2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 16
$600 Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Entries:  87
Prize Pool:  $45,675
March 31, 2022

Event 16 of the 2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown was a $600 Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry). A field of 87 entries generated a prize pool of $45,675, and the final table boasted several SHRP major multi-trophy winners.

In the end, just days after winning Event 4 ($400 PLO8) outright, John Binns did it again, this time winning Event 16 outright for $14,540. It’s Binns’ fourth SHRP major series trophy overall, and each is in an Omaha 8 variant.

His first came in a $300 Omaha 8 event at the 2017 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open for $6,605, his second in the $400 PLO8 tournament at the 2021 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open for $9,000, and now he has another two from the 2022 Showdown to join that pair.

“It’s just like last time, it’s not me,” said Binns afterward. “God makes it happen. It’s a pretty simple game, you just have to watch the players at your table and pick up on things here and there. I definitely had to get lucky because I was so short-stacked heads-up, but with getting lucky and playing well, there’s only so much I can do. The rest is up to God, and he is good to me.”

$600 Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 25:  40,000/80,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  1 of 87

John Binns limped for 40,000 and Scott Blackman checked.

They checked to the turn of a board where Blackman bet 80,000. Binns raised to 160,000, Blackman reraised to 240,000, Binns reraised to 320,000, and Blackman called.

“No low card,” said Binns.

The river was the , Blackman checked, Binns bet, and Blackman called all in for 30,000.

“Full house,” said Binns, as he tabled for jacks full of fives.

“That is so sick,” said Blackman, as he showed for a second-best full house of jacks full of fours.

Binns had the only possible better full house, winning the tournament outright for $14,540. It’s his second trophy win of the series and fourth overall.

Blackman finished runner-up for $8,910.

A recap of the event will be posted last tonight.

$600 Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 25:  40,000/80,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 87

John Binns raised to 80,000 and Scott Blackman called.

The flop was and Blackman check-called 40,000 from Binns.

The turn was the , Blackman checked, Binns bet 80,000, Blackman check-raised to 160,000, and Binns called.

The river was the , Blackman bet 80,000, Binns raised to 160,000, and Blackman called.

Binns tabled for the nut low and a flush, Blackman showed for the nut low, and Binns took three-quarters of the pot to take the lead.

John Binns  –  870,000  (11 big bets)
Scott Blackman  –  435,000  (5 big bets)

$600 Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  30,000/60,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 87

John Binns raised to 60,000 and Scott Blackman called.

The flop was and Blackman check-called 30,000 from Binns.

The turn was the and Blackman check-called 60,000 from Binns.

The river was the and Blackman check-called about 60,000.

Binns showed for trip threes with a six-five low, Blackman mucked, and Binns won the pot.

John Binns – 620,000  (10 big bets)
Scott Blackman  –  685,000  (11 big bets)

$600 Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  25,000/50,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 87

Scott Blackman limped for 25,000, John Binns raised to 50,000, and Blackman called.

The flop was , Binns checked, Blackman bet 25,000, and Binns called.

The turn was the , Binns checked, Blackman bet 50,000, Binns check-raised to 100,000, Blackman reraised to 150,000, Binns reraised to 200,000, and Blackman called.

The river was the , Binns bet 50,000, and Blackman called.

“I can’t believe it,” Binns said. “I played this hand so freaking bad.”

Binns showed for a six-high straight and a wheel, while Blackman tabled for flush and a wheel, winning three-quarters of the pot.

Scott Blackman  –  1,075,000  (22 big bets)
John Binns  –  230,000  (5 big bets)

$600 Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  20,000/40,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 87

The next hand after John Binns nearly evened the chip counts against Scott Blackman, Blackman raised from the button to 40,000, and Binns called.

Both players checked to the turn on a board of , Binns bet 40,000, Blackman raised to 80,000, and Binns called.

The river card was the , Binns checked, Blackman bet 40,000, and Binns called.

Blackman showed for an ace-high flush with an 8-7-3 low to scoop the pot, and Binns mucked.

Scott Blackman  –  820,000  (21 bb)
John Binns  –  485,000  (12 bb)

Shortly after this hand, the two players ran the numbers for a possible ICM chop, and while they didn’t agree to a deal, it gave us official chip counts:

Scott Blackman  –  882,000  (22 bb)
John Binns  –  423,000  (11 bb)

$600 Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  20,000/40,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 87

John Binns raised from the button to 40,000, and Scott Blackman called.

The flop came , Blackman checked, Binns bet 20,000, and Blackman called.

The turn card was the , which meant there would be no possible lows this hand. Blackman checked, Binns bet 40,000, and Blackman check-raised to 80,000. Binns called.

The river card was the , Blackman bet 40,000, and Binns called.

Scott Blackman:    (king high)
John Binns:    (trip jacks)

Blackman missed a couple draws, and Binns won the pot with his trip jacks to nearly tie things up.

John Binns  –  640,000  (16 BB)
Scott Blackman  –  665,000  (17 BB)

$600 Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  20,000/40,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 87

Mitchell W. Smith raised from the button to 40,000, and John Binns called from the small blind.

Both players checked to the turn on a board of , Binns bet 40,000, and Smith called.

The river card was the , Binns bet, and Smith called all in for about 20,000.

John Binns:    (Wheel)
Mitchell W. Smith:    (pair of aces, 7-4 low)

Binns flopped a wheel (five-high straight and a perfect low) to scoop the entire pot, eliminating Smith in third place.

Mitchell W. Smith  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($5,540)

And here are the approximate chip counts for the start of heads-up play, along with their value in terms of big bets:

Scott Blackman  –  800,000  (20 BB)
John Binns  –  500,000  (13 BB)

And here are the remaining payouts at stake:

1st:  $14,540 + Showdown trophy
2nd:  $8,910

$600 Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  16,000/32,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  3 of 87

John Binns limped from the small blind and Gabe Ramos checked in the big blind.

The flop was and Binns check-called 16,000 from Ramos. The turn was the , Binns checked, Ramos bet his remaining 10,000, and Binns called.

Binns: 
Ramos: 

Ramos was ahead with a pair of nines and an open-ended straight draw against Binns’ pair of sevens, an inside-straight draw, and a flush draw.

The river was the , giving Binns sevens and fours to win the pot with two pair, eliminating Ramos in fourth place.

John Binns  –  515,000  (16 big bets)
Gabe Ramos  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($3,745)

$600 Limit Omaha 8 (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  12,000/24,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  4 of 87

Barry Levy, who on the bubble had a single T5,000 chip, had laddered up several spots before ultimately busting in fifth place.

Levy began his final hand with roughly 40,000 on the button and faced off against two opponents, with the board falling .

Levy’s couldn’t top John Binns’ for trip eights, ending Levy’s tournament in fifth place.

John Binns  –  415,000  (17 big bets)
Barry Levy  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($2,855)