2023 December Big Stack Special Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Florida $150 Big Stack No-Limit Hold’em $100,000 Guaranteed Entries: 1,292 Prize Pool: $149,872 December 6 – 10, 2023
Registration closed for the $150 December Big Stack Special with 1,292 entries turning the $100,000 into a prize pool worth $149,872. All 132 players returning for Day 2 will be in the money with $215 for a min-cash and $25,455 up top for the winner.
By the numbers, this was the biggest RRPO series in our history in terms of both entries and prize pools, and it was also the fifth-biggest attendance for any series in our history.
This series also posted some big overall numbers for our big series. Since the 2011 Poker Showdown, we have hosted 48 major festivals, hit $250,000,000 in guarantees, and surpassed 500,000 entries. Come to Lucky Hearts Poker Open in January when we just might cross over $500,000,000 in prize money.
The series headliner was the 2023 WPT RRPO Championship, which drew 1,447 entries to create a prize pool worth $4,630,400. The last 181 players earned a share and Istvan Briski took the top spot of $647,300 after winning in front of the WPT live-stream cameras.
Three locals made the final table with Darryll Fish, Fred Goldberg, and Sandy Sanchez among the last six. This was Sanchez’s third cash of the series and all came at final tables: third in the $600 H.O.R.S.E., fourth in the $600 Eight-Game Mix, and third in the Championship.
Richard Saunders
The series started with a $400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em tournament featuring a $2,000,000 guarantee and eight starting flights. The tournament drew 7,532 entries, and Richard Saunders took the top prize of $192,398 plus the RRPO trophy.
Matt Bretzfield won three events during the 2023 RRPO series
Matt Bretzfield (smiling above) had himself a series, not content to book just one title, but he earned three RRPO trophies; he won the $1,100 PLO, the $400 Bounty PLO, and the $600 Eight-Game Mix. Bretzfield tied a long-standing record as only the third person in our history to win three titles in the same series and the first to do it since 2012.
2012 Showdown – Julio Fernandez 2012 RRPO – Atanael Thomas 2023 RRPO – Matt Bretzfield
Bretzfield wasn’t the only one who made moves up our all-time list. David Shmuel captured his ninth title, Yuval Bronshtein grabbed his eighth, and Shmuel finished two spots short of his tenth on the last night of the series.
Raminder Singh sits alone at the top, but it’s getting crowded behind him. All-time major Hollywood titles:
Raminder Singh – 10 wins Yuval Bronshtein – 9 wins David Shmuel – 9 wins Michael Newman – 9 wins John Holley – 8 wins Matt Bretzfield – 8 wins Brian Altman – 7 wins David Prociak – 7 wins Gabriel Ramos – 7 wins
Other notable wins include A.J. Kelsall with his fourth trophy, David Brookshire winning two this series, and Adam Hendrix capturing the one-day $5K event when he max late registered after busting the $25K High Roller in sixth place.
All told we had 49 RRPO trophies find a new home over the two weeks of the series, and you can find links to all of the results below.
We cannot overstate our appreciation for the players who come out to support every one of our series. Thank you, and thank you again.
We look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones during the upcoming 2024 Lucky Hearts Poker Open in January!
2023 Seminole Hard Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Florida $3,500 WPT RRPO Championship $3,000,000 Guaranteed Entries: 1,447 Prize Pool: $4,630,400 November 24 – 29, 2023
2023 WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Champion Istvan Briski
The 2023 WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship began several days ago and drew 1,447 entries, generating a prize pool of $4,630,400. Emerging victorious was Istvan Briski, winning outright for $647,300.
Briski hails from Hungary and mainly plays poker online. This was his first time playing at the Seminole Hard Rock and he made it a time he’ll never forget.
“It’s amazing,” said Briski of winning. “I ran really good in the tournament, and yeah, I’m very happy. My biggest score so far. I’m very grateful.”
Briski bagged a below-average stack after Day 1 and was 274th of the returning 513 players, but still was comfortable with 45 big blinds. His Day 2 went fantastic, as he finished 8th in chips of the remaining 83 players. From there he bagged the chip lead after Day 3, leading the remaining 15 players.
Istvan Briski and Seminole Hard Rock Poker Tournament Manager Jason Heidenthal
$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship $3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results Level 35: 300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante Players Remaining: 1 of 1,447
2023 WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Champion Istvan Briski
Rayan Chamas raised all in for 9,800,000 from the button and Istvan Briski called in the big blind.
Chamas: Briski:
The board came , keeping Chamas’ queen best to win the 2023 WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open for $647,300. Chamas finished runner-up for $600,000.
A recap of the Championship will be posted later tonight.
$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship $3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results Level 35: 300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante Players Remaining: 2 of 1,447
Rayan Chamas
Istvan Briski limped in for 600,000 from the button, Rayan Chamas raised all in for 6,800,000 from the big blind, and Briski called with , leading Chamas’ .
The board ran out , giving Chamas queens and fours on the river to double through Briski and survive.
$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship $3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results Level 34: 300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante Players Remaining: 3 of 1,447
Fred Goldberg
Istvan Briski raised to 1,000,000 from the cutoff, Fred Goldberg reraised all in for 3,700,000 from the button, and Briski called with , leading Goldberg’s .
The board ran out , giving Briski jacks full of sevens to eliminate Goldberg in fourth place.
Istvan Briski – 36,900,000 (74 bb) Fred Goldberg – Eliminated in 4th Place ($274,000)
$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship $3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results Level 34: 300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante Players Remaining: 4 of 1,447
Istvan Briski
Rayan Chamas raised to 1,000,000 from the cutoff, Istvan Briski three-bet to 2,500,000 from the button, Chamas four-bet all in with a covering stack, and Briski caled all in for 15,300,000.
Chasmas: Briski:
The board ran out , safe for Briski to double into the chip lead.
, keeping Chamas’ queen best to win the 2023 WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open for $647,300. Chamas finished runner-up for $600,000.
, leading Chamas’ 
, giving Chamas queens and fours on the river to double through Briski and survive.
board where Briski bet 5,500,000. Chamas called.
to double into a sizable chip lead.
, safe for Briski to double into the chip lead.