2021 Seminole Hard Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
$3,500 WPT Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  1,566
Prize Pool:  $5,011,200
November 26 – December 1, 2021

This was the largest field in history for the Seminole Hard Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open Championship, with 1,566 entries across two starting flights. And the prizepool of $5,011,200 more than doubled the $2 million guarantee.

The six-handed WPT Final Table was live-streamed online on Wednesday, and in a dramatic cooler of a final hand, Gediminas Uselis defeated Jacob Ferro to win $778,490 and an RRPO trophy. Uselis’s name will also be inscribed on the one-and-only WPT Champions Cup alongside all of the other champions in the WPT’s 19-season history.

The field reached the money back on Day 2, with the final 196 earning at least $5,265 each. There were some interesting people that cashed in the RRPO Championship, including William Hung of American Idol fame (finished 85th for $9,480) and political/sports analyst Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight (35th place for $18,390).

Day 4 began with just 15 players remaining, and those final two tables included two local regulars making deep runs, with Scott Levitt finishing 13th to earn $48,900, and Willie Wiggins just missing the live-streamed final table in seventh place, earning $139,610.

Two of poker’s top pros also made it to the final two tables, with Kristen Bicknell finishing 15th to earn $40,860, and Joseph Cheong busting in 10th place to earn $79,630.

The final table kicked off with a bank when short stack Anshul Rai got it all in on the very first hand with , poised to double up against Harout Ghazarian’s . But a queen on the flop ended Rai’s tournament in sixth place, earning $170,835.

Clayton Maguire took a big hit when an ace on the river gave him two pair with his , only to have Harout Ghazarian turn over for a higher two pair. The next hand, Maguire got it all in with against Selahaddin Bedir’s , but an ace on the flop sent Maguire home in fifth place with $211,925.

A little while later, Selahaddin Bedir moved all in with , but never caught up to the of Jacob Ferro. Bedir was knocked out in fourth place for $282,380.

Down to three players, Harout Ghazarian limped the small blind, Uselis raised the big blind, and Ghazarian limp-raised all in with . But Uselis turned over , and the best hand held up to knock out Ghazarian in third place, earning an even $380,000.

The heads-up battle between Gediminas Uselis and Jacob Ferro started out pretty evenly, with 77 big blinds for Uselis and 80 for Ferro. But in their first hand, Uselis took a big pot when he bet the river with trip kings and Ferro folded, giving Uselis a 3-to-2 chip lead.

And once Uselis took the lead, he never looked back.

They only got it all in against each other once, and it was a hand that seemed destined to end the tournament regardless of how they played it.

Ferro raised with , Uselis reraised with , and Ferro moved all in. Uselis obviously called, and there was a jack in the window — with a queen hiding underneath it.

Both players flopped sets, and the case jack never came to Ferro’s rescue, as he was knocked out in second place to earn $573,605.

Gediminas Uselis won the title, the trophy, and $778,490 for the biggest cash of his career. And you can expect to see him in more tournaments here at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood.

“This is a really nice place,” said Uselis, who then looked ahead to the Lucky Hearts Poker Open, which begins on January 13th. “I’ll be coming back in January for sure. This is one of the best hotels in the United States.”

Final Table Results:

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 33:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,566

Jacob Ferro raised to 1.0 million with , Gediminas Uselis reraised to 3.3 million with , and Ferro moved all in for 17.5 million.

Uselis called with his queens, and Ferro turned over his jacks. Ferro needed to improve to stay alive.

There was a jack in the window as the flop came — Ferro saw his set of jacks, only to have the rug pulled out from under him when the queen gave Uselis a set of queens.

Ferro needed the fourth jack to stay alive, but the turn card was the , and the river card was the .

Uselis won the pot — and the WPT Seminole Hard Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open Championship for $778,490 — with a set of queens.

Jacob Ferro finished as the runner-up, earning $573,605.

Congratulations to Gediminas Uselis!

1st:  Gediminas Uselis  –  $778,490
2nd:  Jacob Ferro  –  $573,605
3rd:  Harout Ghazarian  –  $380,000
4th:  Selahaddin Bedir  –  $282,380
5th:  Clayton Maguire  –  $211,925
6th:  Anshul Rai  –  $170,835

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 33:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,566

Gediminas Uselis raised to 1.2 million with , Jacob Ferro reraised to 3.1 million with , and Uselis called.

The flop came , Ferro bet 2.0 million, Uselis raised to 6.0 million, and Ferro folded.

Gediminas Uselis  –  45.0 million  (90 bb)
Jacob Ferro  –  17.6 million  (36 bb)

The next hand, Jacob Ferro raised to 1.0 million with , Gediminas Uselis reraised to 3.6 million with , and Ferro four-bet all in for 18.1 million. Uselis folded, and Ferro took the pot.

Jacob Ferro  –  22.0 million  (44 bb)
Gediminas Uselis  –  40.6 million  (81 bb)

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 33:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,566

The final two players return from break to begin Level 33, with increased blinds of 250,000-500,000 and a big blind ante of 500,000.

Here are the official chip counts, followed by the final table payouts:

Gediminas Uselis  –  38,900,000  (78 bb)
Jacob Ferro  –  23,700,000  (47 bb)

1st:  $778,490
2nd:  $573,605

3rd:  Harout Ghazarian  –  $380,000
4th:  Selahaddin Bedir  –  $282,380
5th:  Clayton Maguire  –  $211,925
6th:  Anshul Rai  –  $170,835

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 32:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,566

In the first hand of heads-up play, Jacob Ferro raised to 800,000 with , Gediminas Uselis reraised to 2.8 million with , and Ferro four-bet it to 6.2 million. Uselis called.

The flop came , Uselis checked, Ferro bet 3.2 million, and Uselis called.

The turn card was the , and both players checked.

The river card was the , Uselis bet 6.5 million with his , and Ferro folded his . Uselis took the pot.

Gediminas Uselis  –  38,000,000  (95 bb)
Jacob Ferro  –  25,000,000  (63 bb)

1st:  $778,490
2nd:  $573,605

3rd:  Harout Ghazarian  –  $380,000
4th:  Selahaddin Bedir  –  $282,380
5th:  Clayton Maguire  –  $211,925
6th:  Anshul Rai  –  $170,835

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 32:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,566

Harout Ghazarian completed the small blind to 400,000 with , Gediminas Uselis raised from the big blind to 1,300,000 with , and Ghazarian reraised all in for 12,200,000.

Uselis called with his , and Ghazarian turned over his . Ghazarian needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and the pocket kings held up for Uselis to win the pot and eliminate Ghazarian in third place.

Harout Ghazarian  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($380,000)

There will be a short break before heads-up play begins. Here are the official chip counts from the table, followed by the final table payouts:

Jacob Ferro  –  31,900,000  (80 bb)
Gediminas Uselis  –  30,700,000  (77 bb)

1st:  $778,490
2nd:  $573,605

3rd:  Harout Ghazarian  –  $380,000
4th:  Selahaddin Bedir  –  $282,380
5th:  Clayton Maguire  –  $211,925
6th:  Anshul Rai  –  $170,835

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 32:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 1,566

Gediminas Uselis completed the small blind to 400,000 with , Jacob Ferro raised from the big blind to 1,000,000 with , and Uselis called.

Both players checked to the turn on a board of , Uselis bet 1,300,000, and Ferro called.

The river card was the , Uselis bet 800,000, Ferro raised to 3,000,000, and Uselis called. Ferro showed his , but Uselis turned over his to win the pot with two pair.

Gediminas Uselis  –  19,300,000  (48 bb)
Jacob Ferro  –  31,000,000  (78 bb)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is about 20.9 million (52 big blinds), and the remaining players are all guaranteed at least $380,000 each.

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 32:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 1,566

Selahaddin Bedir moved all in from the cutoff for 6.8 million with , and Jacob Ferro called from the big blind with . Bedir needed his hand to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Ferro won the pot with his ace to eliminate Bedir in fourth place.

Jacob Ferro  –  31,000,000  (78 bb)
Selahaddin Bedir  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($282,380)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is about 20.9 million (52 big blinds), and the remaining players are all guaranteed at least $380,000 each.

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 32:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 1,566

The players return from break to begin Level 32, with increased blinds of 200,000-400,000 with a big blind ante of 400,000.

Here are the official chip counts from the break, followed by the final table payouts:

Seat 1.  Gediminas Uselis  –  13,300,000  (33 bb)
Seat 2.  Jacob Ferro  –  24,200,000  (61 bb)
Seat 3.  Selahaddin Bedir  –  6,800,000  (17 bb)
Seat 4.  Harout Ghazarian  –  18,300,000  (46 bb)

1st:  $778,490
2nd:  $573,605
3rd:  $380,000
4th:  $282,380

5th:  Clayton Maguire  –  $211,925
6th:  Anshul Rai  –  $170,835

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts | Live Stream
Level 31:  150,000/300,000 with a 300,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 1,566

Gediminas Uselis raised from the cutoff to 600,000 , Jacob Ferro reraised from the button to 1,700,000 with , and Uselis reraised to 4,300,000.

Ferro five-bet it to 10,900,000, and Uselis thought for a bit before he folded his . Ferro took the pot with his .

Jacob Ferro  –  24,000,000  (80 bb)
Gediminas Uselis  –  13,300,000  (44 bb)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is about 15,650,000 (52 big blinds), and the remaining players are all guaranteed at least $282,380 each.