HOLLYWOOD, FL – The Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (SHRPO) concluded its 11th year at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood with the crowning of The Big 4 champions.
The Big 4 consists of four tournament finales with staggered structures designed to conclude around the same time. This year’s events carried combined guarantees of $4.75 million and drew 1,143 entries, generating more than $5 million in total payouts.
Joe McKeehen won the SHRPO Championship and $462,600. The championship drew 673 entries and generated a prize pool of more than $3.3 million.
SHRPO Championship Final Table Results:
1st: Joe McKeehen (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) – $462,600 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd: David Greufe (Jacksonville, Mo.) – $390,804
3rd: Loni Hui (Tamarac, Fla.) – $250,000
4th: Eddie Pak (Los Angeles, Calif.) – $188,000
5th: Frankie Rivera (Bushkill, Pa.) – $142,000
6th: Dan Chalifour (Spofford, N.H.) – $108,000
7th: Jose Nadal (Alicante, Spain) – $83,000
8th: Robert-Andrei Burlacu (London, England) – $65,000
9th: Darren Rabinowitz (Las Vegas, Nev.) – $51,000
The other Big 4 winners were Justin Zaki of Tampa, who won the $25,500 High Roller No Limit Hold’em for $391,550; Mehmet Siginc of Calgary, who won the $3,000 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em for $92,017; and Jay Jay Wilson of Palm Beach Gardens, who won the $1,100 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em for $42,682.
The SHRPO opened with the $400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em, which drew 5,069 entries and generated a prize pool of more than $1.6 million, exceeding its $1 million guarantee. Joseph Duchman of Miami Beach won the event and $144,758.
Raminder Singh became the first player in series history to win four trophy events during a single festival, bringing his Seminole Hard Rock career total to 20 tournament victories. The following day, Jean Laurent won his fourth trophy of the series, matching Singh’s single-festival record.
Five women won trophy events during this year’s series: Melanie Hochman in the $600 Mixed Triple Draw; Esther Petiote in the $400 Triple Stack Black Chip Bounty; Loni Hui in the $800 Pot Limit Omaha 8; Maria Hernandez in the $1,100 Deep Stack NLH; and Michelle Ceglarek in the $400 Black Chip Bounty NLH.
Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood’s next major poker series, the Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open, is scheduled for Nov. 17-Dec. 2.
