2017 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 3
$300 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em
Entries: 107
Prize Pool: $27,285
November 16, 2017
Scott Zakheim won his first career Seminole Hard Rock trophy on Thursday night in the $300 Seniors No-Limit Hold’em event. At least, it’s the first recorded win here in Hollywood for the South Florida resident.
Zakheim came out on top of a three-way deal with Constantinos Liapis and Jeff Duvall to win $6,262 and the title to best a 107-entry field.
“It feels great,” said Zakheim after his win. “Winning any tournament, I don’t care the size of the tournament, is a good feeling. So, yeah, it’s a good way to start the series.”
Zakheim doesn’t have any recorded wins at what he considers his home casino, but he’s been playing here so long, he thinks that he’s won a couple tournaments in the early days of Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood.
“I think I may have had some other chops and wins, but I think that was before they started recording them,” said Zakheim. “I’ve been playing here a long time. Whenever they opened the Hard Rock, whenever that was, is when I started playing here.”
He dominated the final table and is a regular in the South Florida poker scene, but as much as he plays already, a development in his personal life may allow him to play even more.
“I have a law firm, but I’m going to be retiring and I’m going to be selling my law firm,” said Zakheim. “My passion is poker.”
When they redrew for seats at the final table, Zakheim held a slight chip lead over the rest of the field, but things went right for him early and often. He eliminated Neil Blumenfield in ninth place, who was one of the other big stacks at the table, and he never looked back.
When there were seven players remaining, he held nearly half of the chips in play. He held onto that chip lead all the way to three-handed play, where he made a deal with Liapis and Duvall. Liapis offered up a deal where he and Duvall, the two shorter stacks, each take $5,000 and Zakehim take the rest.
After getting the exact numbers from the tournament staff, all three players agreed to the deal and Zakheim was crowned the champion.
Final Results:
1st: Scott Zakheim – $6,262
2nd: Constantinos Liapis – $5,000
3rd: Jeff Duvall – $5,000
4th: Frank Franze – $1,978
5th: Jerome Hyafil – $1,528
6th: Andrea Orphanos – $1,255
7th: Grady Yeager Jr. – $1,064
8th: Jeff Niedelman – $928
9th: Neil Blumenfield – $819
10th: Woodrow Pass – $723
11th: Gregory Masterson – $723
12th: Paul Balzano – $723
13th: Joseph Hargadon – $641
14th: Angelo Castaldi – $641
- Download: Final Results (PDF)