2018 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open 
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
Event #25: $10,000 One-Day
$500,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  91
Prize Pool:  $873,600
August 14, 2018

The 2018 SHRPO Event #25: $10,000 One-Day tournament drew 91 entries, which crushed the $500K GTD by creating an $873,600 prize pool. This year the format was changed to 30-minute levels throughout, and that resulted in some fast and furious action.

Among those to compete but fall short of the money were 2018 SHRPO $50K Super High Roller champ Elio Fox, World Poker Tour champ James Romero, and bubble boy Aaron Mermelstein, who had his kings cracked to fall in 13^th place.

After James Calderaro (12^th – $21,857) and Stanley Lee (11^th – $23,587) bowed out, the final 10 players combined to a single table.

After a tough final table, the title came down to 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event champ Ryan Riess and Ray Qartomy. The latter had controlled the action for most of the final table, but the former came on strong late to seize the chip lead.

The two opted to strike a deal in which Riess was deemed champion for $236,838 while Qartomy officially finished as runner-up for $206,297.

“There was a long while where I was the shortest and Ray had all the chips,” Riess explained. “Four handed I busted a couple guys and then I had all the chips. We chopped and I’m very happy.”

He continued: “I love the bigger buy-ins, the $10Ks and $25Ks are my favorite to play. This casino is just awesome, I can’t say enough good things about it. Tony Burns and all the staff do a great job. I love it here and try not to miss it.”

Indeed, back in April 2017, Riess won the $10,000 World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Finale for $716,088, and in April 2015 took down the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Event #11: $2,200 NLH for $63,891.

Final Results:

1^st – Ryan Riess – $236,838*
2^nd – Ray Qartomy – $206,297*
3^rd – Jay Kovoor – $104,832
4^th – Ben Yu – $67,704
5^th – Shannon Shorr – $52,416
6^th – Jun Ji – $41,496
7^th – Barry Hutter – $34,944
8^th – Almedin Imsirovic – $30,576
9^th – Stephen Chidwick – $27,719
10^th – Jerry Robinson – $25,334
11^th – Stanley Lee – $23,587
12^th – James Calderaro – $21,857

*Denotes heads-up deal