2015 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guarantee
April 19 – 21st, 2015
Total Entries: 652
Total Prize Pool: $78,240
Emil Soffer
Recap:
There was no question when the dust settled in Event 17 who deserved to win this title as Emil Soffer played outstanding poker on Day 2 to capture the trophy.
The story early on was Ross Lebo. Lebo had been on cruise control most of the way to the final table. At one point, he held over 2.6 million chips with three tables remaining and was on cruise control to the final table. But along the way Josias Santos and Soffer started doing some damage of their own. But in the major confrontations they had with two tables left, Soffer had mostly gotten the best of Santos.
Two fast eliminations with eleven players remaining got Event 17 to the final table with Brandon Pinkerton going out first. And just when Lebo had slipped to 1.1 million, he came from behind on two consecutive hands eliminating Ravi Shanmugam in 8th and Michael Corbett in 7th. But Lebo could not keep the momentum going. Jamie Gomez started to assert himself and took most of Lebo’s chips before finally ending his night in 5th. Then things got a little strange.
Louis Leo IV had survived a couple of all-ins leaving Sean Yu as the short stack and Gomez had taken the lead away from Soffer. Despite Yu’s position, he insisted during a chop discussion that he should be declared the champion. His bold attempt to convince the other players to end the touranemnt didn’t work out and play continued.
Gomez and Soffer hooked up in a key hand which turned out to the be the difference in the tournament with Soffer barely getting the best of it after a great call putting him back in the lead. After a few more hands, the players agreed to discuss a chop after the end of the next hand. Ironically, the hand ended up putting Yu and Soffer against each other. Yu had decided to press as hard as possible to double up and put himself all-in on the turn. Had Soffer lost the hand, his chip lead would have been in jeopardy. But Soffer picked off Yu’s semi-bluff and sent him out in 5th place.
After the conclusion of the hand, the remaining four players agreed to the chop leaving Soffer the winner following the key hands he’d won against Gomez and Yu.
“I took some chances with 4-5 suited, 7-8 suited and got the cards and it paid off. I thought he (Yu) was bluffing and I had the high pair with the low kicker. It was not an all-in for me so nothing hurt – go for it. It’s a great feeling to win – very nice. I love coming here!”
Congratulations to our Event 17 Champion – Emil Soffer!
Results:
1st – Emil Soffer (Miami, FL) – $15,394
2nd – Jamie Gomez (Miami Gardens, FL) – $11,468
3rd – Josias Santos (Sao Paulo, Brazil) – $10,208
4th – Louis Leo IV (Coral Springs, FL) – $9,056
5th – Sean Yu (Los Angeles, CA) – $3,951
6th – Ross Lebo (Lehigh Acres, FL) – $3,169
7th – Michael Corbett (Fort Lauderdale, FL) – $2,425
8th – Ravi Shanmugam (San Jose, CA) -$1,721
9th – Brandon Pinkerton (Jupiter, FL) – $1,252
, Yu bet 260,000 and Soffer made the call. With a 
on the turn, Yu checked and Soffer bet 260,000. Yu then made the move all-in putting Soffer to a decision that could have cost him the chip lead if he was wrong. Soffer eventually made the call and it turned out to be the right one. Yu flipped over 
and Soffer showed his 
for top pair.
on the river, Yu was gone in 5th place. He wins $3,951 for his efforts in Event 17.
board leaving Lebo with only a straight possibility to save him. But the board ran out 
and Lebo was headed to the payout rail in 6th place.
. After a very quickly run out board of 
against Lebo’s 
. A flop of 
, Corbett’s tournament was over in shocking fashion as Lebo had eliminated two players in a row from way behind.
against Shanmugam’s 
. But the fates were not with Shanmugam as the flop came out 
board running out, Lebo took the pot and eliminated Shanmugam.
for the wheel leaving Pinkerton’s 