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

The second round of the $5K Showdown Heads-Up tournament is underway but three are still waiting. These matches are still underway from the first round but the others are in action.

Antonio Colon vs Natasha Mercier
Brandon Shields vs Anatoly Nikitin
Kharlin Sued vs Alcides Gomez

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

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

We will have a new Showdown Heads-Up champion after Jonathan Jaffe was eliminated by Nick Verderamo. There are still seven matches in action including Joe McKeehen, Landon Tice, and the battle of locals Kharlin Sued versus Alcides Gomez.

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

It didn’t take long to settle the first two results of the Heads-Up event.

Nitis Udornpim advanced when all the chips went in the middle against Justin Fawcett with the board reading . Fawcett flopped top pair with but was drawing dead against Udornpim’s turned set of eights with .

Nearby, Vitalijs Zavorotnijs moved on when he caught a higher straight against Rodney Sampson to book a seat in the second round.

Vitalijs Zavorotnijs vs Rodney Sampson
Justin Fawcett vs Nitis Udornpim

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 tournament hit its max of 32 players for the special freeze-out, for a prize pool worth $150,400. The last four players will make the money with $18,800 for the bottom two spots, $37,600 for the runner-up, and $75,200 to the Event 41 champ.

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

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

Here’s a look at the first-round matchups for the $5,000 Showdown Heads-Up event:

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 Shieds 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
Sebastian 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 $5,000 Showdown Heads-Up tournament sold out its 32-play cap before action was scheduled to get underway. The field is locked in, and cards are in the air.

Here’s what they are playing for:

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

• Players begin with 20,000 in chips
• Levels last 20 minutes
• A random draw for First Round Matches will take place at 12PM on Monday April 20
• Registration will close for this event at 12PM on Monday April 20; if event is not sold out, late registration will remain open until the end of level 1
• Day 1 will end when four players remain
• Event 41 Structure Sheet

Primary Event Schedule

11AM: Event 39 Day 1 – $2,200 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 30,000 in chips
• Day 1 levels last 30 minutes; Day 2 levels last 40 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 9 (3:30pm)
• Day 1 will end when field reaches 12.5%
• Event 39 Structure Sheet

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

• Players begin with 30,000 in chips
• Levels last 40 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 10 (6:45pm)
• Day 1 will end after Level 15
• Event 40 Structure Sheet

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

• Players begin with 20,000 in chips
• Levels last 20 minutes
• A random draw for First Round Matches will take place at 12PM on Monday April 20
• Registration will close for this event at 12PM on Monday April 20; if event is not sold out, late registration will remain open until the end of level 1
• Day 1 will end when four players remain
• Event 41 Structure Sheet

12PM: Event 42 – $600 Double Black Chip Bounty NLH (Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 20,000 in chips
• Levels last 30 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 9 (4:30pm)
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 42 Structure Sheet

1PM: Event 23 Day 3 – $800 Platinum Stack NLH (Re-Entry)

• Event 23 Day 3 Chip Counts and Seat Assignments
• Event 23 Payouts

3PM: Event 37 Day 1B – $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 (8:45pm)
• Day 1 will end when field reaches 12.5%
• Event 37 Structure Sheet

4PM: Event 43 – $600 Six-Max Black Chip Bounty PLO (Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 20,000 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 43 Structure Sheet

8PM: Event 44 – $1,100 Deep Stack Turbo NLH (Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 20,000 in chips
• Levels last 15 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 9 (10:15pm)
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 44 Structure Sheet

Secondary and Satellite Schedule

5PM: $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 (7:15pm)
• Structure Sheet

7PM: $400 Championship Satellite (1-in-10)

• Five seats guaranteed into $3,500 Showdown Championship
• Players begin with 10,000 in chips
• Levels last 20 minutes
• Late registration until start of Level 9 (10:10pm)
• Structure Sheet