2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 2
$400 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Entries:  272
Prize Pool:  $91,120
July 27, 2022

The 2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open kicked off on Wednesday, and the first trophy was awarded in the one-day Seniors Event when Robert Garcia came out on top of a field of 272 players — the third largest field for a seniors event in Seminole Hard Rock history.

Garcia lives nearly two hours away in Okeechobee, Florida, and he and some friends drive down to the Seminole Hard Rock about once a series, usually to play in the Seniors Event.

“I’ve cashed a couple and made some deep runs,” said Garcia, “but I’ve never come that close, so this feels great.”

Why does Garcia prefer seniors events over other events?

“Seniors are a lot friendlier,” said Garcia. “The young kids are more aggressive, with more big pots. Seniors want to see more flops and play a little bit more. It’s more of an old school type of poker.”

Garcia was fourth in chips at the dinner break, and improved to chipleader when they reached the final two tables. But then he went card dead for a while.

“I wasn’t getting any cards when we were at two tables,” said Garcia. “But once we got to the final table, I got some great cards in the right spots.”

The key hand for Garcia came with seven players left, when he played a big pot against another big stack, Hector Pacheco.

“I got lucky in one hand where I flopped top pair with a king, and [Pacheco] had king-three for two pair,” said Garcia. “But I hit my second pair on the river, and then we went all in, and that was a really big pot. That was probably the deciding hand of the match.” (Click here to read about that hand in more detail.)

Pacheco was eliminated in that hand as Garcia catapulted to a big chip lead, and kept his momentum by knocking out the next two players (Tamara Goldshteyn in sixth, and Stacy Matin in fifth) before the final four agreed to an ICM deal. As chipleader, Garcia was declared the winner, receiving the title and the trophy.

Garcia really enjoys the tournaments here, but he and his friends are also fans of the many other amenities available at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood.

“If my buddies get knocked out early, they can go gamble or do something else besides wait for me the whole time,” said Garcia. “Right now they’re out getting drunk at the bar, so I’m going to meet them there and celebrate.”

Final Results:

* Indicates the results of a four-way deal.

$400 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 272

After the elimination of Stacy Matin in fifth place, the final four players agreed to an ICM chop to end the tournament. These were their official chip counts:

1.  Robert Garcia  –  2,330,000  (78 bb)
2.  Amir Baron  –  1,425,000  (48 bb)
3.  Lisa Teebagy  –  965,000  (32 bb)
4.  Mark Fersaci  –  720,000  (24 bb)

And here are the final table payouts, with the modified amounts for 1st-4th places:

1st:  Robert Garcia  –  $15,364* + SHRPO trophy
2nd:  Amir Baron  –  $13,042*
3rd:  Lisa Teebagy  –  $11,273*
4th:  Mark Fersaci  –  $10,051*
5th:  Stacy Matin  –  $4,385
6th:  Tamara Goldshteyn  –  $3,635
7th:  Hector Pacheco  –  $3,060
8th:  Amie Martini  –  $2,555
9th:  Shurland George  –  $2,055

Stay tuned for a recap of Garcia’s victory, which will be posted later tonight.

* Indicates the results of a four-way deal.

$400 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 272

Robert Garcia raised under the gun to 100,000, and Stacy Matin called all in from the small blind for 80,000 with .

Garcia turned over , and Matin needed his queens to hold to stay alive.

The board came — Garcia turned a double-gutshot straight draw, and spiked it on the river to win with a seven-high straight. Matin was eliminated in fifth place.

Robert Garcia  –  2,330,000  (78 bb)
Stacy Matin  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($4,385)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is about 1,360,000 (45 big blinds), and the next player to be eliminated will earn $5,680.

$400 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 272

Robert Garcia raised from the cutoff to 75,000, Tamara Goldshteyn moved all in from the small blind for 170,000, and Garcia called with .

Goldshteyn turned over , and she needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Goldshteyn turned a heart flush draw, but improved no further. Garcia won the pot with two pair, tens and threes, to eliminate Goldshteyn in sixth place.

Robert Garcia  –  2,400,000  (80 bb)
Tamara Goldshteyn  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($3,635)

With five players remaining, the average chip stack is about 1,090,000 (36 big blinds), and the next player to be eliminated will earn $4,385.

$400 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 272

After a flop of , Robert Garcia checked the small blind, Hector Pacheco bet 100,000 from the big blind, and Garcia called.

The turn card was the , Garcia checked, Pacheco bet 175,000, and Garcia called.

The river card was the , Garcia checked, Pacheco bet about 300,000, and Garcia check-raised all in. Pacheco called all in for about 700,000 with for a flopped two pair, kings and threes, but Garcia turned over for a higher two pair on the river — kings and sevens. Garcia won the pot to eliminate Pacheco in seventh place.

Robert Garcia  –  2,200,000  (73 bb)
Hector Pacheco  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($3,060)

With six players remaining, the average chip stack is about 905,000 (30 big blinds), and the next player to be eliminated will earn $3,635.

$400 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 272

After a flop of , Amie Martini was all in from the big blind for 355,000 with for two pair, queens and tens, but she needed to improve to stay alive against the of Hector Pacheco on the button — the same two pair with a higher kicker.

The turn card was the , the river card was the , and Pacheco won the pot with his two pair and king kicker to eliminate Martini in eighth place.

Hector Pacheco  –  1,275,000  (51 bb)
Amie Martini  –  Eliminated in 8th Place  ($2,555)

With seven players remaining, the average chip stack is about 775,000 (31 big blinds), and the next player to be eliminated will earn $3,060.

$400 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining:  8 of 272

Shurland George was all in from the cutoff for 250,000, Amir Baron called or raised from the button, and Hector Pacheco folded face up from the big blind.

George turned over , and needed to improve to stay alive against Baron’s .

The board came — George paired his queen on the flop, but it was no good as Baron flopped a set of fours, which held up to win the pot and eliminate George in ninth place.

Pacheco was fortunate he didn’t make it to the flop, or he would have lost a massive pot and been eliminated or left with scraps.

Amir Baron  –  1,270,000  (51 bb)
Shurland George  –  Eliminated in 9th Place  ($2,055)

With eight players remaining, the average chip stack is about 680,000 (27 big blinds), and the next player to be eliminated will earn $2,555.

$400 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 272

After the elimination of Mark Bernstein in 10th place, the final nine players redraw for random seats at the final table. Here is the updated lineup:

Seat 1.  Robert Garcia  –  920,000  (37 bb)
Seat 2.  Hector Pacheco  –  830,000  (33 bb)
Seat 3.  Tamara Goldshteyn  –  380,000  (15 bb)
Seat 4.  Amie Martini  –  560,000  (22 bb)
Seat 5.  Mark Fersaci  –  305,000  (12 bb)
Seat 6.  Lisa Teebagy  –  1,150,000  (46 bb)
Seat 7.  Stacy Matin  –  125,000  (5 bb)
Seat 8.  Shurland George  –  250,000  (10 bb)
Seat 9.  Amir Baron  –  980,000  (39 bb)

Here is the remaining prizepool at stake:

1st:  $20,550 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  $14,185
3rd:  $9,315
4th:  $5,680
5th:  $4,385
6th:  $3,635
7th:  $3,060
8th:  $2,555
9th:  $2,055

And here are the most recent eliminations:

10th:  Mark Bernstein  –  $2,055

11th:  Eduardo Moucherek Cecchinato  –  $1,730
12th:  Nancy Thomas  –  $1,730

13th:  Michael Preston  –  $1,480
14th:  Mohan Navani  –  $1,480
15th:  Anthony Hobbs  –  $1,480

16th:  Jeffrey Bidelman  –  $1,240

With nine players remaining from a field of 272, the average chip stack is about 605,000 (24 big blinds). The field is in the money, with the remaining players guaranteed at least $2,055 each.

$400 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  16 of 272

After a flop of , Richard Hill (big blind) and Amie Martini (UTG+1) got it all in with similar stacks of 210,000.

Martini showed for an overpair, while Hill turned over .

The turn card was the , the river card was the , and the aces held up for Martini to win the pot.

Their chip stacks were counted down, and both players had exactly 210,000. Martini doubled up as she eliminated Hill from the tournament in 17th place.

Amie Martini  –  550,000  (37 bb)
Richard Hill  –  Eliminated in 17th Place  ($1,240)

Here are the most recent eliminations:

17th:  Richard Hill  –  $1,240
18th:  Anthony Velasquez  –  $1,240

With 16 players remaining from a field of 272, the average chip stack is about 340,000 (23 big blinds). The field is in the money, with the remaining players guaranteed at least $1,240 each.

$400 Seniors 50+ No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  18 of 272

When the field got down to 18 players, there was a random redraw for seats at the final two tables. Here are their updated seating assignments and chip counts:

TABLE 1
Seat 1.  Amir Baron  –  645,000  (43 bb)
Seat 2.  Mark Bernstein  –  160,000  (11 bb)
Seat 3.  Shurland George  –  150,000  (10 bb)
Seat 4.  Eduardo Moucherek Cecchinato  –  400,000  (27 bb)
Seat 5.  Anthony Hobbs  –  215,000  (14 bb)
Seat 6.  Anthony Velasquez  –  40,000  (3 bb)
Seat 7.  Lisa Teebagy  –  470,000  (31 bb)
Seat 8.  Nancy Thomas  –  220,000  (15 bb)
Seat 9.  Stacy Matin  –  255,000  (17 bb)

TABLE 2
Seat 1.  Mark Fersaci  –  335,000  (22 bb)
Seat 2.  Amie Martini  –  270,000  (18 bb)
Seat 3.  Jeffrey Bidelman  –  145,000  (10 bb)
Seat 4.  Hector Pacheco  –  380,000  (25 bb)
Seat 5.  Michael Preston  –  95,000  (6 bb)
Seat 6.  Robert Garcia  –  851,000  (57 bb)
Seat 7.  Tamara Goldshteyn  –  285,000  (19 bb)
Seat 8.  Mohan Navani  –  240,000  (16 bb)
Seat 9.  Richard Hill  –  200,000  (13 bb)

Here is the remaining prizepool at stake:

1st:  $20,550 + SHRPO trophy
2nd:  $14,185
3rd:  $9,315
4th:  $5,680
5th:  $4,385
6th:  $3,635
7th:  $3,060
8th:  $2,555
9th-10th:  $2,055
11th-12th:  $1,730
13th-15th:  $1,480
16th-18th:  $1,240

And here are the players who have finished in the money so far:

19th:  Rado Boltryk  –  $1,025
20th:  Guillermo Garcia  –  $1,025
21st:  Jacque Doucette  –  $1,025

22nd:  David Guiffreda  –  $820
23rd:  Alan Reichstein  –  $820
24th:  Michael Fess  –  $820

25th:  Blair Miller  –  $705
26th:  Tuan Nguyen  –  $705
27th:  Charles Gudaitis  –  $705

28th:  Peter Lombardo  –  $625
29th:  Valery Litvak  –  $625
30th:  Christopher Canzano  –  $625
31st:  Laura Matthew  –  $625
32nd:  Philip Consolo  –  $625
33rd:  Ronald Katz  –  $625
34th:  Arthur Sarkisian  –  $625

With 18 players remaining from a field of 272, the average chip stack is about 300,000 (20 big blinds). The field is in the money, with the remaining players guaranteed at least $1,240 each.