2021 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 25
$1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Championship (Freeze-Out)
Entries: 87
Prize Pool:  $84,390
August 2-3, 2021

The 2021 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open rolled out the first $1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Championship and the players came out for the big game. The tournament drew 87 players to the freeze-out and mixed game specialist Donny Rubinstein walked away with the title along with $27,220.

“This field was full of multiple WSOP bracelet winners and cash game players that are crushers,” Rubinstein said about the Championship. “It was definitely tough.”

The field created a prize pool worth $84,390 for the biggest in our history. The last 11 players earned some money with Matthew Zazaian and David Scarpetta chopping up a min-cash when they went out on the same hand.

Last night players returned for the final table on Wednesday with Matthew Woodward leading. He continued to lead as tough players Yuval Bronshtein and James Calderaro were eliminated but that changed as the limits increased.

Woodward had to settle for fourth place money and he was followed by James Gunter in third. Rubinstein went into heads-up play against Jeter Brock with a big chip lead and the two decided to chop it up as the day drew longer.

Brock earned$16,455 for the runner-up finish and Rubinstein banked $27,220.

But that’s not it for Rubinstein, his series is not done despite his plan to skip the SHRPO Championship.

“I’ll be playing the H.O.R.S.E. (Championship) tomorrow,” Rubinstein said. “If you’re not studying GTO ten hours a day you’re dead money and I respect their skill.”

Congratulations to Donny and thanks to all the players for the great turnout.

Results:

$1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Championship (Freeze-Out)
Structure | Payouts
Level 27:  60,000/120,000 Limits

After a long grind and with the limits getting big, Donny Rubinstein and Jeter Brock decided to call it a day and chop it up. Rubinstein had a big lead and earned the SHRPO Limit Omaha 8 Championship along with $27,200.

Donny Rubinstein – 1,150,000
Jeter Brock – 585,888

1st: Donny Rubinstein – $27,220 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd: Jeter Brock – $16,455

Tournament report to follow.

$1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Championship (Freeze-Out)
Structure | Payouts
Level 26:  50,000/100,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 87

Jeter Brock raised from the button to 100,000, James Gunter called from the small blind, and Donny Rubinstein reraised from the big blind to 150,000. Brock four-bet it to 200,000, and Gunter and Rubinstein both called.

The flop came , Gunter checked, and Rubinstein bet 50,000. Brock folded, and Gunter called.

The turn card was the , Gunter checked, Rubinstein bet 100,000, and Gunter called.

The river card paired the board with the , Gunter checked, Rubinstein bet 100,000, and Gunter called all in for less.

Donny Rubinstein:    (two pair, 7-4 low)
James Gunter:    (eight high, 7-6 low)

Rubinstein scooped the pot with his two pair (aces and sevens) and his 7-4 low to eliminate Gunter in third place.

James Gunter  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($10,230)

Here are the approximate chip counts for the start of heads-up play:

Donny Rubinstein  –  1,450,000  (15 BB)
Jeter Brock  –  300,000  (3 BB)

And here are the remaining payouts at stake:

1st:  $27,220 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  $16,455

$1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Championship (Freeze-Out)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  40,000/80,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  3 of 87

Donny Rubinstein raised his button and James Gunter came along from the big blind to see a flop. Gunter checked, Rubinstein bet, and Gunter called before the river.

Gunter bet, Rubinstein raised for his last 155,000 and Gunter called.

Gunter:  (trip jacks)
Rubinstein:  (full house aces over jacks)

Rubinstein flopped top set, turned a full house, and Gunter had one out (the for quads) but the river was good for Rubinstein’s double.

Donny Rubinstein – 570,000 (7 bb)
James Gunter – 550,000 (7 bb)

$1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Championship (Freeze-Out)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  40,000/80,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  3 of 87

Seat 3: Donny Rubinstein – 575,000 (7 Big Bets)
Seat 8: Jeter Brock – 505,000 (6 Big Bets)
Seat 9: James Gunter – 660,000 (8 Big Bets)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $27,220 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd: $16,455
3rd: $10,230

$1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Championship (Freeze-Out)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  20,000/40,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  3 of 87

Matthew Woodward raised from the button with 40,000 behind, James Gunter called in the big blind, and the flop came . Gunther checked, Woodward bet, and Gunter called. The turn was , Gunther bet and Woodward called all in for his last 20,000.

Gunter:  (two pair aces and eights)
Woodward:  (flush draw, nut low draw)

Woodward had a lot of outs for a win or chop but the river scooped the pot for Gunter.

James Gunter – 620,000 (16 Big Bets)
Matthew Woodward – Eliminated in 4th Place ($6,920)

$1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Championship (Freeze-Out)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  20,000/40,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  4 of 87

After a flop of , Nick Marsico checked the small blind, Donny Rubinstein bet 20,000 from the button, and Marsico called. The turn card was the , Marsico bet 40,000, and Rubinstein called.

The river card was the , Marsico checked, Rubinstein bet 40,000, and Marsico thought for a bit before he called, leaving himself just 60K in his stack.

Donny Rubinstein:    (ace-high flush)
Nick Marsico:    (pair of threes)

Donny Rubinstein  –  725,000  (18 BB)
Nick Marsico  –  60,000  (2 BB)

A few minutes later, after a flop of , Marsico got it all in for his last 10,000 or so against James Gunter.

James Gunter:    (two pair, straight draw)
Nick Marsico:    (pair of jacks, gutshot straight draw)

The turn card was the , the river card was the . Neither player had a qualifying low, and Gunter won the pot with a ten-high straight to eliminate Marsico in fifth place.

James Gunter  –  380,000  (10 bb)
Nick Marsico  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($5,275)

$1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Championship (Freeze-Out)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  16,000/32,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  5 of 87

After a flop of , James Gunter checked, the small blind, Matt Woodward bet 16,000 from the cutoff, and Gunter called.

The turn card was the , Gunter checked, Woodward bet 32,000, and Gunter called.

The river card was the , so there could be no qualifying low hands. Gunter checked, Woodward bet 32,000, and Gunter check-raised all in for 63,000. Woodward tanked for a long time before he called.

Matt Woodward:    (two pair)
James Gunter:    (ace-high straight)

Gunter won the pot with his straight to double up in chips.

James Gunter  –  300,000  (9 BB)
Matt Woodward  –  500,000  (16 BB)

$1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Championship (Freeze-Out)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  12,000/24,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  5 of 87

With the board reading , James Gunter checked, James Caldarero bet, and Gunter check-raised. Calderaro called, the river was and Gunther bet all in for ~23,000. Calderaro called, Gunther showed for a full house fours over nines and Calderaro mucked.

Calderaro was under 40,000 and found a couple chops and one small double before the next big hand. He raised his button, Matt Woodward three-bet, Calderaro put in a fourth bet and Woodward called to see the flop.

Woodward checked, Calderaro bet, Woodward check-raised, and Claderaro with 36,000 behind. The turn was , Woodward checked, Calderaro bet, Woodward put him all in and Calderaro called.

Calderaro:  (gutshot draw)
Woodward:  (top pair, flush draw/gutshot draw)

Woodward was ahead and Calderaro had only four outs to double up. The river was no help and Calderaro was eliminated in sixth place.

Matt Woodward – 720,000 (30 bb)
James Calderaro – Eliminated in 6th Place ($4,220)

$1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Championship (Freeze-Out)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  12,000/24,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  7 of 87

Nick Marsico raised from the button to 24,000, James Calderaro called from the small blind, and Yuval Bronshtein called all in from the big blind for about 10,000.

The flop came , Calderaro checked, Marsico bet 12,000, and Calderaro folded. Marsico took the side pot.

For the main pot, the two remaining players flipped over their cards.

Nick Marsico:    (two pair, 8-6 low draw)
Yuval Bronshtein:    (ace high, 8-3 low draw)

The turn card was the , the river card was the , and Marsico scooped the pot with his two pair (threes and deuces) for the high side, and and 8-6 for the low side. Bronshtein was eliminated in eighth place.

Nick Marsico  –  410,000  (17 BB)
Yuval Bronshtein  –  Eliminated in 8th Place  ($2,955)

A few hands later, Adam Hutchinson was eliminated in seventh place.

Adam Hutchinson  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($3,500)