2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 43
$10,000 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  111
Prize Pool:  $1,065,600
August 9, 2022

Event 43 of the 2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open was the $10,000 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry). The perennial SHRPO big buy-in closing event drew 111 entries, generating a prize pool of $1,065,600, more than doubling the guarantee.

Emerging victorious was Ed Sebesta, winning outright for $311,915.

“My best result before recently had been for $47,000,” said Sebesta afterward. “Then two months ago I won a high roller at the Aria for $120,000, and now this. I’m definitely on a heater.”

Sebesta was quick to mention how well he ran, but also how making some bold plays were necessary.

“Mostly, I got lucky,” admitted Sebesta, “but I pulled a few plays that most of these guys probably didn’t expect I would make. It was a combination of both. Then when I got heads up, I was on a roll. I had a big stack, applied pressure, and it worked out.”

Sebesta resides in Richmond, Texas, is retired, and plays poker as a hobby. He gives all of his winnings to The Congregation of Holy Cross in honor of his son, who went to the University of Notre Dame and became a Priest, before tragically passing away after a long battle with a brain tumor.

$10,000 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  1 of 111

Brandon Lulov limped from the button and Ed Sebesta checked his option in the big blind.

The flop was , Sebesta checked, Lulov bet 30,000, Sebesta check-raised to 100,000, and Lulov called.

The turn was the , Sebesta bet 100,000, and Lulov called.

The river was the , Sebesta moved all in, and Lulov thought for about 20 seconds before he called all in for roughly 500,000.

Sebesta showed for quads fours, Lulov’s hand wasn’t shown, and Sebesta won Event 43 outright for $311,915. Lulov finished runner-up for $201,100.

A recap of the event will be posted later this morning.

$10,000 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 111

Brandon Lulov raised all in from the small blind for effectively 315,000 and Sean Ragozzini thought for a bit before he called all in.

Lulov: 
Ragozzini: 

The board ran out , giving Lulov jacks and sevens on the turn to eliminate Ragozzini in third place.

Brandon Lulov  –  1,050,000  (35 bb)
Ed Sebesta  –  1,215,000  (41 bb)
Sean Ragozzini  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($118,280)

$10,000 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 111

Ed Sebesta moved all in from the small blind for about 430,000, and Filipp Khavin thought for a bit before calling all in from the big blind for about 150,000 with .

Sebesta turned over , and Khavin needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Sebesta won the pot with a pair of jacks to eliminate Khavin in fourth place.

Ed Sebesta  –  605,000  (24 bb)
Filipp Khavin  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($77,250)

The final three players are guaranteed at least $118,280 each.

$10,000 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 111

In the first hand after the break, with the blinds increased to 15,000-25,000, Stephen Song completed the small blind to 25,000, Brandon Lulov raised from the big blind to 80,000, and Song thought for a bit before moving all in for about 500,000.

Lulov called with , but Song turned over . Song needed his hand to hold to stay alive.

The board came , and Lulov paired his ace on the flop to win the pot and eliminate Song in fifth place.

Brandon Lulov  –  1,460,000  (58 bb)
Stephen Song  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($59,675)

The final four players are guaranteed at least $77,250 each.