2026 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 41
$5,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em
Entries:  32
Prize Pool:  $150,400
April 20-21, 2026

The $5,000 Showdown Heads-Up event was a special tournament on the schedule. After five tough matches, Chile’s top player Nick Yunis won the title for $70,000.

The tournament was capped at 32 players and sold out well in advance of cards going in the air. The tournament includes WSOP bracelet winners, WPT champions, and some pros. But it also included 10 players who won their seats through a special freeroll promotion in the poker room.

Seven of them survived the first round, and three of those ten made the money in the final four. Lou Ojeda, Lucilo Colon-Payano, and Sebastián Perdomo Arcila all cashed, with Arcila falling just short on the final match.

Made the cash games regulars proud.

To get to the final match, Yunis had to defeat Antonio Salori, Jasn Paolicelli, and Natasha Mercier. For Yunis, Chile’s all-time money leader, this is his fifth SHRP major title, putting him in some elite company.

Congrats to Nick on the win!

1. 2014 SHRPO: $300 CSOP ($4,997)
2. 2022 SHRPO: $600 6-Max ($31,415)
3. 2024 Showdown: $1K NLH ($34,005)
4. 2024 SHRPO: $1K Turbo ($15,508)
5. 2026 Showdown: $5K HU ($70,000)

$5,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em
Structure  |  Payouts

After a long battle that saw Nick Yunis steadily build a big lead, a series of raises had Sebastián Perdomo Arcila get his 176,400 in the middle from the button and Yunis called to put him at risk.

Yunis:
Arcila:

“We’re flipping!” Yunis yelled to his friends on the rail.

Arcila needed his pair to hold but two eights were right in the window of the flop to give Yunis the lead. The turn had Arcila asking for another spade but the river blanked to end the tournament.

Arcila earned $42,800 for his runner-up finish while Yunis took home $70,000 plus his fifth major SHRP trophy.

$5,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 41:  800/1,600

The final match of the Showdown $5K Heads-Up event is underway between Nick Yunis and Sebastián Perdomo Arcila. Before cards went in the air, the two agreed to adjust the final payouts.

The winner will now earn $70,000 with $42,800 going to the runner-up.

1st: $70,000 + Showdown Trophy
2nd: $42,800

$5,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 34: 1,500/3,000

After a long battle, Lucilo Colon-Payano was all in and at risk for 91,100 against Nicky Yunis.

Yunis:
Colon-Payano:

Colon-Payano was in bad shape with kicker issues and it got worse when Yunis paired his king on the flop. The turn and river finished the board, Yunis advanced to the final match and Colon-Payano finished in third place.

Lucilo Colon-Payano – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($18,800)

$5,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 33: 800/1,600

With Sebastián Perdomo Arcila holding a 5-to-1 lead and the button, the board was reading . Lou Ojeda was at risk for 44,700 with for top pair of sixes with a spade draw against Arcila’s two pair.

The river was a blank , Ojeda was eliminated in fourth place, and Arcila is now awaiting the winner of Nick Yunis and Lucilo Colon-Payano.

Yunis holds about a 2-to-1 chip lead but they are both deep.

Lou Ojeda – Eliminated in 4th Place ($18,800)

$5,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em
Structure  |  Payouts

The $5,000 Showdown Heads-Up tournament maxxed out at its 32-player cap and they play three rounds on Day 1 to leave us with the final four players. They return at noon, in the money, and will play down to our next champion.

Nick Yunis vs Lucilo Colon-Payano
Lou Ojeda vs Sebastián Perdomo Arcila

1st:  $75,200 + Showdown Trophy
2nd:  $37,600
3rd:  $18,800
4th:  $18,800

Primary Event Schedule

11AM: Event 45 – $600 WPT Lightning Stack Six-Max NLH (Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 30,000 in chips
• Levels 1-6 last 20 minutes; Levels 7+ last 30 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 10 (3:00pm)
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 45 Structure Sheet

12PM: Event 39 Day 2 – $2,200 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)

• Event 39 Day 2 Seat Assignments and Chip Counts
• Event 39 Payouts

12PM: Event 40 Day 2 – $1,100 10-Game Mix (Re-Entry)

• Event 40 Day 2 Seat Assignments and Chip Counts
• Event 40 Payouts

12PM: Event 41 Day 2 – $5,000 Heads-Up NLH (32 Player Cap)

• Event 41 Day 2 Matchups
• Event 41 Payouts

12PM: Event 46 Day 1 – $1,100 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 30,000 in chips
• Levels last 40 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 10 (7:30pm)
• Day 1 will end after Level 15
• Event 46 Structure Sheet

12PM: Event 37 Day 1C – $1,100 Triple Stack NLH (Re-Entry)

• $500,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 30,000 in chips
• Levels 1-14 last 30 minutes; Levels 15-26 last 40 minutes
• Levels 27+ last 60 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 11 (5:45pm)
• Day 1 will end when field reaches 12.5%
• Event 37 Structure Sheet

1PM: Event 47 – $400 Six-Max 5-Card PLO (Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 20,000 in chips
• Levels last 30 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 9 (5:30pm)
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 47 Structure Sheet

4PM: Event 48 – $800 Deep Stack Progressive Bounty NLH (Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 25,000 in chips
• Levels last 30 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 9 (8:30pm)
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 48 Structure Sheet

6PM: Event 37 Turbo – $1,100 Triple Stack NLH (Re-Entry)

• $500,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 30,000 in chips
• All Day 1 levels last 20 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 11 (10:05pm)
• Day 1 will end when field reaches 12.5%
• Event 37 Structure Sheet

Secondary and Satellite Schedule

11AM: $250 Multi-Event Turbo Satellite (1-in-10)

• Two $2,100 packages guaranteed; includes seat in any $1,100 and $400 event plus $600 in cash
• Players begin with 10,000 in chips
• Levels last 15 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 9 (1:15pm)
• Structure Sheet

2PM: $250 Event 50 Turbo Satellite (1-in-10)

• Two seats guaranteed into $2,200 Event 50
• Players begin with 10,000 in chips
• Levels last 15 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 9 (4:15pm)
• Structure Sheet

7PM: $250 Event 50 Turbo Satellite (1-in-10)

• Two seats guaranteed into $2,200 Event 50
• Players begin with 10,000 in chips
• Levels last 15 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 9 (9:15pm)
• Structure Sheet

$5,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em
Structure

After four long matches, the $5K Showdown Heads-Up tournament has set its final four field.

Nick Yunis vs Lucilo Colon-Payano
Lou Ojeda vs Sebastián Perdomo Arcila

They return tomorrow at noon with $18,800 locked up while the runner-up will earn $37,600 and the winner banks $75,200

1st:  $75,200 + Showdown Trophy
2nd:  $37,600
3rd:  $18,800
4th:  $18,800

Keeping up with our cash game freerollers, three of those four entered via that path. Colon-Payano, Ojeda and Perdomo Arcila are each making their cash game cohorts very proud.

Nick Yunis vs Natasha Mercier
Lucilo Colon-Payano vs Anatoly Nikitin
Lou Ojeda vs Nick Verderamo
Sebastian Perdomo Arcila vs Joe McKeehen

$5,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em
Structure

The third round is underway with eight players remaining and effectively four money bubbles. The winner of each match will advance to Day 2 tomorrow for the final four and they will lock up at least $18,800.

Round three matches:

Nick Yunis vs Natasha Mercier
Lucilo Colon-Payano vs Anatoly Nikitin
Lou Ojeda vs Nick Verderamo
Sebastian Perdomo Acila vs Joe McKeehen

Round two results:

Jason Paolicelli vs Nick Yunis
David Saper vs Natasha Mercier
Nitis Udornpim vs Lucilo Colon-Payano
Anatoly Nikitin vs Alexander Abella
Lou Ojeda vs Vitalijs Zavorotnijs
Nick Verderamo vs Justin Green
Sebastian Perdomo Arcila vs Curtis Kennelly
Kharlin Sued vs Joe McKeehen

Round one results:

Zachary Fischer vs Jason Paolicelli
Antonio Salorio vs Nick Yunis
David Sapers vs Ignacio Inzillo
Antonio Colon vs Natasha Mercier
Justin Fawcett vs Nitis Udornpim
Jorge Flo Subiris vs Lucilo Colon-Payano
Brandon Shields vs Anatoly Nikitin
Mino Christoulakis vs Alexander Abella
Lou Ojeda vs Scott Baumstein
Vitalijs Zavorotnijs vs Rodney Sampson
Jonathan Jaffe vs Nick Verderamo
Justin Green vs Victoria Livschitz
Sebastián Perdomo Arcila vs Harvey Castro
Curtis Kennelly vs Landon Tice
Kharlin Sued vs Alcides Gomez
Eli Berg vs Joe McKeehen

$5,000 Heads-Up NLH (32 Player Max)
Structure

The first round matches wrapped up and round two is fully underway.

Round 2 matches

Jason Paolicelli vs Nick Yunis
David Saper vs Natasha Mercier
Nitis Udornpim vs Lucilo Colon-Payano
Anatoly Nikitin vs Alexander Abella
Lou Ojeda vs Vitalijs Zavorotnijs
Nick Verderamo vs Justin Green
Sebastian Perdomo Arcila vs Curtis Kennelly
Kharlin Sued vs Joe McKeehen

You may recall that we hosted a big freeroll satellite early in the series. We gave out 50 seats into the freeroll by splashing cash game pots for a few days and ten players earned their way into today’s event.

After the first round, six of them made it through, including Curtis Kennelly, who eliminated the very tough Landon Tice.

Still in contention from the freeroll; Jason Paolicelli, Sebastian Perdomo Arcila, Curtis Kennelly, Lucilo Colon-Payano, Lou Ojeda, and Alexander Abella.