2019 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open 
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
Event 8
$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 111
Prize Pool: $113,775
Bounty Prize Pool: $55,500
November 24-25, 2019 

Until we reach RRPO Championship weekend, Event 8 had the biggest buy-in of the series so far. It was a $1,700 buy-in Purple Chip Bounty NLH tournament that brought out some tough players. In the end, Atlanta’s Schahin Ghiai took home the title after an outright win for $34,105.

“I was up and down all day,” Ghiai said of his Day 1 on Sunday. “But I was patient and it paid off.”

The tournament drew 111 entries and easily surpassed the $100,000 guarantee. They put $113,775 in the regular prize pool with another $55,500 in the bounty prize pool. The last 14 spots were paid with the money bubble bursting late on Day 1.

There were still eight players around when they bagged up for Day 2. Zhi Cheng Wu had the overnight lead but Ghiai was not far behind. Cheng Wu kept that lead for most of the final table and knocked out every player on Day 2 until he was heads-up with Ghiai.

That’s where the good news ended for Cheng Wu. Ghiai had taken over the lead, shipped a double up to Cheng Wu early in heads-up action, but he finished it off when he outflopped Cheng Wu on the last hand. Cheng Wu took home $21,015 for second place along with a lot of $500 bounty chips.

The part-time player and full-time real estate broker finished his trip to South Florida with his first SHRPO title and pushed his career total earnings over $190,000.

Event 8 results:

1st: Schahin Ghiai – $34,105 + RRPO Trophy
2nd: Zhi Cheng Wu – $21,015
3rd: Tomas Soderstrom – $12,595
4th: Moshe Shabat – $8,215
5th: Albert Daher – $6,335
6th: Ronny Beda – $5,200
7th: Carlos Guerrero – $4,405
8th: Padraig O’Neill – $3,835
9th: Rami Hahitti – $3,415
10th: Scott Zakheim – $3,415
11th: Mark Amaral – $2,980
12th: Jack Salter – $2,980
13th: Thi Dao – $2,640
14th: Peter Walsworth – $2,640

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  10,000/20,000 with a 20,000 ante

With ~100,000 in the pot, the board was out to the turn reading and Zhi Cheng Wu moved all in for 805,000. Schahin Ghiai took a quick pause before calling with the bigger stack.

Ghiai:
Cheng Wu:

Cheng Wu was ahead preflop before Ghiai flopped top pair and turned kings up. Cheng Wu was drawing thin and missed the river to send the rest of his chips to Ghiai.

Cheng Wu earned $21,015 for his runner-up finish while Ghiai banked $34,105 for the win plus all his $500 bounty chips.

1st: Schahin Ghiai – $34,105 + RRPO Trophy
2nd: Zhi Cheng Wu – $21,015

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  10,000/20,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 111

The heads-up took a short ten-minute break at the end of the level and cards are back in the air.

Seat 2: Schahin Ghiai – 1,535,000 (77 bb)
Seat 5: Zhi Cheng Wu – 675,000 (34 bb)

1st: $34,105 + RRPO Trophy
2nd: $21,015

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 111

Before the trophy could come out for display, Zhi Cheng Wu and Schahin Ghiai played a hand that was casual until the entire board was out there. They were looking at board and Ghiai put his last 604,000 in the middle and Cheng Wu called.

Ghiai:
Cheng Wu:

Wu flopped middle pair, turned trip threes, but Ghiaia made a flush on the river to double up.

Schahin Ghiai – 1,810,000 (121 bb)
Zhi Cheng Wu – 410,000 (27 bb)

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 111

Tomas Soderstrom dropped down to ten big blinds, found a double through Zhi Cheng Wu and took another shot soon after. He was all in for 337,000 and Cheng Wu had him at risk.

Cheng Wu:
Soderstrom:

Soderstrom was in great shape for a double up but Cheng Wu paired his ace on the flop. Neither the turn nor the river were of any help and Soderstrom was eliminated in third place.

Zhi Cheng Wu – 1,570,000 (105 bb)
Tomas Soderstrom – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($12,595)

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 111

Tomas Soderstrom opened to 30,000 from the button and Zhi Cheng Wu called in the big blind to the flop. Cheng Wu checked, Soderstrom bet 20,000 and Cheng Wu called.

The turn was , Cheng wu checked again, Soderstrom bet 60,000 and Cheng Wu called. The river came , Cheng Wu checked one last time, and Soderstrom fired again for 120,000. Cheng Wu quickly called and tabled . Soderstrom double checked his cards and mucked the pot to the chip leader.

Zhi Cheng Wu – 1,220,000 (81 bb)
Tomas Soderstrom – 361,000 (24 bb)

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 111

Zhi Cheng Wu opened to 30,000 from the button, Tomas Soderstrom called in the small blind and Schahin Ghiai called in the big. The flop came and all three players checked. The turn was , Soderstrom bet 35,000 and only Cheng wu came along.

The river was , Soderstrom bet 115,000 and Cheng Wu dropped in a call. He flipped up for the queen-high straight, Soderstrom flashed before he mucked the pot to Cheng Wu.

Seat 2: Schahin Ghiai – 745,000 (50 bb)
Seat 5: Zhi Cheng Wu – 815,000 (54 bb)
Seat 7: Tomas Soderstrom – 661,000 (44 bb)

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 111

There were no major pots over the first 30 minutes but Schahin Ghiai was able to extend his lead to hold more than half of the chips in play.

Seat 2: Schahin Ghiai – 1,240,000 (103 bb)
Seat 5: Zhi Cheng Wu – 510,000 (43 bb)
Seat 7: Tomas Soderstrom – 470,000 (39 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $34,105 + RRPO Trophy
2nd: $21,015
3rd: $12,595

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 111

Level 19 came to an end and tournament staff sent the three remaining players on a 15-minute break. Schahin Ghiai leads, Tomas Soderstrom moved into second place, and former leader Zhi Cheng Wu is third.

Seat 2: Schahin Ghiai – 1,030,000 (86 bb)
Seat 5: Zhi Cheng Wu – 497,000 (41 bb)
Seat 7: Tomas Soderstrom – 684,000 (57 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $34,105 + RRPO Trophy
2nd: $21,015
3rd: $12,595

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 111

It was three-way to a flop and Tomas Soderstrom bet 10,000. Schahin Ghiai folded, Zhi Cheng Wu thought for a second and called. Both players checked the turn and Cheng Wu led out for 40,000 after the river. Soderstrom raised to 112,000 and Cheng Wu quickly called. He flipped over for the king-high straight and Soderstrom mucked.

Soon after, Cheng Wu limped his button and Soderstrom moved all in for 178,000 from the small blind. Ghiai folded and Cheng Wu called.

Soderstrom:
Cheng Wu:

Soderstrom was in great shape, had a small blip when they all saw the in the window but he also paired on the flop. The turn was and the river gave Soderstrom the overkill nut flush to double up.

Tomas Soderstrom – 381,000 (38 bb)
Zhi Cheng Wu – 875,000 (88 bb)