2022 Seminole Hard Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 1
$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  6,134
Prize Pool:  $2,024,200
November 16-21, 2022

Event #1 of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open attracted 6,134 entries across eight starting flights, making it the third largest field in Florida poker history and more than doubling the $1 million guarantee for a total prizepool worth $2,024,200.

There were 614 players who advanced to Day 2 on Sunday, and 26 of them made it all the way to Day 3 on Monday. The tournament ended when the final five players agreed to a deal, with chipleader Peter Hsu winning the title, the trophy, and $191,223.

The biggest previous cash for Hsu was less than $40,000, so this payday is nearly five times larger.

“It feels fantastic,” said Hsu. “My first big score.”

And Hsu won this event after investing the minimum; he bought in for a single $400 entry in Flight G on Saturday morning. And he carried those chips all the way to victory.

“The final table went pretty well,” said Hsu. “I went in with the chip lead, and pretty much stayed there. I had a couple of small losses, but I came back.”

Hsu mentioned one hand in particular being key to his victory.

Four players limped to see a flop of . Richard Baker flopped top two pair, while Hsu’s gave him a gutshot straight-flush draw. Unsurprisingly, they got it all in, and Hsu rivered a jack to win the pot worth 17.7 million with a queen-high straight to eliminate Baker in seventh place. (Click here to read the full write-up on that hand.)

That jack on the river was the difference between the chip lead and dropping down to fifth in chips. Hsu knocked out sixth-place finisher Nigel Murray a short while later to extend his lead (click here for details of that hand), and that’s when the final five players agreed to their deal.

Hsu is a recreational player who works full time.

“I try to play as much as I can when they have these big tournaments,” said Hsu. “This is right before Thanksgiving, so it’s a great time to play.”

When asked about the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hsu said, “It’s fabulous. They run a really professional operation, and it’s fun to play here. The staff is great, the dealers are great, and I’ll be coming back.”

Final Table Results:

1st:  Peter Hsu  –  $191,223* + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  Justin Datloff  –  $162,511*
3rd:  Zak VanKeuren  –  $160,000*
4th:  Fabian Foster  –  $152,669*
5th:  Phu Vo  –  $136,174*
6th:  Nigel Murray  –  $66,800
7th:  Richard Baker  –  $46,560
8th:  Earl Gallegos  –  $33,400
9th:  Willy Stadele  –  $22,265

* Indicates a five-way deal.

$400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 6,134

The final five players played one more hand (Peter Hsu raised from the hijack to take the blinds and ante), before stopping to discuss a deal.

These were their official chip counts at that point:

1.  Peter Hsu  –  40,900,000  (68 bb)
2.  Justin Datloff  –  24,500,000  (41 bb)
3.  Zak VanKeuren  –  23,000,000  (38 bb)
4.  Fabian Foster  –  20,100,000  (34 bb)
5.  Phu Vo  –  14,100,000  (24 bb)

They quickly agreed to a deal to split up the remaining payouts in this way:

1st:  Peter Hsu  –  $191,223 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  Justin Datloff  –  $162,511
3rd:  Zak VanKeuren  –  $160,000
4th:  Fabian Foster  –  $152,669
5th:  Phu Vo  –  $136,174

As chipleader, Hsu was declared the champion, receiving the title, the trophy, and the largest payout.

Congratulations to Event 1 champion Peter Hsu!

Stay tuned for a recap from this event, which will be posted later tonight.

$400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 6,134

Peter Hsu raised from the cutoff to 1,500,000, Nigel Murray moved all in from the button for 7,700,000, and Hsu paused for a moment before he called with .

Murray turned over , and needed it to hold to stay alive.

The board came , and Hsu paired his queen on the flop and his nine on the turn to win the pot with two pair, queens and nines, eliminating Murray in sixth place.

Peter Hsu  –  39,400,000  (66 bb)
Nigel Murray  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($66,800)

With five players remaining from a field of 6,134, the average chip stack is about 24,500,000 (41 big blinds). The next player to be eliminated will earn $89,065.

$400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 6,134

The players have returned from break to begin Level 37, with increased blinds of 300,000-600,000 and a 600,000 ante.

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

Seat 1.  Peter Hsu  –  30,200,000  (50 bb)
Seat 2.  Nigel Murray  –  6,500,000  (11 bb)
Seat 3.  Justin Datloff  –  26,000,000  (43 bb)
Seat 4.  Fabian Foster  –  21,600,000  (36 bb)
Seat 5.  Phu Vo  –  15,300,000  (26 bb)
Seat 6.  Zak VanKeuren  –  23,000,000  (38 bb)

1st:  $282,775 + RRPO Trophy
2nd:  $180,330
3rd:  $137,500
4th:  $112,910
5th:  $89,065
6th:  $66,800

7th:  Richard Baker  –  $46,560
8th:  Earl Gallegos  –  $33,400
9th:  Willy Stadele  –  $22,265

With six players remaining from a field of 6,134, the average chip stack is about 20,400,000 (34 big blinds). The next player to be eliminated will earn $66,800.

$400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 6,134

Richard Baker limped in from middle position, Peter Hsu did the same from the hijack, Fabian Foster called in the small blind, and Phu Vo checked his option in the big blind.

The flop was and action checked to Hsu who shoved with a covering stack. Foster folded, Vo folded, and Baker called all in for about 7,600,000.

Baker: 
Hsu: 

Baker was ahead with aces and tens against Hsu’s draws.

The turn kept Baker ahead, but the river was the , giving Hsu a queen-high straight to eliminate Baker in seventh place and retake the chip lead.

Peter Hsu – 31,500,000  (63 bb)
Richard Baker – Eliminated in 7th Place ($46,560)

With seven players remaining from a field of 6,134, the average chip stack is about 17,500,000 (35 big blinds). The next player to be eliminated will earn $66,800.

$400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 6,134

Richard Baker moved all in from the cutoff for 4,300,000, Peter Hsu moved all in over the top from the button for about 25,500,000, and everyone else folded.

Baker turned over , and he needed it to hold to stay alive against Hsu’s .

The board came , and Baker won the pot with two pair, kings and sixes, to double up in chips.

Richard Baker  –  9,900,000  (20 bb)
Peter Hsu  –  21,200,000  (42 bb)

With seven players remaining from a field of 6,134, the average chip stack is about 17,500,000 (35 big blinds). The field is in the money, and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $46,560 each.

$400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 6,134

Just Datloff raised from middle position and Richard Baker called in the small blind.

The flop was , Baker checked, Datloff bet 2,100,000, and Baker called.

The turn was the , Baker checked, Datloff min-bet 500,000, and Baker called.

The river was the , Baker checked, Datloff bet 3,500,000, and Baker called.

Datloff tabled for quad sixes, Baker showed a defeated for a king-high flush, and Datloff won the pot to take the chip lead.

Justin Datloff  –  28,200,000  (56 bb)
Richard Baker  –  4,300,000  (9 bb)

With seven players remaining from a field of 6,134, the average chip stack is about 17,500,000 (35 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $46,560 each.

$400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 6,134

Nigel Murray raised to 1,300,000 from the button, Earl Gallegos three-bet all in got 4,500,000 from the small blind, and Murray thought for a bit before he called.

Murray: 
Gallegos: 

The board came down , giving Murray trip kings to eliminate Gallegos in eighth place.

Nigel Murray  –  13,100,000  (26 bb)
Earl Gallegos  –  Eliminated in 8th Place  ($33,400)

With seven players remaining from a field of 6,134, the average chip stack is about 17,500,000 (35 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $46,560 each.

$400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 35:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  8 of 6,134

Willy Stadele raised all in for 4,600,000 from the cutoff and Zak VanKeuren isolated the pot with a shove of his own from the button.

Stadele: 
VanKeuren: 

The board ran out , no help to Stadele, ending his tournament in ninth place.

Zak VanKeuren  –  14,200,000  (36 bb)
Willy Stadele  –  Eliminated in 9th Place  ($22,265)

With eight players remaining from a field of 6,134, the average chip stack is about 15,300,000 (38 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $33,400 each.

$400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 35:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 6,134

A seven-way limped pot brought out a flop of .

The blinds checked to Richard Baker in early position (who had kicked off the preflop limping) and he bet 1,200,000. Only Nigel Murray (in middle position) called.

The turn was the , Baker checked, Murray bet 1,700,000, and Baker called.

The river was the , Baker bet effectively 1,000,000, and Murray called all in for that amount.

Baker showed for a pair of tens, while Murray tabled for a set of fours to double up.

Nigel Murray  –  11,000,000  (28 bb)
Richard Baker  –  15,100,000  (38 bb)

With nine players remaining from a field of 6,134, the average chip stack is about 13,625,000 (34 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $22,265 each.