2017 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Hollywood, FL
Event 25
$1,100 Turbo No Limit Hold’em
Entries: 119
Prize Pool: $119,000
April 3, 2017

Sam Phillips achieved a lot in his poker career. He has a successful online tournament resume, a seven-figure live score at a European Poker Tour main event in Barcelona, and fairly long list of live cashes.

The one thing that eluded Phillips was a live tournament win. Phillips earned his first trophy on Monday evening by defeating a field of 119 entries to win $35,102 in the $1,100 turbo no limit hold’em.

“It feels great to take one down,” said Phillips. “I’ve wanted a trophy so bad. I’ve even played some smaller events just to try and get one. Now, I’ve got something to put on the mantle.”

The 28-year-old professional poker player left the United States after Black Friday to continue his online poker career in Mexico. Phillips lives with a bunch of friends in Playa Del Carmen where they spend most of their time grinding online tournaments for a living.

He feels his online background gave him an edge in the turbo format.

“I feel so comfortable in turbos,” said Phillips. “I’ve played so many of them. Probably thousands of them where I’m in short-stacked scenarios all the time. My online background definitely gave me an advantage in that aspect of the game.”

Over the last two years, however, Phillips has gotten away from the virtual felt and inside brick and mortar rooms more often. He’s started traveling a little more to play some bigger live tournament series.

“I just travel to some of the bigger events,” said Phillips. “Usually just the WPTs and WSOP Circuits and stuff like that. It’s mostly online, but probably about half and half now.”

With a 5 p.m. start time for the event and the $10,000 WPT Finale event running alongside the one-day turbo event, it drew some of game’s best players that were busting out of the event and taking another shot in the turbo.

That kind of competition didn’t faze Phillips. He stayed focused, played his game and used a little bit of luck to outlast the competition.

“I probably came in like two out of nine and then lost a big flip with jacks versus ace-king early,” said Phillips. “Then from there, I just ran good from then out out. And I just coolered the guy heads-up with trip fives against trip fives and I had a better kicker.”

As soon as the final card was dealt, one of his friends on the rail jokingly said he won the satellite to the $25,000 buy-in on Tuesday. Phillips said he won’t partake in that, but he does have plans for the money.

“I got to go buy my rail a bunch of drinks, so we’ll see how that goes.”

Results:

1st: Sam Phillips – $35,102
2nd: Alexander Haber – $21,718
3rd: Upeshka De Silva – $12,971
4th: Santiago Nadal Sordo – $8,330
5th: Nick Pupillo – $6,307
6th: Gregory Baird – $5,236
7th: Sameer Aljanedi – $4,522
8th: Arkadiy Tsinis – $3,987
9th: Harry Cullen – $3,511
10th: Tim Reilly – $3,094
11th: Benjamin Ector – $3,094
12th: Adrian Matoes – $3,094
13th: Diego Sanchez Serrano – $2,678
14th: Rodrigo Rishmauge – $2,678
15th: Sorel Mizzi – $2,678

 $1,100 Turbo No Limit Hold’em
Level 20: 4,000/8,000 with a 1,000 ante.
Players Remaining: 10 of 119

The $1,100 turbo no limit hold’em is down to its final 10 players and they have redrawn for seats at the unofficial final table.

With one more elimination, the final nine players will get credit for making a final table. There are a couple minutes left in the current level before the blinds jump to 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante.

Here is the seating arrangement and chip counts of the final 10:

Seat 1: Alexander Haber – 267,000
Seat 2: Nick Pupillo – 68,000
Seat 3: Greg Baird – 219,000
Seat 4: Upeshka De Silva – 72,000
Seat 5: Sameer Aljanedi – 145,000
Seat 6: Tim Reilly – 103,000
Seat 7: Sam Phillips – 220,000
Seat 8: Harry Cullen – 50,000
Seat 9: Arkadiy Tsinis – 112,000
Seat 10: Santigao Nadal – 174,000

Here are the remaining payouts:

1st: $35,102
2nd: $21,718
3rd: $12,971
4th: $8,330
5th: $6,307
6th: $5,236
7th: $4,522
8th: $3,987
9th: $3,511
10th: $3,094

$1,100 Turbo No Limit Hold’em
Level 16: 1,500/3,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 26 of 119

With registration just closed and only 26 players remaining, there are several well-known pros near the top of the counts.

Upeshka De Silva had the biggest of the stacks with 90,000, but Sorel Mizzi was on his direct left and right on his heels with 86,000. Other notables still in the field are Joe Mckeehen with 71,000, Tim Reilly with 67,000, Alex Rocha with 52,000, Kane Kalas with 45,000 and Adrian Mateos with 40,000.

McKeehen is looking to win his second SHRPO title of the series. He took down the $2,200 eight-max no limit hold’em last week for over $104,000.

With the turbo structure of the event, it won’t take too long before this event reaches a final table.

$1,100 Turbo No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 16:1,500/3,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 27 of 119

Registration closed recently for this event, and the staff has finalized the numbers.

This $1,100 Turbo drew 119 entries, creating a prize pool worth $119,000. That money will be shared by the final 15 players like so:

1st: $35,102
2nd: $21,718
3rd: $12,971
4th: $8,330
5th: $6,307
6th: $5,236
7th: $4,522
8th: $3,987
9th: $3,511
10th-12th: $3,094
13th-15th: $2,678

$1,100 Turbo No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 1: 25/50

This Monday evening presents players with two 5pm tournaments on the schedule with something for all bankrolls. The big one has a $1,100 buy-in with a fast structure.

Event 25 is a Turbo No Limit Hold’em tournament that will keep things moving along a nice clip and it shouldn’t take too long to award another Showdown trophy.

Entrants start with 12,000 stacks and 15-minute levels from start to finish. Late registration is available until the start of Level 13 at 8:15pm with unlimited re-entries available during that time. Once registration is closed, things will move fast and won’t stop until someone is posing for a winner’s photo.

• Players begin with 12,000 in chips and 15-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 13
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 25 Structure Sheet

Main Event Schedule

12PM: Day 2 – $10,000 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Finale

• WPT Finale Day 2 Chip Counts
• WPT Finale Day 2 Table/Seat Assignments

12PM: Event 24 – $570 Big Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)

• $50,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 15,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/single re-entry available until start of Level 9
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 24 Structure Sheet

5PM: Event 25 – $1,100 Turbo No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 12,000 in chips and 15-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 13
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 25 Structure Sheet

5PM: Event 26 Day 1A – $150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

• $50,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 10,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• Day 1 will end after Level 14 or Tournament Director discretion
• Event 26 Structure Sheet

Secondary and Satellite Schedule

9AM: Event 95 – $140 Turbo Satellite into Event 24 (1-in-5)

• 2 seats guaranteed into $570/$50K GTD Event 24
• Players begin with 8,000 in chips and 15-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• Satellite will be held in The Poker Room
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 95 Structure Sheet

11AM: Event 96 – $250 Omaha 8/Stud 8 (Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 10,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 8
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 96 Structure Sheet

6PM: Event 97 – $2,650 High Roller Satellite (1-in-10)

• 2 seats guaranteed into $1 Million GTD High Roller
• Players begin with 10,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 7
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 97 Structure Sheet

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Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood Property Update

Preparations are underway for the development of an iconic hotel tower and resort:

• Parking – Poker players are encouraged to park in Winner’s Way Garage to access both the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown tournament space and The Poker Room

• The Poker Room – Players may access the poker room by entering through the main lobby or via the exterior entrance on the opposite end of Winner’s Way Garage.

• Inside hotel – Services and amenities inside the hotel will remain open along with regularly scheduled events and entertainment.

For additional construction updates, please visit TheNewHardRock.com