$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 24: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 13 of 887

Aaron Mermelstein raised to 80,000 from the cutoff and Michael Aron called from the big blind.

The flop came down and Aron checked to Mermelstein who bet 60,000. Aron called, the turn was the , and Aron led for 100,000. Mermelstein called, the river completed the board, Aron bet 400,000, and Mermelstein called after about two minutes.

Aron tabled for a king-high straight, Mermelstein mucked, and Aron won the pot.

Michael Aron – 1,600,000 (40 bb)
Aaron Mermelstein – 7,000,000 (175 bb)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 24: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 13 of 887

Luke Brereton raised to 100,000 from the hijack, Daniel Blum (pictured) reraised all in from the cutoff for about 645,000, and Brereton called.

Brereton:
Blum:

The board came down , missing Blum after he turned a ton of outs, ending his tournament in 14th place.

Luke Brereton – 1,900,000 (48 bb)
Daniel Blum – Eliminated in 14th Place ($48,397)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Upcoming Level 24: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 14 of 887
Average Stack: 1,900,000 (48 bb)

The players are in the midst of a 10-minute break.

Table 72
Seat 1: Yi Chi Li – 2,755,000 (69 bb)
Seat 2: Martin Kozlov – 1,370,000 (34 bb)
Seat 3:
Seat 4: Nick Palma – 1,480,000 (37 bb)
Seat 5:
Seat 6: Oddie Dardon – 1,330,000 (33 bb)
Seat 7: Matt Berkey – 4,130,000 (104 bb)
Seat 8: Luke Brereton – 1,080,000 (27 bb)
Seat 9: Daniel Blum – 790,000 (20 bb)

Table 79
Seat 1: DeJuante Alexander – 720,000 (18 bb)
Seat 2: Michael Aron – 1,065,000 (26 bb)
Seat 3:
Seat 4: Joe Kuether – 745,000 (19 bb)
Seat 5:
Seat 6: Adam Levy – 2,400,000 (60 bb)
Seat 7: Dylan Drazen – 1,400,000 (35 bb)
Seat 8: Aaron Mermelstein – 6,905,000 (173 bb)
Seat 9: Nicholas Nieto – 485,000 (12 bb)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 23: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 14 of 887

Luke Brereton raised to 75,000 from under the gun, Oddie Dardon called from the small blind, and Matt Berkey called from the big blind.

The flop came down and action checked to Brereton who continued for 125,000. Both Dardon and Berkey called, the turn fell, and all three players checked. The river completed the board, Dardon checked, Berkey bet 375,000, Brereton folded, and Dardon called.

Berkey tabled for an eight-high straight, Dardon mucked, and Berkey collected the pot.

Matt Berkey – 4,250,000 (142 bb)
Oddie Dardon – 1,350,000 (45 bb)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 23: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 14 of 887

Glenn Becker was all in preflop for 800,000 on the button, and Aaron Mermelstein called to cover him from early position. The two players then tabled their cards.

Mermelstein:
Becker:

Board:

Becker was eliminated on the hand in 15th place, good for $48,397, and Mermelstein increased his chip lead to 7 million. Becker was the last player remaining that could challenge Nathan Papp for the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Player of the Year lead, and now that Becker has been eliminated it appears that Papp has locked up POY honors (we will verify when this news becomes official).

Aaron Mermelstein – 7,000,000 (233 bb)
Glenn Becker – Eliminated in 15th Place ($48,397)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 23: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 15 of 887

Nick Palma raised to 70,000 from the button and Matt Berkey defended his big blind.

The flop fell and Berkey checked to Palma who continued for 60,000. Berkey check-raised to 250,000, Palma called, and the turn fell. Berkey checked, Palma bet 215,000, and Berkey tanked for a bit before he folded.

Nick Palma – 1,500,000 (50 bb)
Matt Berkey – 3,250,000 (108 bb)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 23: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 15 of 887

Matt Berkey raised to 75,000 from middle position, Daniel Blum three-bet to 225,000 from the cutoff, and Berkey called.

The flop came down and Berkey checked to Blum who continued for 235,000. Berkey called, the turn fell, and both players checked. The river completed the board and both players checked again.

Berkey tabled for aces and sevens, Blum mucked, and Berkey won the pot.

Matt Berkey – 3,650,000 (122 bb)
Daniel Blum – 1,130,000 (38 bb)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 23: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 15 of 887

Oddie Dardon raised from the hijack and Daniel Blum called from the small blind.

The flop came down and Blum checked. Dardon bet about 600,000, Blum mulled it over for about 60 seconds before he stuck in his remaining 690,000, and Dardon called.

Dardon:
Blum:

The turn and river completed the board, safe for Blum to double up with queens and fives.

Daniel Blum – 1,600,000 (53 bb)
Oddie Dardon – 1,900,000 (63 bb)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 23: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 15 of 887

Gautam Lillaney moved all in preflop for 225,000 from late position, and Aaron Mermelstein called to cover him on the hijack. The two players then flipped over their cards.

Mermelstein:
Lillaney:

Board:

Lillaney was eliminated in 16th place, good for $40,094, and Mermelstein stacked up 5.4 million after the hand.

Aaron Mermelstein – 5,400,000 (180 bb)
Gautam Lillaney – Eliminated in 16th Place ($40,094)

$5,250 SHRPO Championship
$3 Million Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 23: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 16 of 887

Dylan Drazen raised to 75,000 from middle position and Daniel Blum called from the big blind.

The flop came down and Blum checked to Drazen who bet 40,000. Blum called, the turn fell, and both players checked. The river completed the board, Blum bet 205,000, and Drazen called.

Blum showed for a pair of fives, while Drazen tabled for aces and jacks to win the pot.

Dylan Drazen – 1,300,000 (43 bb)
Daniel Blum – 770,000 (26 bb)