2018 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open 
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
Event #6
$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guarantee
Entries: 121
Prize Pool: $121,000
Bounty Prize Pool: $60,500
August 5-6, 2018

After more than four hours of play Daniel Neilson, a semi-retired professional poker player, took down the Event 6 $1,650 Purple Chip Bounty title. Event 6 boasted a field of 121 entries, besting last years  mark, and easily surpassing the $100,000 guarantee. Neilson took home the biggest piece of the $121,000 prize pool with his first place finish. He earned $35,088 plus his six purple chip bounties as well as the prestigious Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open trophy.

Neilson came into Day 2 in the middle of the pack. “Yesterday went pretty well, I started off really well, I was among the chip leaders for most of the day and towards the end I lost a fair bit but it still went pretty well.”

First to be eliminated was Greg Barba when his Ace Ten failed to improve against Martin Kozlov’s pocket queens. The next to go was Jose Parra in seventh place who was outkicked by Joshua Hood’s ace queen versus his own ace three.

Floridian Poker pro Phil Hui, who already made his second final table appearance of the series lost a race to the start of day chip leader Chris Bolek to be eliminated in sixth place. Barry Pevner, who came into the day among the shortest stacks held on to a fifth place finish, when he was also eliminated by then chip leader Chris Bolek.

Martin Kozlov, who is the returning champion of 2017 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Championship Main Event, finished in fourth place as the third consecutive player to be eliminated by Chris Bolek.

It got down to three handed play rather quickly then play slowed down as they battled it out. After many lead changes Chris Bolek fell in third place when his pocket fours lost the race against Daniel Neilson’s Ace King.

Neilson took an over 2-1 chip lead heads up against Joshua Hood. After about twenty minutes of heads up play and Neilson chipping Hood down, Hood went all in with and couldn’t improve against Neilson’s , as he became the Event 6 runner-up.

Neilson says “Today was pretty easy, I sat around and waited for people to make mistakes” This is the first time Neilson, who is from Australia, has been to the United States in five years. He’s enjoying the new Seminole Hard Rock Poker Room and looks forward to checking out the pool area.

Final Table Results:

1st: Daniel Neilson – $35,088 + Trophy
2nd: Joshua Hood – $21,780
3rd: Chris Bolek – $13,008
4th: Martin Kozlov – $8,168
5th: Barry Pevner– $6,050
6th: Phil Hui – $5,203
7th: Jose Parra – $4,507
8th: Greg Barba – $3,993

• Download: Final Results (PDF)