2023 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 3
$600 Deep Stack Big O (Re-Entry)
Entries:  105
Prize Pool:  $55,125
April 13, 2023 

Event 3 of the 2023 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown was a  $600 Deep Stack Big O (Re-Entry). A field of 105 entries generated a prize pool of $55,125. The final 14 players will cash, earning at least $1,300.

Up top for the winner is $16,320.

1st:  $16,320 + Showdown trophy
2nd:  $10,200
3rd:  $6,120
4th:  $4,000
5th:  $3,090
6th:  $2,540
7th:  $2,150
8th:  $1,875
9th-10th:  $1,655
11th-12th:  $1,460
13th-14th: $1,300

$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  4,000/8,000 with a 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 147

After the elimination of Michael Scoma in 10th place, there was a redraw for random seats at the final table. Here is the lineup with updated chip counts:

Seat 1.  Emerson Ward  –  460,000  (58 bb)
Seat 2.  A.J. Kelsall  –  360,000  (45 bb)
Seat 3.  Robert Kessler  –  190,000  (24 bb)
Seat 4.  James Kirvin  –  280,000  (35 bb)
Seat 5.  Judith Bielan  –  185,000  (23 bb)
Seat 6.  Paul Freedman  –  210,000  (26 bb)
Seat 7.  Joseph Petrolino  –  115,000  (14 bb)
Seat 8.  Mitchell Garshofsky  –  175,000  (22 bb)
Seat 9.  William Riveron  –  955,000  (119 bb)

And here are the remaining payouts:

1st:  $20,850 + Showdown trophy
2nd:  $13,500
3rd:  $7,950
4th:  $4,825
5th:  $3,745
6th:  $3,090
7th:  $2,700
8th:  $2,415
9th:  $2,130

With nine players remaining, the average chip stack is around 327,000 (41 big blinds).

$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 17:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  15 of 147

The players return from break to begin Level 17, with blinds at 3,000-6,000 with a 6,000 ante. With 15 players remaining, the average chip stack is around 196,000 (33 big blinds).

Here are the official chip counts from the break:

TABLE 1
Seat 1.  Mitchell Garshofsky  –  294,000  (49 bb)
Seat 2.  Joseph Petrolino  –  158,000  (26 bb)
Seat 3.  
Seat 4.  James Kirvin  –  170,000  (28 bb)
Seat 5.  William Riveron  –  529,000  (88 bb)
Seat 6.  David Albertson  –  145,000  (24 bb)
Seat 7.  Judith Bielan  –  126,000  (21 bb)
Seat 8.  Michael Scoma  –  339,000  (57 bb)
Seat 9.  

TABLE 2
Seat 1.  Emerson Ward  –  176,000  (29 bb)
Seat 2.  Vitor Coelho  –  39,000  (7 bb)
Seat 3.  David Hilu  –  246,000  (41 bb)
Seat 4.  David Guiffreda  –  132,000  (22 bb)
Seat 5.  Paul Freedman  –  83,000  (14 bb)
Seat 6.  
Seat 7.  Joseph Hernan  –  75,000  (13 bb)
Seat 8.  A.J. Kelsall  –  149,000  (25 bb)
Seat 9.  Robert Kessler  –  147,000  (25 bb)

And here are the remaining payouts at stake:

1st:  $20,850 + Showdown trophy
2nd:  $13,500
3rd:  $7,950
4th:  $4,825
5th:  $3,745
6th:  $3,090
7th:  $2,700
8th:  $2,415
9th-10th:  $2,130
11th-12th:  $1,850
13th-15th:  $1,580

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 16:  3,000/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Flight A Players Remaining:  70 of 565

Flight A:  565 Entries; 70 Advanced
Flight B:  Underway (Reg. Open Until 10:30 p.m.)
Flight C:  Friday at 10 a.m.
Flight D:  Friday at 6 p.m.
Flight E:  Saturday at 10 a.m.
Flight F:  Saturday at 6 p.m.
Day 2:  Sunday at 1 p.m.
Day 3:  Monday at 1 p.m.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 16:  3,000/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Flight A Players Remaining:  70 of 565

Flight 1A came to an end during Level 16, with blinds at 3,000-5,000 with a 5,000 ante, and the big stacks belong to Jackie Lee, who bagged up 630,000 (126 big blinds), and Ariel Williams who finished with 618,000 (124 big blinds).

The full list of official chip counts will be posted later this evening, but here’s a look at the top five players from this flight:

1.  Jackie Lee  –  630,000  (126 bb)
2.  Ariel Williams  –  618,000  (124 bb)
3.  David Laufer  –  498,000  (100 bb)
4.  Thomas Morgado  –  493,000  (99 bb)
5.  David MacDonald  –  399,000  (80 bb)

While he didn’t make it to the top of the leaderboard, Michael Tait did make an incredible comeback today. Tait was down to just 4,500 in chips during Level 12, with blinds at 1,000-2,000, but he was able to run it back up, and he finished the flight with 261,000. That’ll give him at least 52 big blinds to start Day 2.

This flight of 565 entries was playing down to the final 71 players (12.5%), but two players were eliminated during the second hand of hand-for-hand play, so only 70 will advance from this flight. Everyone who bags chips will finish in the money and advance to Day 2, which begins Sunday at 1:00 pm.

This event has six starting flights, with two each day between now and Saturday. The morning flights start at 10:00 am (registration open until 2:30 pm) and the evening flights start at 6:00 pm (registration open until 10:30 pm). Flight 1B is currently underway.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 16:  3,000/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Flight A Players Remaining:  70 of 565

The first flight of Event 1 got down to 72 players, and it was time to start the Money Bubble with only 71 players advancing.

But there was action pending on other tables, and one of them reached a preflop all-in situation between and . The short stack held the kings and was looking for an easy double-up, but the dealer kept things interesting.

The board came , giving the big stack a flopped set of threes, but the short stack turned a set of kings to stay alive.

The field began hand-for-hand play on the Money Bubble, and during the second hand, two tables developed similar all-in situations, with one player all in against two other players who reached showdown on the river. They waited until all the other tables completed their action before revealing their cards.

At Table #7, the board showed , and the players turned over their cards:

Julian Wohlgemuth:    (ace high, nine kicker)
Big Blind:    (ace high, seven kicker)
Tom Macey:    (ace high, seven kicker)

Wohlgemuth won the entire pot because his kicker played above the seven on the board, eliminating Tom Macey on the Money Bubble.

At Table #14, the final board showed with the big blind as the only all-in player, and the three players turned over their cards:

Jorge Gomez:    (pair of eights)
Small Blind:  [Ad5d]  (ace high)
Big Blind:    (pair of sevens)

Gomez won the pot with his pair of eights to eliminate the player in the big blind on the Money Bubble.

Unfortunately for both players, you must bag chips and advance to Day 2 to finish in the money, so they don’t get to chop a prize spot the way they would in a standard tournament.

The remaining 70 players have bagged up their chips for Day 2, which begins Sunday at 1:00 pm. Their official chip counts will be posted this evening, and Flight 1B is underway with registration open until 10:30 pm.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 15:  2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 ante
Flight A Players Remaining:  86 of 565

Cards are back in the air after what should be the last break for Flight A. 86 players are remaining and 71 will advance to Day 2.

Ariel Williams went on a heater and leads the field late with 515,000 followed closely by Tommy Morgado with 501,000.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1:  100/100

Flight B of the Poker Showdown opener will get underway at 6 pm and Flight A set a good example. We have 565 entries in the first flight, more than we drew for this tournament last year that finished with nearly 3,700 entries.

Tonight they will push closer to the $500,000 guarantee.

Players start with 20K deep stacks and all levels last 30 minutes on Day 1, increasing to 40 minutes at the start of Day 2 and 60 when they hit Level 24. Late registration and unlimited re-entries are available until the start of Level 9 at 10:30 pm.

Flight B will continue until only 12.5% of the field remains and survivors will advance to Day 2 on Sunday at 1 pm in the money.

• $500,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 20,000 in chips
• Day 1 levels last 30 minutes; Day 2 levels last 40 minutes
• Levels 24+ last 60 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 9 (10:30pm)
• Day 1 will end when field reaches 12.5%
• Event 1 Structure Sheet

$600 Deep Stack Big O (Re-Entry)
Structure
Level 6:  300/600 with a 600 ante
Entries:  79

The Big O tournament is grinding peacefully in their own room across from the Grand Ballroom and they quickly put nearly 80 entries in the game after the first break. The game has a lot to offer those looking for action.

A few notables including Joel Hardwood, Long Nguyen, Phil Hui, David Shmuel, and Yuval Bronshtein.

2023 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 2
$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Entries:  147
Prize Pool:  $77,175
April 13, 2023

Registration closed for the $600 Seniors 50+ event with 147 entries creating a prize pool worth $77,175. The last 19 spots will be paid with $1,350 for a min-cash and $20,950 waiting for the champ along with the trophy.

1st: $20,850 + Showdown trophy
2nd: $13,500
3rd: $7,950
4th: $4,825
5th: $3,745
6th: $3,090
7th: $2,700
8th: $2,415
9th-10th: $2,130
11th-12th: $1,850
13th-15th: $1,580
16th-19th: $1,350