2023 Seminole Hard Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  1,447
Prize Pool:  $4,630,400
November 24 – 29, 2023

The 2023 WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship began several days ago and drew 1,447 entries, generating a prize pool of $4,630,400. Emerging victorious was Istvan Briski, winning outright for $647,300.

Briski hails from Hungary and mainly plays poker online. This was his first time playing at the Seminole Hard Rock and he made it a time he’ll never forget.

“It’s amazing,” said Briski of winning. “I ran really good in the tournament, and yeah, I’m very happy. My biggest score so far. I’m very grateful.”

Briski bagged a below-average stack after Day 1 and was 274th of the returning 513 players, but still was comfortable with 45 big blinds. His Day 2 went fantastic, as he finished 8th in chips of the remaining 83 players. From there he bagged the chip lead after Day 3, leading the remaining 15 players.

He began the WPT final table second in chips and started off well, eliminating Darryll Fish in sixth place.  Briski fell back a bit before getting back in on the action, picking up pocket aces and doubling through Rayan Chamas to take the chip lead, before eliminating Fred Goldberg in fourth place.

When heads-up play was reached, Briski was trailing. However, he found a quick double-up to retake the lead, before eventually closing it out.

“There were some very good players, but I was running very good in important spots, and that’s really what tournaments are about a lot of the time.”

Photos by Joe Giron / PokerPhotoArchive.com / Courtesy of World Poker Tour

*denotes modified heads-up payouts

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 35:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  1 of 1,447

Rayan Chamas raised all in for 9,800,000 from the button and Istvan Briski called in the big blind.

Chamas: 
Briski: 

The board came , keeping Chamas’ queen best to win the 2023 WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open for $647,300. Chamas finished runner-up for $600,000.

A recap of the Championship will be posted later tonight.

Photos by Joe Giron / PokerPhotoArchive.com / Courtesy of World Poker Tour

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 35:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,447

Istvan Briski limped in for 600,000 from the button, Rayan Chamas raised all in for 6,800,000 from the big blind, and Briski called with , leading Chamas’ .

The board ran out , giving Chamas queens and fours on the river to double through Briski and survive.

Rayan Chamas  –  14,200,000  (24 bb)
Istvan Briski  –  58,200,000  (97 bb)

Photo by Joe Giron / PokerPhotoArchive.com / Courtesy of World Poker Tour

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 35:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,447

Rayan Chamas raised to 1,500,000 from the button, Istvan Briski three-bet to 5,700,000 from the big blind, and Chamas called.

They checked to the turn of an board where Briski bet 5,500,000. Chamas called.

The river was the , Briski went all in for 18,200,000, and Chamas used a time extension before he called.

Briski showed for trip jacks, besting Chamas’ to double into a sizable chip lead.

Istvan Briski  –  59,400,000  (99 bb)
Rayan Chamas  –  12,500,000  (21 bb)

Photo by Joe Giron / PokerPhotoArchive.com / Courtesy of World Poker Tour

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 34:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,447

Before heads-up play began, the players agreed to modify the remaining two payouts.

1st:  $647,300  – includes WPT World Championship seat
2nd:  $600,000

Photo by Joe Giron / PokerPhotoArchive.com / Courtesy of World Poker Tour

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 34:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 1,447

Rayan Chamas raised to 1,200,000 from the button, Sandy Sanchez three-bet all in for 13,700,000 from the big blind, and Chamas called.

Chamas: 
Sanchez: 

The board came , no help to Sanchez, ending his Championship run in third place.

Rayan Chamas  –  41,500,000  (83 bb)
Istvan Briski  –  30,900,000  (62 bb)
Sandy Sanchez  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($366,500)

1st:  $752,500 – includes WPT World Championship seat
2nd:  $494,800

Play will resume in a little while as the players take an unscheduled break.

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 34:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 1,447

Istvan Briski raised to 1,000,000 from the cutoff, Fred Goldberg reraised all in for 3,700,000 from the button, and Briski called with , leading Goldberg’s .

The board ran out , giving Briski jacks full of sevens to eliminate Goldberg in fourth place.

Istvan Briski  –  36,900,000  (74 bb)
Fred Goldberg  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($274,000)

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 34:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 1,447

Rayan Chamas raised to 1,000,000 from the cutoff,  Istvan Briski three-bet to 2,500,000 from the button, Chamas four-bet all in with a covering stack, and Briski caled all in for 15,300,000.

Chasmas: 
Briski: 

The board ran out , safe for Briski to double into the chip lead.

Istvan Briski  –  31,900,000  (64 bb)
Rayan Chamas  –  20,000,000  (40 bb)

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 33:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 1,447

Rayan Chamas raised to 800,000 from the cutoff, Fred Goldberg three-bet to 2,600,000 from the small blind, and Chamas calls.

The flop was , Goldberg continued for 1,500,000, and Chamas called.

The turn was the and both checked.

The river was the , Goldberg checked, Chamas bet 4,400,000, and Goldberg called.

Chamas showed for queens and eights, Goldberg mucked, and Chamas won the pot.

Rayan Chamas  –  26,500,000  (66 bb)
Fred Goldberg  –  14,000,000  (35 bb)

$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 33:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 1,447

Seat 1:  Rayan Chamas  –  25,900,000  (65 bb)
Seat 2:  Istvan Briski  –  11,800,000  (30 bb)
Seat 3:  Fred Goldberg  –  25,000,000  (63 bb)
Seat 4:  Sandy Sanchez  –  9,700,000  (24 bb)

1st:  $752,500 – includes WPT World Championship seat
2nd:  $494,800
3rd:  $366,500
4th:  $274,000

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