$580 Six-Max NLH (Single Re-Entry)
Level 3: 75/150 | Structure
Entries: 95

The clock continues an upward tick and now shows 94 players in the game. Here is a look at just a few of those we recognized.

$365 Monster Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
Level 13: 800/1,600 with a 200 ante | Payouts
Players Remaining:  144 of 430

The day’s third break is done and the clock shows 144 entries in the game. Leading the action is Dejan Petkovic. Petkovic has ran hot and turned his 20,000 starting chips into 183,400.

Here’s a look at some of the notable tournament counts:

• Dejan Petkovic – 183,400
• Jermaine Gerlin – 165,500
• Carlos Loving – 150,000
• Chris Perkins – 120,000
• Phil Hui – 107,800
• David Prociak – 105,000
• Almog Biton – 100,000
• Luiz De Farias Guimaraes – 100,000
• Spencer Champlin – 90,000
• Ari Engel – 88,000
• David DiBernardi – 84,300
• Phil Rigby – 81,000
• David Price – 76,100
• Nagui Yassa – 76,000
• Josias Santos – 74,900
• Jessica Dawley – 72,000
• Alexander Machado – 65,000
• Reinaldo Troconis – 65,000
• Sheddy Siddiqui – 64,000
• Jeffrey Higgins – 60,000
• Jeffrey Sager – 60,000
• Vincent Moscati – 50,000
• Robert Campbell – 47,000
• Daniel Pearlman – 45,400
• Kurt Jewell – 44,600
• Michael Ortiz – 43,000
• Jason Tulloss – 35,000
• Marcus Stein – 35,000
• Eric Brewster – 33,700
• Herbert Woodbery – 33,400
• Rob Beck – 26,500
• Jason Young – 26,000
• Carlos Vasquez – 18,400
• Debra Dorcy – 13,800

$365 Monster Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
Level 12: 600/1,200 with a 200 ante | Structure
Players Remaining: 171 of 430

The action has been moving steadily since cards went in the air for the Monster Stack just over six hours ago. From 430 starting, the field is down to the 171 an the meeting rooms that previously held some of the overflow are now empty.

$580 Six-Max NLH (Single Re-Entry)
Level 1: 25/50 | Structure
Entries: 27

The fourth of 14 gold ring events at the Seminole Hard Rock is off and running in the ballrooms. It’s a $580 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max tournament that permits a single re-entry. Players begin with 12,000 chips and are set to log 15, 30-minute levels on Day 1.

Here are the details:

5PM: Event 4 Day 1 – $580 Six-Max NLH (Single Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 12,000 in chips
• Levels 1-18 last 30 minutes; Level 19+ last 45 minutes
• Late registration/single re-entry available until start of Level 9
• Day 1 will end after Level 15 or Tournament Director discretion
• Event 4 Structure Sheet

Updates throughout the tournament will be posted right here at SHRPO.com.

$365 Monster Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)

Event 3 of the World Series of Poker Circuit at the Seminole Hard Rock, a $365 buy-in Monster Stack with single re-entry, drew 430 entries generating a total prize pool of $129,000. The top 45 players finish in the money and earn at least $583. Payouts escalate from there and top out in the form of a $28,739 first prize. In addition, the tournament’s champion earns 50 points toward the Casino Championship and, of course, a Circuit gold ring.

Prize pool and payout details:

2017 Seminole Hard Rock WSOP Circuit
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 3
$365 Monster Stack (Single Re-Entry)
Entries: 430
Prize Pool: $129,000
September 25-26, 2017

1st – $28,379 + Gold Ring
2nd – $17,538
3rd – $12,815
4th – $9,515
5th – $7,175
6th – $5,492
7th – $4,265
8th – $3,359
9th – $2,683
10th-12th – $2,172
13th-15th – $1,783
16th-18th – $1,484
19th-21st – $1,250
22nd-24th: – $1,067
25th-27th – $922
28th-30th – $808
31st-33rd – $716
34th-36th – $642
37th-45th – $583

2017 Seminole Hard Rock WSOP Circuit
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 1
$580 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 1,612
Prize Pool: $806,000
September 21-25, 2017

Hollywood, Florida — The first-ever World Series of Poker Circuit at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino kicked off in grand fashion Thursday with a $580 buy-in re-entry opener. The tournament boasted six starting flights over the course of three days with Day 2 kicking off Sunday. Ultimately, it was Miami Lakes resident Niovel Chirino Alvarez who bested the 1,612-entry field taking home $135,022 along with the tour’s token prize, a gold ring.

“This is just my hobby,” Alvarez said afterward. “I’m not a pro at all. I’m shaking because I didn’t even think I could win.”

The event featured two starting flights daily Thursday, Friday and Saturday and permitted unlimited re-entry throughout. The weekday action was modest to start, but Saturday’s play nearly doubled the field settling it in at the 1,612 tally. The $806,000 prize pool handily bested the $500,000 guarantee and paid each of the final 171 players a piece of it.

Five-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Kurt Jewell, former Seminole Hard Rock Poker Player of the Year David Prociak and tournament pro Brian Hastings were among the standouts to play the event. There was a huge local turnout, too, as another former POY, Ory Hen, Seminole Hard Rock Poker team members Stewart Newman and Sheddy Siddiqui, Paul Balzano, Nancy Birndbaum and Abbey Daniels were among those jockeying for gold jewelry.

Day 2 began Sunday at 1pm with 218 players remaining and only 171 finishing in the money. The bubble burst shortly thereafter sending the remaining players home with a guaranteed payday. Daren Stabinski (26th), Steven McKoy (29th), Daniels (42nd) and Seminole Hard Rock Tampa ambassador Wally Maddah (57th) were among those who finished in the money.

It was late in the day when then 10-handed final table was reached. Gil Aboodi — the eventual runner-up — lead the action. Day 2 played until just before 3am when only three players remained. Aboodi retained the lead while Alvarez was second and Scott Sanders third. The trio returned for an additional, unscheduled day of play Monday and it moved along at breakneck speed.

Sanders busted third just a couple minutes into the action care of chip leader Aboodi. Aboodi had a two-to-one advantage over Aboodi at that point, but doubled up Alvarez and the tables quickly turned. On the final hand, Aboodi got his stack in holding and was second best to Alvarez’s . He never caught up and Aboodi was eliminated in second place earning $83,751.

The win marked the first major tournament cash for Alvarez, a 41-year-old married father of two. He was born in Cuba and now resides here in Florida where he owns a trucking company.

2017 marks the first time for the Seminole Hard Rock and the WSOP to team up in a co-branded series. In addition to their hefty cash prizes, all players who cash during the series will earn points toward the Casino Championship. Following the final ring event, the top points earner will be awarded with a $10,000 entry in the season-ending Global Casino Championship. Joining them at the one-of-a-kind event will be the Main Event champion who also earns a seat in the event.

“I always come [to][the][Seminole][Hard][Rock],” Alvarez said. “I don’t play anywhere else. I like it here. It’s cool, the people are nice here, I get along with basically everyone.”

Event 1 final table results:

1st: Niovel Chirino Alvarez – $135,022 + Gold Ring
2nd: Gil Aboodi – $83,751
3rd: Scott Sanders – $62,255
4th: Nagui Yassa – $46,974
5th: John Magnetta – $35,843
6th: Jordan Meltzer – $27,565
7th: Ruslan Dykshteyn – $21,585
8th: Vytautas Semaska – $17,031
9th: Matyas Csiszar – $13,589

Continue reading Event 1: Niovel Chirino Alvarez Wins $135K and a Gold Ring in WSOP Circuit Opener →

$580 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 32: 60,000/120,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 1,612

Niovel Chirino Alvarez opened the button to 475,000 and short stack Gil Aboodi shoved. Alvarez called and Aboodi was at risk.

Alvarez:
Aboodi:

Runout:

Alvarez’s ace-jack high was good and he officially won the event. The score earned him $135,022 along with a WSOP Circuit gold ring. For the runner-up finish, Gil Aboodi pocketed $83,751.

A full report on the tournament will be posted shortly. In the meantime, here’s a look at the final table results:

1st: Niovel Chirino Alvarez – $135,022 + Gold Ring
2nd: Gil Aboodi – $83,751
3rd: Scott Sanders – $62,255
4th: Nagui Yassa – $46,974
5th: John Magnetta – $35,843
6th: Jordan Meltzer – $27,565
7th: Ruslan Dykshteyn – $21,585
8th: Vytautas Semaska – $17,031
9th: Matyas Csiszar – $13,589
10th: Rafael Oropesa – $10,962

$580 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 31: 60,000/120,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 1,612

Niovel Chirino Alvarez called from the button and Gil Aboodi raised to 1,220,000. Alvarez shoved for 6,800,000 and Aboodi called.

Aboodi:
Alvarez:

Runout:

Alvarez took the lead on the turn pairing his ace and never looked back. He doubled through Aboodi to take the chip lead.

Niovel Chirino Alvarez – 13,820,000
Gil Aboodi – 5,524,000

$580 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 31: 60,000/120,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 1,612

Gil Aboodi – 12,844,000
Niovel Chirino Alvarez – 6,500,000

1st – $135,022 + Gold Ring
2nd – $83,751