$1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout (Freeze-out) Level 1: 25/50 Total Entries: 57
Jonathan Little (Pensacola, FL)
The SHRPO Shootout is underway in the corner of the ballroom and slowly filling with late reg players. They’re close to reaching six players per table and it will continue to grow as they approach 5:15pm.
Plenty of big names taking part today including two-time WPT winner Jonathan Little, Seminole Hard Rock Poker team members Sheddy Siddiqui and Loni Harwood along with former November Niner/WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Final champ Chino Rheem.
$1,100 No Limit Hold’em Shootout (Freeze-out) Level 1: 25/50
We’ve been talking about it since it hit the schedule but now it’s time to get it done. The first ever SHRPO Shootout gets underway in a few moments and we expect a fun event.
For those new to the format, Shootouts play like a bunch of Sit N Go’s running at the same time. Unlike most tournaments, tables will not break and players will not move as the field shrinks. The goal for each player to be the last one at their starting table, holding all the chips. That is what’s needed to move onto the final table tomorrow.
The tournament is capped at 100 players so we expect ten tables of ten-handed action. All players start with 15,000 in chips and 30-minute level until they conquer all their foes. There is late registration available until 5:15pm but we hope to sell out long before then.
Everyone who wins their table today will return tomorrow for the final table at 2pm.
Players begin with 15,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
Late registration is available until start of Level 5
Tournament is limited to 100 players
This is a 10-handed shootout, table winners advance to Day 2
2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood Event #16 $300 Jason Taylor Foundation Charity Event Total Entries: 124 Prize Pool: $17,360 April 13, 2014
John Virga – Event 16 Winner
Charity tournaments make for some of the most memorable and enjoyable nights at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, and Wednesday’s event was no exception. Retired NFL standout Jason Taylor was the host of this $300 buy-in tournament which drew 124 entries — a mix of poker pros, sports and entertainment celebrities, and philanthropic part-time players.
Jason Taylor
Taylor nearly won his own event, running deep at the final table before falling in third place. John Virga went on to defeat local radio host Andy Slater in the heads-up duel to claim the trophy and the top prize of $5,035.
A local chiropractor, Virga has been friends with Taylor for more than a decade, and he takes every opportunity to support the Foundation when he’s able. The victory also earned him a complimentary $3,500 entry into the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown on Friday.
The evening’s festivities began at 5:00 with an invitation-only social hour at the L Bar on property.
Cocktails!
The crowd migrated over to the ballroom at 7:00 for the start of the charity tournament. Among the 70 or so in attendance were some of Taylor’s former teammates and colleagues from the NFL, along with local sports journalists Israel Gutierrez and Dan Le Batard.
Israel GutierrezDan Le Batard
The professional poker community was well represented too, with WPT Champions Club members Dylan Wilkerson and Amir Babakhani coming out to play, along with Mike Sexton, Vince Van Patten, and WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage.
From left to right: Vince Van Patten, Jason Taylor, Mike Sexton, Matt Savage
And, of course, the SHRP Team poured in their own support with Jessica Dawley, Wally Maddah, Stewart Newman, and Sheddy Siddiqui doing their part to ensure a good time was had by all.
Jessica Dawley
Half of each buy-in went to the Jason Taylor Foundation, which aims to “facilitate the personal growth and empowerment of South Florida’s children in need by focusing on improved health care, education and quality of life.” More than $17,000 was raised from entries alone, and a silent action added significantly to that number.
Silent auction display
The other half of the money went into the tournament prizepool, which also included more than $10,000 in added loot.
The final 18 players finished in the money, and each of the final nine earned bonus prizes ranging from a WPT chip set to the $3,500 seat claimed by Virga.
Here are the full results:
1st: John Virga – $5,035 2nd: Andy Slater – $2,951 3rd: Jason Taylor – $1,736 4th: Kory Swelka – $1,389 5th: Amir Babakhani – $1,042 6th: Thomas Albaugh Jr. – $868 7th: Jessica Dawley – $694 8th: Nick Sortal – $521 9th: Niall Farrell – $391 10th: Shannon Shorr – $347 11th: Richard Hutchings – $347 12th: David Moreno – $347 13th: Cicero Osceola – $304 14th: Francis Margaglione – $304 15th: Jordan Meltzer – $304 16th: Adam Geyer – $260 17th: Adam Horowitz – $260 18th: Kenneth Einiger – $260
These prizes were added for the nine finalists:
1st: WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Seat 2nd: Hard Rock Resort Package (Mexico or other destination) 3rd: Party Like a Rock Star Basket – Beach Boys 4th: Party Like a Rock Star Basket – Hendrix Experience 5th: Party Like a Rock Star Basket – War 6th: Party Like a Rock Star Basket – Alonzo Mourning 7th: Hard Rock Goodie Basket & Hotel Experience 8th: Monster Headphones 9th: WPT Chip Set
$300 Jason Taylor Foundation Charity Event Level 22: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante Players Remaining: 2 of 124
John Virga
John Virga put on a clinic at this final table, defeating Andy Slater to win the trophy, the top prize of more than $5,000, and a seat to the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown.
$300 Jason Taylor Foundation Charity Event Level 22: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante Players Remaining: 3 of 124
The host came close to winning his own event, but Andy Slater’s pocket kings were too much for Jason Taylor’s jack-deuce to overcome. Taylor was eliminated in third place, and Slater is now heads up with John Virga for the trophy.
