Event 23: 21-Year-Old Princeton Student Bradley Snider Earns First Cash in $2,650 Title

2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open 
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
Event #23
$2,650 No Limit Hold’em Freeze-Out 
Total Entries: 529
Total Prizepool: $1,282,825
August 14-16, 2016

Bradley Snider won the $2,650 No Limit Hold'em Freeze-Out in his first tournament cash.
Bradley Snider won the $2,650 No Limit Hold’em Freeze-Out in his first tournament cash.

Most 21-year-old college students spend their summers working minimum wage jobs to save up just enough money to go out and have fun during the school year.

Bradley Snider took a different approach to his summer vacation and will head back to Princeton University in the fall with more than just some spare change. On Tuesday evening, in what was his first-ever recorded tournament cash, Snider bested a field of 529 in a $2,650 freeze-out tournament to earn his first-ever tournament score and $246,400.

Snider grew up playing poker for fun with his family before heading to Princeton and beginning to take the game more seriously. According to Snider, December of his freshman year was when he really started dedicating some time to the game.

“Me and my brother started watching poker on Twitch,” said Snider. “And that’s what really got us into it. I wanted to play more and learn the game and study.”

Snider’s busy schedule as a math major in an Ivy League school doesn’t allow him much spare time to travel and play live poker tournaments. Most of his time with poker has been spent studying and learning the game. But in his limited experience, he hasn’t had the best results before his win at the Seminole Hard Rock.

“I’ve been running pretty bad at them up until now,” said the 21-year-old Fort Lauderdale native. “So it feels good to kind of get rewarded.”

Snider’s hard work and study got him the chip lead heading into Tuesday’s final table. He had a massive chip lead, but was the youngest player at the table and was facing some seasoned competition. All while being under the bright lights of The Big 4 and a televised final table.

None of those thing shook Snider’s mindset. He was able to keep his nerves about him even with all of the other action going on around him.

“I think I sort of just felt like I was freerolling,” said Snider. “It was already such an amazing run to be in this spot and to come in as the chip leader. So I didn’t really feel much pressure.

“There were times when we were three-handed when I was put to some really tough decisions. But other than that, I was able to stay calm and not really let the pressure of playing in The Big 4 get to me.”

Snider’s calm demeanor allowed him to outlast a final table that featured two-time WSOP bracelet winner Dan Heimiller, 2016 November Niner Jerry Wong, Koray Aldemir, and well-known online grinder Nicholas Immekus.

He defeated Irish pro Dermot Blain to take home the title, his first cash, and an extra $246,600 to his name.

“It was a really great experience,” said Snider of The Big 4. “I think it’s a really cool thing about tournament poker. Everything sort of builds up to a final table and here, it builds up to something bigger.”

Most 21-year-olds that earn a score this size begin to look at poker as more of a career path and put their education on the back burner. Snider plans to keep poker as a recreational activity and has no plans on skipping out on his education.

“I think poker will continue to just be a serious hobby for me,” he said. “I really enjoy playing casually and thinking about the game. And this will let me play a lot more poker in the future.”

Here is a look at the final table results:

1st: Bradley Snider – $246,400
2nd: Dermot Blain – $147,800
3rd: Nicholas Immekus – $88,400
4th: Koray Aldemir – $73,900
5th: Jeffrey Chang – $61,600
6th: Alex Wilson – $49,300
7th: Dan Heimiller – $37,000
8th: James Gilbert – $30,800
9th: Jerry Wong – $25,575

Download Final Results (PDF)

Event 23: Bradley Snider Wins $2,650 No Limit Hold’em ($246,400)

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 29: 75,000/150,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 529

Bradley Snider
Bradley Snider

Bradley Snider moved all in on the button and Dermot Blain called out of the big blind. Blain was all in for about 2,000,000 and showed Ah7s. It was a flip against Snider’s 5d5s.

The board ran out KdJs6h2dKs and Snider’s pair held up to win the race.

Snider took home his first career cash and title, along with $246,400. Blain finishes second for the second time this series and took $147,800 back across the Atlantic to Ireland.

Dermot Blain
Dermot Blain

Bradley Snider – $2,650 No Limit Hold’em Champion
Dermot Blain – Eliminated 

Event 23: Nicholas Immekus Eliminated in 3rd Place ($88,400)

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 28: 30,000/60,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 529

Nicholas Immekus
Nicholas Immekus

Dermot Blain limped in from the small blind and Nicholas Immekus raised to 160,000 out of the big blind. Blain moved all in and Immekus called.

Immekus was at risk and all in for about 1,400,000. Immekus showed AsTc and was dominated by Blain’s AhKs.

The board ran out Qs5d3sKh7d and Immekus was eliminated in third place. Blain took the pot with a pair of kings and will go heads-up with Bradley Snider for the title and the $246,400 first place prize.

The final two players are taking a short break and heads-up play will resume shortly.

Dermot Blain – 4,015,000 (66 bb)
Nicholas Immekus – 6,565,000 (109 bb)

Event 23: Runner-Runner Straight for Snider

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 529

The pot sat at a modest roughly 300,000 on an AdTs5d9hJc board. Nicholas Immekus was in the small blind and lead for 210,000 into his lone opponent, Bradley Snider. Snider raised, making it 600,000 to go. Immekus cut out calling chips and slid them into the pot. Snider turned over 8h7c for a jack-high flush. He earned the pot.

Bradley Snider – 5,500,000 (110 bb)
Nicholas Immekus – 1,135,000 (22 bb)

Event 23: Nicholas Immekus Bets The River

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 529

Bradley Snider raised on the button and Nicholas Immekus defended his big blind.

Both players checked a flop of Jc8d7h and the 3c came on the turn. Immekus bet 240,000 and Snider called.

The river was the Th and Immekus bet 650,000, which sent Snider into the tank.

“This is like the sickest hand I’ve ever played,” said Snider. “I thought you had a nine. Even on the turn.”

Snider spends about five minutes in the tank before tossing his hand into the muck. Immekus took the pot.

Nicholas Immekus – 2,350,000 (47 bb)
Bradley Snider – 5,300,000 (106 bb)

Event 23: Bradley Snider Picks Off Nicholas Immekus

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 529

Nicholas Immekus limped in from the small blind and Bradley Snider checked his option from the big blind. The flop was Ks2s2d and Immekus bet 50,000.

Snider called and the turn was the 5d. Immekus bet 160,000 and Snider called again. The river was the As and Immekus pushed forward 485,000.

Snider took a few moments and then called. Immekus showed 8d6d, good for eight-high and a missed flush draw, but Snider dragged the pot with Qd5c.

Bradley Snider – 5,565,000 (111 bb)
Nicholas Immekus – 2,070,000 (41 bb)

Event 23: Koray Aldemir Eliminated in 4th Place ($73,900)

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 529

Koray Aldemir
Koray Aldemir

Koray Aldemir was on the button and open-shoved. Nicholas Immekus was in the big blind and called putting Aldemir at risk.

Immekus: 6s6h
Aldemir: 3h3d

The runout came KhTh4c2cKc and Aldemir never improved. He was eliminated in 4th place earning $73,900.

Nicholas Immekus – 3,375,000 (67 bb)
Koray Aldemir – Eliminated

Updated final table results:

4th: Koray Aldemir – $73,900
5th: Jeffrey Chang – $61,600
6th: Alex Wilson – $49,300
7th: Dan Heimiller – $37,000
8th: James Gilbert – $30,800
9th: Jerry Wong – $25,575

Remaining payouts:

1st – $246,400
2nd – $147,800
3rd – $88,400

Event 23: Jeffrey Chang Eliminated in 5th Place ($61,600)

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 529

Jeffrey Chang
Jeffrey Chang

Jeffrey Chang moved all in from the cutoff for about 450,000 and Dermot Blain called from the big the big blind.

It was a flip for Chang’s tournament with his AdKh up against Blain’s 9h9s.

The flop was 9c8h7h and Chang stands up from his seat after Blain flopped top set.

Chang was drawing dead to a chop, but found some hope of a split pot with the 5c coming on the turn. The river was the 3h and Chang hit the rail in fifth place.

Blain dragged the pot and Chang took home $61,600 for his final table run.

Dermot Blain – 2,600,000 (52 bb)
Jeffrey Chang – Eliminated