2021 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 1
$400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em
$500,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  3,730
Prize Pool:  $1,249,550
July 22-25, 2021

The opening event of the 2021 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open attracted 3,730 entries across six starting flights, and the large field meant the event didn’t even reach the final table by the time Day 2 hit the hard stop at 3:00 am late Sunday night.

So the final 12 players returned on Monday afternoon, and played nearly three hours before Joseph Rossi was declared the winner in a four-way deal.

“I jumped out fast with 12 players left,” said Rossi, “and when I got to the final table, I started out okay. I lost one or two hands, but I regrouped, and I won a monster at the end by eliminating two people by flopping the nuts.”

The key hand that Rossi referred to came with six players left, and Allan Maloney was all in preflop with a short stack against Rossi and Patrick Capozziello.

The flop came , Rossi shoved, and Capozziello snap-called with for a set of kings. But Rossi flipped over for an ace-high straight, and it held up to eliminate both players.

The final four players quickly agreed to an ICM deal at that point, and as chipleader, Rossi was awarded the title, the trophy, and the most money — $138,887.

“I hear people say all the time that it’s not about the money, it’s about winning,” said Rossi. “That really is the case.”

Rossi doesn’t actually play poker that often, saying he plays when he has time, between work and family.

“I come to the Seminole Hard Rock for the big series,” said Rossi. “I normally play one or two of the bigger events, to just take my few shots a year.”

So will he return to play in the $5,250 SHRPO Championship that begins on Friday, August 6th? “I’m supposed to be on vacation,” said Rossi, “but I’m really going to try to be here.”

* Indicates results of a four-way deal.