2018 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event #2
$360 Omaha Hi-Lo
Entries: 113
Prize Pool: $33,900
August 2, 2018 

The last time Pete Walsworth played a tournament at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, he walked away with a trophy and a six-figure payday, taking down the $5,000 no-limit hold’em last April for $141,976.

The next time he came into the tournament area at the Seminole Hard Rock, it was more of the same.

As the clock struck midnight and Thursday turned into Friday on the first full day of the 2018 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open, Walsworth won the very next tournament he played in at the same venue.

The Sarasota native and hedge fund manager won the biggest Omaha hi-lo tournament in the history of the Seminole Hard Rock. He defeated 113 entries and took home $8,300 in a heads-up deal with Phil Hui.

It was a nice rebound for Walsworth, who in between Seminole Hard Rock wins had a bit of a rough summer in Las Vegas.

“It feels really good,” said the 37-year-old. “I kind of felt like I wanted to rebuild my confidence a little bit. The World Series [of][Poker] didn’t go too well and a couple other tournaments I played. I figured I’d head over here. I kind of semi-consider Hard Rock Hollywood my home even though I live in Sarasota. I’ve done pretty well here.”

As a fan of playing non-hold’em events, he thought the way the schedule was made brought in some players.

“I think the Hard Rock made a really smart move kind of bunching in the mixed events over the next couple of days and early next week,” said Walsworth. “I’m pretty happy to see them growing. I enjoy playing them.”

The next few days of the series features a $360 HORSE and a $360 PLO 8-or-better, which will attract many of the same players.

With the big field, it naturally brought out some top-tier talent. Aside from Walsworth and Phil Hui, the final table featured John Holley, who finished third, and Joel Harwood, father of poker pro Loni Harwood. The elder Harwood finished seventh for $1,288.

While Walsworth plays all of the games well, he did add some tricks to his arsenal from Watching Hui, Holley and Harwood on the felt.

“I actually learned a lot from playing with them,” said Walsworth. “Limit O8 is probably not my specialty, I’d rather play a PLO tournament, but I picked up a lot and had a lot of fun battling with them and some of the better players in the game.”

With 113 entries in the field, the top 15 spots got paid out. Here are the results:

1st: Pete Walsworth – $8,300*
2nd: Phil Hui – $7,887*
3rd: John Holley – $3,695
4th: Aaron Kupin – $2,373
5th: Claudangelo Beaudoin – $1,797
6th: Steven Roth – $1,492
7th: Joel Harwood – $1,288
8th: Ralph Broderick – $1,136
9th: Arturo Morgan – $1,000
10th: George Fountoulakis – $881
11th: Hoyt Verner Jr. – $881
12th: Stephanie Chung – $881
13th: Michael Moed – $763
14th: James Hagan – $763
15th: Jonathan Rieger – $763

* Indicates adjusted payout for a deal

$360 Omaha 8-or-Better
Level 21: 15,000/25,000 blinds, 25,000/50,000 limits
Players Remaining: 2 of 113
Structure | Payouts

At the start of heads-up play, Phil Hui and Pete Walsworth agreed to a chop. With Walsworth holding the chip lead, he will take home the trophy and credit for the win. Hui will take second place in the first completed event of the series.

Details of the chop will be posted, along with a complete recap later tonight.

$360 Omaha 8-or-Better
Level 21: 15,000/25,000 blinds, 25,000/50,000 limits
Players Remaining: 2 of 113
Structure | Payouts

On a flop of , John Holley got all in against Pete Walsworth in a battle of the blinds. Walsworth showed and was up against Holley’s .

The turn was the and the river was the . Walsworth won the pot with jacks and fours, eliminating Holley in fourth place for $3,695.

Walsworth starts heads-up play against Phil Hui with a slight chip lead.

Pete Walsworth – 600,000
John Holley – Eliminated 

$360 Omaha 8-or-Better
Level 21: 15,000/25,000 blinds, 25,000/50,000 limits
Players Remaining: 3 of 113
Structure | Payouts

Pete Walsworth raised on the button and Phil Hui called out of the big blind.

The flop was and Hui checked. Walsworth bet and Hui called. The turn was the and Hui checked. Walsworth bet and Hui called.

The river was the and Hui checked. Walsworth bet and Hui called.

“Flush scoops it,” said Hui as he committed the chips to the pot.

Walsworth showed and scooped the pot with the nut flush. Hui showed two pair as he tossed his hand into the muck.

$360 Omaha 8-or-Better
Level 21: 15,000/25,000 blinds, 25,000/50,000 limits
Players Remaining: 3 of 113
Structure | Payouts

John Holley completed the small blind and Aaron Kupin checked his option in the big blind.

The flop was and Holley checked. Kupin bet and Holley called. The turn was the and Holley checked. Kupin bet and was all in. Holley snap-called.

Holley showed , giving him an eight-high straight and a seven-low. Kupin was drawing dead with his . He needed a six to get a quarter of the pot, but the came on the river and Kupin was gone in fourth for $2,373.

John Holley – 230,000
Aaron Kupin – Eliminated 

$360 Omaha 8-or-Better
Level 20: 10,000/20,000 blinds, 20,000/40,000 limits
Players Remaining: 4 of 113
Structure | Payouts

Phil Hui was on the button, Pete Walsworth in the small blind and John Holley in the big blind. They got four bets in preflop, which resulted in Walsworth all in for 70,000 and a small side pot between Hui and Holley.

The flop was and Holley checked. Hui bet and Holley folded, leaving Walsworth heads-up with Hui.

Hui showed and was up against Walsworth’s .

The turn was the and the river was the . Walsworth rivered trip kings and tripled up.

Pete Walsworth – 210,000
Phil Hui – 335,000

$360 Omaha 8-or-Better
Level 20: 10,000/20,000 blinds, 20,000/40,000 limits
Players Remaining: 4 of 113
Structure | Payouts

Claudangelo Beaudoin got all in preflop for about 50,000 from under the gun against John Holley in the cutoff and Pete Walsworth in the big blind.

The flop was and Walsworth checked. Holley checked behind and the came on the turn. Walsworth checked, Holley bet and Walsworth folded.

Beaudoin showed and was drawing dead against Holley’s .

The river was the and Holley won the pot to eliminate Beaudoin in fifth.

John Holley – 335,000
Claudangelo Beaudoin – Eliminated 

$360 Omaha 8-or-Better
Level 19: 5,000/15,000 blinds, 15,000/30,000 limits
Players Remaining: 5 of 113
Structure | Payouts

Steven Roth moved all in out of the small blind for 20,000 and Phil Hui tossed in the extra 5,000-chip from the big blind without looking.

Hui showed and was up against Roth’s .

The board ran out and Hui won the pot with a flush. Roth busted in sixth place and took home $1,492.

Phil Hui – 380,000
Steven Roth – Eliminated 

$360 Omaha 8-or-Better
Level 19: 5,000/15,000 blinds, 15,000/30,000 limits
Players Remaining: 6 of 113
Structure | Payouts

One of the next hands after Ralph Broderick was eliminated, Joel Harwood busted to Aaron Kupin.

Harwood bet the river and was all in, and Kupin called with unimporved aces. Harwood couldn’t beat it and took home $1,288 seventh place money.

Aaron Kupin – 345,000
Joel Harwood – Eliminated 

$360 Omaha 8-or-Better
Level 19: 5,000/15,000 blinds, 15,000/30,000 limits
Players Remaining: 7 of 113
Structure | Payouts

Phil Hui raised from early position and Claudangelo Beaudoin called from the cutoff. Ralph Broderick three-bet on the button, leaving himself with just 5,000 behind. Both Hui and Beaudoin called.

The flop was and Hui led out. Beaudoin folded and Broderick called.

Hui showed and was up against Broderick’s .

The turn was the and the river was the . Broderick pushed forward the ace-four, but Hui rivered broadway and with neither player having a qualifying low, Hui scooped the pot and Broderick busted in eighth place for $1,136.

Phil Hui – 330,000
Ralph Broderick – Eliminated