2019 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
Event 13
$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 128
Prize Pool: $128,000
Bounty Prize Pool: $64,000
April 10-11, 2019

It was a good start to the trip for former Big 4 Champion Brian Altman who has just defeated Kristopher Tate heads up. The Boston native took his massive chip lead wire-to-wire to win the trophy outright, as well as the $37,120 first place prize.

Altman had no intention to play the $1,650 Purple Chip Event but got in serendipitous fashion.

“I wasn’t going to play this event but my flight landed thirty minutes early, and I thought I would swing through and play this.”

It was a rocky start for Altman on Day 1 of the event “I busted the first hand, but got more traction on my second bullet and was able to accumulate chips down the stretch.”

One pivotal hand was on the direct money bubble when He cracked Keith Ferrara’s pocket kings with seven five.

“I thought he was trying to make a move, and I remade a move… I made the wrong decision but it worked out. That’s part of poker, sometimes you just gotta get lucky”

Altman came into the day with more than double his second place competitor.

He drew first blood when he won the coin flip against Myles German to eliminate him in fourth place and score his eighth bounty.

Chris Gilkey proved difficult to eliminate as Altman kept doubling his short stack up. He finally got Gilkey however when he made three-outted him on the river to make two pair.

Altman held most of the chips in play going into heads up against Kristopher Tate. The match didn’t last very long, in fact all of Day 2 took less than two hours to complete.

On the final hand, Altman got it in with ace high and held against Tate’s king high.

When the dealer handed out payout cards Tate joked about switching them.

“I love coming down here, I’ve had a lot of success in the past and its a really comfortable place to play. The venue is really nice, I’m looking forward to the new hotel opening up. It’s always nice, all my friends come down here to play, its always a pleasurable experience.”

Event 13 results:

1st: Brian Altman – $37,120
2nd: Kristopher Tate – $23,040
3rd: Chris Gilkey – $13,760
4th: Myles German – 8,600
5th: Raffaello Locatelli – $6,400
6th: Greg Baird – $5,504
7th: Erik Christensen – $4,768
8th: Eli Levy – $4,224
9th: Manny Tarich – $3,712
10th: Asher Conniff – $3,264
11th: Ryan McKnight – $3,264
12th: Ivan Sergeyev – $3,264
13th: Adnrew Boujaoude – $2,848
14th: Cord Garcia – $2,848
15th: James Gilbert – $2,848
16th: Greg Rosen – $2,496

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19: 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 128

Kristopher Tate was all in and behind with versus Brian Altman’s .

The board ran out and Altman’s ace high held to eliminate Tate, score his tenth bounty, and become the $1,650 Purple Chip Bounty Champion.

Brian Altman – $1,650 Purple Chip Bounty Champion ($37,120)
Kristopher Tate – Eliminated in 2nd Place ($23,040)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19: 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 128

With Chris Gilkey’s elimination in third place, Brian Altman takes his massive lead into heads up against Kristopher Tate.

Brian Altman – 2,010,000 (201 bb)
Chris Gilkey – 550,000 (55 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19: 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 128

Chris Gilkey opened from the button and Brian Altman defended his big blind.

The flop came and Altman checked. Gilkey bet 57,000 and Altman raised to 150,000. Gilkey quickly shoved and Altman snap called.

They tabled their hands and Gilkey held the lead with against Altman’s .

It was short lived however as the board ran out , , giving Altman two-pair to score his ninth bounty.

Brian Altman – 2,010,000 (201 bb)
Chris Gilkey – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($13,760)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19: 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 128

Brian Altman opened from the button and Kristopher Tate three-bet from the big blind. Altman called.

Both players checked the on the flop. The turn brought the , Tate bet 85,000 and Altman called.

The river was the , and Tate put out the same bet. This time Altman raised all in for 550,000 effective.

Tate thought shortly before laying it down.

Brian Altman – 1,700,000 (170 bb)
Kristopher Tate – 550,000 (55 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19: 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 128

Brian Altman shoved and Chris Gilkey called all in for 186,000. Altman tabled and was racing against Gilkeys pocket fours.

The flop came and Altman flopped an open ended straight flush draw. The turn was the , a brick.

The river was the giving Altman a pair of sixes but making Gilkey a straight to stay alive.

Someone on the rail goes “How do you win that? You should be in the garage”

Chris Gilkey – 400,000 (40 bb)
Brian Altman – 1,500,000 (150 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19: 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 128

Brian Altman shoved from the button and Kristopher Tate called all in for 410,000.

Tate was in great shape as he tabled against Altman’s .

The board came and Tate wound up with a full house to avoid elimination.

Kristopher Tate – 850,000 (85 bb)
Brian Altman – 1,450,000 (145 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19: 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 128

Brian Altman shoved and Chris Gilkey called all in for 83,000. Gilkey was out in front with against Altman’s .

The board came and Gilkey clapped and exclaimed “come on!”

Altman joked “I have two-pair” and Gilkey believed him for a second before raking in the pot.

Chris Gilkey – 195,000 (20 bb)
Brian Altman – 1,650,000 (165 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18: 4,000/8,000 with a 8,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 128

Before the start of the hand Chris Gilkey said “I’m coming back from 50,000.. put that in the blog!”

Brian Altman opened to 17,000 and Gilkey shoved for 39,000. Altman called.

Gilkey turned over and was in the lead against Altman’s .

The board ran out and Gilkey’s king high held to score the double.

Chris Gilkey – 90,000 (11 bb)
Brian Altman – 1,750,000 (219 bb)

$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18: 4,000/8,000 with a 8,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 128

Myles German moved all in for around 200,000 from under the gun and Brian Altman called.

German tabled and was racing against Altman’s .

The flop came and Altman took the lead. The turn and river made it official as Altman scored his eighth bounty of the tournament.

Brian Altman – 1,800,000 (225 bb)
Myles German – Eliminated in 4th Place ($8,640)