2015 Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ’n’ Roll Poker Open”
$350 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
November 21, 2015
Total Entries: 49
Total Prize Pool: $14,700
Recap:
Event 3 was a one-day event that attracted 49 entries, and the final five would finish in the money. When the field reached the final five, they battled a surprisingly long time, with players taking turns as to who was the chipleader and who was the short stack.
When it finally got down to the final three, two were nearly even in chips and a deal was struck to award the title to chipleader Matt Silva. Second place went to Joel Harwood (father of famous poker player Loni Harwood), who had about a single big blind more in his stack than Michelle Shah, who finished third.
The shortest stack during five-handed play belonged to Krystal Harris, who was knocked down to just two big blinds, and then tripled up on the next hand when she woke up with pocket aces, flopped a set, and rivered quads. For a little while it looked like Harris would mount a full comeback, but it was short-lived, and she was eliminated about 20 minutes later in fifth place.
Harris was followed to the rail by Evan Shaughnessy, who got it all in after the flop with a pair of tens against Silva’s pair of deuces and gutshot straight draw. The turn improved Shaughnessy to a set of eights, and only a king could keep him from doubling up. Even though he had one of the kings in his hand, Shaughnessy watched as the 
hit the river to complete Silva’s straight, ending the tournament for Shaughnessy in fourth place.
At that point, Silva held 43.1% of the chips in play, and a three-way deal was struck. As chipleader, Silva was awarded the title, the Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open” trophy, and a custom-framed winner’s photo courtesy of Image Masters.
This victory is particularly sweet for Silva because just last month he finished second in Event 9 of the Fall DeepStack Poker Series at the Seminole Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, FL. When a deal was struck in that event, Silva was second in chips by a single big blind, and missed out on the guitar trophy. This time, Silva’s lead was substantial enough that there was no doubt.
Silva has already locked up a chip stack for Day 2 of Event 1, winning this title on his day off, though he is heading home to Atlanta for Thanksgiving and will have to miss the Championship Event next weekend.
Congratulations to Matt Silva!
Final Table Results:
1st: Matt Silva (Marietta, GA) $3,901
2nd: Joel Harwood (Hallendale, FL) $3,709
3rd: Michelle Shah (Delray Beach, FL) $3,709
4th: Evan Shaughnessy (Pittsford, NY) $1,911
5th: Krystal Harris $1,470
against chipleader Matt Silva. Here were their cards:
(pair of 2s, gutshot straight draw)
(pair of 10s)
, improving Shaughnessy to a set of eights, but the river card was — the 
, Harris got it all in against Matthew Silva. Here were their hands:
(pocket 10s, flush draw, gutshot straight draw)
(pocket jacks)
, the river was the 
, and Silva made a diamond flush to win the pot and eliminate Harris in fifth place.
for a pair of tens with a diamond flush draw and a gutshot straight draw. Harris turned over 
for a set of aces, and she needed it to hold to stay alive.
, and Harris made quad aces to win the pot and triple up to 27,000 in chips.
, and Knopf’s pair of jacks couldn’t catch up to Harwood’s aces. Knopf was knocked out in sixth place to burst the Money Bubble.
