2016 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
Event #8
$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Entries: 1,324
Prize Pool: $158,880
January 17-20, 2016

Hollywood, F (January 20, 2016) — The last big multi-day tournament on the 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open schedule featured a small buy-in and big prize pool. Event 8 had a big crowd and it was local Carlos Cruz being declared the champion after a nine player deal.

The $150 buy-in tournament had a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool with six starting flights over three days. The tournament drew 1,324 entrants to create a prize pool worth $158,880 with the last four players earning at least $10,000.

After all starting flights were complete, we had 157 players return for Day 2 with Sergio Alves leading the way as the chip leader. He spent much of the last day among the leaders but he was unable to make it down to the final table, dropping out in 23rd.

The tournament was set to pay the last 81 players remaining and they were on the money bubble less than two hours into Day 2 action. There were several double ups during hand-for-hand action until they were in the money on the fifth hand courtesy of Gergio Correa.

From that point, the tournament played quickly and they were close to the final table during the dinner break. The final table was set when former professional racecar driver Martin Soltero was eliminated by Carlos Cruz.

There was some talk about making a deal to chop up the remaining prize pool but it wasn’t accomplished until Leroy Jones Jr. was sent out in 10th place. Tournament staff paused the clock, ran the numbers, and everyone agreed.

Carlos Cruz had the biggest stack, picked up the biggest part of the prize pool in the deal, and was declared the champion.

“This is my third one!” Cruz laughed as he posed for another winner’s photo.

“I guess it’s my specialty”

This indeed was the third Seminole Hard Rock Poker victory for Cruz in a $150 buy-in event. He won the big field tournament during both the 2013 and 2014 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown series.

Final table results:

1st: Carlos Cruz – $19,153
2nd: Timothy Banks – $14,191
3rd: Joshua Wasserman – $13,671
4th: Brian O’Keefe – $13,454
5th: Zoltan Czinkota – $12,255
6th: Nancy Birnbaum – $11,714
7th: Abbey Daniels – $10,002
8th: Butchie Mitchell – $8,068
9th: Kiler Delia – $7,213

Full results available from our friends at TheHendonMob.com.

2016 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
Event #15
$250 HORSE
Entries: 53
Prize Pool: $11,130
January 20, 2016

Hollywood, Fla. (January 21, 2016) — Jeff Cookson won the final primary event of the 2016 Lucky Hearts Poker Open early Thursday morning at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Cookson, a 51-year-old retiree from Weston, Fla., bested a field of 53 entries to earn $2,486 following an even three-way chop in the $250 HORSE tournament.

The 15-tournament LHPO series began about two weeks ago and kicked off with a 4,075-entry field in Event 1 marking the largest tournament in Florida poker history. From there, the headline shifted to the Main Event — a $1,100 WPTDeepStacks championship. The finale drew a field of 1,684 entries that shattered the guarantee to the tune of a $1,633,480 prize pool.

Cookson’s victory in Event 15 marked the closing ceremony of the LHPO. The performance earned Cookson his eighth career cash, fifth final table appearance and first major tournament victory.

That’s a wrap on the LHPO, but Seminole poker action begins again at the Hard Rock in April with the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown.

Event 15 final results:

1st: Jeff Cookson – $2,487
2nd: Hoyt Verner – $2,485
3rd: Harry Eisenberg – $2,485
4th: Michael Roseingrave – $1,113
5th: Darren Manser – $890
6th: Mike Dalton – $668
7th: Christian Ivens – $557
8th: Ben Matthews – $445

2016 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Event 14
$350 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Total Entries: 95
Prize Pool: $30,000
January 20, 2016

Hollywood, Fla. (January 21, 2016) – The first tournament to close on the final day of the 2016 Lucky Hearts Poker Open was Event 14, a $350 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry). After about 12 hours, a heads-up chop was agreed upon by the final two players and as the chip leader, David Maddox officially locked up the victory.

The 46-year-old Maddox is the General Manager of CinéBistro at Dolphin Mall and loves to play poker as a hobby.

“I like to play poker three or four times a week and I try to play as many tournaments as I can when these large series are going on, especially at the Hard Rock,” Maddox told us afterward. “This is the first one that I’ve won, though. There were a few really tough players at the final table, so I’m really happy to finally get this win.”

Final Tables Results
*denotes heads-up chop

1st: David Maddox (Boynton Beach, FL) – $6,900*
2nd: Anthony Ocampo (Miami, FL) – $6,900*
3rd: Kai Koppe (Caledonia, NY) – $3,000
4th: Morris Heider (Boca Raton, FL) – $2,400
5th: James Lehman (Royal Palm Beach, FL) – $1,800
6th: Sharon Bachar (Miami, FL) – $1,500
7th: Armen Khachatryan (Russia) – $1,200
8th: Robert Saunders (Timmins, Ontario) – $900
9th: Thomas Gari (Hollywood, FL) – $675
10th: Ryan Dunn (Tallahassee, FL) – $600

Full results available from our friends at TheHendonMob.com.

$250 H.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Level 22: 20,000/40,000 Limits

The remaining three players agreed to a three-way even chop that sees Jeff Cookson and his chip lead take home the top spot and the trophy.

Final results:

1st: Jeff Cookson – $2,486
2nd: Hoyt Verner – $2,486
3rd: Harry Eisenberg – $2,486
4th: Michael Roseingrave – $1,113
5th: Darren Manser – $890
6th: Mike Dalton – $668
7th: Christian Ivens – $557
8th: Ben Matthews – $445

A full report on the tournament will be posted shortly.

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 31: 75,000/150,000/20,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 9
Average Stack: 1,475,000 (10 bb)

With the elimination of Leroy Jones Jr. and the blinds climbing high, the remaining nine players agreed on an ICM deal to split the remaining prize pool. As the big chip leader, Carlos Cruz was declared the champion for his third Seminole Hard Rock Poker $150 Multi-day tournament victory.

1st: Carlos Cruz – $19,153
2nd: Timothy Banks – $14,191
3rd: Joshua Wasserman – $13,671
4th: Brian O’Keefe – $13,454
5th: Zoltan Czinkota – $12,255
6th: Nancy Birnbaum – $11,714
7th: Abbey Daniels – $10,002
8th: Butchie Mitchell – $8,068
9th: Kiler Delia – $7,213

$250 H.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Level 21: 15,000/30,000 Limits

Michael Roseingrave fell victim to the 6-4-3-2-A of Jeff Cookson during a round of Razz. Roseingrave busted 4th earning $1,113 while Cookson moved into contention for the chip lead with 207,000.

Roseingrave is 69 years old and resides in Long Beach, NY.

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 30: 50,000/100,000/10,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 10
Average Stack: 1,324,000 (13 bb)

There was a short discussion about chopping up the remaining prize pool but everyone was reluctant with Leroy Jones Jr’s short stack. They continued playing and he was soon at risk.

He was all-in for less than the small blind when Abbey Daniel’s raised it up to isolate. Jones Jr was ahead with against but that changed quickly on the flop.

Daniel’s boated up on the and Jones Jr was drawing dead to 10th place.

$250 H.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Level 20: 12,000/24,000 Limits

Darren Manser got the last of his chip in during a hand of Omaha 8. When the hands were tabled, Manser held on a board. He couldn’t beat the straight of Jeff Cookson. With no low out there, Manser busted 5th earning $890.

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 30: 50,000/100,000/10,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 10
Average Stack: 1,324,000 (13 bb)

Seat 1: Joshua Wasserman – 1,940,000 (19 bb)
Seat 2: Zoltan Czinkota – 845,000 (8 bb)
Seat 3. Nancy Birnbaum – 1,555,000 (16 bb)
Seat 4: Kiler Delia – 620,000 (6 bb)
Seat 5: Brian O’Keefe – 1,395,000 (14 bb)
Seat 6: Carlos Cruz – 2,845,000 (28 bb)
Seat 7: Leroy Jones Jr. – 280,000 (3 bb)
Seat 8: Timothy Banks – 1,845,000 (18 bb)
Seat 9: Abbey Daniels – 1,200,000 (12 bb)
Seat 10: Butchie Mitchell – 740,000 (7 bb)