Event 16: Santana Noronha Eliminated in 13th Place by Jeff Sauer

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  12 of 238

Santana Noronha
Santana Noronha

Jeff Sauer raised UTG+1 to 35,000, Santana Noronha moved all in from the small blind for 225,000, and Sauer called with JsJc.

Noronha winced and then turned over his 10h10c, needing to improve to stay alive.

The board came Kh4s3c8h6c, and the jacks held up for Sauer to win the pot and eliminate Noronha in 13th place.

Jeff Sauer  –  605,000  (40 bb)
Santana Noronha  –  Eliminated in 13th Place  ($1,375)

With 12 players remaining from a field of 238, the average chip stack is around 395,000 (26 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $1,595 each.

Event 16: 13 Players Remain

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  13 of 238

Table 7
Seat 1:  Jean Leblond  –  105,000  (7 bb)
Seat 2:  Padraig Burns  –  175,000  (12 bb)
Seat 3:
Seat 4:  Jeff Sauer  –  480,000  (32 bb)
Seat 5:  Howard Hankin  –  200,000  (13 bb)
Seat 6:  George Hortelano  –  155,000  (10 bb)
Seat 7:
Seat 8:  Buck Bucceri  –  920,000  (61 bb)
Seat 9:  Santana Noronha   –  275,000  (18 bb)

Table 8
Seat 1:  Tiger Parker  –  235,000  (16 bb)
Seat 2:  Peter Shapiro  –  200,000  (13 bb)
Seat 3:  Deonarine Itwaru  –  435,000  (29 bb)
Seat 4:
Seat 5:
Seat 6:
Seat 7:  Amir Baron  –  750,000  (50 bb)
Seat 8:  Andrzej Rogowski  –  435,000  (29 bb)
Seat 9:  Mark McGarity  –  395,000  (26 bb)

In-The-Money Finishers
14th:  Gregory Anda  –  $1,375
15th:  Richard Whitebrook  –  $1,375

16th:  Satish Surapaneni  –  $1,155
17th:  Mike Beasley  –  $1,155
18th:  Robert Kessler  –  $1,155

19th:  David Levi  –  $940
20th:  Blaise Menta  –  $940
21st:  Robert Scott  –  $940

22nd:  Jay Klitzner  –  $735
23rd:  Mark Lackritz  –  $735
24th:  James Scott  –  $735

25th:  Michael Dreese  –  $640
26th:  Richard Holland  –  $640
27th:  David Ives  –  $640

28th:  Richard Vest  –  $550
29th:  Stephen Hagar  – $550
30ht:  Todd Shreve  –  $550

Event 16: Mark McGarity Knocks Out a Player to Burst the Money Bubble

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  4,000/8,000 with an 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  30 of 238

Mark McGarity
Mark McGarity

After 15 hands on the Money Bubble, the blinds increased to 4,000-8,000 with an 8,000 ante.

Two hands later, in Hand #17, the player in the cutoff got it all in for 17,000 with KhKd, and needed it to hold to stay alive against the Qd10d of Mark McGarity, who was UTG+1.

The board came 9c8h5sJs4s, and McGarity turned a queen-high straight to crack the kings, win the pot, eliminate his opponent, and burst the Money Bubble.

Mark McGarity  –  171,000  (21 bb)

The remaining 30 players are officially in the money, guaranteed at least $550 each.

With 30 players remaining from a field of 238, the average chip stack is around 159,000 (20 big blinds).

Event 16: A Long Money Bubble for the Seniors Event

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 17:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  31 of 238

Money Bubble - Seniors Event

During the Money Bubble of the Seniors event, there were no all-in-and-call situations until Hand #9, when the short stack doubled up with deuces against ace-queen.

In Hand #10, two out of four tables had all-in-and-call situations, but they had to wait to resolve their hands because one of the other two tables had a player shove on the river, and his opponent tanked for a long time.

Eventually, that player folded, and then the short stacks at the other two tables both doubled up. (Pocket fives held against ace-jack, and pocket nines held against king-nine.)

The next all-in-and-call situation came in Hand #12, when pocket aces held up against pocket fours.

The Money Bubble continues …

With 31 players remaining from a field of 238, the average chip stack is around 154,000 (26 big blinds). The field is on the Money Bubble, with a min-cash of $550 for the final 30 players.

Event 18: Prize Pool and Payouts; $27,880 to the PLO8 Winner

2023 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 18
$1,100 Six-Max Pot-Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Entries:  94
Prize Pool:  $91,180
January 17-18, 2023

Event 18 of the 2023 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open was the two-day $1,100 Six-Max Pot-Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry). A field of 94 entries produced a prize pool of $91,180. The final 12 players will cash, earning at least $1,970.

Up top for the winner is $27,880.

1st:  $27,880 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  $18,000
3rd:  $11,900
4th:  $8,210
5th:  $5,795
6th:  $4,215
7th-8th:  $3,165
9th-10th:  $2,455
11th-12th:  $1,970

Event 16: Buck Bucceri Shoves the River Against Jeff Sauer to Take the Lead During the Money Bubble

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 17:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  31 of 238

Buck Bucceri
Buck Bucceri

In Hand #3 of hand-for-hand play on the Money Bubble, two of the chipleaders saw a flop of Jc9h5s.

Buck Bucceri checked the big blind, Jeff Sauer bet 20,000 form the button, and Bucceri check-raised to 55,000. Sauer called.

The turn card was the Qs, Bucceri bet 100,000, and Sauer quickly called.

The river card was the 8s, and Bucceri moved all in for about 230,000. Sauer folded, and Bucceri took the pot — and a substantial chip lead.

Buck Bucceri  –  600,000  (100 bb)
Jeff Sauer  –  295,000  (49 bb)

With 31 players remaining from a field of 238, the average chip stack is around 154,000 (26 big blinds). The field is on the Money Bubble, with a min-cash of $550 for the final 30 players.

Event 16: Jeff Sauer Leads the Field as the Money Bubble Begins

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 17:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  31 of 238

Jeff Sauer
Chipleader Jeff Sauer

In the last hand before the break, a player was knocked out in 32nd place, which meant they’d begin hand-for-hand play on the Money Bubble at the start of Level 17, with blinds at 3,000-6,000 and a 6,000 ante.

A scan of the field during the break turned up four players with at least 300K in chips, creating an unofficial leaderboard:

1.  Jeff Sauer  –  470,000  (78 bb)
2.  Satish Surapaneni  –  431,000  (72 bb)
3.  Buck Bucceri  –  407,000  (68 bb)
4.  Deonarine Itwaru  –  395,000  (66 bb)

As the Money Bubble is about to begin, here’s a reminder of the payouts they’re playing for:

1st:  $18,435 + LHPO trophy
2nd:  $13,000
3rd:  $8,175
4th:  $4,970
5th:  $3,840
6th:  $3,180
7th:  $2,710
8th:  $2,315
9th-10th:  $1,865
11th-12th:  $1,595
13th-15th:  $1,375
16th-18th:  $1,155
19th-21st:  $940
22nd-24th:  $735
25th-27th:  $640
28th-30th:  $550

With 31 players remaining from a field of 238, the average chip stack is around 154,000 (26 big blinds).

Event 16: Buck Bucceri Continues to Lead the Field as the Money Bubble Approaches

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining:  38 of 238

Seniors Event - Final 5 Tables

As the field approaches the Money Bubble, dinner break chipleader Buck Bucceri continues to hold the lead with 410,000 (103 big blinds).

1.  Buck Bucceri  –  410,000  (103 bb)
2.  David Ives  –  335,000  (84 bb)
3.  Deonarine Itwaru  –  275,000  (69 bb)

Deonarine Itwaru is fresh off a victory in the $250 Holiday Deep Stack this past November.

With 38 players remaining from a field of 238, the average chip stack is around 125,500 (31 big blinds). The final 30 players will finish in the money, with a min-cash of $550.

Event 12 Flight F: The Sixth and Final Starting Flight

$200 Big Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1:  100/100

The sixth and final starting flight for LHPO Event 12 ($200 Big Stack NLH) gets underway at 7:00 pm, and before this flight even begins, the prizepool is already worth more than $293,000, easily surpassing the $200,000 guarantee.

Players begin with 30,000 in chips, and levels will be 30 minutes. Registration remains open with unlimited re-entries until the start of Level 7, around 10:30 pm.

Action will continue tonight until 10% of the field remains, and everyone who bags chips for Day 2 will finish in the money. The full list of payouts will be released late tonight after all starting flights have completed.

  • $200,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 15,000 in chips
  • Levels last 30 minutes
  • Late registration until start of Level 7 (10:30pm)
  • Day 1 will end when field reaches 10%
  • Event 12 Structure Sheet

Event 12 Flight E: Registration Closed with 475 Entries

$200 Big Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 7:  300/600 with a 600 ante
Flight E Entries:  475

Flight 1E Field

Registration has closed for Flight E of the $200 Big Stack with 475 entries, increasing the tournament total to 1,833 so far.

The prizepool is now worth $293,280, easily surpassing the $200,000 guarantee with one more flight to go. (Flight F begins at 7:00 pm.)

Flight E will continue playing tonight until there are 48 players remaining, and everyone who bags chips for Day 2 will finish in the money. Day 2 begins tomorrow (Wednesday) at 2:00 pm.

Day/TimeFlightEntriesAdvanced
Monday at 11 amA36837
Monday at 3 pmB36837
Monday at 7 pmC34835
Tues at 11 amD274TBD
Tues at 3 pmE475TBD
Tues at 7 pmF
Total1,833109

Chip counts through Flight C