Emerson Ward Wins His First Physical Trophy in Event #2, but Vows It Won’t Be His Last

2023 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 2
$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Entries:  147
Prize Pool:  $77,175
April 13, 2023

Event 2 Champion Emerson Ward
Event 2 Champion Emerson Ward

Emerson Ward is a high school English teacher here in South Florida, and on Thursday night he won the first trophy of the 2023 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown by winning the $600 buy-in Seniors Event.

“It feels great,” said Ward. “I left work early to play this, and I told myself ‘I’m going to make it count today.’ So I’m pretty happy.”

Ward started the final table second in chips with 58 big blinds in his stack, but he was still less than half of massive chipleader William Riveron, who had 119 big blinds.

Ward said, “I was kind of happy to see [Riveron] on my right, because I really didn’t want to wrestle with him too much. But then I got a really good hand against him.”

Shortly after the final table started, Ward flopped a set of queens against Riveron, on a rainbow board of KhQc10d. Ward raised all in when the 3d hit the turn, taking a pot worth 538,000. Ward showed his flopped set to the table as he took the chip lead.

Ward would eventually eliminate Riveron in fourth place after Riveron flopped top pair and turned top two pair. That’s when they got it all in, but Ward had, once again, flopped a set, and it held up.

After Ward won a dramatic race to knock out A.J. Kelsall in third place, he held a nearly 4-to-1 chip lead over Mitch Garshofsky. They played heads-up for a few minutes before they agreed to an ICM deal to split the remaining prizepool. As chipleader, Ward received the title, the trophy, and the most money.

It’s the first trophy of Ward’s poker career, but he vows it won’t be his last. He plans to play at least six more events this series, and he’s feeling very confident.

“This won’t be the last conversation we have.”


PlaceFirst NameLast NamePrize Amount
1EmersonWard$19,000*
2MitchGarshofsky$15,350*
3A.J.Kelsall$7,950
4WilliamRiveron$4,825
5JosephPetrolino$3,745
6JudithBielan$3,090
7PaulFreedman$2,700
8JamesKirvin$2,415
9RobertKessler$2,130
10MichaelScoma$2,130
11DavidAlbertson$1,850
12DavidHilu$1,850
13JosephHernon$1,580
14VitorCoelho$1,580
15DavidGuiffreda$1,580
16RichardRosen$1,350
17BarbaraSargent$1,350
18PaulFisher$1,350
19WilliamCascioli$1,350

* Indicates a heads-up deal.

Event 2: We Have a Deal!

$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  10,000/20,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 147

Emerson Ward

Emerson Ward and Mitch Garshofsky played heads-up for a few minutes before talking about numbers and soon reached a deal.

Here were their chip counts at the time:

Emerson Ward  –  2,330,000  (117 bb)
Mitch Garshofsky  –  610,000  (31 bb)

Here were the resulting payouts:

Emerson Ward  –  $19,000
Mitch Garshofsky  –  $15,350

As the chip leader, Emerson Ward was the official Event 2 winner for $19,000.

A recap of the event will be written later tonight.

Mitchell Garshofsky
Mitch Garshofsky

Event 2: A.J. Kelsall – 3rd Place ($7,950)

$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  10,000/20,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 147

A.J. Kelsall

Emerson Ward raised to 60,000 from the small blind, A.J. Kelsall three-bet to 200,000 from the big blind, Ward four-bet all in for effectively 1,150,000-ish and Kelsall called all in with JdJc, facing Ward’s AsQh.

The flop was Jh6d4c, putting Kelsall well out in front with a set of jacks.

The turn was the Kh, giving Ward a Broadway draw.

“Ten me! Ten me!” Ward chanted.

The river was the Th, giving Ward the ace-high straight to eliminate Kelsall in third place.

Emerson Ward  –  2,450,000  (123 bb)
Mitch Garshofsky  –  490,000  (25 bb)
A.J. Kelsall  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($7,950)

Event 4: William Riveron – 4th Place ($4,825)

$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 147

William Riveron
William Riveron

On the turn of a Th7c4dQh board with about 275,000 in the pot, William Riveron bet 150,000 from the cutoff. Emerson Ward raised to 380,000 from the button, Riveron reraised all in for about 470,000, and Ward called.

Riveron:  QdTd
Ward:  4s4c

Ward was ahead with a set of fours and held up through the Ah river to eliminate Riveron in fourth place.

Emerson Ward  –  1,300,000  (87 bb)
William Riveron  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($4,825)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is around 980,000 (65 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed $7,950.

Event 2: A.J. Kelsall Doubles Into the Chip Lead

$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 147

A.J. Kelsall

After a series of raises, A.J. Kelsall was all in for 555,000 in the small blind against Emerson Ward on the button.

Kelsall:  8c8h
Ward:  AcQc

The board ran out AsTc8s4h9s, giving Kelsall a set of eights to double through Ward and into the chip lead.

A.J. Kelsall  –  1,140,000  (76 bb)
Emerson Ward  –  800,000  (53 bb)

Event 2: Joseph Petrolino – 5th Place ($3,745)

$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 147

Joseph Petrolino

Joseph Petrolino raised all in for 200,000 from the hijack, Mitch Garshofsky called all in for 155,000 from the cutoff, and A.J. Kelsall called in the big blind to put both at risk.

Petrolino:  Kc9d
Garshaofsky:  AsJs
Kelsall:  JcJh

The board came Ac3s3hQd8c, giving Garshofsky aces and treys to triple up to win the main pot.

Petrolino, meanwhile, was eliminated in the side pot by Kelsall.

Mitch Garshofsky  –  490,000  (33 bb)
A.J. Kelsall  –  590,000  (39 bb)
Joseph Petrolino  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($3,745)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is around 735,000 (49 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed $4,825.

Event 2: Judith Bielan – 6th Place ($3,090)

$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 147

Judith Bielan
Judith Bielan

A.J. Kelsall raised to 30,000 from the hijack, Judith Bielan three-bet all in for about 240,000 from the cutoff, and Kelsall called with AdKh, leading Bielan’s AcJh.

The board ran out Th7c5dTsQh, no help to Bielan, ending her tournament in sixth place.

A.J. Kelsall  –  640,000  (43 bb)
Judith Bielan  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($3,090)

With five players remaining, the average chip stack is around 590,000 (39 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed $3,745.

Event 2: Chip Counts

$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 147

Seat 1:  Emerson Ward  –  1,360,000  (91 bb)
Seat 2:  A.J. Kelsall  –  360,000  (24 bb)
Seat 3:  Judith Bielan  –  210,000  (14 bb)
Seat 4:  Joesph Petrolino  –  230,000  (15 bb)
Seat 5:  Mitch Garshofsky  –  95,000  (6 bb)
Seat 6:  William Riveron  –  665,000  (44 bb)

1st:  $20,850 + Showdown trophy
2nd:  $13,500
3rd:  $7,950
4th:  $4,825
5th:  $3,745
6th:  $3,090

With six players remaining, the average chip stack is around 490,000 (32 big blinds).

Event 2: Emerson Ward Flops a Straight Against Mitch Garshofsky

$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 147

Mitch Garshofsky raised to 30,000 from the hijack, Emerson Ward called on the button, and Judith Bielan called in the big blind.

The flop was KcJd9d and Bielan checked to Garshofsky who continued for 55,000. Only Ward called.

The turn was the 8d, Garshofsky checked, Ward bet 125,000, and Garshofsky called.

The river was the 3s, Garshofsky checked, Ward bet 275,000, and Garshofsky called.

Ward tabled QhTh for a king-high straight, besting Garshofsky’s AdKs to win the pot.

Emerson Ward  –  1,440,000  (120 bb)
Mitch Garshofsky  –  110,000  (9 bb)

Event 2: Paul Freedman – 7th Place ($2,700)

$600 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
StructurePayouts
Level 20:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 147

Paul Freedman
Paul Freedman

Paul Freedman raised from the button to 75,000, Mitchell Garshofsky moved all in from the big blind for roughly 300,000, and Freedman called all in for about 260,000 with 9s9d.

Garshofsky turned over AdJd, and Freedman needed his nines to hold to stay alive.

The board came Kh8c2sAs7s, and Garshofsky paired his ace on the turn to win the pot and eliminate Freedman in seventh place.

Mitchell Garshofsky  –  580,000  (48 bb)
Paul Freedman  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($2,700)

With six players remaining, the average chip stack is around 490,000 (41 big blinds), and the next player to bust will earn $3,090.