2016 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open
$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Single Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
January 17 – 18, 2016
Total Entries: 185
Total Prize Pool: $500,000
1st: $140,000
2nd: $82,500
3rd: $47,500
4th: $38,500
5th: $30,000
6th: $25,000
7th: $20,000
8th: $15,000
9th: $10,000
10-12th: $6,500
13-15th: $5,500
16-18th: $5,000
19-27th: $4,500
$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 8: 300/600/75 Ante
Entries: 166
The Main Event isn’t the only big tournament in the ballroom today, the $2,650 Single Re-Entry event is cruising along with 166 entrants before they head off on their dinner break. They’re still shy of the $500,000 guaranteed prize pool with an hour to register.
A few of those among the stellar crowd are past WSOP Main Event champion Jonathan Duhamel along with November Niners John Dolan and Neil Blumenfield. More faces we found were Matt Stout, Kelly Minkin, Michael Laake (pictured above), Ian O’Hara, Zo Karim, Aaron Massey, T.K. Miles, Mukul Pahuja, Sheddy Siddiqui, and Chris Bolek to name a few.
$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 1: 25/50
While most are keeping an eye on the Main Event playing down on one side of the room, there’s another big buy-in event kicking off. The $2,650 Single Re-Entry No Limit Hold’em game is a nice option for those grinders failing to make it deep in the Main Event.
This is a two-day tournament with all survivors bagging up their chips at the end of Level 14 and return tomorrow to play down to a winner.
2015 Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ’n’ Roll Poker Open”
$350 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$30,000 Guarantee
November 29th, 2015
Total Entries: 170
Total Prizepool: $51,000
Recap:
Raminder Singh was on a roller coaster all night long going from chip leader to nearly out of the tournament but he saved the best for last taking down the Seminole Hard Rock “Rock n’ Roll Poker Open” Event 9 title and acheived the rare feat of winning two championships in one series.
The Event 9 final started off with Alberto Silva holding the lead with 460,000 chips but had Raminder Singh and Jason Gooch right behind him at 441,000 setting up a terrific showdown for the remaining ten players.
It started off quickly as Steve Zaritsky quickly fell on the first hand in 10th place. Alberto Silva then sent Mike Graffeo to the rail in 9th place and Jason Gooch quickly followed it up eliminating David Brightman in 8th place.
The eliminations then slowed down but the action didn’t. Raminder Singh won a huge pot from Adam Bienstock who was eliminated shortly afterward in 7th place leaving Singh in the lead. But that lead would not last long as Singh dropped hands to Silva and Marc Sacheli leaving him as one of the short stacks. Lou Stadler’s short stack would not hold up and was taken out in 6th place and Sacheli would not enjoy his double-up long as Silva picked him off knocking him out in 5th place putting Silva over the million chip mark and out in front.
Then Joseph Duchman got in the act with two double ups to vault himself into second place behind Silva. But Raminder Singh was not to be outdone and with relentless pressure got back into the tournament and eliminated Jason Gooch in 4th place.
A hotly contested three-way battle then ensued with Raminder Singh taking out Joseph Duchman in third setting up a showdown with Alberto Silva and Silva holding the lead.
But the heads-up match would be dominated by Silva. Silva hit two pair on the river with all of his chips in the middle to take a dominant lead and then cracked Silva’s A-7 with an A-6 to win the title.
After Singh’s second win of the series, he talked about his wild ride through the final table. “I doubled up a guy and I was short stacked but I kept the aggression on and showed some big hands and took advantage of it later. Three-handed we decided to play it out and heads-up I picked up a couple good hands with two pair and the A-6 and I’m quite happy about it.”
He was also quick to give credit to his family for helping him get the opportunity to play a relaxed and focused game. “This is a break from business and I got a free pass from my wife and 7-year old daughter to play and that plays a big part because I was able to play without much pressure from their support. That’s been very helpful to me.”
Finally, Raminder was quick to thank the team at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. “It’s always amazing and especially with Tony Burns running this tournament it’s really great now. Lately there’s a big change for good the way you’re running tournaments and the support staff has been really great. I love playing here in this ballroom!”
Congratulations to our Event 9 Champion – Raminder Singh!
Results:
1st: Raminder Singh (Delray Beach, FL) – $15,298
2nd: Alberto Silva (Buenos Aires, FL)- $8,415
3rd: Joseph Duchman (Miami Beach, FL) – $4,845
4th: Jason Gooch (Ruston, LA) – $4,080
5th: Mark Sacheli (Miami, FL) – $3,060
6th: Lou Stadler (Miami, FL)- $2,550
7th: Adam Bienstock (Engelwood, NJ) – $2,040
8th: David Brightman (Mountain View, CA) – $1,530
9th: Mike Graffeo (Fort Mill, SC) – $1,148
10th: Steve Zaritsky (Tierra Verde, FL) – $1,020
$350 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 26: 15,000/30,000/5,000 Ante
After stunning Alberto Silva hitting two pair on the river in a previous hand to take the chip lead, Raminder Singh had one more rabbit in the hat to take down the Event 9 title.
After a raise to 85,000 by Silva, Singh went all-in and Silva made the call. Silva had Singh dominated holding 
against Singh’s 
. But the cards had other ideas as the flop came out 
putting Singh in front. Silva picked up a straight draw when the 
came out on the turn but the 
on the river sealed the hand and the championship.
Raminder Singh wins the Event 9 title, $15,298 and the rare feat of winning two titles in the same series here at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Alberto Silva finishes in 2nd place winning $8,415.
Congratulations to our Event 9 Champion – Raminder Singh!
$350 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 26: 15,000/30,000/5,000 Ante
After the cards finally got back in the air, Joseph Duchman has fallen here in Event 9.
Duchman went all in for 350,000 chips and was called by Raminder Singh. Singh showed 
and led Duchman’s 
. Singh hit his king right away on the 
flop and the board ran out 
eliminating Duchman.
Joseph Duchman finishes in 3rd place winning $4,845.
$350 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 25: 12,000/24,000/4,000 Ante
After losing 60% of his stack to Joseph Duchman, Jason Gooch was fighting off as the short stack for last two levels. But the last hand of Level 25 turned out be the end of the road.
Gooch moved in for his last 155,000 and was called by Raminder Singh. Gooch turned over 
but Singh had the lead with 
. Singh hit the 
flop and Gooch could not catch up as the board ran out 
.
Jason Gooch finishes in 4th place winning $4,080.
Alberto Silva leads the final three with 1,010,000 followed by Raminder Singh at 705,000 and Joseph Duchman at 640,000.
$350 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 24: 10,000/20,000/3,000 Ante
Marc Sacheli had just doubled up but Alberto Silva refused to let it happen again.
After Silva fired out a raise to 55,000 chips, Sacheli moved all in for 240,000 and Silva made the call. Silva turned up 
and was ahead of Sacheli’s 
. Sacheli called for a set but it was not be as the board ran out 
giving Silva the win and the elimination. Silva is now over the million chip mark and in command of the tournament.
Marc Sacheli finishes in 5th place winning $3,060.
$350 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 24: 10,000/20,000/3,000 Ante
After being to reduced to just 22,000 chips and in the small blind, Lou Stadler threw it in the middle and was called by Raminder Singh and Jason Gooch. After a checked down board of 
board, Gooch showed 
. Stadler showed 
for the missed flush and Singh mucked knocking out Stadler.
Lou Stadler finishes in 6th place winning $2,550.
$350 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 23: 8,000/16,000/2,000 Ante
After losing a massive hand to Raminder Singh, Adam Bienstock found himself all-in for his last 41,000 against Lou Stadler and Alberto Silva.
The board ran out 
with Stadler and Silva checking it down. Silva turned up 
, Stadler had 
and Beinstock could only muster ending his evening.
Adam Bienstock finishes in 7th place winning $2,040.
