 WPT LHPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $3,932,800  |  Structure  |  Payouts  |  Results
Level 35:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 1,229

Seat 1.  Thomas Boivin  –  4,600,000  (8 bb)
Seat 4.  Jorge Gomez  –  22,100,000  (37 bb)
Seat 5.  Giuseppe Iadisernia  –  34,700,000  (58 bb)

1st:  $611,700
2nd:  $395,000
3rd:  $295,000

4th:  Martins Adeniya  –  $220,000
5th:  Anatoly Nikitin  –  $167,000
6th:  Eddie Blumenthal  –  $127,000
7th:  Ted McNamara  –  $98,000

$3,500 WPT LHPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $3,932,800  |  Structure  |  Payouts  |  Results
Level 34:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 1,229

Giuseppe Iadisernia raised to 1,000,000 from the button and Martins Adeniya called in the big blind.

The flop was , Adeniya checked, Iadisernia continued for 2,000,000, Adeniya check-raised all in for about 7,700,000, and Iadisernia called.

Iadisernia: 
Adeniya: 

Adeniya had top pair of sevens, but Iadisernia had a flush draw, an open-ended straight draw, and overcards.

The turn kept Adeniya’s hand best, but the river gave Iadisernia a flush to eliminate Adeniya in fourth place.

Giuseppe Iadisernia  –  33,000,000  (66 bb)
Martins Adeniya  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($220,000)

$3,500 WPT LHPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $3,932,800  |  Structure  |  Payouts  |  Results
Level 33:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 1,229

Anatoly Nikitin raised to 800,000 from the cutoff, Jorge Gomez reraised to 2,200,000 from the small blind, Nikitin four-bet all in for about 6,300,000, and Gomez called.

Nikitin: 
Gomez: 

The board came , no help to Nikitin, ending his run in fifth place.

Jorge Gomez  –  18,100,000  (45 bb)
Anatoly Nikitin  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($167,000)

$3,500 WPT LHPO Championship
Prize Pool:  $3,932,800  |  Structure  |  Payouts  |  Results
Level 33:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 1,229

Seat 1.  Thomas Boivin  –  9,900,000  (25 bb)
Seat 2.  Anatoly Nikitin  –  11,400,000  (29 bb)
Seat 3.  Martins Adeniya  –  8,400,000  (21 bb)
Seat 4.  Jorge Gomez  –  11,100,000  (28 bb)
Seat 5.  Giuseppe Iadisernia  –  20,600,000  (52 bb)

1st:  $611,700
2nd:  $395,000
3rd:  $295,000
4th:  $220,000
5th:  $167,000