2021 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 13
$400 Six-Max Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Entries: 139
Prize Pool:  $46,565
January 19, 2021

On Monday night, Leif Force was heads-up for the trophy in Event 9 ($400 Black Chip Bounty PLO), but he came up short, finishing as the runner-up.

On Tuesday night, Force survived a back-and-forth heads-up battle against Aaron Kupin to win $11,635 and his first Seminole Hard Rock trophy.

“It feels good,” said Force. “I finished second in the PLO high the day before, and 10th in the re-entry two days ago, so it’s nice to actually win one.”

“I feel like the fields have been really soft,” added Force, “and I usually do well down here.” The pandemic may have softened up a lot of players, but Force stayed sharp by playing live in different venues and home games. But he’s happy to be back playing at the Seminole Hard Rock.

“The Hard Rock’s great,” said Force. “I was telling people yesterday that the dealers overall are amazing, the floor staff is really nice and friendly, and the Hard Rock as a whole is a great place to stay.”

Final Results:

1st:  Leif Force  –  $11,635 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  Aaron Kupin  –  $7,725
3rd:  Michael Hallen  –  $5,255
4th:  Michael Rosenberg  –  $3,665
5th:  Elias Nassif  –  $2,620
6th:  Matthew Stuff  –  $1,925
7th:  Brandon Berkenfeld  –  $1,450
8th:  Leonardo Zanolini  –  $1,450
9th:  Syed Shah  –  $1,125
10th:  Walter Chambers  –  $1,125
11th:  Lynn Sean Patrick  –  $900
12th:  Avery Bloom  –  $900
13th:  Matthew Kirkwood  –  $740
14th:  Todd Fuselier  –  $740
15th:  Jake Liebeskind  –  $625
16th:  Jared Palmer  –  $625
17th:  An Hwang  –  $545
18th:  Walter Dowler  –  $545
19th:  Joseph Patalano  –  $495
20th:  Darin Utley  –  $495
21st:  Ashton Griffin  –  $495
22nd:  Shanmukha Meruga  –  $495
23rd:  Stewart Yancik  –  $495
24th:  Julio Marrero Sosa  –  $495

$400 Six-Max Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  10,000/20,000
Players Remaining:  1 of 139

A few hands after Leif Force doubled thru Aaron Kupin, Kupin raised to 60,000, Force pot-raised to 180,000, and Kupin called.

The flop came , and Force bet the pot (360,000), which appeared to be enough to put Kupin all in. Kupin tanked for a long time before he put all of his chips at risk.

Leif Force:    (ace high)
Aaron Kupin:    (pair of threes)

The turn card was the , giving Force a gutshot straight draw, and the river card was — the . Force won the pot — plus the trophy and $11,635 — with a pair of aces. Kupin finished as the runner-up, earning $7,725.

$400 Six-Max Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  10,000/20,000
Players Remaining:  2 of 139

After the elimination of Michael Hallen in third place, there was a lengthy heads-up battle between Leif Force and Aaron Kupin, with some wide swings and multiple lead changes.

Kupin had more than a 2-to-1 chip lead when he raised from the button to 60,000, and Force pot-raised it to 180,000. Kupin called.

The flop came , Force moved all in for 335,000, and Kupin tanked for a long time before he called.

Aaron Kupin:    (double-gutshot straight draw)
Leif Force:    (pair of aces, pair of deuces)

The turn card was the , giving Kupin a pair and Force a diamond flush draw, but negating any possible lows

The river card was the , and Force won the entire pot with a set of aces to double up in chips.

Leif Force  –  1,030,000  (52 bb)
Aaron Kupin  –  640,000  (32 bb)

$400 Six-Max Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  4,000/8,000
Players Remaining:  7 of 139

When the field for the six-max PLO-8 reached the final seven players, there was a random redraw for seats at the final table. Here’s the lineup along with their chip counts at the start of the final table:

Seat 1.  Aaron Kupin  –  389,000  (49 bb)
Seat 2.  Matt Stuff  –  213,000  (27 bb)
Seat 3.  Michael Rosenberg  –  184,000  (23 bb)
Seat 4.  Leif Force  –  371,000  (46 bb)
Seat 5.  Brandon Berkenfeld  –  122,000  (15 bb)
Seat 6.  Mike Hallen  –  253,000  (32 bb)
Seat 7.  Elias Nassif  –  137,000  (17 bb)

And here are the payouts they’re playing for:

1st:  $11,635 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  $7,725
3rd:  $5,255
4th:  $3,665
5th:  $2,620
6th:  $1,925
7th:  $1,450

$400 Six-Max Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 10: 500/1,000
Players Remaining: 42 of 139

Event 13 drew 139 entries to create a Six-Max Pot Limit Omaha 8 prize pool worth $46,565. The last 24 places will earn some money with $495 for a min-cash and $11,635 plus the LHPO trophy to the PLO8 champ.

This tournament ranks as the second biggest Pot Limit Omaha 8 tournament in our long history, only topped by the 156 during the 2013 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open.

• 2013 SHRPO (August) – 156 entries
• 2021 LHPO (January) – 139 entries
• 2019 SHRPO (August) – 130 entries
• 2016 SHRPO (August) – 124 entries
• 2015 SHRPO (August) – 111 entries

2021 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 13
$400 Six-Max Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Entries: 139
Prize Pool:  $46,565
January 19, 2021

1st: $11,635 + LHPO Trophy
2nd: $7,725
3rd: $5,255
4th: $3,665
5th: $2,620
6th: $1,925
7th-8th: $1,450
9th-10th: $1,125
11th-12th: $900
13th-14th: $740
15th-16th: $625
17th-18th: $545
19th-24th: $495

$400 Six-Max Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure
Level 8:  300/600
Entries:  129

With the board showing on the turn, the player in the big blind checks, Aaron Kupin bets 4,000 from the button, and the big blind calls.

The river card was the , the big blind checks, the Kupin moves all in for 7,000, and the big blind calls.

Kupin shows to win the pot with an ace-high heart flush, and with no possible lows, his opponent mucks. Kupin wins the entire pot to double up in chips.

Aaron Kupin  –  29,000  (48 bb)

The field is up to 129 players, though registration will be closing soon. The prizepool information should be released shortly after registration closes.

$400 Six-Max Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure
Level 1: 25/50

We have more Omaha coming to the Seminole Ballroom this afternoon at 3 pm. Event 13 is a Pot Limit Omaha 8 game with a $400 buy-in and dealers will be chopping up some pots.

They’ll start with 12,000 stacks out front and play through 30-minute levels all day long. Late registration and single re-entry is available until the start of Level 9 at 7:30 pm with a dinner break at 9 pm.

This should be another great field with a popular South Florida game bringing out the players.

• Players begin with 12,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/single re-entry until start of Level 9 (7:30pm)
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 13 Structure Sheet

Primary Event Schedule

11AM: Event 11 – $400 Omaha 8/Stud 8 (Freeze-Out)

• Players begin with 12,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/single re-entry until start of Level 9 (3:30pm)
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 11 Structure Sheet

12PM: Event 12 – $600 Six-Max NLH (Single Re-Entry)

• $50,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 15,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/single re-entry until start of Level 9 (4:30pm)
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 12 Structure Sheet

3PM: Event 13 – $400 Six-Max Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)

• Players begin with 12,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/single re-entry until start of Level 9 (7:30pm)
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 13 Structure Sheet

6PM: Event 14 – $600 Deep Stack Turbo NLH (Freeze-Out)

• Players begin with 20,000 in chips and 15-minute levels
• Late registration/single re-entry until start of Level 9 (8:15pm)
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 14 Structure Sheet

Secondary and Satellite Schedule

9AM: Event 47 – $140 Turbo Satellite (1-in-10)

• 2 seats guaranteed into any $600 LHPO event
• Players begin with 10,000 in chips and 15-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 5
• Satellite will be held in the Poker Room
• Structure Sheet

4PM: Event 48 – $400 WPT LHPO Championship Satellite (1-in-10)

• 5 seats guaranteed into $1,000,000 GTD WPT LHPO Championship
• Players begin with 10,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 8
• Winners will be entered into the earliest starting flight
• Structure Sheet

8PM: Event 49 – $130 Event 15 Turbo Satellite (1-in-10)

• 2 seats guaranteed into $1,100 buy-in LHPO Event 15
• Players begin with 10,000 in chips and 15-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 5
• Structure Sheet