2019 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 23
$25,500 RRPO High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 45
Prize Pool: $1,111,500
December 2-3, 2019

For the first time in our history, there was a High Roller during the Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N Roll Poker Open” and it did not disappoint. The $25,500 buy-in tournament drew 45 talented players and it was High Roller specialist Bryn Kenney walking away with the title along with $354,565 in a heads-up deal with Brock Wilson.

“A $25K tournament could run every time you guys have a festival,” Kenney said of the first RRPO High Roller. “There are enough people in Florida who will play and enough pros who come.”

Those 45 put $1,115,500 into the prize pool to best the $1,000,000 guarantee. A few of the top players in the game included Jason Mercier, Erik Seidel, Anthony Zinno, Andjelko Andrejevic, Rainer Kempe, Anton Wigg, Darren Elias, and James Romero among the tough group.

The tournament paid out the last seven spots so they still had some work to do when they hit the final table late on Day 1. SHR Poker Showdown Champ Scott Margereson, Anton Wigg, Robert Heirdon all fell short of the money with Lazaro Hernandez going out in seventh place before Day 1 came to an end.

Brock Wilson was the chip leader at the six-handed final table to start Day 2 but Bryn Kenney quickly began building his stack. Mercier, looking for his four SHRP High Roller title and fifth overall, had the lead for a short while before Kenney stormed back to send him out in fourth place.

Kenney made quick work of third-place finisher Jerry Robinson after Mercier was knocked out and Kenney went into heads-up play with a huge lead. Wilson doubled back early in the match and the two decided to split the remaining prize pool.

As the chip leader, Kenney earned the High Roller title along with $354,565 while Wilson took home $301,215 for his runner-up finish.

“It was a fun time,” Kenney said of his tournament. “I was in New York for Thanksgiving and flew in the morning of [the][High][Roller] and played.”

“Two days, 45 players, in a nice city. Great weather and I’m going to the beach now. It’s perfect.”

High Roller results:

1st: Bryn Kenney – $354,565 + RRPO Trophy *
2nd: Brock Wilson – $301,215 *
3rd: Jerry Robinson – $161,170
4th: Jason Mercier – $111,150
5th: Anthony Zinno – $77,805
6th: Andjelko Andrejevic – $61,135
7th: Lazaro Hernandez – $44,460
* – denotes results of heads-up deal

$25,500 RRPO High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante

Shortly after Brock Wilson doubled through Bryn Kenney, the two quickly agreed to a deal to split up the remaining prize pool. As the leader, Kenney earned $354,565 for the High Roller win and Wilson banked $301,215 as the runner-up.

Tournament report to come shortly.

Bryn Kenney – 3,115,000 (104 bb)
Brock Wilson – 1,435,000 (48 bb)

1st: Bryn Kenney – $354,565
2nd: Brock Wilson – $301,215

$25,500 RRPO High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 45

The first few hands all went to Bryn Kenney to start the heads-up match to extend his lead. With 725,000 behind, Brock Wilson limped his button and Kenney moved all in. Wilson thought for a minute and called.

Wilson:
Kenney:

Wilson was ahead for a double and faded the board to pull closer.

Brock Wilson – 1,480,000 (49 bb)
Bryn Kenney – 3,020,000 (101 bb)

$25,500 RRPO High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 45

The trophy is on the table and the heads-up match between Bryn Kenney and Brock Wilson is underway with $400,135 awaiting the winner.

Bryn Kenney – 3,340,000 (111 bb)
Brock Wilson – 1,160,000 (39 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $400,135 + RRPO Trophy
2nd: $255,645

$25,500 RRPO High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 45

Jerry Robison got his last 600,000 in the middle with after Jason Mercier’s elimination and Bryn Kenney had him at risk with .

The board ran out to give Robinson a flopped pair of tens and rivered ace-high straight but Kenney made a spade flush to send Robinson out in third place.

Bryn Kenney – 3,340,000 (111 bb)
Jerry Robinson – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($161,170)

$25,500 RRPO High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 45

The climb back fell short for Jason Mercier. He dropped a big pot to Bryn Kenney without a showdown and moved in soon after for 745,000 after Kenney opened to 75,000 from the button. Kenney called for a huge pot.

Kenney:
Mercier:

Mercier ran into a monster and could not find a save on the for the surprising exit in fourth place.

Bryn Kenney – 2,700,000 (90 bb)
Jason Mercier – Eliminated in 4th Place ($111,150)

$25,500 RRPO High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 45

Jason Mercier opened to 60,000 from under the gun and Bryn Kenney defended his big blind to see the flop. Kenney checked, Mercier bet 45,000 and Kenney called.

The turn was , Kenney checked, Mercier bet 155,000 and Kenney called. The board finished with the river, Kenney checked, and Mercier fired again for 190,000. Kenney looked at the board for two minutes and sent the nice sized pot to Mercier.

Jason Mercier – 1,350,000 (45 bb)
Bryn Kenney – 1,400,000 (47 bb)

$25,500 RRPO High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 45

The four remaining players were sent on a 10-minute break after Level 17. They will return with Bryn Kenney leading and Jerry Robinson on the short stack.

Seat 1: Jerry Robinson – 700,000 (23 bb)
Seat 2: Bryn Kenney – 1,570,000 (52 bb)
Seat 3: Jason Mercier – 1,035,000 (35 bb)
Seat 4: Brock Wilson – 1,195,000 (40 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $400,135 + RRPO Trophy
2nd: $255,645
3rd: $161,170
4th: $111,150

$25,500 RRPO High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 17:  15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 45

Brock Wilson opened to 555,000 from under the gun and Anthony Zinno came along from the cutoff to the flop. Wilson checked, Zinno bet 60,000, and Wilson called.

The turn came , Wilson checked, and Zinno bet another 130,000. Wilson thought for several minutes and moved all in. Zinno called, tabled and saw he was drawing dead against Wilson’s nut flush to exit in fifth place.

Brock Wilson – 1,625,000 (65 bb)
Anthony Zinno – Eliminated in 5th Place ($77,805)

$25,500 RRPO High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 17:  15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 45

Things settled in with the new level and there’s been little major action. Bryn Kenney leads, Brock Wilson is back up to second, and Jason Mercier is right off a million.

Seat 1: Jerry Robinson – 590,000 (24 bb)
Seat 2: Bryn Kenney – 1,380,000 (55 bb)
Seat 3: Jason Mercier – 910,000 (36 bb)
Seat 4: Brock Wilson – 1,075,000 (43 bb)
Seat 5: Anthony Zinno – 550,000 (22 bb)