David Shmuel Wins $360 Pot Limit Omaha 8 or Better

2017 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open 
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
Event 7
$360 Pot Limit Omaha 8 or Better 
Entries: 94 
Prize Pool: $28,200 
November 21, 2017 

David Shmuel

David Shmuel moved from Israel to Miami 23 years ago and became a regular in the South Florida tournament poker scene. On Monday night, Shmuel won his first trophy Hard Rock trophy after more than two decades of grinding tournaments in the area.

Shmuel defeated a 94-entry field in the $360 pot limit Omaha 8 or better event. He won $7,152 in a heads-up chop with Jeff Duvall along with his first piece of hardware.

“I feels great,” said Shmuel. “It’s my first trophy. I’ve been playing here a long time and I’ve never actually gotten a trophy. It’s always good to get at least something to remember.”

Shmuel was born and raised in Israel, but came to the area because of his sister’s wedding. He never wanted to go across the Atlantic. He made his permanent residence in South Florida and currently makes his home in Downtown Miami.

The small business owner earned most of his previous cashes in no limit hold’em, but Omaha was the game that he played when he first moved to America and before Chris Moneymaker played a major role in the poker boom.

“This is the game we used to play in the old Indian casino across the street,” said Shmuel. “That was the main game – Omaha. Then, no limit hold’em was getting more popular.”

He’ll dabble in some HORSE events when they run, but Shmuel pretty much sticks to flop games. He has sworn off one thing when it comes to poker, however. And it’s helped improve his tournament results.

“I stopped playing cash games,” said Shmuel. “Only tournaments. I used to play cash before a lot, but it just messed me up. If you play cash a lot and then you play a tournament, it messes up your game.”

Shmuel came into the final table with the chip lead and while he didn’t go wire to wire, he was never short on chips and always near the top of the counts.

Jeffrey Trudeau held the chip lead for the middle stages of the final table and Duvall started out the heads-up match with the chip lead, but Shmuel regained the lead just before they reached an agreement on a heads-up chop.

By his own account, this was par for the course. He had chips the whole tournament and was never in much danger of busting.

“I was very lucky today and I got a lot of chips from the beginning,” said Shmuel. “I got through that. It’s really great to win.”

Results:

1st: David Shmuel – $7,152*
2nd: Jeff Duvall – $7,151 *
3rd: Jeffrey Trudeau Jr. – $3,384
4th: Alexander Orlov – $2,186
5th: Mihails Morozovs – $1,692
6th: Nancy Birnbaum – $1,340
7th: Gabriel Ramos – $1,128
8th: Zachary Milchman – $987
9th: Joel Harwood – $895
10th: David McClure – $818
11th: Michael Soroka – $761
12th: Cameron Reid – $706

*Indicates adjusted payouts according to a deal

Event 7: David Shmuel Wins in Heads-Up Chop

$360 Pot Limit Omaha/8 (Re-Entry)
Payouts
Level 19: 4,000/8,000
Players Remaining: 2 of 94

David Shmuel

Shortly after David Shmuel took the chip lead, the two final players decided to chop the remaining prizepool evenly. Shmuel, now with the chip lead, earns the victory and the trophy. Shmuel earned $7,152 and Jeff Duvall netted $7,151 for his runner-up finish.

A complete recap will be posted later tonight.

Jeff Duvall

Event 7: David Shmuel Takes the Chip Lead

$360 Pot Limit Omaha/8 (Re-Entry)
Payouts
Level 19: 4,000/8,000
Players Remaining: 2 of 94

On a flop of 9s5h4d, Jeff Duvall bet 48,000 from the small blind and David Shmuel called on the button. The turn was the Qh and Duvall checked.

Shmuel potted it for 144,000. Duvall called. The river was the Jd and Duvall checked. Shmuel moved all in for 109,000. Duvall folds and Shmuel shows KdTd3h2h, giving him the nut straight.

Duvall claimed he had a wrap wheel draw after the hand. Shmuel wins the pot and takes the chip lead away from Duvall.

David Shmuel – 539,000
Jeff Duvall – 401,000

Event 7: Jeffrey Trudeau – 3rd Place ($3,384)

$360 Pot Limit Omaha/8 (Re-Entry)
Payouts
Level 18: 3,000/6,000
Players Remaining: 2 of 94

Jeffrey Trudeau

Jeffrey Trudeau raised to 12,000 on the button and Jeff Duvall called out of the big blind. The flop was Js8h2s and Duvall checked. Trudeau bet 24,000 and Duvall called.

The turn was the 7d and Duvall moved all in. Trudeau called and was all in for his last 31,000.

Trudeau showed Qc8c3h2h and was up against Duvall’s 8d7c5s2c. Both players had two pair, but Duvall’s was bigger.

The river was the 3c and Duvall’s two pair and a live five scooped the entire pot. Trudeau was eliminated in third place, earning $3,384.

After winning a sizable pot the previous hand, Duvall takes the chip lead into heads-up play against David Shmuel.

Jeff Duvall – 580,000
Jeffrey Trudeau – Eliminated

Event 7: Jeff Duvall Doubles Through Jeffrey Trudeau

$360 Pot Limit Omaha/8 (Re-Entry)
Payouts
Level 18: 3,000/6,000
Players Remaining: 3 of 94

On a flop of KcTs2s, Jeffrey Trudeau and Jeff Duvall get all the chips in the middle.

Trudeau is in the small blind and shows AcAhJc2d and needs help against Duvall’s KhKd8d3h. Duvall is at risk for his last 224,000 and in the lead.

The turn is the 4s and the river is the 8s. Trudeau doesn’t have a qualifying low hand and Duvall doubles up with a set of kings.

Jeff Duvall – 448,000
Jeffrey Trudeau – 112,000

Event 7: Alexander Orlov – 4th Place ($2,186)

$360 Pot Limit Omaha/8 (Re-Entry)
Payouts
Level 18: 3,000/6,000
Players Remaining: 3 of 94

Alexander Orlov

Alexander Orlov raises on the button and Jeffrey Trudeau pots it out of the big blind. Orlov commits his stack for about 50,000 and the cards are tabled.

Orlov shows Ah5s4s2h and is up against Trudeau’s AsAcQcQh.

The board ran out Qs9s4hJc5d and Trudeau dragged the pot with a set of queens. Orlov was eliminated in fourth and took home $2,186.

Jeffrey Trudeau – 310,000
Alexander Orlov – Eliminated 

Event 7: Nancy Birnbaum – 6th Place ($1,340)

$360 Pot Limit Omaha/8 (Re-Entry)
Payouts
Level 17: 2,500/5,000
Players Remaining: 5 of 94

Nancy Birnbaum

Nancy Birnbaum moved all in for 16,500 from middle position. Mihails Morozovs called on the button and David Shmuel called out of the big blind.

Morozovs and Shmuel have the option to build a side pot with any further action between the two of them, but they check it to the river as the board ran out Th9s4d5hKd.

On the river, Shmuel bet 10,000 and Morozovs folded. Shmuel shows QsJdAc9h, giving him the nut straight. Birnbaum tabled Ah3h8c8d and was eliminated in sixth place. She earned $1,340 for her final table appearance and Shmuel takes over the chip lead.

David Shmuel – 335,000
Nancy Birnbaum – Eliminated 

Event 7: Jeff Duvall Doubles Through Jeffrey Trudeau

$360 Pot Limit Omaha/8 (Re-Entry)
Payouts
Level 17: 2,500/5,000
Players Remaining: 6 of 94

Nancy Birnbaum raised to 12,000 from the hijack and Jeff Duvall called from the cutoff. Jeffrey Trudeau made it 55,000 out of the small blind. Birnbaum folded and Duvall called.

The flop was Jc9s5h and Trudeau moved all in for Duvall’s last 32,000. Duvall called.

Trudeau showed AcKc4s2c and was up against Duvall’s Ah9d6d4d. The turn was the 9h and the river was the As.

Trudeau was dead on the turn and Duvall doubled up with a full house.

Jeff Duvall – 145,000
Jeffrey Trudeau – 190,000