2019 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
Event 5
$250 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Entries: 72
Prize Pool: $15,120
April 6, 2019

Event 5 of the 2019 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown was the $250 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry). The event had a $10,000 guaranteed prize pool which was easily surpassed, as 72 entries generated a prize pool of $15,120.

When it was all said and done, 58-year old Cathy Josey claimed victory, winning outright for the first-place prize of $5,292. Hailing from Niagara Falls, New York and now residing in Pompano Beach, Josey is so stranger to poker.

“I play in a Friday Ladies poker league,  and some of the girls have played in these Ladies events in the past,” said Josey after her win. “I hadn’t played before, but they brought it up a couple of weeks ago and suggested I play in it. I had missed it in the past because I had other things going on, but I decided to play this one, and I’m so glad that I did.”

In addition, Josey won a special Spa Package, as well as a seat worth $1,100 into the $250,000 guaranteed Event 9.

When the final nine players made the money, Josey was third in chips. What ensued was a tumultuous final table, but one that Josey was able to withstand.

“The final table was definitely a major roller coaster. I came to the final table with some decent chips, I think I was third or fourth, and was fortunate that Lisa (Teebagy) was taking other players out, so it allowed me to move up a bit, and then I caught a couple of decent hands and chipped up to a pretty good amount myself.”

The first five players were eliminated within about 35 minutes of each other, but the final four battled it out for about an hour before the next fell.

“The major hand was myself against Lisa, when we both a pair of queens and I had the better kicker,” Josey explained. “I had to make a major decision because she pushed all in,  and I ended up taking her out. I think she was the biggest threat at the final table. From there, it was mostly patience. I folded big hands when I was put to the test for all my chips, and I just really felt that there were better places to get it in, and it ended up working out.”

Josey’s victory is the largest of her poker career and her first at the Seminole Hard Rock.

“I love the Hard Rock. It’s one of my favorite places to play, and I’m really thrilled to win a Hard Rock tournament. It’s the first big one that I’ve won at the Hard Rock, so it’s a big day for me.”

Final Results:
1st: Cathy Josey – $5,292 + Spa Package and a seat into Event 9
2nd: Jan Berg – $3,024
3rd: Tatiana Fox – $1,852
4th: Lisa Teebagy – $1,323
5th: Christine Holubeck – $1,021
6th: Rinat Haviv – $794
7th: Suzanne McCarthy – $680
8th: Robyn Marshman – $605
9th: Li Zhou – $529