Week 1: Eric Rivkin Claims Escalator Series Title and $33,970

2016 $1,000,000 Escalator Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Hollywood, Fla.
$150 No Limit Hold’em ($100,000 Guaranteed)
Entries: 1,250
Prize Pool: $150,000
February 3-6, 2016

Eric Rivkin, Escalator Series Event #1 Winner
Eric Rivkin, Escalator Series Event #1 Winner

Hollywood, Fla. (February 7, 2016) — The first of four $1,000,000 Escalator Series events concluded at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino early Sunday morning. Claiming the title in the $150 buy-in, $100,000 guaranteed event was professional poker player Eric Rivkin. In addition to the Escalator Series trophy, Rivkin pocketed $33,970, a $3,500 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown seat and a $250 seat in next week’s Escalator tournament following a heads-up chop.

The opening weekend event drew a field of 1,250 entries besting the guarantee handily before topping the prize pool out at $150,000. With nine starting flights, Rivkin was among 129 players to survive an opening day of play and punch his ticket to Day 2. Only the top 72 spots paid and play narrowed to that point following about four levels of play in the restart. Joining Rivkin in the money were notables such as start-of-day chip leader Brian Nerney (5th), reigning SHRP Player of the Year Ory Hen (13th) and Ido Ashkenzi (15th).

The Escalator Series runs throughout February and features three additional tournaments — a $250 buy-in, $200,000 guaranteed, a $350 buy-in, $300,000 guaranteed and a $560 buy-in, $400,000 guaranteed. The sum of the guarantees equals $1,000,000.

Here’s a breakdown of the tournaments:

The victory in the Week 1 event marked Rivkin’s fifth career tournament victory and moved him to over $440,000 in earnings. He resides in East Hampton, N.Y.

Week 1 final table results:

1st: Eric Rivkin – $33,970 + $3,500 SHRP Showdown seat
2nd: Reynel Hernandez – $25,390 + $3,500 SHRP Showdown seat
3rd: Luis Sandoval – $14,410
4th: Claudio Kalili – $9,760
5th: Brian Nerney – $6,890
6th: Mohan Navani – $5,410
7th: Edmund Farhat – $4,230
8th: Elliott Zaydman – $3,200
9th: Maria Garrido – $2,315

Payouts include $250 Escalator Series Week 2 seat

Full Results