2015 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
$250 H.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)

August 3, 2015

Total Entries:  81
Total Prize Pool:  $17,010

Recap:

His last two Seminole Hard Rock-Hollywood trophies went to each of his grandchildren. Now Bruce MacGregor will have one to keep for himself as the Event 6 Champion in this year’s Poker Open.

The final table started off with the bubble elimination of Richard Shtrax in 9th place by Gerald Mitchell who personally cleared out nearly half the table. Mitchell knocked out Peter Cleven in 8th place with a flush on fifth street in Stud 8 which also doubled as a low to scoop the pot. He then used pocket aces in Limit Hold ‘Em to dispatch Aaron Friedman in 7th then followed that up taking out the short stacked Zack Milchman in 6th.

But despite the eliminations, the chips were still stacked up in front of Tim Fiorvanti. Fiorvanti, the outstanding poker journalist and former managing editor of Bluff Magazine, had just taken most of Milchman’s chips and found himself in the chip lead. But that would not last as Bruce MacGregor, Kathy Fleck and Gerald Mitchell all managed to chip away at him leaving him in danger of elimination. He was one card away from being sent to the rail but hit a straight on seventh street in Stud to double up and then eventually regained the chip lead.

The final five continued to fight it out and finally another player fell as Kathy Fleck bricked out in Stud after having four hearts in her first four cards against Mitchell and then was finished off by Fiorvanti in 5th place. Fiorvanti then lost a critical hand to MacGregor in Stud. Fiorvanti had made kings and threes but MacGregor caught aces and fives on seventh street which left the two of them neck and neck. In the meantime, Nick Marsico just could not get any traction after also challenging for the chip lead earlier and was also knocked out by Fiorvanti in 4th place.

After a few hands were played by the remaining three players, they agreed to a deal to do a three-way chop. The chips were counted to determine a winner and MacGregor just edged out Fiorvanti by 12,000 chips taking the title. It was MacGregor’s third title here in the past nine months.

MacGregor looked back on the event with an honest approach. “I got lucky. He was ahead on the big hand.  I was going for the low but I paired up the fives at the end.  At the end he said ‘Do you want to chop it up?’ and I said sure.   The chop was the fairest way to do it and the top chip count got the trophy.”

He was incredibly complimentary of Seminole Hard Rock-Hollywood and Eric Harkins of Image Masters who does the official photography for the series. “I like this place. I just keep the money and the pictures are great so I’m trying to build a wall. I think all the places should do this. The pictures are so much nicer to look at. The winner gets the trophy and picture from Eric (Harkins) whose work I always brag about all the time. This is the best place in the state of Florida to play tournaments – that’s why I’m here.”

Congratulations to our Event 6 Champion – Bruce MacGregor!

Results:
1st: Bruce MacGregor (Port Orange, FL) – $4,140
2nd: Tim Fiorvanti (Commack, NJ) – $4,116
3rd: Gerald Mitchell (Pompano Beach, FL) – $3,140
4th: Nick Marsico (Bridgewater, NJ) – $1,701
5th: Kathy Fleck (Ft. Myers, FL) – $1,361
6th: Zack Milchman (Hollywood, FL) – $1,021
7th: Aaron Friedman (Miami Beach, FL) – $851
8th: Peter Cleven (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)- $680