2025 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 2
$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  5,658
Prize Pool:  $1,867,140
July 30 – August 4, 2025

Shortly after midnight on Monday night, after six days of tournament play, Event #2 of the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open came to an end in a four-way deal, and as chipleader, Joseph Kim was awarded the title, the trophy, and $159,149.

Kim finished Day 2 strong, bagging the chip lead with 44 players left. But Day 3 would not be an easy path to victory.

“I started today as chipleader,” said Kim, “and I dropped all the way down to maybe four or five big blinds. But I never gave up, and I never quit. There were so many times when I just wanted to punt off my entire stack, but I stayed focused, got a couple double-ups, and made it to the final table. And I just ran like fire.”

When asked about any key hands, Kim said, “When I picked up pocket nines,” referring to the hand where he knocked out Gregory S. Head in seventh place.

Head got his stack all in preflop with ace-king against Kim’s pocket nines, and Head caught an ace on the flop to take a big lead in the hand. Down to two outs on the river, Kim spiked a nine to eliminate Head and contend for the chip lead. (Click here for hand details.)

“Hitting that nine on the river sums up how my tournament went,” said Kim. “So many times I just got lucky and ran well.”

The very next hand, Kim knocked out Matt Bretzfield in sixth place (click here for hand details) to take the chip lead.

The final five players played for another hour and 40 minutes before Ryan Vanson was eliminated by Carlos Pino in fifth place, as Pino’s flopped a set against Vanson’s .

At that point, the final four players agreed to a deal, and as chipleader, Joseph Kim was awarded the title and the trophy — and $159,149.

When asked about Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, Kim said, “This is by far the best poker room I’ve ever played at. I’ve played in other casinos in the northeast, but this place is by far the best poker room.”

“This was an amazing experience,” said Kim. “A dream come true.”

RESULTS:

* Indicates the results of a four-way deal.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prizepool:  $1,867,140  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 38:  400,000/800,000 with an 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 5,658

The final four players have agreed to a deal to end the tournament. Here are the updated payouts:

1st:  Joseph Kim  –  $159,149 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  Carlos Pino  –  $151,073
3rd:  Al Norman  –  $148,637
4th:  Baseem Nsier  –  $118,261

Congratulations to Joseph Kim! As chipleader, he is awarded the trophy and the title.

Stay tuned for a recap from this event, which will be posted later tonight.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prizepool:  $1,867,140  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 38:  400,000/800,000 with an 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 5,658

After the elimination of Ryan Vanson in fifth place, the final four players agree to pause the action and run numbers to discuss a possible deal. Here are their official chip counts:

Seat 1.  Baseem Nsier  –  12,000,000  (15 bb)
Seat 2.  Carlos Pino  –  31,300,000  (39 bb)
Seat 3.  Joseph Kim  –  37,300,000  (47 bb)
Seat 4.  Al Norman  –  32,400,000  (41 bb)

And these are the remaining payouts at stake:

1st:  $229,120 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  $152,000
3rd:  $112,000
4th:  $84,000

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prizepool:  $1,867,140  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 38:  400,000/800,000 with an 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 5,658

Ryan Vanson raised from the button to 3,200,000, Carlos Pino moved all in from the big blind, and Vanson called all in for about 14,500,000 with .

Pino turned over , and Vanson needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came — Pino flopped a set of jacks, Vanson turned a gutshot straight draw, and the ace on the river wasn’t enough. Pino won the pot with his set of jacks to eliminate Vanson in fifth place.

Carlos Pino  –  31,300,000  (39 bb)
Ryan Vanson  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($64,000)

With four players remaining from a field of 5,658, the average chip stack is around 28,300,000 (35 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $84,000 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prizepool:  $1,867,140  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 38:  400,000/800,000 with an 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 5,658

Joseph Kim raised from the button to 1,600,000, and Al Norman called from the small blind.

The flop came , Norman checked, Kim bet 1,200,000, and Norman called.

The turn card was the , and both players checked.

The river card was the , Norman bet 4,000,000, and Kim quickly called. Norman showed for a rivered six-high straight, and Kim mucked. Norman won the pot.

Al Norman  –  31,900,000  (40 bb)
Joseph Kim  –  25,200,000  (32 bb)

With five players remaining from a field of 5,658, the average chip stack is around 22,600,000 (28 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $64,000 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prizepool:  $1,867,140  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 5,658

Carlos Pino raised from the button to about 1,600,000, and Al Norman called from the big blind.

The flop came , Norman checked, Pino bet 2,000,000, and Norman check-raised to 6,000,000. Pino snap-shoved all in for 15,400,000, and Norman waited for an exact count.

Norman thought for a while before he folded, and Pino showed as he took the pot.

Carlos Pino  –  25,500,000  (43 bb)
Al Norman  –  25,400,000  (42 bb)

With five players remaining from a field of 5,658, the average chip stack is around 22,600,000 (38 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $64,000 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prizepool:  $1,867,140  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 5,658

Carlos Pino moved all in from the button for 8,800,000, and Al Norman asked for an exact count before he called from the big blind with .

Pino turned over , and needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Pino caught a seven on the turn to win the pot with a full house, nines full of sevens, to double up in chips.

Carlos Pino  –  18,500,000  (31 bb)
Al Norman  –  28,700,000  (48 bb)

With five players remaining from a field of 5,658, the average chip stack is around 22,600,000 (38 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $64,000 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prizepool:  $1,867,140  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 5,658

One hand after the elimination of Gregory S. Head in seventh place, Matt Bretzfield moved all in from the button for 7,100,000, and Joseph Kim called from the small blind with .

Bretzfield turned over , and needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Bretzfield turned a gutshot straight draw, but Kim rivered a set of tens to win the pot and eliminate Bretzfield in sixth place.

Joseph Kim  –  34,400,000  (57 bb)
Matt Bretzfield  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($48,500)

With five players remaining from a field of 5,658, the average chip stack is around 22,600,000 (38 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $64,000 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prizepool:  $1,867,140  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 5,658

In the first hand after the break, Gregory S. Head raised from the button to 1,900,000, Joseph Kim moved all in from the big blind, and Head thought for a few moments before he called all in for 9,400,000 with .

Kim turned over , and Head needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Head paired his ace on the flop, only to see Kim spike a nine on the river to win the pot and eliminate Head in seventh place.

Joseph Kim  –  25,800,000  (43 bb)
Gregory S. Head  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($37,500)

With six players remaining from a field of 5,658, the average chip stack is around 18,900,000 (32 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $48,500 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prizepool:  $1,867,140  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 5,658

The players return from break to begin Level 37, with increased blinds of 300,000-600,000 and a 600,000 ante. Here are the official chip counts from the break:

Seat 1.  Baseem Nsier  –  10,500,000  (18 bb)
Seat 2.  Carlos Pino  –  14,700,000  (25 bb)
Seat 3.  Gregory S. Head  –  9,400,000  (16 bb)
Seat 4.  Matt Bretzfield  –  9,000,000  (15 bb)
Seat 5.  Joseph Kim  –  16,100,000  (27 bb)
Seat 6.  Al Norman  –  41,900,000  (70 bb)
Seat 7.  Ryan Vanson  –  13,100,000  (22 bb)

And here are the remaining payouts, followed by recent eliminations:

1st:  $229,120 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  $152,000
3rd:  $112,000
4th:  $84,000
5th:  $64,000
6th:  $48,500
7th:  $37,500

8th:  David Jackson  –  $29,000
9th:  Jordan Schneider  –  $22,700
10th:  Ory Hen  –  $22,700

11th:  Matthew Chapman  –  $18,200
12th:  Diane Lepera  –  $18,200

With seven players remaining from a field of 5,658, the average chip stack is around 16,200,000 (27 big blinds).