2024 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 1
$600 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Entries:  3,212
Prize Pool:  $1,670,240
January 11-15, 2024

Kevin MacDonald took down the title in the big NLH opener event at the LHPO for the biggest payday in his poker career worth $250,420. That gives him a seventh tournament victory, and bumped his total earnings up close to $900,000.

“I made it through on two bullets, and an interesting fact is that after I bagged chips on Day 1A I played in the $400 turbo with 35 players, and I ended up winning the trophy. That was my second trophy here,” said MacDonald when he was asked about the early stages of his tournament journey to the victory.

He also wanted to make a special dedication of his win to a guardian angel he felt was looking over him in some key spot along the way. “It was just a grind, and I picked up a few gifts along the way. I think my friend Sandy Taylor who just died recently might have given me some timely rivers, so I dedicate this win to him,” said MacDonald.

In addition to his recent success here this week at the Seminole Hard Rock he has been coming down here for years during the winter from Canada. “I love coming down here for the winter, I’m a Canadian snowbird. Yeah, whatever other tournaments I can schedule in I will play in them,” said MacDonald.

MacDonald has a six-figure score to his credit before, but he was excited to add the biggest win to the poker resume here in South Florida. “This was my biggest cash ever in the biggest field I’ve played in, so it’s kind of surreal really to have that success. I was probably the only one over 30 at the final table, and I’m well over 30 [laughs]. It was a younger crowd, so when you see a guy my age get to this point it’s very hard to do so, you have to get very lucky along the way,” said MacDonald.

When he was asked about action at the final table, MacDonald had this to say. “We were all taking turns, it was back-and-forth, nobody was sitting on it, everybody was going for it. When it was four-handed there wasn’t too much strategy on my part; I think they just like to get in hands with me. I just happened to win enough of them, or a key one here or there.”

MacDonald also enjoyed the deep structure for this tournament, especially for just a $600 buy-in. “This was an awesome structure , you have time and long levels, so lots of time. The play dictates that,” said MacDonald.

It also sounded like it was going to be no rest for the weary for MacDonald when we inquired about his celebration plans for the victory. “I don’t know, is there a tournament at 8 o’clock tonight [laughs]? I need some time to absorb it, and maybe I just get into another turbo,” said MacDonald.

Here is a look at the full results for this huge event that saw hundreds of players make the money from 3,212 total entries.

*denotes heads-up deal

$600 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 35:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  1 of 3,212

Kevin MacDonald and Nicholas Chong have agreed to a chop during heads-up play to bring the big NLH opener event to a close. MacDonald takes first place for the largest score in his poker career worth $250,420 along with LHPO trophy. Chong took home $221,375 as the runner-up thanks to his deep run in this huge field. Stay tuned for an interview with the winner along with photos that will be posted a bit later.

Kevin MacDonald – 40,550,000 (101 bb)
Nicholas Chong – 23,700,000 (59 bb)

1st: Kevin MacDonald – $250,375
2nd: Nicholas Chong – $221,375

$600 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 35:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 3,212

Nathan Chong moved all in from the button for 14,700,000 and Ya Yun Liu moved all in at risk for just under 9,000,000 from the small blind. Kevin MacDonald thought about it for a minute, deciding whether to go for the double knockout but picked a fold.

Chong:
Liu:

Liu was ahead for the double up but needed to fade Chong’s two live cards. That bad news for our former chipleader came on the flop when Chong paired his jack. The turn and river finished the board and Liu was eliminated in second place.

Nicholas Chong – 23,700,000 (59 bb)
Ya Yun Liu – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($129,300)

$600 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 35:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 3,212

After a long stretch of four-handed play that saw the final four stacks almost even for awhile, David Nathaniel was all in with in the hole from the button, and Kevin MacDonald had him covered holding on the big blind.

The final board read , and Nathaniel was eliminated in fourth place, good for $100,340. Kevin MacDonald stacked up 35.5 million after collecting the pot.

Kevin MacDonald – 35,500,000 (88 bb)
David Nathaniel – Eliminated in Fourth Place ($100,340)

$600 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 34:  200,000/300,000 with a 300,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 3,212

Ya Yun Liu was all in preflop for 4.4 million with in the hole from the big blind, and David Nathaniel had him covered holding pocket nines on the small blind.

The final board read to give Liu a straight and a double up worth 9,600,000. Nathaniel held a little more than 21 million after the hand.

Ya Yun Liu – 9,600,000 (32 bb)
David Nathaniel – 21,100,000 (70 bb)

$600 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 34:  200,000/300,000 with a 300,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 3,212

Here is a look at the chip counts from the most recent break.

Seat 2: Nicholas Chong – 18,000,000 (60 bb)
Seat 3: David Nathaniel – 23,700,000 (79 bb)
Seat 4: Ya Yun Liu – 7,300,000 (24 bb)
Seat 7: Kevin MacDonald – 15,300,000 (51 bb)

Remaining Prize Pool:

1st:  $291,385 + LHPO trophy
2nd:  $180,410
3rd:  $129,300
4th:  $100,340

$600 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 33:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 3,212

David Shmuel was all in preflop short for 1.3 million with in the hole from the big blind, and Nicholas Chong had him covered holding pocket tens from the cutoff.

The final board read , and Shmuel was eliminated in fifth place, good for $76,000. Chong stacked up 21.9 million after the hand.

Nicholas Chong – 21,900,000 (87 bb)
David Shmuel – Eliminated in Fifth Place ($76,000)

$600 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 32:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 3,212

With about 10,000,000 in the pot and the board reading , Jerome Leonardo announced all in as soon as the river hit the board. Chong thought for a second and called to get a small groan from Leonardo.

“You’re good,” Leonardo told him.

Chong:
Leonardo:

Chong was good with his paired king and the dealer counted down both stacks. Chong was the one at risk for 7,725,000 and Leonardo was left with only 125,000.

He tripled from half a big blind but was gone in sixth place soon after.

Nicholas Chong – 25,400,000 (102 bb)
Jerome Leonardo – Eliminated in 6th Place ($56,025)

$600 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts | Results
Level 32:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 3,212

Nicholas Chong was all in for 5,225,000 preflop with in the hole from the button, and Ya Yun Liu had him covered holding pocket jacks on the big blind.

The final board read , and Chong doubled up to survive with 11,075,000,. Liu was at 10,235,000 after the hand.

Nicholas Chong – 11,075,000 (44 bb)
Ya Yun Liu – 10,325,000 (41 bb)