2015 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
$25,400 High Roller Event (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
August 17-18th, 2015
Total Entries: 83
Total Prize Pool: $2,075,000
1st: $652,800
2nd: $391,700
3rd: $245,500
4th: $186,200
5th: $141,900
6th: $116,600
7th: $93,400
8th: $74,400
9-11th: $57,500
$25,400 High Roller Event (Re-Entry)
Level 13: 3,000/6,000/1,000 Ante
Phil Laak, Doc Sands and Christian Harder found themselves in a three-way pot on a board of 
. After checks from Sands and Harder, Laak bet out 107,000 which was enough to put both of them all-in. Sands took his time and then made the call matching Laak’s bet and Harder followed suit.
Laak: 
Sands: 
Harder: 
Sands had flopped a set of threes and had both of his tablemates in trouble. The board ran out 
giving Sands the full house, the triple-up and the elimination of Harder.
28 players remain in this High Roller tournament.
$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 23: 10,000/20,000/3,000 Ante
Jon Borenstein moved all in preflop on the small blind and Kane Lai called all in on the big blind. The two players then tabled their hands.
Borenstein: 
Lai: 
Board: 
Lai was eliminated in 11th place and he took home $20,100. Borentstein was up to 800,000 after the hand.
$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 23: 10,000/20,000/3,000 Ante
Xuan Liu three-bet to 130,000 on the small blind preflop, and David Diaz four-bet to 260,000 on the cutoff. Xuan called and the flop was dealt 
. Both players checked.
The 
fell on the turn and the two players contributed 400,000 to the pot. The was delivered on the river and Xuan moved all in. Diaz pondered the all-in call for many minutes, but eventully folded his hand. Diaz was down to 421,000 after the hand and Xuan grew her chip lead to 3.2 million.
$25,400 High Roller Event (Re-Entry)
Level 13: 3,000/6,000/1,000 Ante
Bryn Kenney was all in from the big blind for 96,000 with 
, and he needed it to hold to stay alive against Fred Goldberg’s 
on the button.
The board came 
, and Kenney won the pot with a pair of fives to double up in chips.
Bryn Kenney – 201,000 (34 bb)
Fred Goldberg – 345,000 (58 bb)
Every player begins their tournament with one goal in mind, win all the chip and take home the top prize. A noble concept, but there can be only one.
If you did manage to capture a Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open title, there was a bonus prize in your future besides the big piece of the prize pool and a slick trophy.
Eric Harkins from Images Masters (IMPDI) is a tenured professional photographer who is in the ballroom for each event. He has captured some of the most iconic moments in poker history including this well-known shot of Chris Moneymaker. Harkins is the same gentleman who will take your winner’s photo for the world to see. The winner of each major event during the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open receives a free 16×20 custom-framed print of that photo.
A winner’s photo trophy from one of the best in the business, a fine addition to any personal wall of fame.
Even if you aren’t a champion of a Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open event, you can still pick up your own customized framed pictures from your time at the tables. IMPDI has plenty of options for making a great keepsake with 11×14, 16×20, and 20×24 frames available and you pick your photo(s).
Regular prints and picture CDs are also available plus the convenient IMPDI online shop once the series is complete.
Another great added value item for players in the 2015 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open.
Even with the great added value, players sometime forget to pick up their extra reward. The following players have framed photos in the lobby and ready to be picked up.
Aaron Mermelstein – Event 4
Robert Wachtel – Event 9
Ryan Van Sanford – Event 12
Matthew Ferrante – Event 14
Rick Alvarado – Event 16
Robert Mizrachi – Event 18
Previous Series Winners
Jingi Xu – 2015 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Charles Sinn – 2015 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Jordan Peralto – 2015 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
$25,400 High Roller Event (Re-Entry)
Level 13: 3,000/6,000/1,000 Ante
Here are updated chip counts from the break for some of the notables in the High Roller event. The average chip stack is about 244,000 (41 big blinds).
Ian O’Hara – 581,000 (97 bb)
Pratyush Buddiga – 490,000 (82 bb)
David Peters – 490,000 (82 bb)
Fred Goldberg – 431,000 (72 bb)
Barry Hutter – 420,000 (70 bb)
Phil Laak – 384,000 (64 bb)
Ty Reiman – 373,000 (62 bb)
Tom Marchese – 351,000 (59 bb)
Brian Yoon – 265,000 (44 bb)
Brian Hastings – 243,000 (41 bb)
Noah Schwartz – 243,000 (41 bb)
Jason Mercier – 235,000 (39 bb)
James Joyner – 224,000 (37 bb)
Kathy Lehne – 175,000 (29 bb)
Raj Vohra – 167,000 (28 bb)
Shannon Shorr – 160,000 (27 bb)
Erik Seidel – 137,000 (23 bb)
Hans Winzeler – 122,000 (20 bb)
Byron Kaverman – 114,000 (19 bb)
David “Doc” Sands – 101,000 (17 bb)
Bryn Kenney – 100,000 (17 bb)
Christian Harder – 99,000 (17 bb)
Jake Schwartz – 62,000 (10 bb)
James Calderaro – 45,000 (8 bb)
$25,400 High Roller Event (Re-Entry)
Level 13: 3,000/6,000/1,000 Ante
Registration is now closed for the High Roller. 83 entries have been recorded and 34 players remain in action trying to make our final table. Play will end at nine players or the tournament director’s discretion.
$25,400 High Roller Event (Re-Entry)
Level 12: 2,500/5,000/500 Ante
After losing a small prop bet to Dong Kim earlier, Jason Les just lost something a little more precious – chips.
Les ended up all-in against Kim and got a chilly reception. Les showed 
but Kim woke up with 
. Les nearly cracked Kim after the flop came out 
but he got no help after the board ran out 
and Kim doubled up to 332,000.
We have now finished the final level of play before registration closes. We’ll have our final number entries and payouts shortly.
$25,400 High Roller Event (Re-Entry)
Level 12: 2,500/5,000/500 Ante
The High Roller has taken the $1,000,000 guarantee and made the first digit a little crooked.
We’ve now recorded 81 entries taking the prize pool over the $2,000,000 mark far surpassing all expectations for this event.
Some of poker’s elite like Doc Sands, Brian Hastings, Erik Seidel, Shannon Shorr, David Peters and Jason Mercier are still firing away tonight trying to reach Day 2 and play for the High Roller title.
