Event 8: Carlos Cruz Wins in 9-Way Deal

2016 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
Event #8
$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Entries: 1,324
Prize Pool: $158,880
January 17-20, 2016

Event_08_1st_CCruz

Hollywood, F (January 20, 2016) — The last big multi-day tournament on the 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open schedule featured a small buy-in and big prize pool. Event 8 had a big crowd and it was local Carlos Cruz being declared the champion after a nine player deal.

The $150 buy-in tournament had a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool with six starting flights over three days. The tournament drew 1,324 entrants to create a prize pool worth $158,880 with the last four players earning at least $10,000.

After all starting flights were complete, we had 157 players return for Day 2 with Sergio Alves leading the way as the chip leader. He spent much of the last day among the leaders but he was unable to make it down to the final table, dropping out in 23rd.

The tournament was set to pay the last 81 players remaining and they were on the money bubble less than two hours into Day 2 action. There were several double ups during hand-for-hand action until they were in the money on the fifth hand courtesy of Gergio Correa.

From that point, the tournament played quickly and they were close to the final table during the dinner break. The final table was set when former professional racecar driver Martin Soltero was eliminated by Carlos Cruz.

There was some talk about making a deal to chop up the remaining prize pool but it wasn’t accomplished until Leroy Jones Jr. was sent out in 10th place. Tournament staff paused the clock, ran the numbers, and everyone agreed.

Carlos Cruz had the biggest stack, picked up the biggest part of the prize pool in the deal, and was declared the champion.

“This is my third one!” Cruz laughed as he posed for another winner’s photo.

“I guess it’s my specialty”

This indeed was the third Seminole Hard Rock Poker victory for Cruz in a $150 buy-in event. He won the big field tournament during both the 2013 and 2014 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown series.

Final table results:

1st: Carlos Cruz – $19,153
2nd: Timothy Banks – $14,191
3rd: Joshua Wasserman – $13,671
4th: Brian O’Keefe – $13,454
5th: Zoltan Czinkota – $12,255
6th: Nancy Birnbaum – $11,714
7th: Abbey Daniels – $10,002
8th: Butchie Mitchell – $8,068
9th: Kiler Delia – $7,213

Full results available from our friends at TheHendonMob.com.