2023 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 1
$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  6,253
Prizepool:  $2,063,490
July 26-31, 2023

There were 6,253 entries in Event 1, more than doubling the guarantee to create a prizepool worth $2,063,490. This was a re-entry event, but Johnny Bromberg only entered one time, parlaying $400 into the top prize of $219,090.

“This is a blessing,” said Bromberg. “I did it for my daughter, Isabella.”

Bromberg started his post-game interview by sharing the credit for his victory.

“I had some great coaches around me,” said Bromberg. “Charlemagne Benjamin coached me throughout the whole thing.” Benjamin made a deep run himself, starting Day 2 as the overall chipleader and reaching the final three tables to finish 27th.

Bromberg started strong, finishing third in his starting flight with 558,000 in chips to reach the money. Day 2 started slow for him, but after a long day he caught some momentum to finish fourth in chips with 26 players left. And by the time the final nine players started the final table on Day 3, Bromberg had a massive chip lead with 114 big blinds — nearly twice as many as anyone else.

But there was still a long way to go. The final table was a grind — it took two hours to lose the first player (Brandon Navarrete in 9th place), another hour to lose the second (Avery Bloom in 8th), and two more hours to lose the third (Christina Gollins in 7th).

“The final table was a little bit like a roller-coaster,” said Bromberg. “I lost a couple of big hands, but I kept my composure, and I never let my confidence down.”

Gollins was eliminated when she got short and shoved on the button into Bromberg’s in the small blind. The next hand, Evan Pantano three-bet all in with , but it was no good against Bromberg’s . Pantano was out 6th and Bromberg had a huge chip lead.

Less than 15 minutes later, Ramon Gonzalez was eliminated in 5th place when he shoved his short stack in the small blind with , only to see Alcides Gomez wake up with in the big blind. Gomez made a full house to score the knockout.

At that point the final four players agreed to a deal, and as chipleader, Bromberg was awarded the title and the trophy.

“This is my biggest cash,” said Bromberg. “It feels good.”

“I never played tournaments until I moved out here,” said Bromberg. “I won one tournament here, and I loved it. Now I play a lot of tournaments. I love it here at the Seminole Hard Rock. It’s the best casino.”

Results:

* Indicates the results of a four-way deal.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 38:  400,000/800,000 with a 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 6,253

After the elimination of Ramon Gonzalez in fifth place, the final four players agreed to a deal for the rest of the prizepool. These were their official chip counts:

1.  Johnny Bromberg  –  55,900,000  (70 bb)
2.  Sudharshan Karanam  –  30,000,000  (38 bb)
3.  David Shmuel  –  27,200,000  (34 bb)
4.  Alcides Gomez  –  11,800,000  (15 bb)

And these were the modified payouts they agreed to:

1st:  Johnny Bromberg  –  $219,090 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  Sudharshan Karanam  –  $180,000
3rd:  David Shmuel  –  $174,734
4th:  Alcides Gomez  –  $149,611

As chipleader, Bromberg was awarded the title and the trophy.

Stay tuned for a recap from this event, which will be posted later tonight.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 38:  400,000/800,000 with an 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 6,253

Ramon Gonzalez raised all in for about 4,300,000 from the small blind, and Alcides Gomez called in the big blind with , leading Gonzalez’s .

The board ran out , giving Gomez aces full of eights to eliminate Gonzalez in fifth place.

Alcides Gomez  –  11,800,000  (15 bb)
Ramon Gonzalez  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($90,125)

With four players remaining from a field of 6,253, the average chip stack is about 31,250,000 (39 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $112,810.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 38:  400,000/800,000 with a 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 6,253

In the first hand after the elimination of Christina Gollins in seventh place, Johnny Bromberg raised from the button to 2,000,000, Evan Pantano moved all in from the small blind for about 16,500,000, and Bromberg called with .

Pantano turned over , and needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Bromberg flopped a set of kings and turned a full house to win the pot and eliminate Pantano in sixth place.

Johnny Bromberg  –  55,500,000  (69 bb)
Evan Pantano  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($68,155)

With five players remaining from a field of 6,253, the average chip stack is around 25.0 million (31 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $90,125 each.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 38:  400,000/800,000 with a 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 6,253

Christina Gollins moved all in from the button for 5,600,000, and Johnny Bromberg called from the small blind with .

Gollins turned over , and needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Bromberg won the pot with his eight to eliminate Gollins in seventh place.

Johnny Bromberg  –  37,100,000  (46 bb)
Christina Gollins  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($47,460)

With six players remaining from a field of 6,253, the average chip stack is around 20.8 million (26 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $68,155 each.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 38:  400,000/800,000 with a 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 6,253

David Shmuel raised from the hijack to 2,000,000, Alcides moved all in from the small blind, and Shmuel called all in for 12,800,000 with .

Alcides turned over , and Shmuel needed his jacks to hold to stay alive.

The board came , and Shmuel won the pot with his pocket jacks to double up in chips.

David Shmuel  –  27,200,000  (34 bb)
Alcides Gomez  –  7,500,000  (9 bb)

With seven players remaining from a field of 6,253, the average chip stack is around 17.9 million (22 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $47,460 each.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 6,253

Christina Gollins raised from the cutoff to 1,500,000, and Johnny Bromberg called from the button.

The flop came , Gollins bet 1,500,000, and Bromberg called.

The turn card was the , Gollins bet 3,000,000, and Bromberg quickly called.

The river card was the , and both players checked. Gollins showed for two pair, queens and sixes, but Bromberg turned over to win the pot with a higher two pair, aces and sixes.

Johnny Bromberg  –  25,500,000  (43 bb)
Christina Gollins  –  9,000,000  (15 bb)

With seven players remaining from a field of 6,253, the average chip stack is around 17.9 million (30 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $47,460 each.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 6,253

Ramon Gonzalez raised to 2,300,000 from the small blind, Alcides Gomez reraised all in for 10,300,000 from the big blind, and Gonzalez called with , racing with Gomez’s .

The board came , giving Gomez kings and jacks to double through Gonzalez.

Alcides Gomez  –  21,200,000  (35 bb)
Ramon Gonzalez  –  7,500,000  (13 bb)

With seven players remaining from a field of 6,253, the average chip stack is about 17,900,000 (30 bb), and the remaining players are guaranteed $47,460.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 6,253

Johnny Bromberg raised under the gun to 1,700,000, and Evan Pantano moved all in from UTG+1 for 7,200. Ramon Gonzalez called from the button, and Bromberg thought for a while before he folded, claiming he had ace-queen.

Pantano turned over , but he needed to improve to stay alive against Gonzalez’s .

The board came , and if Bromberg is to be believed, the case queen came on the flop to give Pantano the lead with a set of queens. Gonzalez turned a higher heart flush draw, and the river card was a blank. Pantano won the pot with his set of queens to double up in chips.

Evan Pantano  –  17,600,000  (29 bb)
Ramon Gonzalez  –  21,200,000  (35 bb)

With seven players remaining from a field of 6,253, the average chip stack is around 17.9 million (30 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $47,460 each.

$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 6,253

Johnny Bromberg raised from the cutoff to 1,500,000, David Shmuel moved all in from the small blind for 5,300,000, and Bromberg called with .

Shmuel turned over , and needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Shmuel paired his ten on the flop to win the pot and double up in chips.

David Shmuel  –  11,900,000  (20 bb)
Johnny Bromberg  –  20,700,000  (35 bb)

The next hand, Evan Pantano raised from the cutoff to 1,200,000, Shmuel moved all in from the button for 11,900,000, and Pantano asked for an exact count and tanked for a while before he folded. Shmuel took the pot.

David Shmuel  –  14,600,000  (24 bb)
Evan Pantano  –  11,500,000  (19 bb)

With seven players remaining from a field of 6,253, the average chip stack is around 17.9 million (30 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $47,460 each.