Event 1: Dion Jagroo Dominates to Take Opening Title

2018 May Deep Stack Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
Event 1
$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$150,000 Guaranteed

Entries: 1,045
Prize Pool: $307,900
May 17-21, 2018

Dion Jagroo, Event 1 Champion

The big opening tournament of the May Deep Stack Poker Series was a success by all measures and was structured so well it took an extra day to determine a champion. After the dust settled, Dion Jagroo dominated the final table to capture the title in a heads-up deal for $66,000 plus a $1,650 Deepest Stack Event 4 seat.

The three starting flights drew a combined 1,012 entries but registration was open until the start of Day 2 on Sunday. Another 33 players entered late to put the total at 1,045 for a $307,900 prize pool, more than double the $150,000 guarantee placed on the $350 buy-in tournament.

Seth Weinberg began Day 2 with the chip lead over the 123 returning players, plus the 33 with a brand new starting stack, and he was able to ride it to a 12th place finish before they closed down the night. The tournament played late into the evening on Sunday and they paused the clock with eight players remaining.

Jagroo began to assert himself late on Sunday and came back to the eight-handed final table on Monday with a huge chip lead. He knocked Jeff Keiser out on the very first hand and never looked back.

Svi Soudai bagged the biggest stack in Flight B and was second overall coming back for Day 2. He was another victim of Jagroo and went out in fifth place. Seth Gilson began the final day with the second shortest stack but was able to work his way to a fourth-place finish.

John Gorsuch was eliminated in third place to get heads-up play in action between Jagroo and Daniel Silva. Two close friends who dreamed and talked about this outcome. Getting heads-up together in a big tournament.

And then chopping.

“This is literally something we both dreamed about,” Jagroo commented. “Something we always thought about.”

“It’s crazy,” Silva laughed as they celebrated.

They played a few hands but quickly decided to work out a deal that, after some back-and-forth, they came to a decision that saw Silva collect $43,554. Jagroo earned $66,000 for his dominating run, the Deep Stack Poker Series trophy, and a seat into the $1,650/$300,000 Guarantee Deepest Stack Event 4 field.

Event 1 final table results:

1st: Dion Jagroo – $66,000 + $1,650 Event 4 seat *
2nd: Daniel Silva – $43,554 *
3rd: John Gorsuch – $25,192
4th: Seth Gilson – $21,189
5th: Svi Soudai – $17,495
6th: Lou Stadler – $14,262
7th: Bill Farnan – $11,490
8th: Jeff Keiser – $8,873
9th: Andre Rakusa – $6,256
10th: Gabe Sack – $4,255
* – denotes results of heads-up deal

Complete Event 1 results