2018 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
Event 12
$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 25
Prize Pool: $1,232,500
January 17-18, 2018

The biggest buy-in tournament on the Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open schedule brought out some top poker talent. The Super High Roller surpassed its $1,000,000 Guarantee and generated a lot of great poker action. After a long two days at the tables, Stefan Schillhabel defeated Adrian Mateos heads up for the Super High Roller title and $493,000.

The $50,000 buy-in tournament drew 25 entries to create a prize pool worth $1,232,500 and the last five players took home some of the money.

Day 1 played out over 13 hours and included Isaac Haxton, Rainer Kempe, Seth Davies, Sean Winter, and Stephen Chidwick along with Hall of Famer Erik Seidel among a list of top players. Alan Schein had the distinction of going out on the first hand of the tournament when Ben Tollerene’s turned straight was best.

The field slowly filled and the structure provided plenty of play. They moved along at a steady pace until the final table was formed and they began to approach the money bubble late on Day 1. Action slowed until the burst the money bubble. Tollerene was the beneficiary of the early double but he went out on in sixth place with five spots paying.

The clock was paused and the five remaining players returned on Thursday to play it out. Schillhabel and Mateos were joined by David Peters, Nick Petrangelo, and chip leader Justin Bonomo.

The stacks were deep at the start of Day 2 but it took only three hands to lose the first player. Peters moved in with a suited ace but Mateos woke up with a bigger ace to send the 2016 GPI Player of the Year out in fifth place.

Nick Petrangelo lost a flip with fives against Bonomo to exit in fourth but that was the end of the good times for Bonomo.  He began the day with the chip lead but fell out in third place after doubling up Schillhabel. He made a small comeback but was unable to finish it off.

Mateos began heads up play with the lead but it was exchanged several times during the long, two-hour match. Schillhabel took command late and Mateos was unable to pull back even in the match. The tournament ended with Schillhabel pairing his two live cards to win the Super High Roller title.

This is the third biggest cash for Schillhabel after his Super High Roller Bowl third-place finish in Las Vegas and his WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star title, both for more than $1,000,000.

Mateos earned more than $300,000 for his time at the tables and the Spanish pro booked his second SHRP Super High Roller runner-up finish, the first coming last spring to Dietrich Fast during the Showdown series.

Schillhabel conquered a tough field and talented final table.

“Pretty tough field. Like only two recreational players, and the rest were pros,” he commented. “The re-entries came mostly from the better players.”

“And that final table, I think it was the toughest final table I’ve ever played.”

“Just try to play my best against these guys,” Schillhabel answered about his strategy. “Not too loose. Playing tight. Take my spots against them.”

“Against these guys — it’s hard to exploit them. So you just have to play your best game and not be exploited yourself.”

It was another great Super High Roller. Congrats to Stefan and thank you to the entire field for a great two days of poker.

Super High Roller results:
1st: Stefan Schillhabel – $493,000 + trophy
2nd: Adrian Mateos – $308,125
3rd: Justin Bonomo – $197,200
4th: Nick Petrangelo – $135,575
5th: David Peters – $98,600

More than a dozen preliminary events are in the books and tomorrow we roll out the $2 Million Guarantee WPT Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship.

The tournament features two starting flights with unlimited re-entries while registration is open. They will start with deep stacks and a slow structure to give plenty of play in the major Championship. This is the first time the World Poker Tour has run a tour stop during this series, the last was in 2015 when Brian Altman captured the title.

They return this year and the big guaranteed prize pool is sure to attract some of the top players in the world looking to play in the warm weather.

Flight A starts at noon on Friday followed by Flight B at the same time on Saturday. All survivors will return for Day 2 on Sunday then begin the process of playing down to the WPT live-streamed final table and the next WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Champion.

• $2,000,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 30,000 in chips
• Days 1 & 2 levels last 60 minutes; Day 3 levels last 90 minutes
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• Day 1 will end after Level 10 or Tournament Director discretion
• Championship Structure Sheet

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante

Stefan Schillhabel limped the button, and Adrian Mateos checked his option in the big blind.

The flop was . Mateos checked, Schillhabel bet 60,000, and   Mateos check-raised to 200,000. Schillhabel called.

The turn was the , and Mateos moved all in for 565,000. Schillhabel called instantly to put him at risk.

Schillhabel:
Mateos:

Schillhabel’s two pair had him one card from the trophy, and Mateos could not catch up this time. The river was the blank , giving Schillhabel the win.

He earned the trophy and the top prize of $493,000 for his efforts.

Mateos was forced to settle for the runner-up consolation prize worth $308,125.

As the chips were tidied up for the winner’s photo, the staff asked Schillhabel if he was interested in jumping into the other event that’s running.

“Late reg the $2k?” one asked.

“No, I get drunk now,” Schillhabel smiled.

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 25

Adrian Mateos moved all in for 435,000 on the button, and Stefan Schillhabel called to put him at risk.

Mateos:
Schillhabel:

The board ran out , and Mateos doubled up with eights full of treys to extend the match.

Adrian Mateos – 880,000 (22 bb)
Stefan Schillhabel – 1,620,000 (41 bb)

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 25

While that last hand was being published, the two finalists were playing one of the largest pots of the match.

Joining on the turn, the board showed , and there was close to 400,000 in the pot already. Adrian Mateos checked from the big blind, and Stefan Schillhabel bet 205,000. Mateos called.

The river was the , and Mateos checked again. Schillhabel pondered for a couple moments before pounding the felt with an open palm, checking behind.

“Seven,” Mateos announced.

Schillhabel quickly rolled over , though, winning the pot with aces up. He has Mateos on the ropes now.

Stefan Schillhabel – 2,035,000 (51 bb)
Adrian Mateos – 465,000 (12 bb)

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 25

Stefan Schillhabel quickly wrestled the lead back from Adrian Mateos, but the two men continued to hover around even for a few orbits.

Mateos limped the button in the last hand, which may be the first time he’s done so in the heads-up match. Schillhabel checked his option.

The flop was . Schillhabel checked, Mateos bet 30,000, and Schillhabel called. They both checked through the turn. The river was the , and Schillhabel bet 95,000. Mateos had picked off a recent bluff on similar action, and he called this bet down, too.

Schillhabel showed , though, winning the pot with a pair of jacks.

Stefan Schillhabel – 1,530,000 (51 bb)
Adrian Mateos – 970,000 (32 bb)

$2,200 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 10: 400/800 with a 100 ante
Total Entries: 144

The last time we saw Maria Ho, before this series, she was holding a microphone and interviewing Martin Kozlov after he won the SHRPO Championship in August. She was commentating on the SHRPO Big 4 final tables along with Joe Stapleton and did an excellent job.

More recently, she was back on the mic in the Bahamas but was unable to play while working. Ho saw our schedule, took the short flight across the Straights of Florida and came to play some poker.

And she found a result on her first shot. Ho made her way through the $100,000 Guarantee Event 13 field and finished in eighth place for $6,526.

Now she’s back trying again.

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 25

On the first hand of the new level, Stefan Schillhabel opened the button to 70,000, and Adrian Mateos three-bet to 240,000 in the big blind. Schillhabel called.

The flop was , and both players checked. The turn was the , and a bet of 150,000 from Mateos won the pot.

The next hand, Mateos opened the button to 65,000, and Schillhabel called.

The flop was . Schillhabel checked, Mateos continued for 45,000, and and Schillhabel called. The turn was the . Schillhabel checked again, Mateos bet 165,000, and Schillhabel folded.

Mateos won the first two pots of the level, inching into the chip lead.

Adrian Mateos – 1,305,000 (44 bb)
Stefan Schillhabel – 1,195,000 (40 bb)

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Returning to Level 20: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 25

The two finalists are on a quick break at the end of Level 19.

Stefan Schillhabel – 1,555,000 (52 bb)
Adrian Mateos – 945,000 (32 bb)

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 25

Over the course of the last several orbits, Stefan Schillhabel had worked Adrian Mateos all the way down under 500,000 chips before they went to full-on war.

Schillhabel limped the button, Mateos shoved for 492,000, and Schillhabel called to put him at risk.

Schillhabel:
Mateos:

The flop was a suitable sweat, giving Schillhabel a long list of outs to end the match. He was looking for a jack or a club, most immediately. The turn and river completed the board with blanks, though, and Mateos won the pot with a pair of aces.

He doubled up.

Adrian Mateos – 992,000 (41 bb)
Stefan Schillhabel – 1,508,000 (63 bb)