Event 16: Online Pro Michael Aron Wins Inaugural Shootout Title

2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open 
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
Event #16
$1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout
Total Entries: 70
Total Prizepool: $67,900

Michael Aron Captures Shootout Title
Michael Aron Captures Shootout Title

Michael Aron spends most of his time in Mexico grinding away on the virtual felt, but the online multi-table tournament specialist made a live score on Wednesday night. He took down SHRPO’s first-ever $1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout.

Aron won both of his tables to best a field of 70 players to take home $23,765 along with another trophy to add to his collection.

“It feels good,” said Aron after the win. “It was a tough grind. I didn’t expect it to last this long. I haven’t won a live tournament in a long time, so it feels great even  though it was a small field.”

The West Palm Beach native spends most of his time in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, where he can play a full slate of online multi-table tournaments. He typically makes his way back to Florida around the same time that the Seminole Hard Rock runs tournament series. It allows him to visit family and play a few poker tournaments as well.

This time, his visit home not only got home some family time, but landed him at a final table that featured Jean Gaspard, Nick Palma, Jack Duong, and 2016 November Niner Jerry Wong.

Gaspard, Duong and Wong were all eliminated fairly early in the final table, but Palma was still alive when three-handed play began with Aron and Michael McNeil.

There were a few discussions about a chop, but Aron was always the player who squashed any possibility of chopping up the prizepool and wanted to play the tournament to the end.

“I just wanted to play, ” said Aron of his reasons not to chop. ” I feel like people chop too much and this is why you play tournaments. To be in theses spots and have fun and enjoy yourself.”

Aron’s decision to play the tournament to the end worked out. He ended up heads-up with Michael McNeil and after 90 minutes of heads-up play, Aron had secured all of the chips in play, the title, and the first place money.

He gives credit to his online background for why he thrived in this format. The ability to play short-handed is something online players get to do more of.

“Once you get to the final table, it plays pretty much the same (as any other tournament),” said Aron. “But I think maybe at the first table it helped me a little bit because I play a lot of short-handed poker. So this benefits people who have short-handed experience.”

With 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open hitting the home stretch and the bigger buy-in events set to kick off, Aron will be spending more time in the tournament area and less time with his family.

“I’ll be here for the rest of the series,” said Aron.

Here is a look at the results:

1st: Michael Aron – $23,765
2nd: Michael McNeil – $13,580
3rd: Nick Palma – $8,148
4th: Brad Patton – $5,907
5th: Mark Smith – $4,549
6th: Jack Duong – $3,497
7th: Jerry Wong – $2,716
8th: Lawrence Paden – $2,173
9th: Haim Toorgeman – $1,901
10th: Jean Gaspard – $1,664

Download Final Results (PDF)

Event 16: Michael Aron Wins $1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout ($23,765)

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout
Level 14: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 70

Michael Aron
Michael Aron

Michael McNeil raised to 52,000 on the button and Michael Aron moved all in out of the big blind. McNeil took a minute to mull over his decision before calling.

McNeil showed KsJc and was in the lead against Aron’s Kd4d.

The board ran out Td8c3h4c5d and Aron turned a four to take the pot and win the tournament.

McNeil finished runner-up and took home $13,580 for his efforts, while Aron took the title and $23,765 in the win.

Michael McNeil
Michael McNeil

Michael Aron – $1,100 No LImit Hold’em Champion
Michael McNeil – Eliminated 

Event 16: Aron Fires All Three Streets

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout
Level 14: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 70

Michael McNeil limped in on the button and Michael Aron raised to 55,000 out of the big blind. McNeil called and the flop was Ah8h6c.

Aron bet 40,000 and McNeil called. The turn was the 4s and Aron bet 90,000. McNeil called.

The river was the 6d and Aron moved all in for about 180,000. McNeil quickly folded and Aron dragged the pot to even out the chip counts.

Michael Aron – 510,000 (25 bb)
Michael McNeil – 490,000 (25 bb)

 

Event 16: Michael McNeil Doubles Through Michael Aron

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout
Level 13: 8,000/16,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 70

Michael Aron limped in on the button and Michael McNeil moved all in out of the big blind for 306,000. Aron called and showed Ac7c. He was dominated by McNeil’s Ah9c.

The board ran out Ks5h3hAsQc and McNeil’s nine kicker played to give him the double up.

Michael McNeil – 612,000 (38 bb)
Michael Aron – 410,000 (25 bb)

Event 16: Michael Aron Out-Kicks Michael McNeil

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout
Level 13: 8,000/16,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 70

Michael McNeil raised to 41,000 on the button and Michael Aron called out of the big blind.

The flop was KcTd7h and Aron checked. McNeil bet 38,000 and Aron called. Both players checked the Tc turn and the the 3d came on the river.

Aron checked, McNeil bet 68,000, and Aron called. McNeil showed Kd8s, but Aron won the pot with his Ks9h. Aron won the pot and took the chip lead away from McNeil.

Michael Aron – 635,000 (39 bb)
Michael McNeil – 375,000 (23 bb)

Event 16: McNeil Takes Another

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout
Level 13: 8,000/16,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 70

Michael McNeil raised to 41,000 on the button and Michael Aron called out of the big blind.

Both players checked a flop of Qd4h2c and the Ts came on the turn. Aron checked and McNeil bet 38,000. Aron called.

The river was the 5s and both players checked. Aron showed KxJx, but McNeil rivered him and won the pot with Ks5d.

Michael McNeil – 655,000 (40 bb)
Michael Aron – 345,000 (21 bb)

Heads-Up Tournament Filling Up Fast

$1,650 No Limit Hold'em Heads-Up Bracket
$1,650 No Limit Hold’em Heads-Up Bracket

The tournament staff has just informed us that the 64 player cap has nearly been met. Players who still haven’t registered can snag one of the few remaining spots between now and 2 p.m. tomorrow.

Registration is open 24 hours a day and players can sign up in the poker room. Play starts at 3 p.m. on Thursday and will play down to a winner on Friday.

Event 16: Michael McNeil Takes One With Bottom Pair

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout
Level 12: 6,000/12,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 70

Michael Aron limped in on the button and Michael McNeil checked his option in the big blind. The flop was Ah9d6d and McNeil checked.

Aron bet 12,000 and McNeil called. The rest of the hand was checked down as the board was completed with the As and the 5c.

McNeil showed 6h3h and Aron mucked his hand. McNeil dragged the pot and keeps his chip lead over Aron. Most of the pots have been kept on the smaller side of things this level.

Michael McNeil – 670,000 (55 bb)
Michael Aron – 330,000 (27 bb)

Event 16: Nick Palma Eliminated in 3rd Place ($8,148)

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout
Level 11: 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 70

Nick Palma
Nick Palma

Nick Palma lost a sizable pot to Michael McNeil with top pair against top two pair and then was left with about 130,000.

The next hand, he moved all in from the small blind for his last 130,000 and Michael Aron called from the big blind. Aron showed KdKs and had Palma’s KcJh in bad shape.

There wasn’t much of a sweat as the board ran out 8h4c3cQdJs and Palma hit the rail in third place, leaving Aron heads-up with Michael McNeil for the title.

Michael Aron – 330,000 (33 bb)
Nick Palma – Eliminated 

Event 16: Michael Aron Doubles Through Michael McNeil Again

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout
Level 11: 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 70

Michael Aron moved all in for 69,000 out of the small blind and Michael McNeil called out of the big blind.

McNeil had Aron dominated with his KhQs against Aron’s Ks4d.

The board ran out Th9s7h8d4h and Aron rivered a three-outer to stay alive.

“Can somebody document how bad I’m running,” said McNeil. “That’s four in a row.”

Michael Aron – 140,000 (14 bb)
Michael McNeil – 585,000 (58 bb)