2016 FITS in Review

The Fun in the Sun Poker Open wrapped the 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood tournament series schedule. Beginning December 26 and concluding December 30, the eight-event series was headlined by its $560 buy-in, $50,000 guaranteed Main Event.

Here’s a look at each of the eight champions:

Event 1 ($250 Big Stack, 517 Entries): Brent Philbin — $20,817

Event 2 ($130 Deep Stack Turbo, 137 Entries): Chris Dibari — $1,943

Event 3 ($350 Black Chip Bounty, 93 Entries): John Rembert — $4,115

Event 4 ($130 Deep Stack Turbo, 84 Entries): Evan Dollinger — $2,171

Event 5 ($250 Big Stack, 114 Entries): Daren Stabinski — $4,368

Event 6 ($130 Deep Stack Turbo, 133 Entries): Chris Blanco — $2,677

Event 7 ($560 Deep Stack, 148 Entries): Yousef Nassr– $20,428

Event 8 ($130 Deep Stack Turbo, 83 Entries): Vito Polera — $2,137

Next up at the Seminole Hard Rock is the Lucky Hearts Poker Open beginning January 12th.

Thank you to everyone who played in the 2016 FITS!

Yousef Nassr Wins $20K in Fun in the Sun Main Event

2016 Fun in the Sun
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Hollywood, FL
$560 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Entries: 148
Prize Pool: $74,000
December 30, 2016

Yousef Nassr won the Main Event of Fun in the Sun at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood late Friday night. Nassr topped a tough field of 148 entries in the series’ $560 buy-in, $50,000 guaranteed headliner. It was an outright win that earned him $20,428.

Originally from Fremont, California, the 27-year-old Nassr now resides in Haines City, Florida. The victory marks his second at the Seminole Hard Rock in as many months and Nassr now has more than $40,000 in tournament earnings.

PlaceFirst NameLast NamePrize
1YousefNassr$20,428
2JoseCastro$12,950
3AdamLevy$7,622
4HowardMash$4,627
5FrankArgano$3,589
6NicholasChiappetta$2,964
7JohnDepersio$2,590
8DavidGelley$2,313
9JeffFogel$2,043
10ScottEfron$1,776
11AllanBieler$1,776
12KenBruno$1,776
13LawrencePileggi$1,517
14ZoltanCzinkota$1,517
15PedroAldave$1,517
16DerekScheinman$1,295
17CarlosBolanos$1,295
18JarrettVaughn$1,295
19MarkManesh$1,110

Event 7: Yousef Nassir Wins ($20,428)!; Jose Castro Eliminated in 2nd Place ($12,950)

$560 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 26: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 148

Jose Castro raised to 145,000 from the button and Yousef Nassr defended his big blind.

The flop fell Jd4s4c and Nassr checked to Castro who went all in for about 520,000. Nassr called with Js9c for jacks and fours, miles ahead of Castro’s 9h2d.

The Qc turn left Castro drawing dead, and the Jc river further improved Nassr to a full house to seal the victory. Castro earned $12,950 for his runner-up showing.

Yousef Nassr took down the Main Event of Fun in the Sun for $20,428!

A recap of the event with complete payouts will be posted later tonight.

Event 7: Adam Levy Eliminated in 3rd Place ($7,622)

$560 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 26: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 148
Average Stack: 1,480,000 (37 bb)

Adam Levy

Following a flop of 9c6d3c, Adam Levy was all in from the small blind for about 460,000 with Qh9h against Yousef Nassr in the big blind with 9d8h.

The 3s turn kept Levy out front, but the 8s river gave Nassr nines and eights to eliminate Levy in third place.

Adam Levy – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($7,622)

Event 7: Howard Mash Eliminated in 4th Place ($4,627)

$560 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 25: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 148
Average Stack: 985,000 (32 bb)

Howard Mash raised all in from under the gun for 225,000 and Yousef Nassr called from the button.

Mash: 7c7d
Nassr Kc10d

The board came down AhQd3h4hKd, giving Nassr a pair of kings to eliminate Mash in fourth place.

Yousef Nasr – 1,150,000 (38 bb)
Howard Mash – Eliminated in 4th Place ($4,627)

Event 8: Vito Polera Wins After Four-Handed Deal

2016 Fun in the Sun
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Hollywood, FL
$130 Deep Stack Turbo No Limit Hold’em
Entries: 83
Prize Pool: $10,000
December 30, 2016

PlaceFirst NameLast NamePrize
1VitoPolera*$2,137
2JosephZelnick*$1,822
3RaghuGudala*$1,513
4MarcoDirenzo*$1,352
5JorgeGomez$585
6RafaelRamos$468
7JulioSanchez$398
8BryanTang$345
9ErrolMassey$305
10JaimeAguirre$275
11MarkManesh$275
12MichaelDiPierro$275
13RemyBougeois$250

*denotes four-handed deal

Event 7: Yousef Nassr Doubles Through Adam Levy

$560 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 25: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 148
Average Stack: 740,000 (30 bb)

Adam Levy raised with a covering stack from the button, Howard Mash folded his small blind, and Yousef Nassr called all in from the big blind for 365,000.

Levy: 7d5c
Nassr: AcQc

The board ran out AdKs5dAh2c, giving Nassr trip aces to double through Levy.

Yousef Nassr – 765,000 (25 bb)
Adam Levy – 775,000 (25 bb)

Event 7: Frank Argano Eliminated in 5th Place ($3,589)

$560 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 24: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 148
Average Stack: 740,000 (30 bb)

Adam Levy raised from under the gun, Jose Castro called from the small blind, and Frank Argano called from the big blind.

The flop fell Ac10d3h and Castro checked to Argano who went all in for roughly 270,000. Levy called and Castro folded.

Levy: AdAs
Argano: Ah4d

Levy was well ahead with top set against top pair, but the turn was the 5c to give Argano a straight draw. However, the 10c river was no help to Argano and ended his tournament in fifth place.

Adam Levy – 810,000 (33 bb)
Frank Argano – Eliminated in 5th Place ($3,589)

Event 7: Adam Levy Doubles Through Howard Mash

$560 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 24: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 148
Average Stack: 592,000 (24 bb)

Howard Mash raised to 51,000 from under the gun, Adam Levy three-bet shoved from the big blind for 251,000, and Mash called.

Mash: 6c6s
Levy: AsJh

The board came down 6h5h3h7h10c, giving Levy a jack-high flush to double through Mash.

Adam Levy – 534,000 (22 bb)
Howard Mash – 500,000 (20 bb)