Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
$1,000,000 Guarantee

August 16th-18th, 2015

Total Entries:  502
Total Prize Pool: $1,217,350

The final table bubble of Event 22 ($2,650 NLHE) at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open proved to be a pivotal stretch in the tournament that drew a field size of 502 players. It took close to four hours of play to bust one player when 10 remained, and it was during this time that Fabrizio Gonzales separated his stack from the pack to enter the final table in second chip-position with 1.74 million.

“Oh man that was really long. It was really entertaining too. I came in with 600,000 and I was down to 300,000, and then I ended up with 1.7 million so it was really fun. I just tried to create pressure with 10 people left because I felt like it was a good moment for my chips,” said Fabrizio when asked about the long final table bubble.

During the early stretch of play at the final table tonight, Fabrizio made sure to stay away from the overwhelming chip leader Xuan Liu (3.15 million) as Casey Yontz (ninth), David Diaz (eighth), Jon Borenstein (7th), Chris Hunichen (6th), and Seth Davies (5th) hit the rail during the first four hours of play. “I knew she was going to put pressure on the players. I just tried to play my best to avoid her pressure, and it worked out,” said Fabrizio when he was asked about his approach to Xuan.

The nature of the final table reset with four players remaining, and it was now Fabrizio who held the chip lead with 3.5 million. Daniel Fuhs then doubled up thru Xuan, and that left her with just 400,000. She was all in a short time later with , but Fabrizio was waiting with . The board ran out and Fabrizio improved to a flush to send Xuan home in fourth place, good for $70,900.

Just one hand later, Darryl Ronconi chose his moment to shove with in the hole. Fuhs was waiting with a pocket pair this time around, and he tabled . The flop fell and Ronconi was eliminated with authority by the quad sevens held by Fuhs. Ronconi was awarded the third-place prize money of $84,800.

Fabrizio held the chip lead when heads-up play began, and he only increased it further with steady aggression as play continued. Fuhs was down to 1.1 million when he shoved all-in holding . Fabrizio called with , and it was off to the races. The board was dealt , and Fuhs was eliminated in second place after a nice deep run in the tournament that gave him $141,800.

The made Fabrizio the champion, and the young resident of Spain took home the top prize worth $236,400 along with the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open trophy. “He was a tough player, but I think I picked up some good cards. I think I played very good heads up. I was grinding him down and kept the pressure on, and everything worked out,” said Fabrizio about the heads-up final against Fuhs.  Congratulations to our champion – Fabrizio Gonzalez.

Final Table Results:

1st: Fabrizio Gonzales – $236,400 (Pontevedra Marin)
2nd: Daniel Fuhs – $141,800 (San Diego, CA)
3rd: Darryl Ronconi – $84,800 (Naperville, IL)
4th: Xuan Liu – $70,900 (Toronto, ON)
5th: Seth Davies – $59,100 (Bend, OR)
6th: Chris Hunichen – $47,300 (Clayton, NC)
7th: Jon Borenstein – $35,500 (Teaneck, NJ)
8th: David Diaz – $29,500 (Bartlett, TN)
9th: Casey Yontz – $23,150 (Columbus, OH)

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 30: 50,000/100,000/15,000 Ante

Fabrizio Gonzales was extending his chip lead during the heads up battle and Daniel Fuhs took a shot. On the last hand before dinner break, he shoved for 1,100,000 from the button with .

Gonzales called with for the better hand and a chance for the victory. Fuhs jumped ahead on the flop while the turn added a gutshot draw for Gonzales.

Fuhs had to dodge six river outs to double up but Gonzales hit the gutshot to knock Fuhs out in the runner-up spot for $141,800. Uruguayan Fabrizio Gonzales worked his way through a big field to take the $1,000,000 Guarantee title and $236,400 top prize.

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 30: 50,000/100,000/15,000 Ante

Seat 2: Fabrizio Gonzales – 7,100,000
Seat 9: Daniel Fuhs – 2,900,000

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000/10,000 Ante

Seat 2: Fabrizio Gonzales – 7,250,000
Seat 9: Daniel Fuhs – 2,750,000

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000/10,000 Ante

On the very next hand after Xuan Liu’s elimination, Darryl Ronconi put his short stack in action. He open-shoved for 500,000 from the button with and Daniel Fuhs called with in the small blind.

Whatever dreams Ronconi had for a small suckout, they all died on the flop. There was nothing that could come on the turn or river and Ronconi quickly followed Liu out the door, taking $84,800 for his 3rd place result.

Darryl Ronconi: Eliminated in 3rd Place ($84,800)
Daniel Fuhs: 4,200,000

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000/10,000 Ante

Xuan Liu tried to recover from her big loss to Daniel Fuhs and moved all-in preflop for her final 310,000 with . Fabrizio Gonzales called on the button with .

The flop was not good for Liu and she was drawing dead on the turn to 4th place. An unlucky run for our former chip leader after her two-out elimination of Jon Borenstein.

Xuan Liu: Eliminated in 4th Place ($70,900)
Fabrizio Gonzales: 5,750,000

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000/10,000 Ante

Xuan Liu raised to 175,000 and Daniel Fuhs moved all-in for 1,785,000. Liu called with to flip against Fuhs’ .

Liu fell behind another race on the flop. Liu needed help but missed the and river to drop to the low stack.

Xuan Liu: 400,000
Daniel Fuhs: 3,600,000

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 28: 30,000/60,000/10,000 Ante

Seat 2: Fabrizio Gonzales – 4,000,000
Seat 5: Darryl Ronconi – 1,100,000
Seat 6: Xuan Liu – 3,000,000
Seat 9: Daniel Fuhs – 2,000,000

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 28: 30,000/60,000/10,000 Ante

Seat 2: Fabrizio Gonzales – 3,500,000
Seat 5: Darryl Ronconi – 2,000,000
Seat 6: Xuan Liu – 2,500,000
Seat 9: Daniel Fuhs – 2,000,000

$2,650 No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-Out)
Level 28: 30,000/60,000/10,000 Ante

Xuan Liu limped from the button and Daniel Fuhs did the same from the small blind. Seth Davies moved all-in for 1,150,000 to get a fold from Liu but a call from Fuhs with .

Davies had more chips than Fuhs but was in trouble with . He never caught as the board ran to send a double to Fuhs and leave Davies very short.

Davies: 55,000
Fuhs: 2,200,000

The rest of those went in with Davies in the small blind and Fabrizio Gonzales received a rebate on his 60,000 big blind. Darryl Ronconi had limped from under the gun and dropped his hand when Gonzales bet the flop.

Gonzales flopped top pair with against Davies’ . No saving cards for Davies on the turn or river and he was gone from Event 22 in 5th place for $59,100.

Davies: Eliminated in 5th Place ($51,100)
Gonzales: 3,500,000