2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
Event #5
$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)  
Total Entries: 1,804
Prize Pool: $216,480

After a long final table in which the average stack was rarely above 20 big blinds, Sagi Zommer won Event 5 in a heads-up deal with Alan Dobrow. The latter collected $35,000 for his runner-up finish, while Zommer took the trophy and the top prize of $44,329.

Zommer is a 43-year-old physical therapist from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was born in Israel, but he’s spent most of his life in the United States, splitting time between his east coast hometown and Silicon Valley. He’s only been playing poker seriously for about two years, and this is by far his largest result on record.

“I was going to be patient and pick my spots,” the champ said of his strategy entering the final table. “Let some of the small stacks take each other out.”

He did just that, treading water for most of the evening and eliminating just one of his nine final table opponents. He entered the heads-up duel against Dobrow facing a significant chip disadvantage, and he initially declined the deal that his opponent offered.

After a brief back-and-forth battle, Zommer found two doubles in quick succession to take the lead, then offered Dobrow the same deal in return. They shook hands and called it a night, with Dobrow seemingly content to settle for second place. Both men showed a remarkable return on their $150 investments.

“Once we got heads up, I just tried to tire him out,” Zommer said. “And it worked.”

Final Table Results
1st: Sagi Zommer – $44,329
2nd: Alan Dobrow – $35,000
3rd: Fred Allenspach – $20,146
4th: Mike Beasley – $13,638
5th: Zo Karim – $9,417
6th: Salah Levy – $7,252
7th: Jordan Meltzer – $5,520
8th: Steve Fraser – $4,048
9th: David Hass – $2,901

Event 5 Final Results

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 35: 150,000/300,000 with a 50,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 1,804
Average Stack: 9,025,000 (30 bb)

Both players put 600,000 apiece in the pot preflop, and the dealer spread . Sagi Zommer moves all in for 6,200,000, and Alan Dobrow called to put him at risk.

Zommer:
Dobrow:

Zommer’s kicker had him in the lead poised for the double. The turn was the disastrous , though, flipping the script and giving Dobrow a big lead with one to come. He was one card from the trophy, but the river reversed things yet again. The peeled off to complete the board, giving Zommer the double-up with jacks up.

Sagi Zommer: 13,700,000 (46 bb)
Alan Dobrow: 4,340,000 (14 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 34: 125,000/250,000 with a 25,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 1,804
Average Stack: 9,025,000 (36 bb)

Alan Dobrow limped the button, and Sagi Zommer checked his option in the big blind.

The flop came , and Zommer moved all in for 3,250,000. Dobrow tanked for a bit, then called to put his opponent at risk.

Zommer:
Dobrow:

Zommer was ahead with two pair, and that lead held on the turn and river. He doubled up, closing the gap in the match.

Sagi Zommer – 7,050,000 (28 bb)
Alan Dobrow – 10,990,000 (44 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 34: 125,000/250,000 with a 25,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 1,804
Average Stack: 6,025,000 (24 bb)

One hand after Mike Beasley’s elimination, Fred Allenspach followed him to the cashier. Allenspach got his last 1,200,000 chips into the middle with , and Alan Dobrow put him at risk with . The board ran out , and Allenspach was eliminated in third place.

Alan Dobrow and Sagi Zommer are now heads up for the trophy in Event 5.

Alan Dobrow – 13,000,000 (52 bb)
Sagi Zommer – 5,000,000 (20 bb)
Fred Allenspach – Eliminated

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 34: 125,000/250,000 with a 25,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 1,804
Average Stack: 4,500,000 (18 bb)

Mike Beasley moved all in for about 750,000 on the button, and Sagi Zommer called to put him at risk.

Beasley:
Zommer:

The board ran out , and Beasley was eliminated in fourth place. “That’s a disappointing finish,” he said has he stood from the table. “Very disappointing.”

Sagi Zommer – 5,000,000 (20 bb)
Mike Beasley – Eliminated

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 33: 100,000/200,000 with a 25,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 1,804
Average Stack: 3,600,000 (18 bb)

Zo Karim moved all in for right around 2,000,000 under the gun, and Alan Dobrow called from the button. Karim was at risk, and he was in bad shape as the cards were turned up.

Karim:
Dobrow:

The board ran out , and Karim could not catch up. Dobrow won the pot with the superior two pair, sending Karim to the cashier in fifth place.

Alan Dobrow – 9,000,000 (45 bb)
Zo Karim – Eliminated

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 33: 100,000/200,000 with a 25,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 1,804
Average Stack: 3,000,000 (15 bb)

Salah Levy moved all in for 1,800,000, and Alan Dobrow re-shoved, isolating his opponent and flipping for the knockout.

Levy:
Dobrow:

The flop gave Levy a big lead with top pair. The turn was the , giving Dobrow extra outs with an open-ender. The river was the , and Levy celebrated briefly before realizing the bad news. It took Dobrow a moment, as well. “Oh,” the latter realized after a moment. “Oh, I think I hit trips. Oh my god.”

Dobrow did indeed make trip jacks on the river, eliminating Levy in sixth place.

Alan Dobrow – 6,800,000 (34 bb)
Salah Levy – Eliminated

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 33: 100,000/200,000 with a 25,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 1,804
Average Stack: 3,000,000 (15 bb)

The players just returned from what will likely be the final break of the evening. Here’s how they stack up at the new level:

Alan Dobrow – 5,275,000 (26 bb)
Mike Beasley – 3,000,000 (15 bb)
Sagi Zommer – 2,975,000 (15 bb)
Zo Karim – 2,400,000 (12 bb)
Salah Levy – 2,325,000 (12 bb)
Fred Allenspach – 2,025,000 (10 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 32: 75,000/150,000 with a 25,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 1,804
Average Stack: 2,575,000 (17 bb)

Under the gun, Mike Beasley moved all in for 710,000. Jordan Meltzer called in the small blind, and big blind Alan Dobrow said, “Well, I call too.” He joined the pot to create action on the side.

The flop was , and Meltzer moved all in for 1,020,000. Dobrow called again, putting both opponents at risk. “Two overcards and a flush draw?” Beasley asked hopefully.

Beasley: (pair of eights)
Meltzer: (pair of tens)
Dobrow: (two overcards)

The turn was the , giving Dobrow a big lead with a pair of kings. He was one card from the double knockout, but the river brought salvation for one of his opponents. The peeled off the deck, and Beasley celebrated the winning set of eights. He won the main pot, tripling up into third place. Dobrow won the side pot, earning a small profit on the exchange.

Meltzer was eliminated in eighth place, earning more than $5,000 on his $150 investment.

Mike Beasley – 2,330,000 (16 bb)
Alan Dobrow – 5,375,000 (36 bb)
Jordan Meltzer – Eliminated

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 32: 75,000/150,000 with a 25,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 8 of 1,804
Average Stack: 2,255,000 (15 bb)

Steve Fraser moved all in for 680,000 in early position, and Alan Dobrow called to put him at risk.

Fraser:
Dobrow:

The board ran out , and Fraser could not catch up. Dobrow won the pot with a pair of jacks, sending Fraser to the exit in eighth place.

Alan Dobrow – 5,100,000 (34 bb)
Steve Fraser – Eliminated