2019 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 9
$600 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$250,000 Guarantee
Entries:  826
Prize Pool:  $437,780
November 25-27, 2019

Michael Tureniec, a professional poker player from Sweden, is no stranger to big victories in big fields — he’s won a WSOP bracelet, an EPT title, and two WPTDeepStacks titles. He’s also won two trophies here at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood.

On Wednesday night, Tureniec was the last player standing from a massive field of 826 entries to win $100,700, the 12th six-figure cash of his career.

“It feels great,” said Tureniec after his victory. “I didn’t expect the field to be so massive. I was happily surprised to see that so many participated.”

Tureniec had a big stack for most of this tournament, bagging the second-largest stack in his starting flight, and bringing the third-largest stack to the final table of nine players. He didn’t have the biggest stack at that point, but Tureniec may have had the best seat.

“I really liked my seat draw,” said Tureniec. “I had the most aggressive players to my right, and those that were in the middle of the pack to my left. So that was a very good start to the final table. And then things played out very well.”

Tureniec knocked out Ryan D’Angelo in seventh place and Tony Utnage in sixth place to take the chip lead. Tureniec increased his lead when he eliminated Arthur Boatman in fourth place, and then three-handed play lasted for more than an hour.

Even though third-place finisher Jennifer Miller was eliminated by Hiroaki Harada, Tureniec still began heads-up play with a nearly two-to-one chip lead.

Harada didn’t make it easy, narrowing the gap a bit before winning a pot worth seven million with two pair to take a two-to-one chip lead of his own. But Tureniec steadily worked his way back into the lead.

In the final hand, Tureniec check-called bets from Harada on the flop and the turn on a board of . Tureniec shoved the river, and Harada tanked for several full minutes before he called with two pair, jacks and fives, falling short of Tureniec’s queens and fives. Harada earned $58,663 for his runner-up finish.

Thursday is the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, so there will be no trophy events in action. But Tureniec plans to return this weekend for the $3,500 WPT Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship.

“As always, a great tournament here, and well run” said Tureniec. “I’m really happy for the win.”

Final Table Results:

1st:  Michael Tureniec  –  $100,700 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  Hiroaki Harada  –  $58,663
3rd:  Jennifer Miller  –  $35,898
4th:  Arthur Boatman  –  $29,550
5th:  Justin Carey  –  $24,078
6th:  Tony Utnage  –  $19,700
7th:  Ryan D’Angelo  –  $15,760
8th:  Luis Calvo  –  $11,820
9th:  Richard Alati  –  $8,318

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  75,000/150,000 with a 150,000 ante
Players Remaining:  1 of 826

Both players put in 350,000 to see a flop of . Michael Tureniec bet 250,000, Hiroaki Harada raised to 800,000, and Tureniec called.

The turn card was the , Tureniec checked, Harada bet 1,400,000, and Tureniec thought for a while before he called.

The river card was the , and Tureniec moved all in for about 7.7 million, covering Harada’s approximately 3.6 million.

Harada tanked for a very, very long time before he called, and Tureniec turned over for two pair, queens and fives. Harada mucked his cards, but since it was an all-in situation, the dealer flipped them over to show for a lower two pair, jacks and fives.

Michael Tureniec won Event 9 outright, earning $100,700 and his third Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood trophy. Hiroaki Harada earned $58,663 for finishing as the runner-up.

1st:  Michael Tureniec  –  $100,700 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  Hiroaki Harada  –  $58,663
3rd:  Jennifer Miller  –  $35,898
4th:  Arthur Boatman  –  $29,550
5th:  Justin Carey  –  $24,078
6th:  Tony Utnage  –  $19,700
7th:  Ryan D’Angelo  –  $15,760
8th:  Luis Calvo  –  $11,820
9th:  Richard Alati  –  $8,318

Stay tuned for a recap, which will be posted later tonight.

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  75,000/150,000 with a 150,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 826

Hiroaki Harada limped for 150,000, Michael Tureniec raised to 350,000, and Harada limp-raised to 1,150,000.

Tureniec thought for a while before he moved all in with the larger stack, and Harada tanked for a very long time before he folded. Tureniec took the pot to increase his lead.

Michael Tureniec  –  10,400,000  (69 bb)
Hiroaki Harada  –  6,100,000  (41 bb)

Here are the remaining payouts:

1st:  $100,700 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  $58,663

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  75,000/150,000 with a 150,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 826

In the last hand of Level 30, with blinds at 75K-125K, Hiroaki Harada raised to 300,000, and Michael Tureniec called.

Both players checked to the turn on a board of , Tureniec checked, Harada bet 700,000, and Tureniec called.

The river card paired the board with the , and both players checked. Tureniec showed to win the pot with two pair, queens and eights, and Harada mucked.

Michael Tureniec  –  9,300,000  (62 bb)
Hiroaki Harada  –  7,100,000  (47 bb)

Level 30 came to an end, and Level 31 began with increased blinds of 75,000-150,000 and a 150,000 ante. (The big blinds in their stacks were calculated at the new level.)

Here are the remaining payouts:

1st:  $100,700 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  $58,663

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 826

After a flop of , Michael Tureniec checked, Hiroaki Harada bet 300,000, and Tureniec called.

The turn card was the , Tureniec checked, Harada bet 1,100,000, and Tureniec called.

The river card was the , Tureniec checked, Harada bet 1,900,000, and Tureniec tanked for a long time before he called.

Harada showed to win the pot with two pair, nines and fives, and Tureniec mucked.

Hiroaki Harada  –  11,350,000  (91 bb)
Michael Tureniec  –  5,175,000  (41 bb)

A few minutes later, they four-bet it all in preflop, but both turned over offsuit. Neither player made a flush, and it was a chopped pot.

Here are the remaining payouts at stake:

1st:  $100,700 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  $58,663

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 826

With the blinds at 50K-100K, Michael Tureniec completed the small blind to 100,000, Jennifer Miller moved all in from the big blind for 2,300,000, and Tureniec thought for a while before he folded. Miller took the pot.

Jennifer Miller  –  2,500,000  (25 bb)
Michael Tureniec  –  8,500,000  (85 bb)

A few minutes later, Tureniec completed the small blind to 100,000, and Miller checked her option in the big blind.

The flop came , Tureniec bet 100,000, Miller raised to about 350,000, and Tureniec called.

The turn card was the , Tureniec checked, Miller bet 650,000, and Tureniec called.

The river card was the , and both players checked. Tureniec showed to win the pot with two pair, aces and fives, and Miller mucked.

Michael Tureniec  –  9,900,000  (99 bb)
Jennifer Miller  –  1,250,000  (13 bb)

Level 29 came to an end, and Level 30 began with increased blinds of 75,000-125,000 with a 125,000 ante.

A few minutes later, Jennifer Miller moved all in sb for about 950,000, and Hiroaki Harada called from the big blind with .

Miller turned over , and needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Harada won the pot with a ten-high straight to eliminate Miller in third place.

Jennifer Miller  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($35,898)

Here are the approximate chip counts for the start of heads-up play, followed by the remaining payouts:

Michael Tureniec  –  10,800,000  (86 bb)
Hiroaki Harada  –  5,700,000  (46 bb)

1st:  $100,700 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  $58,663

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 826

After a flop of , Jennifer Miller checks, Hiroaki Harada bet 200,000, and Miller called.

The turn card was the , Miller checked, Harada bets 425,000, and Miller called.

The river card was the , Miller checked, Harada bet about 1.9 million, and Miller thought for a while before she folded. Harada took the pot.

Hiroaki Harada  –  5,350,000  (54 bb)
Jennifer Miller  –  4,200,000  (42 bb)

A few minutes later, after a flop of , Miller checked form the small blind, Michael Tureniec bet 350,000 from the button, and Miller called.

The turn card was the , Miller checked, Tureniec bet 700,000, and Miller thought for a while before she called.

The river card was the , and both players checked. Tureniec showed to win the pot with an eight-high straight, and Miller mucked.

Michael Tureniec  –  8,300,000  (83 bb)
Jennifer Miller  –  2,900,000  (29 bb)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is about 5,500,000 (55 big blinds), and the next player to bust will earn $35,898.

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 826

The final three players return from break to begin Level 29, with increased blinds of 50,000-100,000 and a 100,000 ante. Here are their official chip counts from the break:

Seat 1.  Jennifer Miller  –  4,075,000  (41 bb)
Seat 2.  Hiroaki Harada  –  5,175,000  (52 bb)
Seat 3.  Michael Tureniec  –  7,250,000  (73 bb)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is about 5,500,000 (55 big blinds), and here is the remaining prizepool:

1st:  $100,700 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  $58,663
3rd:  $35,898

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 28:  40,000/80,000 with a 80,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 826

Late in Level 28, Michael Tureniec moved all in from the small blind, and Arthur Boatman called from the big blind with .

Tureniec turned over , and Boatman needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Tureniec won the pot with ten high to eliminate Boatman in fourth place.

Michael Tureniec  –  6,625,000  (83 bb)
Arthur Boatman  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($29,550)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is about 5,500,000 (69 big blinds), and the next player who busts will receive $35,898.

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$250,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 826

Justin Carey got it all in from the big blind for about 1.3 million with , and he needed his hand to hold to stay alive against the of Jennifer Miller in the cutoff.

The board came , and Miller flopped a set of jacks and rivered quads to win the pot and eliminate Carey in fifth place.

Jennifer Miller  –  4,850,000  (81 bb)
Justin Carey  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($24,078)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is about 4,130,000 (69 big blinds), and the next player who busts will receive $29,550.