2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 3
$400 H.O.R.S.E. (Single Re-Entry)
Entries:  74
Prize Pool:  $24,790
March 25, 2022

Event 3 of the 2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown was a $400 H.O.R.S.E. (Single Re-Entry). A field of 74 entries created a prize pool of $24,790.

John Simcox and five-time SHRP trophy winner Phil Hui were the last two standing and agreed to an even chop. As the chip leader, Simcox was the official winner.

“I always come to the series here,” Simcox said afterward. “The dealers are awesome, the room is awesome, it’s a great place to play.”

Earlier this month, Simcox finished fifth in the Tampa Poker Classic $400 H.O.R.S.E. tournament at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa for $1,500, and also final tabled the $400 H.O.R.S.E. event during the 2021 Lucky Hearts Poker Open, finishing sixth for $1.694.

“I’m better at Hold’em than the mixed games, but mixed games are more fun. I’m more relaxed when playing them.”

*denotes heads-up chop

$400 H.O.R.S.E. (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22: 20,000/40,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 74

Before beginning to play heads-up, John Simcox and Phil Hui agreed to an even chop. Here were their chip counts at the time:

John Simcox  –  612,000  (15 big bets)
Phil Hui  –  276,000  (7 big bets)

Here were the payouts:

John Simcox  –  $6,543
Phil Hui  –  $6,542

As the chip leader, John Simcox is the official winner of Event 3 of the 2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown!

A recap of the event will be posted later tonight.

$400 H.O.R.S.E. (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22: 20,000/40,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 74

Omaha 8

In the last hand of Level 21, with limits of 15,000-30,000, John Simcox raised from the small blind to 30,000, and Matthew Wolfson called all in from the big blind for 20,000.

John Simcox:  
Matthew Wolfson:  

With those hands, neither player could make a low, and the board came . Simcox spiked a king on the river to win the pot with a higher two pair, kings and tens, eliminating Wolfson in third place.

Matthew Wolfson  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($3,025)

Here are the updated chip counts for the start of heads-up play, with limits increasing to 20,000-40,000:

John Simcox  –  612,000  (15 BB)
Phil Hui  –  276,000  (7 BB)

$400 H.O.R.S.E. (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21: 15,000/30,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  3 of 74

Hold’em

Anthony Askey raised from the small blind to 30,000, Phil Hui reraised from the big blind, and Askey called all in for 42,000 with .

Askey needed his hand to hold to stay alive against Hui’s .

The board came — Askey paired his three on the flop, but Hui paired his jack on the turn to win the pot and eliminate Askey in fourth place.

Phil Hui  –  315,000  (11 BB)
Anthony Askey  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($2,045)

With three players remaining, the average chip stack is about 295,000 (30 big bets), and they are guaranteed to earn at least $3,025 each.

$400 H.O.R.S.E. (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21: 15,000/30,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  4 of 74

Phil Hui  –  290,000  (10 big bets)
John Simcox  –  270,000  (9 big bets)
Anthony Askey  –  170,000  (6 big bets)
Matthew Wolfson  –  160,000  (5 big bets)

1st:  $8,250 + Showdown trophy
2nd:  $4,835
3rd:  $3,025
4th:  $2,045

5th:  Gabe Ramos  –  $1,550
6th:  John Kern  –  $1,240
7th:  Jeffrey Miller  –  $1,115
8th:  Louis Rico  –  $990

9th:  Christopher Labrie  –  $870
10th:  Scott Baumstein  –  $870

$400 H.O.R.S.E. (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20: 12,000/24,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  4 of 74

Razz

Phil Hui:  (X-X)
Gabe Ramos: (X-X)

Phil Hui completed to 12,000 on third street and Gabe Ramos called.

Hui:  (X-X) 
Ramos:  (X-X) 

Hui checked on fourth street, Ramos bet 12,000, Hui check-raised to 24,000, Ramos committed his remaining 28,000-ish and Hui called.

Hui:  () 
Ramos:  () 

Here were the rest of their runouts:

Hui:  ()    ()
Ramos:  ()    ()

Both players made seven-sixes, Hui’s 7-6-3-2-A had Ramos’ 7-6-5-3-A slightly slipped to eliminate Ramos in fifth place.

Phil Hui  –  195,000  (8 big bets)
Gabe Ramos  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($1,550)

$400 H.O.R.S.E. (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  8,000/16,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  5 of 74

Stud 8

John Simcox:  () 
John Kern:  () 

A short-stacked John Kern was all in on third street against John Simcox.

Simcox:  () 
Kern:  () 

Here were the rest of their runouts:

Simcox:  ()    ()
Kern:  ()    ()

Simcox made a pair of aces with an eight-seven low, while Kern’s runout did not help in the slightest.

“So jack high didn’t win half?” joked Kern, exiting in sixth place.

John Simcox   –  180,000  (11 big bets)
John Kern  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($1,240)

$400 H.O.R.S.E. (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 18:  8,000/16,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  6 of 74

Stud

Jeffrey Miller:  () 
John Simcox:  () 
Matthew Wolfson:  () 

Picking up the action on fourth street, Jeffrey Miller bet 8,000 with the best board and John Simcox called. Matthew Wolfson made it 16,000 and both opponents called.

Miller made an open pair on fifth street and bet his remaining 10,000. Both Simcox and Wolfson called and then proceeded to check down sixth and seventh street.

Here were the runouts and their downcards:

Jeffrey Miller:  ()    (
John Simcox:  ()    ()
Matthew Wolfson:  ()    ()

Wolfson’s trip sixes were best, ending Miller’s tournament in seventh palce.

Matthew Wolfson  –  290,000  (18 big bets)
John Simcox  –  140,000  (9 big bets)
Jeffrey Miller  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($1,115)

$400 H.O.R.S.E. (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 17:  6,000/12,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  7 of 74

Omaha 8

Anthony Askey raised to 12,000 from the cutoff and Louis Rico called all in from the big blind.

Askey: 
Rico: 

The board ran out , giving Askey a wheel to eliminate Rico in eighth place.

Anthony Askey  –  258,000  (22 big bets)
Louis Rico  –  Eliminated in 8th Place  ($990)

$400 H.O.R.S.E. (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 17:  6,000/12,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  8 of 74

Seat 1:  John Kern  –  80,000  (7 big bets)
Seat 2:  Gabe Ramos  –  50,000  (4 big bets)
Seat 3:  Matthew Wolfson  –  215,000  (18 big bets)
Seat 4:  Anthony Askey  –  240,000  (20 big bets)
Seat 5:  Phil Hui  –  160,000  (13 big bets)
Seat 6:  Jeffrey Miller  –  48,000  (4 big bets)
Seat 7:  Louis Rico  –  12,000  (1 big bet)
Seat 8:  John Simcox  –  85,000  (7 big bets)

1st:  $8,250 + Showdown trophy
2nd:  $4,835
3rd:  $3,025
4th:  $2,045
5th:  $1,550
6th:  $1,240
7th:  $1,115
8th:  $990

9th:  Christopher Labrie  –  $870
10th:  Scott Baumstein  –  $870