Engelberth Varela Wins Deep StacK Poker Series Event 2 Outright for $5,740!

2026 Deep Stack Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 2
$200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty NLH
$30,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  213
Prize Pool:  $23,643
Bounty Prize Pool:  $10,650
May 13, 2026

Engelberth Varela, 2026 Deep Stack Poker Series Event 2 Champ

The second tournament on the 2026 Deep Stack Poker Series was a one-day $200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty No-Limit Hold’em trophy event. It drew 213 entries, crushing the $30,000 guarantee, and Engelberth Varela took the top spot outright for $5,740.

Congrats!

PlaceFirst NameLast NamePrize Amount
1EngelberthVarela$5,740
2GidonChamdi$3,987
3GregoryBertels$2,423
4JohnDwyer$1,474
5IlyaGalaktionov$1,138
6JosephDiaz$943
7IsmaelLugo$804
8BramPortnoy$688
9AllenKim$575
10ClaudelJoseph$497
11RichardCoppola$497
12CraigWitz$497
13LoganBaker$426
14NevoTsarfaty$426
15ClaudioBernal$426
16GeorgeHortelano$355
17LloydKapper$355
18JorgeCuervo$355
19MinoChristoulakis$284
20JacquesAlabre$284
21PatrickDwyer$284
22NirPeleg$219
23KonnorCappiello$219
24AtlabalMohamed$219
25DavidOumanski$176
26CurtisKennelly$176
27SergiiRotach$176

Event 2: Prize Pool and Payouts; $5,740 to Bounty Winner

2026 Deep Stack Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 2
$200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty NLH
$30,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  213
Prize Pool:  $23,643
Bounty Prize Pool:  $10,650
May 13, 2026

Registration closed for the $200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty No-Limit Hold’em tournament with 213 entries, beating the $30,000 guarantee and putting $23,643 in the regular prize pool with another $10,650 in the bounty prize pool.

The last 27 players will make the money with $176 for a min-cash and $5,740 up top for the winner plus the DSPS trophy.

1st: $5,740 + DSPS Trophy
2nd: $3,987
3rd: $2,423
4th: $1,474
5th: $1,138
6th: $943
7th: $804
8th: $688
9th: $575
10th-12th: $497
13th-15th: $426
16th-18th: $355
19th-21st: $284
22nd-24th: $219
25th-27th: $176

Event 2: First Break

$200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty NLH
$30,000 Guaranteed  |  Structure
Level 8:  600/1,200 with a 1,200 ante
Entries:  160

The $200 Bounty field is heading on their first break with 160 entries in the tournament and only a couple dozen new ones away from surpassing the $30,000 guarantee.

That’s a lock with registration available until 7:30 pm so we’re looking at another great field for a Deep Stack Poker Series event.

Event 2: Good Turnout

$200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty NLH
$30,000 Guaranteed  |  Structure
Level 5:  300/600 with a 600 ante
Entries:  126

Ronnie Morone

We have a great turnout in the early evening on a Wednesday. Event 2 has 126 entries so far, a big crowd considering they only have one re-entry option, and it looks like they’ll crush the $30,000 guarantee later this evening.

Some early friends include Ronnie Morone, Kevin Dubrocq, Pasquael Caiazza, Willie Wiggins, Luis Dominguez, Santana Noronha, Trent Smith, Michael Russo, and our all-time trophy winner, Raminder Singh.

In the far corner, the $400 Multi-Event satellite is down to its final table after getting a huge 85-entry field. Joel Harwood is still in the mix over there and trying to pick up one of the $3,700 packages.

We have another multi-event satellite tomorrow, this one going at 6 pm with a $150 buy-in and two $1,250 packages guaranteed. Package includes a seat in $400 buy-in/$100,000 guarantee Event 3 and $600 buy-in/$150,000 guarantee Event 5 plus $250 in cash.

Tons of value.

Kevin Dubrocq
Joel Harwood

Event 2: Quad Stack Bounties

$200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty NLH
$30,000 Guaranteed  |  Structure
Level 1:  100/100 with a 100 ante

The second tournament on the 2026 Deep Stack Poker Series schedule kicks off at 4 pm with some bounty action. Event 2 is a $200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty No-Limit Hold’em tournament with a $30,000 guaranteed prize pool and $50 bounties on every player.

They’ll start with huge 40K stacks, and the first eight levels last 15 minutes, then increase to 20 minutes for the duration. Late registration is available until the start of Level 12 at 7:30 pm and players are restricted to a single re-entry if they are eliminated.

  • $30,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 40,000 in chips
  • Levels 1-8 last 15 minutes; Levels 9+ last 20 minutes
  • Late registration until start of Level 12 (7:30pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
  • Event 2 Structure Sheet

DSPS Day 2 Schedule

Primary Event Schedule

4PM: Event 2 – $200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty NLH (Single Re-Entry)

  • $30,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 40,000 in chips
  • Levels 1-8 last 15 minutes; Levels 9+ last 20 minutes
  • Late registration until start of Level 12 (7:30pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
  • Event 2 Structure Sheet

Secondary and Satellite Schedule

11AM: $400 Multi-Event DSPS Satellite (1-in-10)

  • Five $3,700 packages guaranteed; includes seat in $400 Event 3, $600 Event 5, and $1,700 Event 8, plus $1,000 in cash
  • Players begin with 20,000 in chips
  • Levels last 20 minutes
  • Late registration until start of Level 9 (2:10pm)
  • Structure Sheet

2026 Deep Stack Series Schedule and Results

Ariel Mantel Wins Event 2 of the 2026 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown in Heads-Up Chop for $12,265

2026 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 2
$600 Deep Stack Pot-Limit Omaha 8
Entries:  93
Prize Pool:  $48,360
April 8, 2026

2026 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Event 2 Champion Ariel Mantel

Event 2 of the 2026 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown was a $600 Deep Stack Pot-Limit Omaha 8, drawing 93 entries for a prize pool of $48,360.

A heads-up chop was agreed to and Ariel Mantel was the chip leader at the time, making him the official Event 2 winner for $12,265.

PlaceFirst NameLast NameCitySTPrize Amount
1ArielMantelWestonFL$12,265*
2LoniHarwood HuiTamaracFL$12,265*
3JeanLaurentMiamiFL$5,800
4PhilHuiTamaracFL$3,750
5LeonardKrissBrooklynNY$2,900
6DarryllFishMiamiFL$2,300
7JoelHarwoodHallandaleFL$1,935
8AndrewBeckerBoynton BeachFL$1,695
9ChristopherHicePanama City BeachFL$1,535
10MatthewKaplanPalm Beach GardensFL$1,400
11HarlanPennSolonOH$1,305
12JohnSimcoxPort OrangeFL$1,210

*denotes even chop

Event 2: Ariel Mantel Wins in a Heads-Up Deal with Loni Hui

$600 Deep Stack Pot-Limit Omaha 8
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 24:  20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 93

Ariel Mantel and Loni Hui
Ariel Mantel (left) and Loni Hui

Heads-up play between Ariel Mantel and Loni Hui went back-and-forth, with neither player getting too short, and their chip stacks staying close to even most of the time.

Eventually, with Mantel in the lead, somebody mentioned an even chop, and after a brief discussion, they both agreed to it. These were their chip counts:

Ariel Mantel  –  1,365,000  (46 bb)
Loni Hui  –  960,000  (32 bb)

As chipleader, Mantel is awarded the title and the trophy. For her part, Hui simply said that Mantel wanted the trophy more than she did, and it was late and she was satisfied to end it with the chop.

1st:  Ariel Mantel  –  $12,265 + Showdown Trophy
2nd:  Loni Hui  –  $12,265
3rd:  Jean Laurent  –  $5,800
4th:  Phil Hui  –  $3,750
5th:  Leonard Kriss  –  $2,900
6th:  Darryll Fish  –  $2,300
7th:  Joel Harwood  –  $1,935
8th:  Andrew Becker  –  $1,695
9th:  Christopher Hice  –  $1,535
10th:  Matthew Kaplan  –  $1,400
11th:  Harlan Penn  –  $1,305
12th:  John Simcox  –  $1,210

Event 2: Ariel Mantel Takes the Lead Over Loni Hui

$600 Deep Stack Pot-Limit Omaha 8
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 23:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 93

Ariel Mantel and Loni Hui
Ariel Mantel (left) and Loni Hui

Ariel Mantel limped for 30,000, and Loni Hui checked her option in the big blind.

The flop came 9s4d3h, Hui checked, Mantel bet 50,000, and Hui check-raised to 150,000. Mantel went into the tank for a long time before he three-bet it to 500,000.

Hui said, “Really?”

Hui thought for a while before she folded, and Mantel took the pot.

Ariel Mantel  –  1,480,000  (49 bb)
Loni Hui  –  845,000  (28 bb)

1st:  $15,340 + Showdown Trophy
2nd:  $9,190