2015 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guarantee

April 21st, 2015

Total Entries:  184
Total Prize Pool:  $38,640

Recap:

The players on the final table in Event 20 seemed determined to make sure that they were the last table to play in the ballroom for this year’s Poker Showdown and they did not disappoint.   A final table filled with twists, turns, table chatter and a man with nine lives took this table to the 3:30 AM mark with Alex Boytan finally making a deal with Howie Hershkovich and winning the title.

Following the eliminations of Jose Navarete in 9th, Allan Bieler in 8th and Gregory Marcus in 7th, the action slowed considerably for the final six players.

But then in rapid-fire fashion just minutes apart, Kenny Bhakta was out in 6th followed by Tony Burns in 5th.  Then the knockdown-dragout conflict that seemed like it had no end was on.

Alex Boytan, Gil Morgenstern, Howie Hershkovich and Dave Albertson got to know each other very well over the next two hours.  Despite the fact that the blinds were threatening to put all the players in jeopardy, they could not come an agreement and continued to trade chips.  Boytan eventually got most of the chips in play but couldn’t clear the table.

Albertson kept stunning the table as he was continally winning all-in after all-in whether ahead or behind.  All the while, Albertson kept up some testy table chatter with Boytan telling him he would not knock him out and he was going to come back and win the tournament.

At 3 AM, Boytan managed to finish off Morgenstern in 4th place as he hit a queen-high flush off a flop leaving Morgenstern’s pair of sevens in the rear view mirror and the players played on three-handed.  Amazingly, after Albertson was down to just 35,000 chips he kept coming from behind and winning all-ins shrinking Boytan’s stack.  But it was not meant to be as Hershkovich finally stopped Albertson’s streak coming from behind himself with against Albertson’s .

Boytan now found himself in a position where only a couple of blinds separated him and Hershrovich.  Hershkovich offered a deal to split the money evenly forgoing the title and after some convincing, Boytan accepted and the championship trophy was his.

Congratulations to our Event 20 Champion – Alex Boytan!

1st – Alex Boytan –  $9,468
2nd – Howie Hershkovich – $9,467
3rd –  Dave Albertson – $4,444
4th – Gil Morgenstern – $3,130
5th – Tony Burns – $2,415
6th – Kenny Bhakta – $1,835
7th – Gregory Marcus- $1,430
8th – Allan Bieler$1,063
9th – Jose Navarrete – $753