Event 4: Mike Preston wins Seniors’ Event After Six-Way Deal

2017 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Fla.
Event 4
$300 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Entries: 188
Prize Pool: $47,940

Mike Preston

Mike Preston has just been crowned the champion of the $300 Seniors’ Event here at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. After a long day the remaining six players decided to make a deal with Preston having the most chips, thus receiving the title and the trophy.

Preston, originally hailing from Philadelphia, takes the hour drive from Jupiter, FL a few days a week to play poker. “I love playing here at Seminole Hard Rock, they have great tournaments.”  Preston knows a thing or two about poker as he’s been playing poker for the last forty years. Which is one year longer than he’s been married.

Now that Preston is retired from being a professional golfer,  he plays poker and golf leisurely, and considers poker to be more “fun”. The 62 year old was never really in danger of facing elimination, he just needed his hands to hold. “I went all in a few times, but luckily I was never behind. My cards had to hold up, but I wasn’t in jeopardy”

Preston came into the final table fourth in chips, he then eliminated Harry Silver in 10th place. After that came the turning point for Mike Preston’s tournament when when he won a huge three way all in with pocket aces against Yvonne Mcquillan’s pocket queens, eliminating George Davis in 9th place and leaving Mcquillan decimated. She was eliminated soon after by John Roveto in 8th place.

It was after Izzy Patel was eliminated in 7th place that the idea of a chop was brought up. When the players were discussing making a deal, it was brought up how much of a “crapshoot” tournaments get to be at the end, with 30 minute blinds pacing the action. They decided to take the safe route and split up the remaining prizepool.  Preston says “It was a long day, I left my house at 9 A.M. this morning, I was getting a little tired at the end.”  John Roveto even mentioned that he still had to drive four hours back to Lakewood Ranch, FL.

Preston is looking forward to making more deep runs in this SHRPO series and hopefully more trophies. Good luck Mike!

Final Table Results:

1st: Michael Preston – $7,008
2nd: Steven Sheldon – $5,521*
3rd: Raphael Bloom – $5,144*
4th: John Roveto – $5,030*
5th: Lazaro Rodriguez $5,030*
6th: Robert Mazzie –  $4,827*
7th: Izzy Patel – $1,630
8th: Yvonne Mcquillan – $1,421
9th: George Davis – $1,220
10th: Harry Silver – $1,050

*Denotes six-way deal