$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 17: Blinds 2k/4k/500 Ante
As the chips counts got closer among the final three, a chop was suggested and agreed up in record time. Each player will collect $26,812.
As the chip leader, Steele Sutter takes the win, the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open trophy, and the custom framed photograph provided by IMPDI.
Second place goes to Joe Reddick and Konstantinos Pantaridis gets 3rd.
$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 17: Blinds 2k/4k/500 Ante
After Joe Reddick limped from the small blind, Konstantinos Pantaridis shoved from the big for 76,500 straight. Reddick snapped and showed 
. Pantaridis was trailing with 
.
The board ran out 
giving Pantaridis a straight and the double-up to 154,500.
Then Pantaridis got all-in holding pocket 8s and racing against Steele Sutter’s A9 off. The board ran clean for Pantaridis as it came 6 5 4 4 K. He doubled up to over 300k.
$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 17: Blinds 2k/4k/500 Ante
On a flop of 
Steele Sutter checked, Ardit Kurshumi bet, and Sutter called. Turn was the and Sutter checked again. Kurshumi jammed about 100k and Sutter called, having him covered.
Kurshumi: 
Sutter: 
Sutter had turned a set of Jacks and Kurshumi was drawing with an open-ender and flush draw.
River was the 
and not one of Kurshumi’s outs. He busted out in 4th place, earning $11,700.
$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 17: 2000/4000/500 Ante
Joe Reddick, Konstantinos Pantaridis and Steele Sutter played one of the biggest pots of the night as we stand four-handed in Event 15.
The action blew up on the turn with a 
board. Pantaridis checked the turn and Sutter fired 110k into an already sizable pot. Reddick made the call and Pantaridis got out of the way.
With the 
river, Sutter check and Reddick pushed his remaining stack into the middle. Sutter shook his head and folded his hand. Reddick showed 
for the flush and raked in a pot that has now put him out in front of this Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em event.
$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 17: Blinds 2k/4k/500 Ante
John McDonald opened for 11k utg only to have Konstantinos Pantaridis shove from the big blind. McDonald called, showing A2 offsuit. Pantaridis had A8 suited and was dominating.
The board reeled out 8 7 2 3 6 and Pantaridis doubled up to ~100k. McDonald dropped to ~140k.
On the next hand, Joe Reddick opened from the button and McDonald shoved from the big blind. Reddick called showing AK off. McDonald had JT suited.
The board came K 8 4 3 2 and it was all over for the start of Day 2 chip leader. McDonald busted out in 5th place, earning $9,068.
$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 17: 2000/4000/500 Ante
The second hand back from the break brings a finish to another player as Michael Wang fell in a three-way pot to end his run here in Event 15.
Wang pushed his last 30,500 in and saw Konstantinos Pantaridis also go all-in with his 37,000 and both were called by Ardit Kurshumi.
Wang: 
Pantaridis: 
Kurshumi: 
With Wang in major trouble, it got even worse as the flop came 
giving both his opponents a pair of kings. Wang managed to catch a heart flush draw with a 
turn but the ended it and Wang was out in 6th place with a $7,020 payout.
This is Wang’s fifth cash of this series and third final table. One of those cashes was in a satellite, winning a seat in the $10 Million Guaranteed Championship event.
Michael Wang (Livingston, NJ) – $7,020
$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
End of Level 16: Blinds 1,500/3,000/500 Ante
The final six are on a break following the end of level 16.
Seat 1: Michael Wang – 31,500
Seat 2: Konstantinos Pantaridis – 40,000
Seat 3: John McDonald – 187,500
Seat 4: Steele Sutter – 506,500
Seat 5: Ardit Kurshumi – 165,000
Seat 6: Joe Reddick – 239,500
Remaining Payouts:
1: $38,609
2: $24,687
3: $17,141
4: $11,700
5: $9,068
6: $7,020
$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 15: 1500/3000/500 Ante
If anyone needs some advice on how to play a short stack, Roman Valerstein is your guy. Unfortunately, his luck ran out here in Event 15.
Valerstein bet 6,000 and saw chip leader Steele Sutter go over the top putting Valerstein to a difficult decision. After humorously asking Sutter for a chip count, Valerstein decided to make the call.
Valerstein: 
Sutter: 
Unfortunately for Valerstein, the board ran out 
giving Sutter aces and sending Valerstein to the rail. Valerstein was congratulated for his play by the rest of the players as he left the table to pick up a $5,265 payday.
Roman Valerstein (Langhorne, PA) – $5,265
$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 16: 1500/3000/500 Ante
The first short stack to fall after the bubble burst is Victor Sbrissa.
The Brazilian pushed in with 
and was called by John McDonald holding . Sbrissa did not catch up and ends his day in 8th place with a $3,510 payout.
Victor Sbrissa (Brazil) – $3,510
$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 16: 1500/3000/500 Ante
It turned out not to be Justin Zaki’s night.
After nearly 6 hours of play, Zaki is victimized on the bubble.
Zaki’s lost a critical hand to fellow short-stack Roman Valerstein as his tens fell to queens leaving him with only 14,000 chips.
A few hands later, Zaki made his last stand with 
but ran into aces to finish it and sending him home empty-handed.
The rest of the players let out a collective sigh of relief as this bubble finally cracked and we’re in the money on Event 15 plus have our official eight-handed final table.