$15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 4: 200/400 with a 50 Ante
Players Remaining: 58 of 66

With the board reading , Javier Gomez bet 5,000 and Michael Mizrachi raised to 13,000. Gomez four-bet shoved having Mizrachi covered and he called for his last 47,400.

Mizrachi:
Gomez:

“The Grinder” flopped a six-high straight and Gomez was drawing dead with his queens after the turn.

Michael Mizrachi – 106,000 (265 bb)
Javier Gomez – 11,500 (29 bb)

$15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 4: 200/400 with a 50 Ante
Players Remaining: 58 of 66

Brian Altman is another player in today’s field who earned his way via a WPT event here on property. He hoisted the trophy during the 2015 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship and he’s heading in the right direction today.

Keven Stammen opened to 1,000 and Altman three-bet to 2,700. Ema Zajmovic called from the cutoff along with Stammen to make it three-ways to the flop. Stammen and Altman checked, Zajmovic bet 3,800 and both opponents came along to see the turn.

Stammen checked, Altman moved all-in for 26,000 and Zajmovic released. Stammen waited his allotted 30 seconds and tossed in a time bank chip. Before that one ran out, Stammen mucked to give Altman the pot.

Brian Altman – 44,000 (110 bb)
Keven Stammen – 42,000 (105 bb)
Ema Zajmovic – 34,000 (85 bb)

15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 3: 150/300 with a 50 Ante
Players Remaining: 61 of 66

A few people were wondering aloud today, which champion won their title the most years ago? The answer is poker legend Eli Elezra. He won his WPT trophy during the 2004/2005 season at the Mirage for a little over $1,000,000.

Elezra owns three WSOP bracelets and he’s joined at his table by eight-time WSOP champ Erik Seidel.

$15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 3: 150/300 with a 50 Ante
Players Remaining: 61 of 66

Scott Seiver opened to 700 from the hijack, Mohsin Charania called from the cutoff and Pay Lyons raised to 3,000 from the button. Seiver released and Charania called to see the flop.

Charania check/raised Lyons all in for his last 25,000 and Lyons called.

Charania:
Lyons:

Lyons was drawing dead to an early exit but had noting but praise for the tournament.

“I love it,” Lyons said. “I’d buy back in right now if I could.”

Mohsin Charania – 74,000 (247 bb)
Pat Lyons – Eliminated

$15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 3: 150/300 with a 50 Ante
Players Remaining: 63 of 66

Players returned to their seats and registration closed on the rake-free, freeze-out WPT Tournament of Champions. This year’s event drew 66 players, two better than last year, and pushed the prize pool over $1,000,000.

The last nine players will take home some of the money with a min-cash worth $38,150 and the TOC champ banking $381,500 plus a seat in next year’s WPT Tournament of Champions.

2017 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, FL
$15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions
Entries: 66
Prize Pool: $1,090,000
April 7 – 9, 2017

1st: $381,500 *
2nd: $218,000
3rd: $133,525
4th: $95,375
5th: $73,575
6th: $57,225
7th: $49,050
8th: $43,600
9th: $38,150
* – Includes 2018 WPT Tournament of Champions seat

$15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 3: 150/300 with a 25 Ante
Players: 66

After a quick group shot of the WPT Tournament of Champions group and a birthday cake presentation to Ema Zajmovic, cards are back in the air with registration closed.

There are a few big stack in early play with the top one belonging to 2015 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship winner Griffin Paul.

Top five stacks:

Griffin Paul – 128,425 (428 bb)
Tyler Patterson – 101,750 (339 bb)
Mike Scarborough – 88,300 (294 bb)
Harrison Gimbel – 81,225 (271 bb)
Michael Mizrachi – 63,000 (210 bb)

$15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 2: 100/200 with a 25 Ante
Players: 66

The WPT Tournament of Champions is on its first break of the day with 66 players entered and registration closing when they return.

$15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 2: 100/200 with a 25 Ante
Players: 64

The player count hit 64 in the second level to match last year’s total but we’ve already had two players hit the rail.

Mike Del Vecchio was the first to exit before Ryan Van Sanford got caught up in a hand versus Tyler Patterson.

Van Sanford opened to 600 from the button and Patterson three-bet to 2,000 from the small blind. Van Sanford called and Patterson bet another 2,500 after the flop. Van Sanford called and Patterson checked the .

Van Sanford bet 7,000, Patterson check/raised to 22,000 and Van Sanford moved all-in for ~40,000. Patterson quickly called and Van Sanford ran into a tough beat.

Patterson:
Van Sanford:

Van Sanford’s flopped set was behind Patterson’s turned set and he couldn’t find his one out on the river to go out early.

Tyler Patterson – 83,000 (415 bb)
Ryan Van Sanford – Eliminated

$15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 2: 100/200 with a 25 Ante
Players: 61

There were eighteen new players eligible for the WPT Tournament of Champions this year and two of them made a big splash.

Ema Zajmovic became the first female WPT champion (in an open event) when she captured the WPT Playground title in February. That was her second big WPT run after her fifth place final table appearance in December’s WPT Montreal tournament.

That WPT Montreal tournament was won by Poker Hall of Famer, WSOP bracelet winner, and WPT Commentator Mike Sexton. After 15 seasons with the WPT and six seasons where he was eligible to play, Sexton broke through in December for his first WPT title.

Coincidentally, Zajmovic and Sexton are seated next to each other today.

$15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions
Level 1: 75/150 with a 25 Ante
Players: 56

This is only the second running of the WPT Tournament of Champions, which means we have only one WPT Tournament of Champions champion and he’s back with us today.

Farid Yachou made quite the impression last year. The Dutch poker player made his first recorded cash a memorable one when it resulted in a win the WPT Amsterdam event. That feat earned him a seat in last year’s first WPT Tournament of Champions and he outlasted 63 other tough opponents for the win. First two recorded tournament cashes, two big WPT victories.

Also in today’s field, the very last WPT World Champion. Asher Conniff won the 2015 WPT World Championship at the Borgata, the last one run before the WPT switched to a Tournament of Champions format last year.