$3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
Level 30: 50,000/100,000/15,000 Ante

The final day of the 2015 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship is about to get underway with just six players left with a chance to take home the top $1,000,000 prize.

The Championship started on April 16 and drew 1,476 entrants competing for the $5,000,000 prize pool. That number was whittled down until we have our final table set to go. Griffin Paul will start the final day with the chip lead with Andre Crooks his nearest competitor. Joe Ebanks, Brian Green, Ryan Rivers, and Shawn Nguyen round out the rest of the final table.

The average stack is 74 big blinds and it will be a long grind for the table with the added pressure of a live audience and the WPT cameras. Cards are scheduled to be in the air at 4pm and we’ll be here all day with live updates.

Final table mini-bios

Final table lineup:
Seat 1: Griffin Paul – 14,290,000 (143 bb)
Seat 2: Joe Ebanks – 6,585,000 (66 bb)
Seat 3: Ryan Rivers – 4,170,000 (42 bb)
Seat 4: Shawn Nguyen – 3,615,000 (36 bb)
Seat 5: Brian Green – 5,205,000 (52 bb)
Seat 6: Andre Crooks -10,350,000 (104 bb)

Final table payouts:
1st: $1,000,000
2nd: $615,000
3rd: $383,000
4th: $323,500
5th: $269,000
6th: $217,500

The 2015 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship is down to just six players after three starting flights and five total days. The tournament stared with 1,476 and here’s a little look at the only players remaining with a shot at the $1,000,000 first place prize.

Seat 1: Griffin Paul – 14,290,000 (143 bb)

From Calabasas, CA with over $74,000 in career tournament earnings and his biggest coming in the 2014 WSOP Main Event for $25,746. Paul has two career WSOP cashes and one WPT cash. He lists his special talent as “country line dancer”.

Seat 2: Joe Ebanks – 6,585,000 (66 bb)

From Lubbock, TX with nearly $2.4 million in career tournament earnings and his biggest cash earned for winning the $10,000 WSOP 6-Handed Championship for $1,158,481. Ebanks has tournament cashes in 17 different countries. (US, Uruaguay, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Romania, Monaco, Aruba, France, Bahamas, Austria, Costa Rica, Estonia, Germany, Portugal, Panama, and Brazil)

Seat 3: Ryan Rivers – 4,170,000 (42 bb)

From Belleville, ON with over $200,000 in career tournament earnings and most of it coming from a 3rd place finish at the PokerStars Canada Cup in 2014. He has one WSOP cash and his first WPT cash came in this event last year. Rivers plans to help his mother retire with this result.

Seat 4: Shawn Nguyen – 3,615,000 (36 bb)

From West Palm Beach, FL with $28,000 in career tournament earnings making this his biggest cash by far. Primarily a cash game player with one WSOP to his credit, this is his first big buy-in tournament and he lists his special skills as talking and tilting people.

Seat 5: Brian Green – 5,205,000 (52 bb)

From Arlington, TX with nearly $800,000 in career tournament earnings including a 2nd place finish in the $5,000 WSOP Limit Hold’em event in 2012. He has one WPT final table with four WPT cashes along with 11 career WSOP cashes.

Seat 6: Andre Crooks – 10,350,000 (104 bb)

From Lake Worth, FL with over $75,000 in career tournament earnings and the biggest coming from a 2nd place finish during the 2013 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown $1,100 No Limit Hold’em event. Crook’s most recent cash was here two weeks ago in Event 4 and a 4th place finish.

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 27: 20,000/40,000/5,000 Ante

After the dramatic hand that ended Dave Albertson’s night and left Howie Hershkovich only a few thousand chips behind the leader, Alex Boytan finally relented and agreed to an even split of the money and claimed the Event 20 title.

The contentious night was brought to an end with Boytan taking the title and earning $9,468 and Hershkovich finishing in 2nd place for just a dollar less at $9,467.

Congratulations to our Event 20 Champion – Alex Boytan!

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 27: 20,000/40,000/5,000 Ante

Dave Albertson just wouldn’t go down.  It turned out having the best hand pre-flop was the key to his defeat.

Albertson was in with against Howie Hershkovich’s .  Albertson survived the flop but the hit on the turn.  The came on the river and Albertson was out after dodging bullets all night.

Dave Albertson finishes 3rd for $4,444.

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 26: 15,000/30,000/5,000 Ante

The dam has finally broke on the final four as Gil Morgenstern has gone to the payout window.

Alex Boytan and Morgenstern got it all-in (minus 5,000 chips) pre-flop and after a flop the other 5,000 was put in the middle. The cards were turned up with Boytan flopping a queen-high flush holding .  Morgenstern could only turn over his and got no help close out his tournament.

Gil Morgenstern exits Event 20 in 4th place for $3,130.

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 26: 15,000/30,000/5,000 Ante

We are still at four players left in Event 20.  Here are the counts as we start Level 26:

Alex Boytan: 700,000
Gil Morgenstern: 485,000
Howie Hershkovich: 425,000
Dave Albertson: 220,000

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 24: 10,000/20,000/3,000 Ante

Dave Albertson has refused to fall tonight.

Albertson has staved off elimination twice against Alex Boytan and Howie Hershrovich to stay alive here in Event 20.  Albertson just doubled up through Hershrovich with his queens holding up against Hershrovich’s sevens.

He and Boytan have added some verbal sparring going to this final table with Boytan stating he would be the one to end Albertson’s night.  Albertson has stood up to the fire and let him know – “Not today.”

Four players still remain here in Event 20 as we near Level 25 with a top prize of $11,980 on the line.

$250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 23: 8,000/16,000/2,000 Ante

Back-to-back hands have taken two players out of Event 20.

Kenny Bhakta went down first as he pushed his stack in and Dave Albertson decided to try to take him out and called.

Bhakta showed against Albertson’s .  Albertson managed to run out a flush after a board of ending Bhakta’s night in 6th place.

Immediately after that, Tony Burns also pushed his stack and was called by Howie Hershkovich.  Burns tuned up and was racing against Hershkovich’s .

Burns could find no help as the board ran out and was gone in 5th place.

Burns takes home $2,415 for the 5th place finish and Bhakta wins $1,835 for 6th.