Event 1 Flight A: Ronnie George Bursts the Bubble

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry Per Flight)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 16:  3,000/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining:  79 of 625

Ronnie George

Flight A went into hand-for-hand mode with exactly 10 tables remaining and it took a little while to make the money.

Other than a jacks-versus-jacks hand with Ory Hen, no one was at risk until the sixth hand and then we had three at once. The first two runouts produced double ups while Table 44 was only waiting to show some cards.

It was a multi-way pot with the big blind all in preflop and the live players checked down the KdJh9cJdTd board until Ronnie George bet out to isolate and he was good with AcQh for the rivered straight. The short stacked big blind showed 8h6d and was eliminated to put the rest of them in the money.

Ronnie George – 230,000

Event 1 Flight B: Cruising to the Guarantee

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry Per Flight)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1:  100/100
Flight B Entries:  340 (Total: 965)

The second flight of Event 1 is underway and the $500,000 guarantee is already in the rearview mirror. Only 328 new entries were needed to surpass the mark and we have 340 in the game already.

They start with 20,000 deep stacks and play 30-minute levels on Day 1, increasing to 40 minutes on Day 2. Late registration is available until the start of Level 9 at 10:30 pm and players are limited to a single re-entry option if they bust out. The field will be capped at 480 unique players so get here soon.

They will continue playing into the evening until 12.5% of the field remains for a Day 2 return already in the money.

  • $500,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 20,000 in chips
  • Day 1 levels last 30 minutes; Day 2 levels last 40 minutes
  • Late registration until start of Level 9 (2:30pm)
  • Single re-entry per flight
  • 480 players max per flight
  • Day 1 will end when field reaches 12.5%
  • Event 1 Structure Sheet

Event 2: Prize Pool and Payouts with $13K to Omaha 8 Champ

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Freeze-Out)
Structure | Payouts
Level 9:  800/1,600 Limits
Players Remaining: 104 of 159

The numbers are in and the record-setting Omaha 8 drew 159 players to put $53,265 up for grabs. The last 20 spots will be paid with a min-cash earning $745 and the Omaha 8 champ taking home $13,020 plus the Showdown trophy.

2021 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 2
$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Freeze-Out)
Entries: 159
Prize Pool:  $53,625
April 15, 2021

1st: $13,020 + Trophy
2nd: $8,650
3rd: $6,205
4th: $4,525
5th: $3,370
6th: $2,570
7th: $2,000
8th-9th: $1,450
10th-12th: $1,115
13th-14th: $985
15th-16th: $865
17th-20th: $745

Event 1 Flight A: Last Break

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry Per Flight)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 14:  1,500/3,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining:  104 of 625

Hassan El-Hakim

Flight A players are preparing for what should be their last break of the day. There are 104 remaining with the money bubble process starting when they hit 80. From there they will play hand-for-hand until one player is eliminated sending the rest to Day 2.

It looks like we have a new leader in the room with Hassan El-Hakim sitting on three towers for 230,000. Ashley Hine is still in the hunt for the end-of-day lead with more than 200,000 herself so the race is on.

Event 2: Omaha Draws Huge

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Freeze-Out)
Structure
Level 9:  800/1,600 Limits
Entries:  159

Registration closed on the $400 Limit Omaha 8 freeze-out and it was another record-setting field. The tournament drew 159 players to create the biggest Limit Omaha 8 tournament in our history, topped the 153 entries from the 2011 Poker Showdown and 2011 Summer Splash (the predecessor to the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open).

2021 Showdown – 159 entries
2011 Showdown – 153 entries
2011 Summer Splash – 153 entries
2021 LHPO – 123 entries
2018 SHRPO – 113 entries

We will release the prize pool and payouts as soon as the numbers are official.

Event 1 Flight A: “Action Ashley” Leads

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry Per Flight)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 12:  1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining:  152 of 625

Ashley Hines

Flight A is back underway after the third break of the day with approximately 150 players remaining and 79 advancing to Day 2. Players are dropping at a quick rate, trying to build a castle or hit Flight B at 6 pm.

“Action Ashley” Hine looks like the biggest stack in the room in the late stages with 159,000 and the Texas native is in great position to bag the Flight A lead in a couple of hours.

Safe + Sound

Thank you to everyone coming out for the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown. We appreciate you spending your time with us. Your entire tournament room and casino team are working to provide a safe and fun environment.

“Seminole Gaming is committed to the health and safety of its guests and team members, and we are upgrading our comprehensive “Safe + Sound” program to further limit the threat from COVID-19,” said Jim Allen, Seminole Gaming CEO and Chairman of Hard Rock International.  “We are making sure our resorts and casinos are safe and sound so our guests and team members have peace of mind when they return.”

In addition to the program enhancement, Seminole Gaming is expanding the COVID enforcement teams at its casinos and will outfit them in distinctive uniforms to create greater guest awareness of this important issue.  Guests will be informed of the program upgrade and required to adhere to it, or they will be asked to leave the property.

Safe and Sound Program guidelines include:

  • Temperature checks for all guests and team members prior to entry. Any guest or team member with a temperature above CDC guidelines of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit will not be allowed entry.
    A requirement that all guests wear masks or cloth face coverings that meet CDC guidelines, without exception. Masks will be provided to guests as needed.
  • Alternating slot machines will be turned off to help ensure social distancing on the casino floor.
  • New Plexiglas barriers will divide players at table games and customer service areas.
  • Signs will be posted throughout the casino complex to encourage social distancing and help ensure adherence to Safe and Sound Program guidelines.
  • Team members will be part of a new “Safe and Sound Clean Team” to focus on cleaning and disinfecting surfaces throughout the casino complex, with special emphasis on high-touch surfaces and common areas.
  • Hand-sanitizing stations will be available on the casino floor, at the entrances and throughout the casino complex.

Event 1 Flight A: Registration Closed with 625 Entries

$600 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry Per Flight)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 9:  500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante
Flight A Entries:  625

Registration closed for the first flight of the first event of the 2021 Poker Showdown series and it was a big one. Flight A put 625 entries in Event 1, up from 400 for the same session in January, and the field will hit its $500,000 guarantee before too long in Flight B.

Flight A will continue to play until 79 players remain and they will advance to Day 2 in the money.

Day/TimeFlightEntriesAdvanced
Thursday at 10 a.m.A625TBD
Thursday at 6 p.m.B
Friday at 10 a.m.C
Friday at 6 p.m.D
Saturday at 10 a.m.E
Saturday at 6 p.m.F
Total 2,461237