2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 4
$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Entries:  108
Prize Pool:  $36,180
March 26, 2022

Event 4 of the 2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown was a $400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry). A field of 108 entries generated a prize pool of $36,180. Outlasting the field was John Binns, earning $10,720 for his first-place showing, as well his third SHRP trophy.

His first came in a $300 Omaha 8 event at the 2017 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open for $6,605, and his second came in this very event – the $400 PLO8 tournament – at the 2021 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open for $9,000. As for this victory, Binns didn’t take the credit for it.

“God,” said a thankful Binns following the win. “There is no other explanation for the way I ran. He is good to me.”

For Binns, the victory puts him past the $130,000 mark in live career tournament winnings according to the Hendon Mob poker database.

$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  20,000/40,000
Players Remaining:  1 of 108

David Shmuel limped on the button and John Binns checked his option in the big blind.

The flop was and Binns check-called 75,000 from Shmuel.

The turn was the , Binns checked, Shmuel bet his remaining 150,000-ish and Binns called with for queens and nines, leading Shmuel’s for a pair of queens.

The river was the , safe for Binns to take down Event 4 outright for $10,720.

David Shmuel finished runner-up for $6,695.

A recap of the event will be posted later tonight.

$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  15,000/30,000
Players Remaining:  2 of 108

Dave Howard raised to 85,000 from the button, John Binns called from the small blind and David Shmuel called from the big blind.

The flop was and action checked to Howard who continued for the pot of 255,000. Binns check-raised the pot, Shmuel folded and Howard called all in for about 300,000 total.

Howard: 
Binns: 

Binns was ahead with a set of jacks and held up through the turn and river to eliminate Howard in third place.

John Binns  –  1,150,000  (38 bb)
David Shmuel  –  145,000  (5 bb)
Dave Howard  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($4,015)

$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  15,000/30,000
Players Remaining:  3 of 108

Following a flop of , a series of bets and raises led to John Binns all in from the big blind for 340,000 against David Shmuel on the button.

Shmuel: 
Binns: 

Binns had bottom two pair and a rough low draw, while Shmuel had top pair, a straight draw,  and the nut low draw.

“Big cards!” yelled Binns.

The turn and river completed the board, safe for Binns to double up with his bottom two pair.

John Binns  –  845,000  (28 bb)
David Shmuel  –  240,000  (8 bb)

$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  15,000/25,000
Players Remaining:  3 of 108

Chris Labrie pot-raised from the small blind to 75,000, Dave Howard reraised from the big blind, and Labrie called all in for 120,000.

Dave Howard:  
Chris Labrie:  

The board came , and Howard scooped the pot with two pair for a high (aces and threes) and a 7-4 low. Labrie was eliminated in fourth place.

Dave Howard  –  610,000  (24 bb)
Chris Labrie  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($2,625)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is about 432,000 (17 big blinds). The remaining players are all guaranteed at least $4,015 each.

$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/20,000
Players Remaining:  4 of 108

Aaron Thivyanathan raised all in from the cutoff for 60,000 and Dave Howard called from the big blind.

Thivyanathan: 
Howard: 

The board ran out , giving Howard quad fours to eliminate Thivyanathan in fifth place.

Dave Howard  –  300,000  (15 bb)
Aaron Thivyanathan  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($2,025)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is about 325,000 (16 big blinds). The remaining players are all guaranteed at least $2,625 each.

$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  8,000/16,000
Players Remaining:  5 of 108

David Shmuel  –  649,000  (41 bb)
John Binns  –  221,000  (14 bb)
Chris Labrie  –  204,000  (13 bb)
Aaron Thivyanathan  –  125,000  (8 bb)
Dave Howard  –  97,000  (6 bb)

1st:  $10,720 + Showdown trophy
2nd:  $6,695
3rd:  $4,015
4th:  $2,625
5th:  $2,025

6th:  Ralph Broderick  –  $1,665
7th:  Adam Farber  –  $1,415
8th:  Ilya Dement  –  $1,230
9th:  Walter Buss  –  $1,085

10th:  Salvatore Pipitone  – $1,085
11th:  Brandon Berkenfeld  –  $960
12th:  Cory Zeidman  – $960
13th:  Barak Zaken  – $850
14th:  Darrin Wright  – $850

$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  6,000/12,000
Players Remaining:  5 of 108

(There was a dead button on this hand following Adam Farber’s elimination)

John Binns limped from the cutoff, Ralph Broderick raised all in for 27,000 from the small blind, Aaron Thivyanathan called from the big blind and Binns called.

They checked to the turn of a board where Thivyanathan isolated the pot, showing for trip nines.

“You’ve got it,” said Broderick, who was drawing dead with .

The river was a meaningless river, further improving Thivyanathan to a straight to eliminate Broderick in sixth place.

Aaron Thivyanathan  –  131,000  (11 bb)
Ralph Broderick  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($1,665)

$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  6,000/12,000
Players Remaining:  6 of 108

Chris Labrie raised pot to 42,000 from the hijack and Adam Farber called from the small blind.

The flop was , Farber shoved for 48,000 and Labrie called.

Farber: 
Labrie: 

Both players had significantly hit the flop, as Farber had aces and a wrap with a flush draw, while Labrie had kings and sixes with the nut-flush draw.

The turn and river completed the board, giving, Labrie an ace-high flush to eliminate Farber in seventh place.

Chris Labrie  –  165,000  (14 bb)
Adam Farber  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($1,415)

$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  6,000/12,000
Players Remaining:  7 of 108

Ilya Dyment moved all in under the gun for 13,000, Dave Howard called from middle position, John Binns called from the hijack, and David Shmuel called from the big blind.

The flop came , and Shmuel bet 40,000. Howard thought for a while before he folded, and Binns folded to conclude the acxtion.

David Shmuel:    (queen-high flush, Royal Flush draw, 5-3 low draw)
Ilya Dyment:    (ten high, 6-4 low draw)

Dyment was in seriously bad shape, needing to improve to stay alive.

The turn card was the , the river card was the , and Dyment did improve to two pair with a 7-6 low, but it wasn’t enough. Shmuel scooped the pot with a queen-high flush and a wheel for the low to eliminate Dyment in eighth place.

David Shmuel  –  557,000  (46 bb)
Ilya Dyment  –  Eliminated in 8th Place  ($1,230)

With seven players remaining, the average chip stack is about 185,000 (15 big blinds). The remaining players are all guaranteed at least $1,415 each.