2023 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 47
$25,500 Big 4 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  86
Prize Pool:  $2,124,200
August 7-8, 2023

Aaron Mermelstein topped the field in the 2023 SHRPO high roller tournament to claim his second title in this event at Seminole Hard Rock. His first victory came back in 2019, and he now holds a total of three SHRPO trophies.

“It feels great, it always good to beat the $25k, and it’s special because I’ve won it before and it’s all the best players out here. It feels amazing, so I’m glad I could close it out,” said Mermelstein just after the win.

When he was asked about what keeps bringing him back to the SHRPO lineup events throughout the year he had this to say. “I love the venue, I mean the Hard Rock is one of the best places to play. It’s a clean environment, the hotel is amazing, the tournaments are really good, and I run good here so that adds to it.”

The final table played down quickly, but the heads-up match between Mermelstein and Marcos Exterkotter took a while to play out with both players holding a lot of chips to work with. “It was a little unusual, because the structure was so deep. There was hour-and-a-half levels for heads up, which is a little different than I’m normally used to, but it was fun. The final table went really fast so it was nice to be able to get a lot of hands in heads up. I love playing heads up so it was actually a lot of fun. He was a really nice guy, and I think he played really well. It was cool to get some hands in and play with deepstacks heads up,” said Mermelstein about the final match.

Mermelstein was going to celebrate the win after play ended, but it sounds like he will be on to the next one soon after that. “I’ll have a couple of drinks, and I might still fire the $10k later,” said Mermelstein with a laugh at the end of the interview.

$25,500 Big 4 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining:  1 of 86

Marcos Exterkotter called all in with after Aaron Mermelstiein shoved preflop holding on the button.

The final board read , and Exterkotter was eliminated in second place, good for $441,805 in prize money. Mermelstein took home the top prize worth $614,645 and another SHRPO trophy to add to his collection.

Stay tuned for a recap of the final table and the winner’s interview with Mermelstein.

$25,500 Big 4 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 86

Marcos Exterkotter raised to 100,000 from the button, Brandon Wittmeyer three-bet all in from the big blind for 540,000, and Exterkotter called with , racing with Wittmeyer’s .

The board came , giving Exterkotter jacks and nines to eliminate Wittmeyer in third place.

Marcos Exterkotter  –  3,550,000  (71 bb)
Aaron Mermelstein  –  5,050,000  (101 bb)
Brandon Wittmeyer  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($276,150)

1st: $614,645 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd: $441,085

$25,500 Big 4 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 86

Aaron Mermelstein raised to 125,000 from under the gun, Isaac Kempton reraised all in for 410,000 from the small blind, and Mermelstein called.

Mermelstein: 
Kempton: 

The board came , giving Mermelstein an ace-high straight on the river to eliminate Kempton in fourth place.

Aaron Mermelstein  –  4,500,000  (90 bb)
Brandon Wittmeyer  –  2,400,000  (48 bb)
Marcos Exterkotter  –  1,700,000  (34 bb)
Isaac Kempton  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($189,055)

1st: $614,645 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd: $441,085
3rd: $276,150

$25,500 Big 4 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 86

Daniel Rezaei saw his tournament run come to an end in the high roller event when his A-10 was dominated by the A-K of Aaron Mermelstein. The board changed nothing so Rezaei was eliminated in fifth place, good for $125,330. Mermelstein stacked up 3.81 million after the hand.

Aaron Mermelstein – 3,810,000 (76 bb)
Daniel Rezaei – Eliminated in Fifth Place ($125,330)

$25,500 Big 4 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 86

Mike Chiappetta was all in preflop holding pocket sevens, but he ran right into the pocketr tens held by Brandon Wittmeyer.

The final board read , and Chiappetta was eliminated in sixth place, good for $93,465 in prize money. Wittmeyer was at 1.75 million after the hand.

Brett Wittmeyer – 1,750,000 (43 bb)
Mike Chiappetta – Eliminated in Sixth Place ($93,465)

$25,500 Big 4 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 86

David Coleman was all in for 340,000 with in the hole, and Aaron Mermelstein had him covered holding [pocket nines.

The final board read , and that was all she wrote for Coleman, who busted in seventh place for $76,470 in prize money.

Aaron Mermelstein – 1,900,000 (47 bb)
David Coleman – Eliminated in Seventh Place ($76,470)

$25,500 Big 4 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 86

Viktor Ustimov has busted in eighth place in the high roller event on the final day of the SHRPO tournament series. He took home $65,850 in prize money.

$25,500 Big 4 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 ante
Players Remaining:  8 of 86

Frank Funaro got all in with , but he ran right into the pocket aces of Isaac Kempton. The board changed nothing so Funarao was out in ninth place, good for $63,725.

Isaac Kempton – 1,300,000 (33 bb)
Frank Funaro – Eliminated in Ninth Place ($63,725)

$25,500 Big 4 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 86

David Coleman was all in for 215,000 under the gun holding , and Aaron Mermelstein had him covered holding pocket tens.

The board ran out , and Coleman doubled up to survive with 530,000 thanks to a straight. Mermelstein was at 1.55 million after the hand.

David Coleman – 530,000 (13 bb)
Aaron Mermelstein – 1,550,000 (38 bb)