Carlos Rodriguez Rojas Wins Event 6 Outright for $62,090

2021 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 6
$1,100 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  301
Prize Pool:  $291,970
January 17-18, 2021

Carlos Rodriguez
Event 6 Winner Carlos Rodriguez Rojas

It took two days to get down from 301 entries to a single winner, and Carlos Rodriguez Rojas outlasted them all to win his first poker trophy.

“This is my club, the Hard Rock,” said Rojas. “I always play here. And this is the first trophy that I won, and it’s from the Hard Rock.”

Like most people, Rojas hasn’t played much live poker in the past year.

“I played in Vegas a couple weeks ago,” said Rojas, “and then I played a couple of daily tournaments here at the Hard Rock. Because of the pandemic, I haven’t played that much. But I couldn’t miss this one.”

Now that he’s had his first taste of victory, expect Rojas to go for more trophies. He plans to play the rest of the Lucky Hearts Poker Open, and take his shot in the $3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open coming up this weekend.


Final Results:

PlaceFirst NameLast NamePrize Amount
1Carlos RodriguezRojas$62,090
2NadeemHirani$41,395
3JosephWalters$30,265
4RodneyTurvin$22,430
5BillyPappas$16,860
6IanWilliams$12,850
7MatthewYorra$8,870
8StephenVecchio$8,870.00
9RicardoEyzaguirre$6,210.00
10DennisRodriguez$6,210.00
11RyanVan Sanford$5,020.00
12AlexPolk$5,020.00
13MatthewZazaian$4,120.00
14CrystalUtley$4,120.00
15AlbertSabogali$3,435.00
16Guilebaldo FloresManzo$3,435.00
17AlfredLow$2,905.00
18JalalFarooq$2,905.00
19EmanuelKiprakis$2,905.00
20Daniel CalwayFagen$2,905.00
21ChristinaRead$2,500.00
22JustinHarvell$2,500.00
23StevenBaber$2,500.00
24ChristopherNunnally$2,500.00
25RobertKessler$2,185.00
26YordanPetrov$2,185.00
27AllanBieler$2,185.00
28DavidMelman$2,185.00
29SebastiaanDe Jonge$2,185.00
30JasonBlock$2,185.00
31RichardDamigos$2,185.00
32JeffreyHewitt$2,185.00
33Jorge ManuelDe Oliveira Lopez$1,945.00
34AnHwang$1,945.00
35BrandonMifsud$1,945.00
36ZacharyMullennix$1,945.00
37RichardFlach III$1,945.00
38DrewOconnell$1,945.00

Event 6: Carlos Rodriguez Rojas Wins ($62,090); Nadeem Hirani Finishes as Runner-Up ($41,395)

$1,100 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27: 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 301

Carlos Rodriguez Rojas
Carlos Rodriguez Rojas

After a flop of Ks9c8c, Nadeem Hirani checked, Carlos Rodriguez Rojas bets 150,000, and Hirani check-raised to 450,000. Rojas called.

The turn card was the 3s, and Hirani moved all in for about 1.35 million, and Rojas called with QhQc.

Hirani turned over 10c7s for an open-ended straight draw, and he needed to catch a jack or a six to stay alive.

The river card was the 5d, and the pocket queens held up for Rojas to win the pot — and the trophy and the $62,090 first prize.

Congratulations to Carlos Rodriguez Rojas!

1st:  Carlos Rodriguez Rojas  –  $62,090 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  Nadeem Hirani  –  $41,395
3rd:  Joseph Walters  –  $30,265
4th:  Rodney Turvin  –  $22,430
5th:  Billy Pappas  –  $16,860
6th:  Ian Williams  –  $12,850
7th:  Matthew Yorra  –  $8,870

Nadeem Hirani
Nadeem Hirani

Event 6: Nadeem Hirani Wins a Big Pot, But Carlos Rodriguez Rojas Quickly Wins His Chips Back

$1,100 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26: 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 301

After a flop of 8s8c7d, Carlos Rodriguez Rojas and Nadeem Hirani put in 140,000 each.

The turn card was the Qd, Rojas checked, Hirani bet 320,000, and Rojas called.

The river card was the 10h, Rojas checked, Hirani bet 1,100,000, and Rojas called. Hirani showed Qh8d to win the pot with a full house, and Rojas mucked.

Nadeem Hirani  –  4,500,000  (90 bb)
Carlos Rodriguez Rojas  –  1,475,000  (30 bb)

A few minutes later, with the board showing KcQc8d4d5d on the river and about 300,000 already in the pot, Hirani bet about 300,000.

Rojas raised all in for 1,340,000, and Hirani called with Kh5h for two pair, kings and fives. But Rojas turned over 10d3d to win the pot with a rivered diamond flush to double up in chips.

Carlos Rodriguez Rojas  –  2,975,000  (60 bb)
Nadeem Hirani  –  3,050,000  (61 bb)

Event 6: Joseph Walters – 3rd Place ($30,265)

$1,100 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26: 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 301

Joseph Walters
Joseph Walters

Joseph Walters moved all in from the button for about 600,000, and Nadeem Hirani called from the small blind with 8s8c.

Walters turned over Ah3c, and he needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came Ks5s4s10h3s — Walters paired his three on the river, but the same card gave Hirani a spade flush. Hirani won the pot to eliminate Walters in third place.

Joseph Walters  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($30,265)

Heads-up play is now underway between Hirani and Carlos Rodriguez Rojas, with Hirani holding more than a 2-to-1 chip lead.

Nadeem Hirani  –  4,150,000  (83 bb)
Carlos Rodriguez Rojas  –  1,900,000  (38 bb)

Event 6: Rodney Turvin – 4th Place ($22,430)

$1,100 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 25: 20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 301

Rodney Turvin

Nadeem Hirani min-raised from the cutoff to 80,000, Rodney Turvin moved all in from the button for 580,000, and Hirani asked for an exact count before he called with Kd9h.

Turvin turned over KsQd, and needed his hand to hold to stay alive.

The board came 6c4d3d9s6s, and Hirani paired his nine on the turn to win the pot and eliminate Turvin in fourth place.

Nadeem Hirani  –  3,175,000  (79 bb)
Rodney Turvin  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($22,430)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is about 2.0 million (50 big blinds).

Event 6: Billy Pappas – 5th Place ($16,860)

$1,100 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 24: 15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 301

Rodney Turvin moved all in from the cutoff, and Billy Pappas called from the small blind with AhJc. Turvin turned over 4d4c, and Pappas needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came 9d5s2h5d2s, and the pocket fours held up for Turvin to win the pot and eliminate Pappas in fifth place.

Rodney Turvin  –  1,330,000  (44 bb)
Billy Pappas  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($16,860)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is about 1.5 million (50 bb).

Event 6: Joseph Walters Gives Out a Couple of Double-Ups

$1,100 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 23: 15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 301

Nadeem Hirani moved all in under the gun for 380,000, and Joseph Walters called from the big blind with Ad8h. Hirani turned over JsJd, and needed his hand to hold to stay alive.

The board came 10d7d5h5d6c, and the pocket jacks held up for Hirani to win the pot and double up in chips.

Nadeem Hirani  –  800,000  (32 bb)
Joseph Walters  –  1,700,000  (68 bb)

Billy Pappas moved all in from the small blind for 480,000, and Joseph Walters called fromt he big blind with JhJc. Pappas turned over KcQd, and needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came KdQs5d7c5s, and Pappas flopped two pair to win the pot and double up in chips.

Billy Pappas  –  1,010,000  (40 bb)
Joseph Walters  –  1,360,000  (54 bb)

With five players remaining, the average chip stack is about 1.2 million (48 big blinds).

Event 6: Ian Williams – 6th Place ($12,850)

$1,100 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 23: 15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 301

Ian Williams

Billy Pappas got it all in from the big blind for 460,000 with QsQh, and he needed his hand to hold to stay alive against the 9h9c of Nadeem Hirani in the hijack.

The board came Ac4c4sQd3h, and Pappas turned an unnecessary full house to win the pot and double up in chips.

Billy Pappas  –  950,000  (48 bb)
Nadeem Hirani  –  580,000  (29 bb)

A short while later, Ian Williams moved all in from the cutoff for 495,000, and Joseph Walters called from the small blind with 10s10c.

Williams turned over 4s4c, and needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came 6s5h2h8s9d — Williams flopped a gutshot straight draw and turned a double-gutshot, but he missed all of his outs on the river. The pocket tens held up for Walters to win the pot and eliminate Williams in sixth place.

Joseph Walters  –  1,950,000  (78 bb)
Ian Williams  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($12,850)

With five players remaining, the average chip stack is about 1.2 million (48 big blinds).

Event 6: Matthew Yorra – 7th Place ($8,870)

$1,100 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22: 10,000/20,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 301

Matthew Yorra

Matthew Yorra was all in from the cutoff for 315,000 with Kd10s, but he was dominated and facing elimination against the AcKc of Rodney Turvin in the big blind.

The board came Ah6s4h9cJc, and Turvin paired his ace on the flop to win the pot and eliminate Yorra in seventh place.

Rodney Turvin  –  1,525,000  (76 bb)
Matthew Yorra  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($8,870)

With six players remaining, the average chip stack is about 1.0 million (50 big blinds).

Event 6: Final Table Begins with Joseph Walters as Chipleader

$1,100 Deep Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21: 10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 301

Stephen Vecchio got it all in from the small blind with AdKd, but he was in big trouble against the AsAh of Nadeem Hirani on the button.

The board came QhQc5c9h8s, and the pocket aces held up for Hirani to win the pot and eliminate Vecchio in eighth place.

Stephen Vecchio  –  Eliminated in 8th Place  ($8,870)

The remaining seven players just did a redraw for random seats at the final table, and here are their seating and chip counts:

Seat 1.  Billy Pappas  –  480,000  (32 bb)
Seat 2.  Matthew Yorra  –  585,000  (39 bb)
Seat 3.  Joseph Walters  –  1,705,000  (114 bb)
Seat 4.  Nadeem Hirani  –  665,000  (44 bb)
Seat 5.  Rodney Turvin  –  1,130,000  (75 bb)
Seat 6.  Carlos Rodriguez Rojas  –  900,000  (60 bb)
Seat 7.  Ian Williams  –  440,000  (29 bb)

The average chip stack is about 860,000 (57 big blinds), and here are the final table payouts:

1st:  $62,090 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  $41,395
3rd:  $30,265
4th:  $22,430
5th:  $16,860
6th:  $12,850
7th:  $8,870

And here is a list of the recently eliminated players, along with their payouts:

8th:  Stephen Vecchio  –  $8,870
9th:  Ricardo Eyzaguirre  –  $6,210
10th:  Dennis Rodriguez  –  $6,210
11th:  Ryan Van Sanford  –  $5,020
12th:  Alex Polk  –  $5,020
13th:  Matthew Zazaian  –  $4,120
14th:  Crystal Utley  –  $4,120
15th:  Albert Sabogali  –  $3,435
16th:  Guilebaldo Flores Manzo  –  $3,435
17th:  Alfred Low  –  $2,905