Event 2: David White Earns 1st Series Title

Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open”
Event 2: $300 Big Stack Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
November 13, 2014

Total Entries: 44
Total Prize Pool: $11,200

David White, Event 2 Champion
David White,
Event 2 Champion

Recap:
Technically it wasn’t the first event of the 2014 Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open” but it was the first title awarded. David White of Boca Raton, FL outlasted 43 other competitors in the small but talented field to earn the title, the $4,488 that went with the feat, a slick trophy, and a custom framed print from IMPDI.

The tournament quickly played won from 44 entrants to the final table 10 and lost three players at the start of final table action. That is were things stalled out, the money bubble slowed things down with one player set to miss the payouts.

It took nearly three hours before someone would go out next and it was local pro Kevin Spires to leave on the money bubble. He was knocked down near the felt by White and never recovered. Action was still methodical once the bubble burst but it ended quickly after Kevin Bruno was knocked out in 4th place.

The three remaining players were half-joking about making a deal when all three found a big hand and suddenly all the chips went in the middle. White had the best starting hand and finished off with the nut flush on the river to knock out both John Brenna and Matthew Lombardi to quickly settle the winner question.

Event 2 Results:

1st – David White $4,488
2nd – John Brennan $2,412
3rd – Matthew Lombardi $1,571
4th – Kevin Bruno $1,178
5th – Joey Proper $898
6th – Don Todd $673

Event 1: Flight 1B Gets Dramatic

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 14: 1,200/2,400/400 ante

Muhamet Perati
Muhamet Perati

It was a pretty passive final few levels but that changed with one quick hand.

Tevy Wellins and Edward Medoff were in the running late to be end of flight chip leader until a huge hand went down on Table 63. It was easy to see something was happening since half the table jumped to their feet.

Three players were all-in pre-flop with AsAh and QcQd already tabled before the 4-seat rolled over KdKc. Muhamet Perati was in a great spot, holding the Aces and more chips than the other two.

The dealer kept it clean with a Jd6c5dJh3h run out to give Perati the pot and a huge chip lead after the first day of Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open” action. When it was all done for the night, Perati put 521,500 in his bag. More than 200,000 better than the 1A Nissin Vankin and a healthy lead over Wellins’ 355,500 from 1B.

There are two more flights for the $500,000 guarantee Event 1 on Friday with 1C kicking off at 11am and 1D at 5pm.

Event 1: Counting Down

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 13: 1,000/2,000/300 ante

With two levels to go, you would expect to find at least a handful of players pulling away from the field but there a more than a few big stacks to be counted.

Less than 72 players remain as the ninth table was broken when the players returned to their seats. The prior list of locals are still pushing chips around but everyone seems content to sit back, wait, and bag a workable stack.

Event 1: Final Break

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 12: 800/1,600/200 ante

Catching back on the action in the far corner of the ballroom with less than 90 players remaining of the 285 who started the flight.

Mukul Pahuja, Nigel Murray, Robert Campbell, Michael Ortiz, and Dani Dayan are a few of the locals still with ammunition in the fight.

Players are heading off on their final break and we will have a better idea who is leading with nothing but chips, chairs, and staff in the room.

Event 2: David White Captures Title in Big Hand

$300 Big Stack Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Level 20: 6,000/12,000

Faster than anyone could have imagined after the last few hours, the final three players each found a hand worth getting their chips in the middle.

David White opened the action to 30,000 and Matthew Lombardi came over the top all-in to give John Brenna something to think about. His decision was to shove for more than Lombardi and White quickly called having both at risk.

White: AsKsKc7d
Brennan: KhJhJc9c
Lombardi: Ad7h6d4c

White was ahead but Brenna had the small PLO statistical advantage until the Kd9s6h flop. The Js left Lombardi drawing dead to 3rd place and Brennan with just one out. The Ts locked up the hand for White as he sent both remaining players out at the same time.

Brenna picks up 2nd place money for having more chips the Lombardi, who had to settle for 3rd place.

White made a big comeback at the final table to win his first title and $4,488.

Event 2 Results:

1st – David White $4,488
2nd – John Brennan $2,412
3rd – Matthew Lombardi $1,571
4th – Kevin Bruno $1,178
5th – Joey Proper $898
6th – Don Todd $673

Matthew Lombardi, Event 2 Champion
David White, Event 2 Champion

Event 2: Kevin Bruno – 4th Place ($1,178)

$300 Big Stack Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Level 20: 6,000/12,000

Things settled back down for a little while, and there was even talk of a possible chop, before Kevin Bruno took a shot after the Jd5s2c flop.

Bruno was all-in with flopped top pair KhQsJs9c and David White called with the overpair AdAh8s4s. The 5c turn paired the board and left Bruno looking for one of the two remaining Jacks but missed the Tc river to be the next gone, eliminated in 4th place for $1,178.

Ken Bruno (Lake Worth, FL)
Ken Bruno (Lake Worth, FL)

Event 1: 1B Registration Closed

$350 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 9: 400/800/100 ante

While our attention has been focused on the PLO final table, flight 1B of Event 1 has just returned from its second break of the day with 285 entrants showing on the clock. Mukul Pahuja, Robert Campbell, Michael Ortiz, Paula Barros, and Nigel Murray are just some of those regulars in the running.

That means registration is officially closed on this chapter with four more opening flights split between Friday and Saturday.

Event 2: Joey Prosper – 5th Place ($898)

$300 Big Stack Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Level 18: 4,000/8,000

At the very least, Joey Prosper could have expected to chop his final pot. Instead he found an unfriendly river.

Prosper opened under the gun for a pot-sized bet and David White came along from the button. After the Jd5s2c flop, Prosper moved all-in for just under the pot. White took his time to consider but finally called with AhKhKc7s which was in a dead heat to tie Prosper’s KsKd7d3c.

The 4d gave Prosper a little hope free-rolling the flush with White holding only two outs to scoop. One of those showed up in the form of the Ah river for the surprise knockout and send Prosper out in 5th place for $898.

Joey Prosper (Miami, FL)
Joey Prosper (Miami, FL)

Event 2: Don Todd – 6th Place ($673)

$300 Big Stack Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Level 18: 4,000/8,000

After nearly three hours on the money bubble, it took just a few more hands to send the next one out.

Don Todd was all-in versus Matthew Lombardi with neither having a big stack. Todd was the at-risk player with Qc9d2s2c against AsTd9s3s and they both his the AcQd4s flop.

Lombardi was ahead and Todd missed the Jh turn before the river came Ah to send Todd out in 6th place for $673.

Don Todd (Davie, FL)
Don Todd (Davie, FL)