2026 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 49
$1,100 T.O.R.S.E.
Entries:  53
Prize Pool:  $51,410
April 22-23, 2026

Event 49 of the 2026 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown was a $1,100 T.O.R.S.E., drawing 53 entries for a prize pool of $51,410. Taking it down was Seong Hang, winning outright for $19,020.

$1,100 T.O.R.S.E.
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 24:  50,000/100,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  1 of 53

After Seong Hong took a 4-to-1 lead in the last hand of Seven Card Stud, the game switched to Stud-8, and Kristan Lord’s luck did not improve.

Lord folded the first hand on 5th street, the second hand on 3rd street, and the third hand on 4th street. They split the fourth hand of Stud-8, and then Lord folded on 3rd street in the fifth hand.

That gave Hong a 13-to-1 lead, leaving Lord with a single big bet in his stack.

Seong Hong  –  1,480,000  (15 BB)
Kristan Lord  –  110,000  (1 BB)

In Hand #6 of Stud-8, they put in 10,000 each for the ante, and Hong had the bring-in for 20,000 with the . Lord raised to 50,000 with the , Hong reraised, and Lord called all in for 100,000.

Seong Hong:  ()  
Kristan Lord:  ()  

Going to 7th street, neither player had a low draw. Hong had two pair, sevens and fours (with an extra set of threes), and Lord only had a pair of jacks. Lord would need to catch a jack or pair his board to stay alive.

Seong Hong:  ()    ()
Kristan Lord:  ()    ()

Hong’s last card was a five, so Lord was still drawing live, but his final card was a ten, leaving him with just the pair of jacks.

Hong won the pot — along with the title, the trophy, and $19,020 — with two pair, sevens and fours.

For the second day in a row, Kristan Lord finished as the runner-up, earning $11,310. (Yesterday Lord finished second in $1,100 Limit Omaha 8 to earn $10,040).

Congratulations to Seong Hong!

1st:  Seong Hong  –  $19,020 + Showdown Trophy
2nd:  Kristan Lord  –  $11,310
3rd:  Daniel Barlin  –  $6,940
4th:  Daniel Blum  –  $4,885
5th:  Sam Spira  –  $3,855
6th:  Phil Hui  –  $3,085
7th:  Ryan Hoenig  –  $2,315

$1,100 T.O.R.S.E.
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 24:  50,000/100,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 53

In the last hand of Seven Card Stud, Kristan Lord had the bring-in of 20,000, Seong Hong raised to 50,000, and Lord reraised to 100,000. Hong called.

Seong Hong:  ()  
Kristan Lord:  ()  

4th Street:  Lord bet 50,000, and Hong called.

5th Street:  Lord bet 100,000, and Hong called.

6th Street:  Lord bet 100,000, Hong raised to 200,000, and Lord went into the tank for a long time.

Eventually, Lord asked if Hong had pocket tens or the eight of spades. Hong gave no indication, and shortly after that, Lord folded.

Hong nodded as he took the pot, and Lord asked, “Which one?”

Hong said, “The first one.”

Seong Hong  –  1,280,000  (13 BB)
Kristan Lord  –  310,000  (3 BB)

1st:  $19,020 + Showdown Trophy
2nd:  $11,310

$1,100 T.O.R.S.E.
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 23:  40,000/80,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 53

During a hand of Stud-8, Kristan Lord and Seong Hong had built up a pretty good pot with 280,000 each heading to 7th street.

Seong Hong:  ()  
Kristan Lord:  ()  

7th Street:  Hong checked, Lord bet 80,000, and Hong thought for a while before he called.

Seong Hong:  ()    ()
Kristan Lord:  ()    ()

Hong had two pair, aces and deuces, and neither player had a qualifying low. Lord mucked, and Hong won the pot to increase his lead.

Seong Hong  –  1,140,000  (14 BB)
Kristan Lord  –  450,000  (6 BB)

1st:  $19,020 + Showdown Trophy
2nd:  $11,310

$1,100 T.O.R.S.E.
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 22:  30,000/60,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 53

During Razz, Daniel Barlin completed with a king showing, and Kristan Lord called with a 10 showing.

Kristan Lord:  (X-X)  
Daniel Barlin:  (X-X)  

4th Street:  Barlin bet 30,000, and Lord called.

5th Street:  Barlin bet 60,000, and Lord called.

6th Street:  Lord bet, and Barlin called all in for 5,000.

Kristan Lord:  ()  
Daniel Barlin:  ()  

Lord had a K-10-8 low to Barlin’s J-10-9 low, and Barlin needed his hand to hold on 7th street to stay alive.

Kristan Lord:  ()    ()
Daniel Barlin:  ()    ()

Lord got a six for his final card to improve to a 10-8-6 low, barely beating Barlin’s 10-9-8 low. Lord won the pot to eliminate Barlin in third place.

Daniel Barlin  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($6,940)

Here are the approximate chip counts for the start of heads-up play, followed by the payouts:

Kristan Lord  –  820,000  (14 BB)
Seong Hong  –  770,000  (13 BB)

1st:  $19,020 + Showdown Trophy
2nd:  $11,310

3rd:  Daniel Barlin  –  $6,940
4th:  Daniel Blum  –  $4,885
5th:  Sam Spira  –  $3,855
6th:  Phil Hui  –  $3,085
7th:  Ryan Hoenig  –  $2,315

$1,100 T.O.R.S.E.
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 22:  30,000/60,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  3 of 53

During Triple Draw, Daniel Barlin limped from the button for 30,000, and Kristan Lord raised from the small blind to 60,000. Seong Hong called from the big blind, and Barlin also called.

Draw #1:  Lord drew one card, and Hong and Barlin drew two each. Lord bet 30,000, Hong called, and Barlin called.

Draw #2:  All three players drew one card. Lord checked, and Hong bet 60,000. Barlin called, and Lord folded.

Draw #3:  Hong stood pat, and Barlin drew one card. Hong bet 60,000, and Barlin thought for a while before he folded. Hong took the pot.

Seat 1.  Seong Hong  –  860,000  (14 BB)
Seat 2.  Daniel Barlin  –  450,000  (8 BB)
Seat 4.  Kristan Lord  –  280,000  (5 BB)

1st:  $19,020 + Showdown Trophy
2nd:  $11,310
3rd:  $6,940