The first three of six starting flights of the $150 No Limit Hold’em re-entry event are in the books. There were 682 players who took their shot over the three flights, but by the day’s end, there were only 71 who had secured a spot in Day 2.
Of all three flights, Mike Corbett bagged the chip lead after bagging 455,500 in Day 1A. Joining him at the top of the counts are Marc Levy, Evan Young and Eric Polirer with 315,000, 265,000 and 230,000 in chips, respectively.
There are three more flights that kick off on Tuesday at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. before the field is merged together on Wednesday for Day 2.
A complete chip count list will be published overnight.
We’re ready to start off the new week on the 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown schedule and today’s first new event is great for all bankrolls. Event 5 is a $150 buy-in tournament with a huge $150,000 guaranteed prize pool and six starting flights over the next two days.
The first flight is underway in the ballroom and the others start at 3pm and 7pm. Entrants begin with 10,000 starting chips and play 30-minute levels throughout the day. Late registration is available until the start of Level 7 at 2:30pm and unlimited re-entries during that time. Play will conclude at the end of Level 14 when survivors bagging up for a return on Wednesday.
If players don’t get that far, there’s always the next two flights later today.
$150,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
Players begin with 10,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 7
Day 1 will end after Level 14 or Tournament Director discretion
2016 Lucky Hearts Poker Open Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood $1,100 Lucky Hearts WPTDeepStacks Main Event Entries: 1,684 Prize Pool: $1,633,480 January 14-18, 2016
Salomon Ponte, 2016 Lucky Heart WPTDeepStacks Main Event Champion
Hollywood, Fla. (January 18, 2016) – The showcase event on the 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open schedule drew a huge crowd of players aiming for a piece of a seven-digit prize pool. Salomon Ponte outlasted a large field and earned the Main Event title along with the top prize of $344,420.
The WPTDeepStacks Main Event played out over five total days with the three starting days drawing 1,684 entries. There was a $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool on the tournament and the great turnout pushed it up to $1,633,480 when registration closed.
The Main Event drew poker stars from around the world including Matt Affleck, Allen Kessler, Kathy Liebert, 2010 WSOP November Niner John Dolan, WPTDeepStacks Player of the Year Tristan Wade, former WPT Player of the Year Mukul Pahuja, WPT World Champion Asher Conniff, and 2010 WSOP Main Event Champion Jonathan Duhamel.
Of those 1,684 starters, only 346 players moved on to Day 2 for a chance to take home a piece of the prize pool. With 169 players getting paid, the tournament quickly played down and was in the money when 2015 WSOP Main Event runner up Josh Beckley eliminated Michael Foley.
Kelly Minkin made the final table of the 2015 Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship and was looking to do it again this year. Despite a deep run, she was eliminated on Day 2.
Nine players survived Day 2 and booked their spot at the live-streamed final table in The Paradise Theater. Ponte began the last day of play with the chip lead and only briefly gave it up over the short, four-hour final table.
The table featured players from around the world mixing with some of our local regulars. Canada, Jamaica, New York, and South Carolina were represented along with five others from nearby.
Ryan D’Angelo and Harrison Gimbel were the most accomplished players at the final table but neither was able to take the lead away from Ponte. D’Angelo went out in seventh while Gimbel was eliminated in fourth.
The heads up match between Edward Mallon and Ponte had several lead changes but Ponte was the top player on the last hand. He earned the $344,420 payout by eliminating five of his opponents at the final table.
“I felt like I was the best,” Ponte quipped. “Clearly I won so I’m better than them.”
Ponte is a Toronto-based CPA specializing in taxes and came down to Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood for better weather, better poker games, and to win the Main Event.
“Florida is amazing but I have to go back for tax season,” Ponte said.
With only $19,000 in career poker earnings in his career, this is easily his best tournament result and we hope to see him back in the future.
Final table results:
1st: Salomon Ponte (Toronto, ON) – $344,420 2nd: Edward Mallon (Boynton Beach, FL) – $192,885 3rd: Thong Ho (N Charleston, SC) – $139,730 4th: Harrison Gimbel (Jupiter, FL) – $93,915 5th: Kenneth Watson (Montego Bay, JM) – $66,525 6th: Michael LaRocca (Boynton Beach, FL) – $56,740 7th: Ryan D’Angelo (Endwell, NY) – $48,260 8th: Zack Goodman (Boca Raton, FL) – $31,630 9th: Paul Balzano (Sunrise, FL) – $27,390
$1,100 Seminole Lucky Hearts WPT DeepStacks Main Event Level 37: 250,000/500,000/75,000 Ante Players Remaining: 3 Average Stack: 14,000,000 (28 bb)
No slowing them down and Thong Ho was right back in action with all his chips in the middle from the button. Both Salomon Ponte and Ed Mallon called from the blinds then Ponte and Mallon checked down the board.
Ponte’s was best against Ho’s and Mallon’s . Ho was sent out in 3rd place and the Main Event heads up match was set.
Thong Ho: Eliminated in 3rd Place ($139,730) Salomon Ponte: 28,225,000 Ed Mallon: 13,825,000
$1,100 Seminole Lucky Hearts WPT DeepStacks Main Event Level 37: 250,000/500,000/75,000 Ante Players Remaining: 4 Average Stack: 10,525,000 (21 bb)
Two hands after Watson was sent out, Harrison Gimbel opened for his entire 4.8 million stack in the small blind and Salomon Ponte called in the big blind.
Gimbel: Ponte:
The former PCA champ was in trouble and never had a sweat as the board ran out to send him out in 4th place.
Harrison Gimbel: Eliminated in 4th Place ($93,915) Salomon Ponte: 21,000,000
$1,100 Seminole Lucky Hearts WPT DeepStacks Main Event Level 37: 250,000/500,000/75,000 Ante Players Remaining: 5 Average Stack: 8,425,000 (17 bb)
Thong Ho relieved after his double up
They both needed to make a move and both caught what they needed. Thong Ho open-shoved for 2,750,000 and Harrison Gimbel moved in over the top to isolate.
Gimbel: Ho:
Ho needed help. He didn’t find it on the flop but the was what he was looking to catch. He faded the river to double.
Thon Ho: 7,500,000 Harrison Gimbel: 7,400,000
Next up it was Watson moving all-in for 2,200,000 and it was Salomon Ponte calling this time for a chance at the KO.
Ponte: Watson:
Watson needed an interesting flop and found it a double belly buster draw when it came . He missed the turn but popped the river for his double.
flop but Ponte stayed ahead. The 
turn left Mallon with only two outs and he missed the 
river to end the match.
board.
was best against Ho’s 
. Ho was sent out in 3rd place and the Main Event heads up match was set.
flop. He got there immediately on the 
turn to leave Watson drawing dead to 5th place.
flop but the 
was what he was looking to catch. He faded the 
