2019 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 6
$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  106
Prize Pool:  $108,650
Bounty Prize Pool: $53,000
August 4-5, 2019

The $1,700 Purple Chip Bounty had the biggest buy-in of the series to date and the 106-entry field easily surpassed its $100,000 Guarantee. The two-day tournament was dominated by A.J. Gambino and he walked away with the title along with $32,605.

Event 6 had a regular prize pool worth $108,650 while the bounty prize pool was $53,000. The last 14 spots were paid out and they burst the money bubble late on Day 1.

During that time, Gambino ran up a big stack with little trouble.

“Day 1 was very smooth,” Gambino commented. “One small hiccup for a big stack then I got it right back.”

“I just ran really well and got a lot of bounties,” he continued. “Had the best of it a lot.”

Day 1 came to an end after Level 16 and Gambino had a huge lead over the other six players advancing to Day 2. His stack had a three-to-one lead on second place Carlos Guerrero and he wielded it well.

Adam Zeltser and Guerrero were two quick eliminations and they were followed by Event 1 winner David Levi. Arthur Gavrilov went out in fourth place to leave them three-handed on the first break and that is as far as the tournament progressed.

Gambino had extended his lead and held 72% of the chips, enough information to prompt a chop discussion between Scott Zakheim and Paul Domb (the other two remaining players) during the break. They decided to evenly split second and third place money leaving the full first place amount for Gambino plus the eight bounties he collected. It was an easy decision for the chip leader and he locked up the win right there. All three players agreed to each keep their $500 bounty and the tournament was complete.

“That’s a first for me,” Gambino laughed when asked about the deal.

It was a dominant performance that saw the South Florida player add a major SHRP title to his two $1,100 Big Slick wins from 2017 and this past May.

Gambino is a 12-year poker professional and briefly moved to Canada to play online poker after Black Friday. He returned to Florida and calls the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Poker Room his home.

Event 6 results:

1st: A.J. Gambino – $32,605 + SHRPO trophy *
2nd: Scott Zakheim – $16,080 *
3rd: Paul Domb – $16,080 *
4th: Arthur Gavrilov – $7,875
5th: David Levi – $6,085
6th: Carlos Guerrero – $4,995
7th: Adam Zeltser – $4,235
8th:  Alexander Gofman  –  $3,695
9th:  Scott Robbins  –  $3,260
10th:  Ci Zhou  –  $2,880
11th:  Ronit Chamani  –  $2,880
12th:  Haim Toorgeman  –  $2,880
13th:  Hans Taylor  –  $2,550
14th:  Tyler Brown  –  $2,550
* – denotes results of a three-way deal

$1,700 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 106

The three remaining players went on break after Arthur Gavrilov was eliminated and no more hands were dealt.

Scott Zakheim and Paul Domb looked at the counts before deciding to split second and third place money straight down the middle while giving A.J. Gambino full first-place money. Here are the counts at the time and the final payouts with each keeping their $500 bounty:

A.J. Gambino – 1,530,000 (153 bb)
Scott Zakheim – 310,000 (31 bb)
Paul Domb – 280,000 (28 bb)

1st: A.J. Gambino – $32,605 + SHRPO trophy
2nd: Scott Zakheim – $16,080
3rd: Paul Domb – $16,080

Gambino picked up the win, SHRPO trophy, and $32,605 for his two days of work.

$1,700 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 106

Arthur Gavrilov open-shoved for 116,000 in the small blind and Scott Zakheim called from the big blind with the bigger stack.

Zakheim:
Gavrilov:

Gavrilov had two live cards to double but missed the board. Zakheim’s ace played and Garvilov was sent out in third place shortly before the first break. It was a spinup for Gavrilov who spent most of the tournament in the 10 big blind range.

Scott Zakheim – 310,000 (39 bb)
Arthur Gavrilov – Eliminated in 4th Place ($7,875)

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18: 4,000/8,000 with a 8,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 106

Arthur Garvilov open-shoved for 72,000 from the small blind and David Levi called in the big blind to put him at risk.

Gavrilov:
Levi:

Gavrilov needed to fade the suited live cards but fell behind on the flop.

“Good game guys,” Gavrilov said just before the dealer put out the turn.

He was back in the lead and doubled after the river.

Levi was left with a micro-stack and Paul Domb picked up the bounty when his held against .

Arthur Gavrilov – 164,000 (21 bb)
David Levi – Eliminated in 5th Place ($6,085)

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 18: 4,000/8,000 with a 8,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 106

Action slowed down after Carlos Guerrero was eliminated and the stacks deepened. The blinds increased to 4,000/8,000 with an 8,000 big blind ante and the average stack is 424,000 (53 bb).

Seat 1: David Levi – 210,000 (26 bb)
Seat 2: Scott Zakheim – 190,000 (24 bb)
Seat 3: A.J. Gambino – 910,000 (114 bb)
Seat 6: Paul Domb – 665,000 (83 bb)
Seat 7: Arthur Gavrilov – 145,000 (18 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st:  $32,605 + SHRPO trophy
2nd:  $20,100
3rd:  $12,060
4th:  $7,875
5th:  $6,085

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 17: 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 106

Scott Zakheim opened the action and Carlos Guerrero moved all in for 84,000 from the button. The blinds released and Zakheim quickly called.

Zakheim:
Guerrero:

Zakheim was in good shape to earn another $500 bounty with his kings and he improved to a set on the flop. Guerrero picked up a heart flush draw on the turn but the river was a blank.

“Always a sweat,” Paul Domb joked from the other side of the table.

Scott Zakheim – 240,000 (40 bb)
Carlos Guerrero – Eliminated in 6th Place ($4,995)

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 17: 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 106

Adam Zeltser took another shot to double up and was all-in for 92,000 against Arthur Gavrilov. He was in a lot of trouble.

Zeltser:
Gavrilov:

Zeltser needed help to stay in the game but missed the board. He picked up a gutshot on the turn but whiffed the river to exit in seventh place.

Arthur Gavrilov – 190,000 (32 bb)
Adam Zeltser – Eliminated in 7th Place ($4,325)

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 17: 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 106

We had a little action to start the day with short stacks trying to double up.

First up was Arthur Gavrilov moving all in for 55,000 and David Levi called in the small blind. Gavrilov showed and Levi was similar with . The all-black card flop ensured they would chop the pot.

The second was a bit more dramatic. Adam Zeltser shoved for 79,000 after A.J. Gambino opened to 15,000. Paul Domb called in the small blind and they were heads up.

Zeltser:
Domb:

Zeltser was in a lot of trouble and looking at a seventh-place finish. That changed when the dealer spread the board to give them both two pair sevens and fives with an ace kicker.

“That could be a $32,000 card!” Zeltser joked with the table.

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 17: 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 106

As the clock hit the top of the hour, tournament staff put cards in the air for the Purple Chip Bounty restart. The blinds are 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 big blind ante and A.J. Gambino has the button.

Seat 1: David Levi – 214,000 (36 bb)
Seat 2: Scott Zakheim – 188,000 (31 bb)
Seat 3: A.J. Gambino – 937,000 (156 bb)
Seat 4: Carlos Guerrero – 305,000 (51 bb)
Seat 5: Adam Zeltser – 144,000 (24 bb)
Seat 6: Paul Domb – 278,000 (46 bb)
Seat 7: Arthur Gavrilov – 58,000 (10 bb)

1st:  $32,605 + SHRPO trophy
2nd:  $20,100
3rd:  $12,060
4th:  $7,875
5th:  $6,085
6th:  $4,995
7th:  $4,235

$1,700 Purple Chip Bounty (Single Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 17: 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 106

This year’s Purple Chip Bounty tournament drew 106 entries to easily crush the $100,000 Guarantee and seven of them come back this afternoon for Day 2. A.J. Gambino leads the final table return with a big lead but talented players trying to catch him.

They are each guaranteed at least $4,235 but all have their eyes set on the $32,605 top prize along with the remaining $500 bounties around the table.

Action restarts at 2 pm and continues until someone owns a new SHRPO trophy.

Seat 1: David Levi – 214,000 (36 bb)
Seat 2: Scott Zakheim – 188,000 (31 bb)
Seat 3: A.J. Gambino – 937,000 (156 bb)
Seat 4: Carlos Guerrero – 305,000 (51 bb)
Seat 5: Adam Zeltser – 144,000 (24 bb)
Seat 6: Paul Domb – 278,000 (46 bb)
Seat 7: Arthur Gavrilov – 58,000 (10 bb)

1st:  $32,605 + SHRPO trophy
2nd:  $20,100
3rd:  $12,060
4th:  $7,875
5th:  $6,085
6th:  $4,995
7th:  $4,235