2020 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 8
$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Entries:  155
Prize Pool:  $52,700
January 13, 2020

Phil Rigby has a couple of big SHRPO final tables on his resume, finishing ninth in a Big 4 event in 2017, and fourth in another Big 4 event last year. But Monday he finally won his first Seminole Hard Rock trophy, outlasting a field of 155 to win the Seniors event.

“I’ve been close a few times,” said Rigby. “It’s been overdue.”

Three-handed play lasted a very long time, and there was talk of a deal at one point, but Rigby shut it down because he wasn’t the chipleader, and wouldn’t get the win — and the trophy.

“The trophy was more important for me in a tournament like this,” said Rigby. “It’s not huge, life-changing money, so I wanted the chance to win the trophy.”

Three-handed play continued for a surprisingly long time, and the final three players eventually agreed to a deal. Since Rigby had the chip lead this time, he was declared the winner, receiving both the title and the trophy.

And not just any trophy — a Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood trophy.

“I love this place. They do a great job.” said Rigby. “I live in Belize predominantly, but I come here for every series. Everything they’ve put on has been great over the years, and it just gets better and better and better.”

Final Results:

1st:  Phil Rigby  –  $10,689* + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  Bruce Gans  –  $9,453*
3rd:  Yvonne McQuillan  –  $8,627*
4th:  Greg Spinder  –  $3,294
5th:  Harvey Bruce Freedman  –  $2,543
6th:  Jill Pike  –  $2,108
7th:  Richard Whitebrook  –  $1,831
8th:  David Albertson  –  $1,644
9th:  Greg Rosen  –  $1,417

* Indicates a three-way deal.

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining:  1 of 155

The final three players return from break to begin Level 22, with increased blinds of 10,000-20,000 with a 20,000 ante. Here are their official chip counts from the break:

Seat 1.  Bruce Gans  –  575,000  (29 bb)
Seat 2.  Yvonne McQuillan  –  730,000  (37 bb)
Seat 3.  Phil Rigby  –  555,000  (28 bb)

About halfway thru the level, Phil Rigby had taken the lead with more than a million in chips, and he raised from the button to 20,000. Yvonne McQuillan moved all in from the big blind for 195,000, and Rigby thought for a while before he called with .

McQuillan turned over , and she needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and McQuillan paired her ten on the flop to win the pot and double up in chips.

Yvonne McQuillan  –  420,000  (21 bb)
Phil Rigby  –  830,000  (42 bb)

They played thru the end of that level and into Level 23 (15K-25K) before agreeing to a three-way ICM deal. These were the official chip counts at that point.

1.  Phil Rigby  –  845,000  (34 bb)
2.  Bruce Gans  –  575,000  (23 bb)
3.  Yvonne McQuillan  –  440,000  (18 bb)

And here are the adjusted final table payouts to reflect their deal:

1st:  Phil Rigby  –  $10,689* + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  Bruce Gans  –  $9,453*
3rd:  Yvonne McQuillan  –  $8,627*
4th:  Greg Spinder  –  $3,294
5th:  Harvey Bruce Freedman  –  $2,543
6th:  Jill Pike  –  $2,108
7th:  Richard Whitebrook  –  $1,831
8th:  David Albertson  –  $1,644
9th:  Greg Rosen  –  $1,417

Stay tuned for a recap from this event to be posted later tonight.

*Indicates three-way deal.

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 155

With the board showing on the turn, Greg Spinder checked the big blind, Yvonne McQuillan went all in from the button for more than 500K, and Spinder tanked for a while before he called all in for about 98,000 with for a pair of nines with a jack-high flush draw.

But McQuillan turned over for a queen-high flush, and Spinder was drawing dead.

The meaningless river card was the , giving Spinder a little salt in the wound with trip nines. “We would have gotten it all in anyway,” said Spinder as he got up to leave. McQuillan won the pot with her flush to eliminate Spinder in fourth place.

Yvonne McQuillan  –  875,000  (55 bb)
Greg Spinder  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($3,294)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is about 620,000 (39 big blinds), and the next player to be eliminated will earn $5,415.

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 155

Harvey Bruce Freedman moved all in from the small blind for about 160,000, and Bruce Gans called from the big blind with .

Freedman turned over , and he needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Gans won the pot with his ace to eliminate Freedman in fifth place.

Bruce Gans  –  425,000  (27 bb)
Harvey Bruce Freedman  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($2,543)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is about 465,000 (29 big blinds), and the next player to be eliminated will earn $3,294.

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 155

Jill Pike raised from the cutoff to 40,000, Greg Spinder moved all in from the big blind, and Pike called with . Spinder turned over , and he was dominated and facing elimination.

But the flop came , and Spinder flopped two pair to take the lead. Pike never caught up, and Spinder doubled up with his two pair.

Greg Spinder  –  180,000  (11 bb)
Jill Pike  –  21,000  (1 bb)

The next hand, Jill Pike moved all in from the hijack for 21,000, and Harvey Bruce Freedman called from the big blind with . Pike turned over , and she needed her hand to hold to stay alive.

The board came , and Freedman paired his eight on the flop to win the pot and eliminate Pike in sixth place.

Harvey Bruce Freedman  –  185,000  (12 bb)
Jill Pike  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($2,108)

With five players remaining, the average chip stack is about 372,000 (23 big blinds), and the next player to be eliminated will earn $2,543.

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 155

Bruce Gans raised from the cutoff to 30,000, and Jill Pike called from the small blind. The flop came , Pike checked, Gans moved all in for 122,000, and Pike quickly called with .

Gans turned over for a spade-flush draw, and he needed to improve to stay alive.

The turn card was the , giving Gans additional outs with a gutshot straight draw.

The river card was the , and Pike quietly said “Fudge nugget” as Gans rivered his flush to win the pot and double up in chips.

Bruce Gans  –  324,000  (27 bb)
Jill Pike  –  200,000  (17 bb)

A short while later, Harvey Bruce Freedman raised from the hijack to 35,000, Richard Whitebrook moved all in from the button for about 110,000, and Yvonne McQuillan moved all in over the top from the big blind for about 280,000. Freedman folded.

Whitebrook turned over , but he needed to improve to stay alive against McQuillan’s .

The board came , and McQuillan turned a full house, jacks full of sixes, to win the pot and eliminate Whitebrook in seventh plce.

Yvonne McQuillan  –  450,000  (38 bb)
Richard Whitebrook  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($1,831)

With six players remaining, the average chip stack is about 310,000 (26 big blinds), and the next player to be eliminated will earn $2,108.

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 155

The players return from break to begin Level 19, with increased blinds of 5,000-10,000 with a 10,000 ante. Here are the official chip counts from the break:

Seat 1.  Greg Spinder  –  64,000  (6 bb)
Seat 2.  David Albertson  –  104,000  (10 bb)
Seat 3.  Harvey Bruce Freedman  –  124,000  (12 bb)
Seat 4.  Bruce Gans  –  172,000  (17 bb)
Seat 5.  Richard Whitebrook  –  251,000  (25 bb)
Seat 6.  Jill Pike  –  254,000  (25 bb)
Seat 7.  Yvonne McQuillan  –  454,000  (45 bb)
Seat 8.  Phil Rigby  –  437,000  (44 bb)

A hand or two later, David Albertson raised from the button to 35,000, Harvey Bruce Freedman moved all in from the small blind for 119,000, and Albertson called all in for 104,000 with .

Freedman turned over , and Albertson needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came — Albertson paired his ten on the flop, but Freedman paired his ace on the turn and his nine on the river to win the pot and eliminate Albertson in eighth place.

Harvey Bruce Freedman  –  243,000  (24 bb)
David Albertson  –  Eliminated in 8th Place  ($1,644)

With seven players remaining, the average chip stack is about 266,000 (27 big blinds), and the next player to be eliminated will earn $1,831.

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  4,000/8,000 with a 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  8 of 155

Greg Rosen moved all in from middle position for about 60,000, David Albertson moved all in over the top from the button for about 100,000, and the blinds folded.

Rosen turned over , and he needed his hand to hold to stay alive against Albertson’s .

The board came , and Albertson flopped a set of nines and rivered a full house to win the pot and eliminate Rosen in ninth place.

David Albertson  –  180,000  (23 bb)
Greg Rosen  –  Eliminated in 9th Place  ($1,417)

With eight players remaining, the average chip stack is about 233,000 (29 big blinds), and the next player to be eliminated will earn $1,644.

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 17:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 155

The final nine players have drawn for random seats at the final table, and play will continue tonight until they reach a winner. Here are their updated chip counts, followed by the remaining prizepool:

Seat 1.  Greg Spinder  –  67,000  (11 bb)
Seat 2.  David Albertson  –  100,000  (17 bb)
Seat 3.  Harvey Bruce Freedman  –  204,000  (34 bb)
Seat 4.  Bruce Gans  –  231,000  (39 bb)
Seat 5.  Richard Whitebrook  –  92,000  (15 bb)
Seat 6.  Jill Pike  –  209,000  (35 bb)
Seat 7.  Greg Rosen  –  49,000  (8 bb)
Seat 8.  Yvonne McQuillan  –  473,000  (79 bb)
Seat 9.  Phil Rigby  –  440,000  (73 bb)

1st:  $14,166 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  $9,188
3rd:  $5,415
4th:  $3,294
5th:  $2,543
6th:  $2,108
7th:  $1,831
8th:  $1,644
9th:  $1,417

And here is a list of the players who have finished in the money so far, along with their payouts:

10th:  Mike Parekh  –  $1,238
11th:  Hector Pacheco  –  $1,238
12th:  Fariborz Zojaji  –  $1,238
13th:  Miami John Cernuto  –  $1,067
14th:  Lawrence Klur  –  $1,067
15th:  David Katz  –  $1,067
16th:  Thomas Bielecky  –  $901
17th:  Peter Netherton  –  $901
18th:  Miguel Martinez  –  $901
19th:  Jonathan Shapiro  –  $738
20th:  Marc Levy  –  $738

We will be providing live updates from this table until they reach a winner.

$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 9:  500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players Remaining:  54 of 155

Registration closed on the LHPO Seniors event and we had another great turnout. The tournament drew 155 entries to create a prize pool worth $52,700 and the last 20 players will earn some money.

A min-cash is worth $738 and the Seniors Event champion will take home $14,166 plus the LHPO trophy.

2020 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 8
$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Entries:  155
Prize Pool:  $52,700
January 13, 2020

1st: $14,166 + LHPO Trophy
2nd: $9,188
3rd: $5,415
4th: $3,294
5th: $2,543
6th: $2,108
7th: $1,831
8th: $1,644
9th: $1,417
10th-12th: $1,238
13th-15th: $1,067
16th-18th: $901
19th-20th: $738