2023 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 9
$600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH (Re-Entry)
Entries:  85
Prize Pool:  $28,050
Bounty Prize Pool:  $17,000
July 28, 2023

There was a rare afternoon turbo event on Friday, with the $600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo beginning at 12:00 noon. With a field of 85 players, they reached the final table in less than five hours, and the final hand was dealt within six hours.

Carlos Bermudez defeated Kevin Pham heads-up for the outright victory, earning the title, the trophy, and $9,030. It’s the second major title for Bermudez here at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, though he has also won several guitar trophies from our non-major tournament series.

“I have a lot of them in my living room,” said Bermudez about his poker trophies. “My girls love it. This one is for my wife.”

Bermudez collected 11 bounties on his way to victory, earning an additional $2,200 on top of the $9,030 top prize.

“I don’t think about bounties,” said Bermudez. “If I have to fight for the bounty, I can lose the tournament.”

When asked about Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, Bermudez said, “They are very organized, this place is very clean, and the people are very nice. I love the tournaments here. I think this is the best place to play.”

Results:

$600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  1 of 85

The final two players got it all in on the river with the final board showing .

Kevin Pham showed for two pair, jacks and sevens, but Carlos Bermudez turned over to win the pot with trip jacks to win the title, the trophy, and $9,030.

Kevin Pham finished as the runner-up, earning $5,470.

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

1st:  Carlos Bermudez  –  $9,030 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  Kevin Pham  –  $5,470
3rd:  Andre Plaza Marcano  –  $3,400
4th:  James Sebastiano  –  $2,300
5th:  Alex Ziskin  –  $1,755
6th:  Matthew Zarcadoolas  –  $1,400
7th:  Joshua Cranfill  –  $1,165
8th:  Alton Mendleson  –  $980
9th:  Adolfo Isoldi  –  $875
10th:  Edward Deitriech  –  $875
11th:  Eric Ward  –  $800

$600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 85

When the field got down to the final three players, they all agreed to keep their bounties, so each of the final three players received $200.

Andre Plaza moved all in from the button for 183,000, and Carlos Bermudez called from the big blind with .

Plaza turned over , and while Plaza was dominated, there was a good chance for a chopped pot.

But the board came , and Bermudez won the pot with an ace-high diamond flush to eliminate Plaza in third place.

Andre Plaza  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($3,400)

And here are the updated chip counts for the start of heads-up play, followed by the remaining payouts:

Carlos Bermudez  –  1,250,000  (104 bb)
Kevin Pham  –  450,000  (38 bb)

1st:  $9,030 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  $5,470

$600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 85

James Sebastiano moved all in from the button for 64,000, Kevin Pham called from the small blind, and Carlos Bermudez called from the big blind. Any further betting would create a side pot.

Both players checked to the river on a board of . Pham checked in the dark, Bermudez bet 75,000, and Pham quickly folded.

Sebastiano showed for a pair of queens, but Bermudez turned over to win the pot with two pair, aces and jacks, eliminating Sebastiano in fourth place.

Since this is a bounty tournament, Bermudez earned $200 for the knockout.

Carlos Bermudez  –  700,000  (58 bb)
James Sebastiano  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($2,300)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is around 567,000 (47 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $3,400 each.

$600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 85

Kevin Pham limped from UTG/cutoff, James Sebastiano raised from the big blind, and Pham called.

The flop came , Sebastiano bet 55,000, Pham raised to 125,000, and Sebastiano three-bet all in for 364,000. Pham tanked for a while before he called all in for 324,000 with for a pair of kings.

But Sebastiano turned over for a pair of kings with a higher kicker, and Pham needed to improve to stay alive.

The turn card was the , and the river card was — the .

Pham spiked a ten on the river to win the pot with two pair, kings and tens, to double up in chips. Sebastiano was knocked all the way down to just three big blinds.

Kevin Pham  –  720,000  (60 bb)
James Sebastiano  –  40,000  (3 bb)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is around 425,000 (35 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $2,300 each.

$600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 85

James Sebastiano raised from the cutoff to 30,000, and Kevin Pham reraised from the button to 80,000. Alex Ziskin called from the big blind, and Sebastiano four-bet all in for 375,000. Pham asked for an exact count and tanked for a while before he folded.

Ziskin called all in for about 120,000 with , but he needed to improve to stay alive against Sebastiano’s .

The board came , and Sebastiano turned a full house, kings full of sixes, to win the pot and eliminate Ziskin in fifth place.

Since this is a bounty tournament, Sebastiano earned $200 for the knockout.

James Sebastiano  –  590,000  (59 bb)
Alex Ziskin  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($1,755)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is around 425,000 (43 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $2,300 each.

$600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  4,000/8,000 with an 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 85

With the board showing on the turn, Matthew Zarcadoolas got it all in with for a diamond flush draw, and he needed to hit it to stay alive against the (pair of aces) of Carlos Bermudez in the hijack.

The river card was the , and Bermudez won the pot with his pair of aces to eliminate Zarcadoolas in sixth place.

Since this is a bounty tournament, Bermudez earns $200 for the knockout.

Carlos Bermudez  –  560,000  (70 bb)
Matthew Zarcadoolas  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($1,400)

With five players remaining, the average chip stack is around 340,000 (43 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $1,755 each.

$600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  4,000/8,000 with an 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 85

Josh Cranfill moved all in from the hijack for 43,000, and Kevin Pham called from the button with . Cranfill turned over , and needed it to hold to stay alive.

But the board came , and Pham paired his six on the flop to put a bad beat on Cranfill and eliminate him in seventh place.

Since this is a bounty tournament, Pham earns $200 for the knockout.

Kevin Pham  –  435,000  (54 bb)
Josh Cranfill  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($1,165)

With six players remaining, the average chip stack is around 283,000 (35 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $1,400 each.

$600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  4,000/8,000 with an 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 85

Andre Plaza is all in from the hijack for 91,000 with , and needs his hand to hold to stay alive against the of Alex Ziskin in the big blind.

The board came , and Plaza wins the pot with his ace to double up in chips.

Andre Plaza  –  202,000  (25 bb)
Alex Ziskin  –  140,000  (18 bb)

With seven players remaining, the average chip stack is around 243,000 (30 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $1,165 each.

$600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  4,000/8,000 with an 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 85

Alton Mendleson moved all in from UTG+1 for 72,000, and James Sebastiano called from the small blind with . Mendleson turned over , and needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Mendleson paired his jack on the flop and picked up a gutshot straight draw, but Sebastiano flopped a set of tens. The set held up for Sebastiano to win the pot and eliminate Mendleson in eighth place.

Since this is a bounty tournament, Sebastiano earns $200 for the knockout.

James Sebastiano  –  410,000  (51 bb)
Alton Mendleson  –  Eliminated in 8th Place  ($980)

With seven players remaining, the average chip stack is around 243,000 (30 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $1,165 each.