The World Poker Tour’s involvement in the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown shuts down until May 30 with a final table headlined by James Carroll, Maria Ho and Eric Afriat scheduled for the HyperX Esports Arena, and Aaron Mermelstein wins the $25,500.
It’s time to put your contact lenses in.
We have some World Poker Tour (WPT) Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown news to catch up on.
We knew that Elio Fox had won the $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller, and now we know that the two-time WPT Main Event Champion, Aaron Mermelstein, has taken down the $25,500 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller.
It was an event that attracted the headlights and horns of cars that belonged to some of the best in the business. 99-entrants ensured the $2m guarantee wouldn’t be a problem, and Mermelstein overcame a final table brimming with tank top confidence.
It’s Mermelstein’s second highest score of his career running his $712,305 haul in winning the Season XIII WPT Borgata Poker Open pretty close. It’s his seventh live tournament win, and second at this venue after winning an 89-entrant $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em side event during the 2015 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open.
Foxen’s runner-up finish sees him extend his lead over David Peters at the top of the Global Poker Index (GPI) World Rankings. Foxen has already earned $2m playing live tournaments this side of Christmas, including eight final tables in some of the toughest games in the world. He’s yet to register a win, though. Foxen also finished third in the $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller five days earlier.
Final table results
1. Aaron Mermelstein – $618,955
2. Alex Foxen – $545,000
3. Joe McKeehen – $305,665
4. James Calderaro – $210,295
5. Shannon Shorr – $136,935
6. Niall Farrell – $100,255
7. Alan Schein – $83,140
8. George Adams – $70,915
There were also ITM finishes for the Poker Central High Roller of the Year, Sam Soverel (12th), the Global Poker Awards (GPA) Breakout Player of the Year, Ali Imsirovic (13th), and the recent LAPC $25,000 winner, Rainer Kempe (14th).
Hat tips have to go to Gavin O’Rourke and Brian Altman who both bagged a brace during the series. Irishman, O’Rourke, cashed four times during the series including winning the $2,200 No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed event for $86,850, and the $2,200 No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed Turbo event for $58,260.
Altman took the lead in the 2019 GPI Player of the Year race after a stunning series. Altman made three final tables, including winning the $1,650 No-Limit Hold’em Purple Chip Bounty event for $37,120, and the $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em Six-Max for $48,980.
James Carroll, Eric Afriat and Maria Ho Headline The WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Main Event Final Table
After five days of tossing cards into the muck, the $3,500 buy-in WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Main Event is set in stone. The 1,360-entrant field made it the fourth largest event in its history, and when the action gets underway on Thursday, May 30 at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas at the Luxor Hotel & Casino, WPT fans are in for a treat.
The former Bay 101 Shooting Stars winner, James Carroll, and the former WPTDeepStacks Main Event champion, Maria Ho dominate proceedings. Both players have more than 100 big blinds, and Ho, in particular, is in fine fettle after winning a $25,000 event at the LAPC and picking up the GPA for Broadcaster of the Year. Eric Afriat is also in the mix seeking WPT Main Event title #3.
Here are the final table and payouts.
Final table
Seat 1: Maria Ho – 16,650,000
Seat 2: Chad Eveslage – 3,350,000
Seat 3: Jerry Wong – 3,225,000
Seat 4: Eric Afriat – 4,425,000
Seat 5: Ami Alibay – 8,175,000
Seat 6: James Carroll – 18,525,000
Payouts
1st. $715,175*
2nd. $465,120
3rd. $344,960
4th. $257,815
5th. $194,610
6th. $148,380
*Includes a seat in the $15,000 Tournament of Champions
