Championship: Waiting Game

$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 30: 50,000/100,000/15,000 Ante

There were no big hands and few flops seen since Greg Rosen’s double. The two short stacks are still hanging around while Brian Altman and Mark Dube are avoiding playing big pots against each other.

Seat 1:  Brian Altman  –  11,485,000
Seat 2:  Mark Dube  –  15,315,000
Seat 4:  Kelly Minkin  –  1,115,000
Seat 5:  Greg Rosen  –  2,880,000

Championship: Sanjay Gehi – 5th Place ($180,752)

$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000/10,000 Ante

Ralph Notaro02112015Final Table Players118 Sanjay Gehi eliminated

On the 17th hand of action, Brian Altman raised to 175,000 and Mark Dube called. Sanjay Gehi then moved all-in for 1,880,000 and Altman folded before Dube quickly called. Gehi was at risk with TsTd against Dube’s AcJh.

Gehi’s lead didn’t last long when the flop came AhQd6c. Gehi picked up a gutshot draw on the Ks turn but the river 8h sent him out in 5th place for $180,752.

Seat 1:  Brian Altman – 9,705,000
Seat 2:  Mark Dube – 14,570,000
Seat 4:  Kelly Minkin – 5,195,000
Seat 5:  Greg Rosen – 1,325,000

Sanjay Gehi - 5th Place
Sanjay Gehi – 5th Place

Championship: Jon Graham – 6th Place ($146,245)

$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000/10,000 Ante

Kelly Minkin opened to 190,000 and Jon Graham came over the top for 1,415,000. It folded back around to Minkin and she quickly called with QhQc.

Graham was in trouble and covered with KsQd. The flop ran out Th5h5d, Graham picked up a open-ended straight draw on the Jh turn but he missed the 6s river to give Minkin the pot and send him out in 6th place for $146,245.

Seat 1:  Brian Altman – 10,320,000
Seat 2:  Mark Dube – 12,160,000
Seat 3:  Sanjay Gehi – 1,970,000
Seat 4:  Kelly Minkin – 5,195,000
Seat 5:  Greg Rosen – 1,150,000

Ralph Notaro02112015Final Table Players113 Jon Graham eliminated

Jon Graham - 6th Place
Jon Graham – 6th Place

Championship: Final Table Time

$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000/10,000 Ante

The 2015 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship kicked off last Thursday and set to complete today when we crown a World Poker Tour champion. The last 18 players returned yesterday with an eye to this final table.

Brian Altman and Mark Dube dominated most of the play on Day 4 with both making it through to the WPT live streamed final table. Of the six players remaining, those two hold 22 of the 30 million chips in play. Kelly Minkin begins the day looking to become the first WPT champion with Sanjay Gehi, Jon Graham, and Greg Rosen rounding out the table.

Play is set to begin at 1pm with the World Poker Tour set to live stream on a 30-minute delay.

Seat 1: Brian Altman – 10,330,000
Seat 2: Mark Dube – 11,620,000
Seat 3: Sanjay Gehi – 2,515,000
Seat 4: Kelly Minkin – 3,780,000
Seat 5: Greg Rosen – 1,150,000
Seat 6: Jon Graham – 1,400,000

Payouts:

1st: $723,008
2nd: $434,462
3rd: $262,912
4th: $220,189
5th: $180,752
6th: $146,245

Championship: Final Table Profiles

$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

The 2015 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship is down to the final table after three starting flights and five total days. The tournament drew 1,027 entrants but just six players remain with a chance at the title and the $723,008 payout for the win.

Here’s a little look at the final table set to be live streamed by the World Poker Tour.

LHPO EV16F D4 Table2- S3_7055 Brian AltmanSeat 1: Brian Altman – 10,330,000 (129 bb)

From Longmeadow, MA with over $200,000 in career tournament earnings including four WSOP, one WPT, and two EPT cashes. This is his first cash at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood and he starts second in chips at the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship final table.


LHPO EV16F D4 Table1- S6_7057 Mark DubeSeat 2: Mark Dube – 11,620,000 (145 bb)

From Newburyport, MA with over $700,000 in career tournament earnings including four WSOP Circuit final tables. He’s been among the chip leaders of the Championship each day of the tournament and comes to the final table with more chips than anyone else.


LHPO EV16F D4 Table2- S2_7050 Sanjay GehiSeat 3: Sanjay Gehi – 2,515,000 (31 bb)

From Atlanta, GA with two tournament results with one of them coming at the 2014 WSOP. Gehi was active over the last two days and sits fourth in chips at the start of the final table.

 


LHPO EV16F D4 Table2- S5_7085 Kelly MinkinSeat 4: Kelly Minkin – 3,780,000 (47 bb)

From Phoenix, AZ with $230,000 in career tournament earnings including a win two weeks ago at the Los Angeles Poker Classic and runner-up finish at the 2013 Arizona State Poker Championship for more than $150,000. Minkin is looking to become the first female WPT champion and comes to the final table third in chips.


LHPO EV16F D4 Table2- S6_7082 Greg RosenSeat 5: Greg Rosen – 1,150,000 (14 bb)

From Coral Springs, FL with nearly $80,000 in career earnings including five other final tables at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. His biggest cash to date came during the 2011 Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open” Deepstack Event. Rosen had the biggest rail on Day 4 but comes to the final table with the shortest stack of the six.


LHPO EV16F D4 Table1- S1_Jon GrahamSeat 6: Jon Graham – 1,400,000 (17 bb)

From Longwood, FL and this is just his second career tournament cash, guaranteed to be his biggest. His other cash came from a $1,500 buy-in WSOP event in 2013. Graham’s lack of results doesn’t show in his confidence at the table, he’ll have to use that when he returns to the final table with the second shortest stack.

Event 21 Recap

Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open
$250 No Limit Hold ‘Em (Re-entry)
$30,000 Guarantee

Total Entries: 170
Total Prize Pool: $35,300

Event 21 Champion David Levi
Event 21 Champion
David Levi

Recap:

When David Levi and Paul McCaffrey hit heads-up and discussed a possible deal, McCaffrey was ahead but turned it down saying “I like battling!” But the decision to battle Levi cost him as one of top professionals in the game put on a poker clinic systematically taking McCaffrey’s stack and the Event 21 victory.

The early story of the final table was Levi making it along with Pasquale Caiazza who had an outstanding series and Allen Bieler who was attempting to win his second title in this Lucky Hearts Poker Open. Unfortunately for them, Bieler was quickly ousted in 10th and Caiazza ended up 6th leaving Levi to do the heavy lifting.

After the exit of Caiazza, Paul Beresford and Dolphus Powers quickly fell leaving McCaffrey in front with Levi trying to chase him down and Marcus holding on with a short stack. Levi then hit quad eights to eliminated Marcus and the heads-up battle was on.

Levi trailed but in one of the most masterful performances you’ll see heads-up, Levi slowly chipped away at McCaffrey’s stack taking small pots and eventually finished him off. After the biggest pot of the heads-up went Levi’s way after a bluff, the final hand was played out.

The chips all ended up in the middle after a TdJcQc flop. McCaffrey flipped over Kc4c for the flush and straight draw and Levi showed top two pair with QhJh. The board ran out 4h7d and Levi had claimed the victory after finishing 22nd in the Championship event yesterday. While the number is probably bigger, this was his 29th tournament victory per Hendon Mob.

After the win, Levi dicussed his strategy going into heads-up play.  “I had plenty of patience and I knew I just wanted to grind him.  I didn’t want to go with him and just slowly took chips.  He’s a gambler so you’ve got to play strong hands and bet weak hands.  I just let him lead and confused him.  I just played small ball and it was a question of time.”

Levi was reflective on the state of his game and his recent successes.  “I’ve been around and I’ve adjusted to the game lately.  I’m old school but I think I’ve got it where my game is supposed to be.  I believe that sometime soon I’m going to get pretty deep in one of these tournaments.  My game is completely focused.  It took me a while but I think I’m ready to do something good.”

David was also generous in his compliments toward the Seminole Hard Rock and their team.  “They’re running the tournaments great.  It’s a nice room and nice people.  I’m surprised.  It’s one of the best run tournaments I’ve been around and I really go almost everywhere.  I definitely will keep coming back to these tournaments.  I really enjoying being here and everyone’s really cool and everything goes very smoothly.”

Congratulations to our Event 21 Champion – David Levi!

Final Table Results:
1st – David Levi (Rockville Center, NY) – $11,066
2nd – Paul McCaffrey (Miami, FL) – $6,426
3rd – Gregory Marcus (Miami, FL) – $4,106
4th – Dolphus Powers (Weston, FL) – $2,892
5th – Paul Beresford (Littleton, CO) – $2,231
6th – Pasquale Caiazza (Davie, FL) – $1,696
7th – Yehuda Rubin (Staten Island, NY) – $1,321
8th – Chris Underwood (Mooresville, IN) – $982
9th – Joseph Brachfeld (Spring Valley, NY) – $696
10th – Allen Bieler (Sunrise, FL) – $553