2023 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 5
$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Entries:  129
Prize Pool:  $43,215
January 13, 2023

“I just told my friend today, ‘I’m going to win this tournament,’ and I actually did it.”

On Friday night, David Shmuel won his seventh major series trophy here at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood in Event #5, $400 Limit Omaha 8.

“I like to compete,” said Shmuel, “and it’s always nice to get the trophy. But I don’t think about the [career] numbers, just the competition.”

Here are Shmuel’s other six victories here at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood:

2017 RRPO:  $360 Pot-Limit Omaha 8  ($7,152)
2017 RRPO:  $150 No-Limit Hold’em  ($16,573)
2018 SHRPO:  $360 Pot-Limit Omaha  ($12,589)
2020 LHPO:  $400 Omaha 8  ($7,742)
2022 Showdown:  $600 H.O.R.S.E.  ($13,890)
2022 RRPO:  $400 H.O.R.S.E.  ($7,471)

This seventh victory moves Shmuel into a tie for third place on the career leaderboard, behind Raminder Singh (nine SHR trophies) and Michael Newman (eight SHR trophies).

This seventh trophy was a tough one for Shmuel, who was down to about two big blinds with 11 players remaining.

“Even at the final table, I was down to almost nothing,” said Shmuel. “But I had a couple of nice rushes in the end, and that’s what counts.”

When heads-up play began, Shmuel was slightly outchipped by defending champion Jay Kerbel. Kerbel won this Omaha-8 event at Lucky Hearts last year, and also the Omaha-8 event a few months before that during the 2021 Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open.

“I’ve played with Jay many times,” said Shmuel. “He’s a very good player.”

With seven victories here at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, it’s no wonder that Shmuel keeps coming back. But for him, it’s more than that.

“This is a great organization,” said Shmuel. “They have an amazing staff and dealers. This is basically the only place I play, besides Vegas and sometimes Tampa. This is where I like to play.”

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  30,000/60,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  1 of 129

Jay Kerbel raised to 60,000, David Shmuel three-bet 90,000, Kerbel four-bet all in for about 105,000, and Shmuel called.

Kerbel: 
Shmuel:   

The flop was , giving both trip queens, but Shmuel’s ace kicker had him in the lead.

The turn kept Shmuel ahead, and the river further improved Shmuel to a queen-high flush and the nut low to clinch the Event 5 victory outright for $12,025, his seventh SHRP major series win.

Kerbel finished runner-up for 7,725.

A recap of the event will be published later tonight.

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  30,000/60,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 129

Jay Kerbel raised to 60,000 and David Shmuel called.

The flop was , Shmuel checked, Kerbel bet 30,000, Shmuel raised to 60,000, and Kerbel folded.

Two hands later, Kerbel again raised to 60,000 and Shmuel called.

The flop was , Shmuel checked, Kerbel bet 30,000, Shmuel raised to 60,000, and Kerbel folded.

David Shmuel  –  1,445,000  (24 BB)
Jay Kerbel  –  105,000  (2 BB)

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  30,000/60,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 129

In the first hand of Level 24, David Shmuel raised to 60,000, Jay Kerbel reraised to 90,000, and Shmuel called.

The flop came , Kerbel bet 30,000, and Shmuel called.

The turn card was the , Kerbel bet 60,000, Shmuel raised to 120,000, and Kerbel called.

The river card was the , Kerbel checked, Shmuel bet 60,000, and Kerbel called.

David Shmuel:    (king-high flush, 7-6 low)
Jay Kerbel:    (jack-high flush, 7-6 low)

Both players flopped high flushes, though Shmuel took the high side of the pot with his king-high flush. They also made identical 7-6 lows to chop the low side, giving Shmuel 3/4 of a sizable pot to increase his lead.

David Shmuel  –  1,260,000  (21 BB)
Jay Kerbel  –  285,000  (5 BB)

And here are the payouts they’re playing for:

1st:  $12,025 + LHPO trophy
2nd:  $7,725

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  25,000/50,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 129

On the turn of a board, Paul Willenbring was all in for about 150,000 from the button against Jay Kerbel in the small blind.

Willenbring: 
Kerbel: 

Willenbring had a king-high flush, but had run into Kerbel’s ace-high flush.

Drawing to only one out for a straight flush to survive, the river was the , ending Willenbring’s tournament in third place.

Jay Kerbel  –  810,000  (16 BB)
David Shmuel  –  740,000  (15 BB)
Paul Willenbring  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($4,580)

1st:  $12,025 + LHPO trophy
2nd:  $7,725

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  25,000/50,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  3 of 129

David Shmuel raised to 50,000 from UTG/cutoff, Marc Saia three-bet to 75,000 from the button, and Shmuel called.

The flop was , and Shmuel check-called 25,000 from Saia.

The turn was the , Shmuel led for 50,000, and Saia called.

The river was the , Shmuel bet 50,000, and Saia called.

Shmuel tabled for a wheel, besting Saia’s holdings to scoop the pot.

Down to 35,000, Saia busted the following in fourth place.

Jay Kerbel  –  850,000  (17 BB)
David Shmuel  –  550,000  (11 BB)
Paul Willenbring  –  150,000  (3 BB)
Marc Saia  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($2,800)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is around 516,000 (10 Big Bets), and they are all guaranteed at least $4,580 each.

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  25,000/50,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  4 of 129

William Hanawalt raised to 50,000 from the cutoff, Marc Saia reraised from the big blind, and Hanawalt called all in for another 5,000.

Hanawalt: 
Saia: 

The board ran out , bringing no help to Hanawalt, ending his tournament in fifth place.

Marc Saia  –  205,000  (4 BB)
William Hanawalt  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($2,140)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is around 387,000 (8 Big Bets), and they are all guaranteed at least $2,800 each.

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  25,000/50,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  5 of 129

The players returned from break to begin Level 23, with increased limits of 25,000-50,000.

Here are the official chip counts from the break:

Seat 1.  Jay Kerbel  –  855,000  (17 BB)
Seat 2.  David Shmuel  –  170,000  (3 BB)
Seat 3.  Marc Saia  –  135,000  (3 BB)
Seat 4.  Paul Willenbring  –  325,000  (7 BB)
Seat 5.  William Hanawalt  –  55,000  (1 BB)

With five players remaining, the average chip stack is around 310,000 (6 Big Bets), and they are all guaranteed at least $2,140 each.

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  20,000/40,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  5 of 129

Jay Kerbel raised under the gun to 40,000, and A.J. Kelsall called from the big blind.

The flop came , Kelsall bet 20,000, Kerbel raised, and Kelsall called all in for a little bit more.

Jay Kerbel:    (two pair, aces and kings)
A.J. Kelsall:    (two pair, kings and eights)

There could be no qualifying lows on this board, and Kerbel had the lead with a higher two pair. Kelsall needed to improve to stay alive.

The turn card was the , the river card was the , and Kerbel won the pot with his pocket aces to eliminate Kelsall in sixth place.

Jay Kerbel  –  825,000  (21 bb)
A.J. Kelsall  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($1,815)

With five players remaining, the average chip stack is around 310,000 (8 Big Bets), and they are all guaranteed at least $2,140 each.

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  16,000/32,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  6 of 129

Ricardo Quintero raised to 32,000 from under the gun, Marc Saia called in the small blind, and Paul Willenbring called in the big blind.

The flop was , Saia led for 16,000, Willenbring called, and Quintero called all in for 4,000.

The turn was the , Saia bet his remaining 9,000, and Willenbring called.

Here were their hands in descending order of chip counts:

Willenbring:    (pair of queens, seven-five low draw)
Saia:    (nut flush draw, five-four low draw)
Quintero:    (broadway draw, inferior flush draw, six-five low draw)

The river was the , giving Saia the nut flush along with a seven-five low to scoop the pot and eliminate Quintero in seventh place.

Mara Saia  –  170,000  (5 BB)
Paul Willenbring  –  200,000  (6 BB)
Ricardo Quintero  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($1,575)

With six players remaining, the average chip stack is around 258,000 (8 Big Bets), and they are all guaranteed at least $1,815 each.