Milen Stefanov Wins the 2019 WPT RRPO Championship

2019 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open 
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed

Entries: 988
Prize Pool: $3,161,600
November 29 – December 4, 2019

Milen Stefanov, 2019 WPT RRPO Champion

(Hollywood, FL) — The WPT Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open” Championship headlined a successful series and capped off a great two weeks. It drew the biggest field in RRPO history and Milen Stefanov dominated the final table to outlast them all, taking home the title along with nearly $550,000.

“It feels amazing, it’s almost like it’s catching me off guard,” Stefanov said after his win. “The emotions are running rampant, like even more than when I was playing.”

“To be a champion finally of the WPT, it feels amazing. It’s an understatement.”

The $3,500 buy-in tournament had 988 entries over the two starting flights to easily surpass the $2,000,000 guaranteed prize pool. They combined to put $3,161,600 up for grabs with a $545,070 top prize which included a $15,000 seat in the WPT Tournament of Champions.

There were still 720 players around for Day 2 with  124 set to make the money. The bubble burst late in the day with WSOPC Coco ring winner Roberto Bendeck going out one place short of the money.

Only 65 players advanced to Day 3 and that number was culled down to 17 for Day 4. Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Poker Room regular Cesar Fuentes held the chip lead for portions of Day 4 and was among the six players who moved on to the WPT Final Table after a long day.

Cesar Fuentes

Francis Anderson was an early elimination from the final table and the five remaining players settled into a groove. It took two more hour-long levels before Fuentes was eliminated in fifth place for $146,760, the biggest cash of his career.

Roman Korenev was eliminated in fourth place after he ran into Stefanov’s aces and David Novosel’s knockout in third place set the heads-up battle for the title. Stefanov had a huge lead over Fabian Gumz but Gumz came back to take a small lead after two doubles. Stefanov quickly moved back ahead and finished it off after a few close calls.

Fabian Gumz

Gumz earned $353,380 for his runner-up finish while Stefanov took home $530,070 plus the WPT TOC seat, the biggest cash of his career by far. The Varna, Bulgaria native will now have his name on the WPT Champions Cup as the 2019 WPT RRPO Champion.

“I wanted to experience the U.S., it’s my first time coming here for poker, so this is my first WPT festival in America,” Stefanov said. “I love it. Pretty much everything.”

“The organization about the tournament and everything from this to the weather to the life here, it’s amazing,” he continued. “I’ll definitely be back. I have to defend the title.”

Milen Stefanov

Final table results:

1st: Milen Stefanov – $545,070 + RRPO Trophy *
2nd: Fabian Gumz – $353,380
3rd: David Novosel – $260,845
4th: Roman Korenev – $194,605
5th: Cesar Fuentes – $146,760
6th: Francis Anderson – $111,895
* – includes WPT TOC seat


Championship: Milen Stefanov Wins WPT RRPO Championship ($545,070); Fabian Gumz Eliminated in 2nd Place ($353,380

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 38:  400,000/800,000 with an 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  1 of 988

Milen Stefanov
Milen Stefanov

Milen Stefanov raised all in from the button with a covering stack and Fabian Gumz called all in for 7,500,000 from the big blind.

Stefanov: Ad2h
Gumz: Qd8c

The flop came down Ac5hJd, giving Stefanov a commanding lead  with a pair of aces to win the championship.

The turn, however, was the Qc, giving Gumz a few outs to survive.

The river was the 10d, no help to Gumz, ending his tournament with a runner-up showing for $353,380.

Milen Stefanov wins the $3,500 WPT RRPO Championship for $545,070, which includes a seat into the season-ending WPT Tournament of Champions.

Fabian Gumz
Fabian Gumz

Championship: Queen-High Call for Milen Stefanov

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 988

Milen Stefanov
Milen Stefanov

Fabian Gumz limped from the button and Milen Stefanov checked his option.

They checked to the turn of a 5h5s9s3h board where Stefanov check-called 800,000 from Gumz.

The river was the 3c, Stefanov checked, Gumz bet 1,200,000 and Stefanov called after a bit.

Gumz showed 4c2c, while Stefanov tabled Qd8s for two pair with a queen kicker to win the pot.

Milen Stefanov – 29,000,000  (48 bb)
Fabian Gumz – 10,500,000 (18 bb)

Championship: Fabian Gumz Doubles Up

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 36:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 988

Milen Stefanov raised all in with a covering stack from the button and Fabian Gumz called all in for 4,400,000 from the big blind.

Stefanov: Jd10d
Gumz: Qc6d

The board ran out 2s7dQhQs5c, giving Gumz trip queens to double up.

Fabian Gumz – 9,300,000 (19 bb)
Milen Stefanov – 30,200,000 (60 bb)

Championship: Fabian Gumz Takes the Lead, But Milen Stefanov Doubles The Following Hand to Retake It

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 36:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 988

Milen Stefanov raised to 1,300,000 from the button Fabian Gumz called from the big blind.

They checked to the turn of a Jc5d10dJd board where Gumz bet 1,800,000. Stefanov called.

The river was the 8s, Gumz bet 1,300,000 and Stefanov called.

Gumz tabled 9d8h for jacks and eights, Stefanov mucked and Gumz won the pot to take the chip lead.

Fabian Gumz – 21,950,000 (44 bb)
Milen Stefanov – 17,550,000  (35 bb)

The following hand,  Gumz raised to 1,000,000 from the button and Stefanov called.

The flop came down 2d9d7h and Stefanov check-called 2,000,000 from Gumz.

The turn was the Qd, Stefanov led for 4,000,000 and Gumz called.

The river was the 6s, Stefanov shoved for 10,100,000 and Gumz used his remaining four time extensions before he called.

Stefanov tabled 8s5s for a rivered nine-high straight, besting Gumz’s Kd9s to double back into the chip lead.

Milen Stefanov – 34,600,000 (69 bb)
Fabian Gumz – 4,900,000 (10 bb)

Championship: Another Double for Fabian Gumz

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 36:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 988

Fabian Gumz limped his button, Milen Stefanov raised all in with a covering stack and Gumz called all in for 8,600,000.

Gumz: QsQd
Stefanov: 3d3h

The board ran out 6cJcJd10dAd, safe for Gumz to double up once again.

Fabian Gumz – 17,700,000 (35 bb)
Milen Stefanov – 21,800,000 (44 bb)

Championship: Fabian Gumz Doubles Up

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 35:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 988

Fabian Gumz

Milen Stefanov limped his button, Fabian Gumz raised all in from the big blind for 5,975,000 and Stefanov called.

Stefanov: QhQs
Gumz: Ac9c

The flop came down 8c6h3c, keeping Stefanov ahead but giving Gumz a flush draw.

The turn was the 7d, giving Gumz additional outs to a straight.

The river was the Qc, giving Gumz the nut flush on the river to double up and survive.

Fabian Gumz – 12,350,000 (31 bb)
Milen Stefanov – 27,150,000 (68 bb)

Championship: David Novosel – 3rd Place ($260,845)

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 35:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 988

David Novosel

David Novosel raised to 850,000 from the button and Milen Stefanov called from the big blind.

The flop came down 10hJs2c and Stefanov check-called 700,000 from Novosel.

The turn was the 10s, Stefanov led for 1,350,000 and Novosel called.

The river was the 6d, Stefanov bet effectively 6,500,000 and Novosel used two time extensions before he called all in with Ks6s for tens and sixes.

Stefanov, however, tabled Jc10c for a full house, tens full of jacks, to eliminate Nososel in third place.

Milen Stefanov – 33,275,000 (84 bb)
David Novosel – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($260,845)