2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 19
$600 H.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Entries:  86
Prize Pool:  $45,150
August 1-2, 2022

Phil Hui is one of the winningest players in Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood history, but when he was down 10-to-1 in chips in Event 19 ($600 H.O.R.S.E.), it looked like he wouldn’t be winning another trophy today.

“Heads-up I got down to about two bets at one point,” said Hui. “So I felt like it was over then, but I ran hot in limit hold’em right after that last hand of Stud-8.”

The Stud-8 hand that knocked Hui down (click here for details) had both of them turning over two pair at showdown, but Lazaro Rodriguez’s nines up beat Hui’s sixes up. (Neither player made a low.)

That left Hui with two big bets as the game switched to limit Hold’em. Hui flopped two pair on the first hand of Hold’em to double up to four big bets. He then won the next two pots to reach seven big bets, and suddenly he was back in contention with some chips to work with.

A few hands later, Hui was dealt pocket aces (click here for details), and they held up with betting on every street to give Hui the lead.

They went thru all five games before returning to Stud-8.

Hui had more than a 2-to-1 chip lead when they played a pot to showdown, and Hui turned over a rivered flush to win the entire pot. (Hui didn’t have a low, and Rodriguez mucked.) That hand knocked Rodriguez all the way down to 1/10th of a big bet. (Click here for details.)

Rodriguez won the next hand to double up to 2/10ths of a big bet, but the hand after that would be the final showdown.

Rodriguez got it all in on third street, and both players picked up straight draws on fourth street. Rodriguez took the lead with a pair on fifth and two pair on sixth, but on seventh street, Hui caught a ten to complete his ace-high straight to knock out Rodriguez and win the title.

This is the fifth Seminole Hard Rock trophy for Hui, and the seventh for him and his wife Loni, who has two trophies of her own. They live nearby, and are regulars here for all the big tournament series.

“I love playing here,” said Hui. “It’s the best.”

Final Results: