2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 44
$25,500 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  132
Prize Pool:  $3,260,400
April 11-12, 2022

Brian Altman has had an impressive career, with three WPT titles and nearly $6 million in career earnings. But one thing he never had was a cash in a high roller tournament (with buy-ins of $15K or higher).

Until now.

Tuesday night, on the final day of the 2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, Brian Altman won the $25,500 High Roller, winning the title, the trophy, and $692,661.

“It feels great,” said Altman. “This is my first cash at this price point, so it’s nice to finally have success on the high roller level.”

It was the second-largest $25K High Roller in Seminole Hard Rock history, with 132 entries generating a prizepool worth more than $3.2 million — more than triple the guarantee.

“The final table went relatively smooth for me,” said Altman, who started the final table with the chip lead. “We were playing four-handed for quite a while, and I was lucky enough to get really lucky to win a big pot. Just lucky all around throughout the tournament.”

The big pot that Altman was likely referring to came against Jorge Gomez, a local player who earned his entry into the High Roller via a $300 step satellite. Altman already had the chip lead when he shoved from the small blind, and Gomez woke up with in the big blind.

But Altman flopped a flush draw with a gutshot straight draw, and rivered a queen to knock out Gomez in fourth place. It was an unfortunate hand for Gomez, but he did parlay his $300 satellite entry into $203,875.

At that point, the final three players — Altman, Jerry Wong, and Chance Kornuth — agreed to an ICM deal. As chipleader, Altman was awarded the victory.

This score takes Altman over the $6.5 million mark in career earnings, and it’s his seventh trophy from Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood alone.

“I really enjoy playing here,” said Altman. “There are a lot of different factors. My familiarity with the venue, knowing the player pool, and I’m usually traveling from the same time zone, so my mind and body are usually on point. And I also just think I’ve ran quite well here, play aside.”

“I’ll always keep coming back,” added Altman, “because the tournaments are so well run. The prize pools are great, and this is a premier poker destination.”

Final Results:

$25,500 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  50,000/75,000 with a 75,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 132

After the elimination of Jorge Gomez in fourth place, the final three players agreed to an ICM deal to split up the remaining prizepool.

These were the official chip counts:

Brian Altman  –  6,725,000  (90 bb)
Jerry Wong  –  3,650,000  (49 bb)
Chance Kornuth  –  2,825,000  (38 bb)

And these were the payouts they agreed to:

Brian Altman  –  $692,661
Jerry Wong  –  $570,283
Chance Kornuth  –  $522,571

As chipleader, Altman is declared the winner, receiving the title and the trophy. Congratulations to High Roller Champion Brian Altman!

Stay tuned for a recap from this event.

1st:  Brian Altman  –  $692,661 + Showdown trophy
2nd:  Jerry Wong  –  $570,283
3rd:  Chance Kornuth  –  $522,571
4th:  Jorge Gomez  –  $203,875
5th:  Joe McKeehen  –  $158,130
6th:  Stephen Song  –  $130,600
7th:  Kevin Rabichow  –  $115,115
8th:  Barry Hutter  –  $101,900
9th:  Brock Wilson  –  $90,020

$25,500 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  50,000/75,000 with a 75,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 132

Brian Altman moved all in from the small blind, and Jorge Gomez quickly called all in from the big blind for about 2,100,000 with .

Altman turned over , and Gomez needed his pocket jacks to hold to stay alive.

The flop came , giving Altman a club flush draw with a gutshot straight draw.

The turn card was the , and the river card was — the .

Altman paired his queen on the river to win the pot and eliminate Gomez in fourth place.

Brian Altman  –  6,725,000  (90 bb)
Jorge Gomez  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($203,875)

With three players remaining from a field of 132, the average chip stack is around 4,400,000 (59 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed to earn at least $335,800 each.

$25,500 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  50,000/75,000 with a 75,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 132

With the board showing on the turn, Jorge Gomez bet 275,000 from the small blind, and Chance Kornuth thought for a while before he called from under the gun.

The river card was the , Gomez moved all in, and Kornuth paused for a few moments before he called all in for 925,000.

Gomez showed for two pair, eights and threes, but Kornuth turned over to win the pot with a higher two pair, queens and threes. Kornuth doubled up in chips.

Chance Kornuth  –  3,000,000  (40 bb)
Jorge Gomez  –  2,150,000  (29 bb)

With four players remaining from a field of 132, the average chip stack is around 3,300,000 (44 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed to earn at least $203,875 each.

$25,500 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  50,000/75,000 with a 75,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 132

The players returned from break to begin Level 22, with increased blinds of 50,000-75,000 with a 75,000 ante.

Here are the official chip counts from the break:

Seat 1.  Brian Altman  –  3,875,000  (52 bb)
Seat 2.  Jorge Gomez  –  3,150,000  (42 bb)
Seat 3.  Jerry Wong  –  3,725,000  (50 bb)
Seat 4.  Chance Kornuth  –  2,450,000  (33 bb)

With four players remaining from a field of 132, the average chip stack is around 3,300,000 (55 big blinds). Here are the final table payouts:

1st:  $889,145 + Showdown trophy
2nd:  $560,570
3rd:  $335,800
4th:  $203,875

5th:  Joe McKeehen  –  $158,130
6th:  Stephen Song  –  $130,600
7th:  Kevin Rabichow  –  $115,115
8th:  Barry Hutter  –  $101,900
9th:  Brock Wilson  –  $90,020

With four players remaining from a field of 132, the average chip stack is around 3,300,000 (44 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed to earn at least $203,875 each.

$25,500 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 132

Joe McKeehen raised from the cutoff to 500,000, leaving himself about 150K behind. Altman called from the button.

The flop came , McKeehen moved all in for about 150,000, and Altman quickly called with .

McKeehen turned over for a gutshot straight draw, and he needed to improve to stay alive.

The turn card was the , giving McKeehen a diamond flush draw for additional outs.

But the river card was the , and McKeehen’s pair of nines was too little, too late. Altman won the pot with his pocket aces to eliminate McKeehen in fifth place.

Brian Altman  –  4,350,000  (73 bb)
Joe McKeehen  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($158,130)

With four players remaining from a field of 132, the average chip stack is around 3,300,000 (55 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed to earn at least $203,875 each.

$25,500 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 132

Jorge Gomez raised under the gun, Chance Kornuth moved all in from the button for roughly 1,450,000, and it folded back to Gomez.

Gomez folded face up, and Kornuth smiled and asked, “That’s a call, right?”

Gomez simply said, “You wish.”

Kornuth showed as he took the pot.

Chance Kornuth  –  1,700,000  (28 bb)
Jorge Gomez  –  2,600,000  (43 bb)

With five players remaining from a field of 132, the average chip stack is around 2,640,000 (44 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed to earn at least $158,130 each.

$25,500 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 132

Joe McKeehen raised from the cutoff to 120,000, and Jerry Wong called from the big blind.

The flop came , Wong bet 125,000, and McKeehen called.

The turn card was the , Wong bet 350,000, and McKeehen thought for a while before he called.

The river card was the , and Wong moved all in. McKeehen thought for a while before he folded, flashing for a flopped nine-high flush. Wong took the pot without showing his cards.

McKeehen said, “You can tell me later, but I’m sure I was beat.” Wong smiled.

Jerry Wong  –  4,200,000  (70 bb)
Joe McKeehen  –  690,000  (12 bb)

With five players remaining from a field of 132, the average chip stack is around 2,640,000 (44 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed to earn at least $158,130 each.

$25,500 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 132

The players returned from break to begin Level 21, with increased blinds of 30,000-60,000 with a 60,000 ante.

Here are the official chip counts from the break:

Seat 1.  Joe McKeehen  –  1,495,000  (25 bb)
Seat 2.  Brian Altman  –  4,010,000  (67 bb)
Seat 3.  Jorge Gomez  –  2,830,000  (47 bb)
Seat 4.  Jerry Wong  –  2,555,000  (43 bb)
Seat 5.  Chance Kornuth  –  1,810,000  (30 bb)

With five players remaining from a field of 132, the average chip stack is around 2,640,000 (44 big blinds). Here are the final table payouts:

1st:  $889,145 + Showdown trophy
2nd:  $560,570
3rd:  $335,800
4th:  $203,875
5th:  $158,130

6th:  Stephen Song  –  $130,600
7th:  Kevin Rabichow  –  $115,115
8th:  Barry Hutter  –  $101,900
9th:  Brock Wilson  –  $90,020

$25,500 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 132

Action folded to Jerry Wong in the small blind, and he asked Stephen Song about his chip stack.

“How much are you playing?”

Song showed his chips and replied, “Not enough to fold.” (Song had about 475K.)

Wong completed the small blind to 50,000, and Song checked his option in the big blind.

The flop came , Wong bet 50,000, Song raised to 100,000, and Wong called.

The turn card was the , Wong checked, Song bet 200,000, and Wong called.

The river card was the , Wong checked, Song moved all in, and Wong quickly called, saying, “Bink!”

Song showed for two pair, jacks and deuces, but Wong turned over for trip deuces on the river. Wong won the pot to eliminate Song in sixth place.

Jerry Wong  –  2,500,000  (50 bb)
Stephen Song  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($130,600)

With five players remaining from a field of 132, the average chip stack is around 2,640,000 (53 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed to earn at least $158,130 each.