Event 24: Local Favorite Ruslan Dykshteyn Wins $1,100 NLH for $151,100

2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
Event #24
$1,100 No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Total Entries: 828
Total Prize Pool: $820,000
August 15-16, 2016

Event 24 Champion Ruslan Dykshteyn
Event 24 Champion Ruslan Dykshteyn

The 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Event 24 — $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry) — began with 828 entrants, but on Tuesday just nine returned to the final table as a part of The Big 4. World Series of Poker bracelet winner Phil Hui started with a massive chip lead, but in the end the day would belong to local favorite Ruslan Dykshteyn.

The $151,100 win was the third-largest of Dykshteyn’s career behind the $202,335 he won for a victory in the 2014 World Series of Poker West Palm Beach Main Event and $184,705 he earned for taking down the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Event 39 — $570 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack — back in April.

“Feeling good, it’s not my first time [laughs],” said Dykshteyn after the win. “I have a little home field advantage. I moved out here three years ago from New York. I came here to play the $5,000 event three years ago. Put seven bullets into it but didn’t make Day 2. I had a couple of friends here and just decided to change my scenery.”

With the chips so uneven at the start of play, there was a ton of action early. Daniel Buzgon was the first to go, the result of shoving with ace-ten only to run into the pocket kings of Dykshteyn.

Just a few hands later, George Boyadjian, who had previously won five tournaments at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, followed him out the door after his pocket deuces failed to hold against Jordan Joeckel’s jack-ten suited.

From there, Aaron Massey shoved king-ten and failed to get there against Dykshteyn’s pocket queens. That proved to be the start of a heater for Dykshteyn, who a few minutes later picked up pocket aces to best Adam Krach’s pocket nines.

Not long after, Dykshteyn raised to 180,000 from the button and Guy Smith defended the big blind. Smith then check-raised all in for 740,000 over Dykshteyn’s 210,000 continuation-bet and received a call. Smith flopped top pair with jack-ten, but he had a kicker problem as Dykshteyn held ace-jack. No help on the turn and river was all she wrote for Smith, who earned $37,800 for his performance.

Dykshteyn then sent Joeckel packing – the result of winning a flip with pocket sixes to ace-ten – and Hui followed that up by dispatching fellow WSOP bracelet winner Marsha Wolak in third place after getting lucky with ace-four against ace-nine.

Dykshteyn and Hui then engaged in a short heads-up battle that saw the former prevail.

“I caught some cards,” Dykshteyn admitted. “The first two tournaments down here — the $5,000 [Championship] and the $2,650 — didn’t work out well. I couldn’t make Day 2. At the beginning of this tournament I caught a couple good hands and just survived. Today was another good run. Perfect hands. I caught queens blind versus blinds, caught kings and aces. It was just a good run.”

Amazingly, all of the above final table action took place in the same 90-minute level.

Here is a look at the final table results:

1st: Ruslan Dykshteyn – $151,100
2nd: Phillip Hui – $87,600
3rd: Marsha Wolak – $52,900
4th: Jordan Joeckel – $45,300
5th: Guy Smith – $37,800
6th: Adam Krach – $30,200
7th: Aaron Massey – $22,700
8th: George Boyadjian – $18,900
9th: Daniel Buzgon – $15,500

Download Final Results (PDF)

Event 24: Ruslan Dykshteyn Wins the $1,100 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry) for $151,100; Phillip Hui Eliminated in 2nd Place ($87,600)

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 828 players

Ruslan Dykshteyn - EVent 24 Champion
Ruslan Dykshteyn – EVent 24 Champion

Ruslan Dykshteyn limped from the button, Phillip Hui raised all in from the big blind for 655,000, and Dykshteyn called with 7h7d, leading Hui’s 8c2d.

“Double suited again. My favorite hand,” said Hui.

The board came down Ac7c3d10c2h, giving Dykshteyn a set of sevens to eliminate Hui and take down Event 24.

Phil Hui - 2nd Place
Phil Hui – 2nd Place

Event 24: Ruslan Dykshteyn Doubles Through Phillip Hui

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 828 players

Phillip Hui opened to 540,000 from the button, Ruslan Dykshteyn three-bet to 2,000,000 from the big blind, Hui four-bet shoved with the bigger stack, and Dykshteyn called all in for 5,870,000.

Hui: 8c2s
Dykshteyn: Ad6d

“Double suited,” said Hui.

The board ran out QdQsJc10dAh, giving Dykshteyn aces and queens to double through Hui and take a commanding lead.

Ruslan Dykshteyn – 11,760,000 (147 bb)
Phillip Hui – 665,000 (8 bb)

Event 24: Phillip Hui Pulls Ahead

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 828 players

Phillip Hui vs. Ruslan Dykshteyn
Phillip Hui vs. Ruslan Dykshteyn

Ruslan Dykshteyn raised to 515,000 from the button and Phillip Hui called from the big blind.

The flop came down Kc7h3h and Hui checked to Dykshteyn who continued for 500,000. Hui called.

The turn was the Qc and both players checked.

The river was the 3d and both players checked again.

Hui tabled 9h7d for sevens and threes, Dykshteyn mucked, and Hui collected the pot.

Phillip Hui – 6,545,000 (81 bb)
Ruslan Dykshteyn – 5,880,000 (73 bb)

Event 24: Marsha Wolak Eliminated in 3rd Place ($53,900)

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players: 2 of 828 players remaining

Marsha Wolak
Marsha Wolak

Phillip Hui raised the button to 200,000 and then called when Marsha Wolak three-bet all in from the big blind for right around 700,000.

Hui: As4c
Wolak: Ah9s

Wolak was primed to double with the better ace, but her kicker failed to hold as Hui paired his on the 4h6s10c flop. Neither the Jd turn nor 7d river helped Wolak, and she shook hands with the final two players before exiting the tournament stage.

Ruslan Dykshteyn – 6.575 million
Phillip Hui – 5.85 million
Marsha Wolak – Eliminated in 3rd Place

Event 24: Jordan Joeckel Eliminated in 4th Place ($45,300)

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 828 players

Jordan Joeckel
Jordan Joeckel

Ruslan Dykshteyn opened to 180,000 from under the gun, Jordan Joeckel three-bet shoved from the button for 1,310,000, and Dykshteyn called after a few moments.

Dykshteyn: 6d6c
Joeckel: As10c

The flop fell Ac8s6s to give Joeckel a pair of aces, but Dykshteyn hit a set of sixes.

The 4c turn and 5h river completed the board, scoring another elimination for Dykshteyn.

Ruslan Dykshteyn – 7,500,000 (94 bb)
Jordan Joeckel – Eliminated in 4th Place ($45,300)

Event 24: Jordan Joeckel Doubles Through Phillip Hui

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 828 players

Phillip Hui opened to 175,000 from under the gun, Jordan Joeckel three-bet shoved from the button for 680,000, and Hui called.

Hui: 8h8s
Joeckel: KcJs

The board came down Kh7d5cKd3c, giving Joeckel trip kings to double through Hui.

Jordan Joeckel – 1,480,000 (18 bb)
Phillip Hui – 4,100,000 (51 bb)

Event 24: Guy Smith Eliminated in 5th Place ($37,800)

$1,100 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 828 players

Guy Smith
Guy Smith

Ruslan Dykshteyn raised to 180,000 from the button and Guy Smith defended his big blind.

The flop came down Jc9s2h and Smith checked to Dykshteyn who continued for 210,000. Smith check-raised all in for 740,000 and Dykshteyn called with AdJh, leading Smith’s Js10d.

The 3h turn and 5h river completed the board, no help to Smith, scoring yet another elimination for Dykshteyn.

Ruslan Dykshteyn – 5,870,000 (73 bb)
Guy Smith – Eliminated in 5th Place ($37,800)