2019 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
Event 1
$570 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 2,958
Prize Pool: $1,479,000
April 4-8, 2019

Event 1 of the 2019 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown pulled in a huge crowd to start the series. Nearly 3,000 entries joined and it took an extra day for Nick Ahamdi to earn the title, his first win after several close calls.

Ahmadi has a half dozen final table appearance, including last summer in the SHRPO Black Chip Bounty, and broke through this evening to take the title along with more than $200,000.

The tournament featured six starting flights and a $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool. The 2,958 entries combined to push the prize pool up to $1,479,000 with the last 300 spots set to earn some cash.

Of those starting entries, we saw 423 return for Day 2 on Sunday and they quickly made it into the money before the first break. By the time Day 2 was complete, we had our final table ten set and SHRP regular Jeff Kessler was at the front of the pack.

It took a while to get some action on the extra day but soon four players would be sent to the rail in the first two levels. Gavin O’Rourke, Habib Jahangard, WSOP bracelet winner Arkadiy Tsinis, and Mohammed Tarkmani went out in quick succession and there was a brief discussion on ending the tournament right there with a deal.

But talks fell through, Ryan McKnight hit the rail soon after and Nathan Lee made a shocking exit. He was second in chips behind Kessler when the two mixed it up in the biggest pot of the tournament. After Lee and Allan Bieler were eliminated, Kessler had 70% of the chips in play at the three-handed table.

That’s where the good news ended for Kessler, former RRPO Seniors Event champion, as he sent doubles to both Ahmadi and Robert Pollmeier. He would fall out in third place to leave Ahmadi and Pollmeier heads-up with nearly identical stacks.

They counted them down, Ahmadi had a slight lead, and they decided to chop up the remaining prize pool down the middle. Each took home $209,977 while Ahmadi was crowned the Event 1 champion.

Final table results:

1st: Nick Ahmadi – $209,977 + Showdown trophy *
2nd: Robert Pollmeier – $209,977
3rd: Jeff Kessler – $108,780
4th: Allan Bieler – $91,328
5th: Nathan Lee – $74,320
6th: Ryan McKnight – $58,421
7th: Mohammed Tarkmani – $42,891
8th: Arkadiy Tsinis – $28,841
9th: Habib Jahangard – $20,706
10th: Gavin O’Rourke – $13,311
* – Denotes results of heads-up deal

• Download: Final Results (PDF)

$570 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36: 250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 2,958

After Jeff Kessler was eliminated, Nick Ahmadi and Robert Pollmeier decided to divide up the remaining prize pool right down the middle. Ahmadi held a small chip lead and was declared the winner.

It was a great comeback for the former short stack and both players walked away with $209,977.

Final table results:

1st: Nick Ahmadi – $209,977 + Showdown trophy *
2nd: Robert Pollmeier – $209,977
3rd: Jeff Kessler – $108,780
4th: Allan Bieler – $91,328
5th: Nathan Lee – $74,320
6th: Ryan McKnight – $58,421
7th: Mohammed Tarkmani – $42,891
8th: Arkadiy Tsinis – $28,841
9th: Habib Jahangard – $20,706
10th: Gavin O’Rourke – $13,311
* – Denotes results of heads-up deal

$570 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36: 250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 2,958

Jeff Kessler opened to 1,250,000 from the small blind and Nick Ahmadi put him all in from the big. Kessler thought for a minuted and called for ~4,500,000.

Ahmadi:
Kessler:

Kessler needed to catch his small ace but blanked the runout to go out in third place.

Nick Ahmadi – 30,525,000 (61 bb)
Jeff Kessler – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($108,780)

$570 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36: 250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 2,958

Nick Ahmadi opened his button to 1,200,000 and Jeff Kessler called from the big blind to the flop. Kessler bet 2,000,000 and Ahmadi called. The turn was and Kessler checked. Ahmadi put out 2,800,000 and Kessler announced: “all in”.

Ahmadi quickly called for 6,550,000 and Kessler cursed a little bit.

Ahmadi:
Kessler:

Ahmadi’s tens outflopped the kings and the river sent him the big double.

Nick Ahmadi – 20,200,000 (40 bb)
Jeff Kessler – 10,400,000 (21 bb)

$570 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36: 250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 2,958

Robert Pollmeier limped his small blind and Jeff Kessler raised to 1,700,000 from the big. Pollmeier called and the flop came . Pollmeier checked, Kessler bet 2,000,000 and Pollmeier called.

The turn was and Pollmeier took the lead with a 2,500,000 bet. Kessler called, the river was , and Pollmeier checked again. Kessler announced all in and Pollmeier called for 8,075,000.

Pollmeier:
Kessler:

Pollmeier was good with the second nut flush to double into the lead.

Robert Pollmeier – 29,050,000 (58 bb)
Jeff Kessler – 20,275,000 (41 bb)

$570 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36: 250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 2,958

Robert Pollmeier folded his button and Jeff Kessler put Nick Ahmadi all in. He called for his last 4,775,000.

Ahmadi:
Kessler:

It was a race and Ahmadi’s fours held on the runout to double through the leader.

Nick Ahmadi – 10,050,000 (20 bb)
Jeff Kessler – 36,500,000 (73 bb)

$570 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36: 250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 2,958

The blinds went up and Jeff Kessler holds a commanding lead with 41,760,000 of the 59,160,000 chips in play.

Seat 3: Nick Ahmadi – 4,800,000 (10 bb)
Seat 6: Robert Pollmeier – 12,600,000 (25 bb)
Seat 9: Jeff Kessler – 41,760,000 (84 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $254,010
2nd: $165,944
3rd: $108,780

$570 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 35: 200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 2,958

Shortly after Nathan Lee was eliminated, Jeff Kessler and Allan Bieler were heads up to a flop. Bieler moved all in for his last 3,900,000 and Kessler called while still stacking Lee’s chips.

Kessler:
Bieler:

Bieler was in good shape to double against the massive leader, the turn was safe, but the river was bad news. The two outer sent Bieler to the rail in fourth place.

Jeff Kessler – 42,900,000 (107 bb)
Allan Bieler – Eliminated in 4th Place ($91,328)

$570 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 35: 200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 2,958

The two big stacks went to battle. Nathan Lee check-called bets from Jeff Kessler all the way down until the board read . Kessler put Lee all-in for his last 8,900,000 and Lee went deep in the tank.

“Did you hit the flush?” Lee asked as Kessler ordered his lunch.

After several minutes, Lee shook his head and called. He quickly tabled for kings up and Kessler calmly showed for trip kings to give him the massive pot while sending Lee out.

Jeff Kessler – 39,000,000 (98 bb)
Nathan Lee – Eliminated in 5th Place ($74,320)

$570 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 35: 200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 2,958

Robert Pollmeier opened to 1,175,000 from the cutoff and Nathan Lee moved all in from the button for 7,225,000. The blinds released, Pollmeier thought for a few minutes and called.

Lee:
Pollmeier:

Lee was in a lot of trouble and in danger of going out in fifth until the dealer spread the flop. Lee caught aces up to take the lead and doubled after the turn and river.

Nathan Lee – 15,450,000 (39 bb)
Robert Pollmeier – 10,025,000 (25 bb)