2025 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 18
$600 T.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Entries:  84
Prize Pool:  $43,260
January 13, 2025

Event 18 of the 2025 Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open was a $600 T.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry), drawing 84 entries for a prize pool of $43,260. Winning the lion’s share was David May, taking it down outright for $13,860.

This marked May’s second SHRP major series trophy victory, having previously won a $570 H.O.R.S.E. event during the 2019 LHPO.

$600 T.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 24:  50,000/100,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  1 of 84

Omaha Hi-Lo

After a series of raises, David Tarbet was all in for 270,000 on the button against David May in the big blind.

Tarbet: 
May: 

The board came , giving May a king-high straight to win Event 18 outright for $13,860. Tarbet finished runner-up for $8,435.

A recap of Event 18, as well as the updated Mixed Games Leaderboard, will be posted later tonight.

$600 T.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 23:  40,000/80,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  2 of 84

Stud

David Tarbet:    / 
Michael Dreese:    / 

David Tarbet was the bring-in for 10,000, Michael Dreese completed to 40,000, Tarbet raised to 80,000, and Dreese called.

Dreese bet 40,000 on fourth street, Tarbet called, Dreese bet his remaining 30,000 on fifth street, and Tarbet called.

David Tarbet:    / 
Michael Dreese:    / 

Dreese caught a non-helpful on sixth while Tarbet locked up the hand with the to make trips, rendering seventh street moot and ending Dreese’s tournament in third place.

David Tarbet  –  1,020,000  (13 BB)
David May  –  1,080,000  (14 BB)

1st:  $13,860 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  $8,435

3rd:  Michael Dreese  –  $5,245
4th:  Alan Katsnelson  –  $3,550
5th:  Tom Koral  –  $2,700
6th:  John Capitano  –  $2,165
7th:  Ilya Levitin $1,795
8th:  Joshua Thatcher $1,515
9th:  Lavonne Schaafsm $1,395
10th:  Ariel Mantel $1,300
11th:  Stephen Reid $1,300

$600 T.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 22:  30,000/60,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  3 of 84

Omaha Hi-Lo

David Tarbet raised to 60,000 from the small blind and Alan Katsnelson called in the big blind.

The flop was , Tarbet 30,000, and Katsnelson called.

The turn was the , Tarbet bet 60,000, and Katsnelson called all in with for a seven-five low and straight draws. Tarbet showed for aces with a seven-four low.

The river was the , keeping Tarbet’s aces and live deuce low best to eliminate Katsnelson in fourth place.

David Tarbet  –  920,000  (15 BB)
Alan Katsnelson  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($3,550)

$600 T.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 21:  25,000/50,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  4 of 84

Stud

Alan Katsnelson:    /    / 
Tom Koral:    /    / 

Alan Katsnelson completed to 25,000 on third steet and Tom Koral called.

Koral check-called 25,000 on fourth street before calling bets of 50,000 on fifth and sixth streets.

Both checked on seventh.

Katsnelson tabled for a pair of kings, Koral mucked, and Katsnelson collected the pot.

Down to 30,000, Koral busted a few hands later in fifth place.

Alan Katsnelson  –  1,140,000  (23 BB)
Tom Koral  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($2,700)

With four players remaining from the field of 84 entries, the average stack is about 525,000 (11 Big Bets). The remaining players are guaranteed $3,550.

$600 T.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 21:  25,000/50,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  5 of 84

2-7 Triple Draw

David Tarbet raised to 50,000 from the button and John Capitano called all in from the small blind for 25,000.

Capitano went two-one-pat, while Tarbet went two-two-pat and tabled , besting Capitano’s to eliminate him in sixth place.

David Tarbet  –  530,000  (11 BB)
John Capitano  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($2,165)

With five players remaining from the field of 84 entries, the average stack is about 420,000 (8 Big Bets). The remaining players are guaranteed $2,700.

$600 T.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 21:  25,000/50,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  6 of 84

Seat 1:  David Tarbet  –  455,000  (9 BB)
Seat 2:  John Capitano  –  50,000  (1 BB)
Seat 3:  Alan Katsnelton  –  910,000  (18 BB)
Seat 4:  Michael Dreese  –  410,000  (8 BB)
Seat 5:  Tom Koral  –  115,000  (2 BB)
Seat 6:  David May  –  160,000  (3 BB)

1st:  $13,860 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  $8,435
3rd:  $5,245
4th:  $3,550
5th:  $2,700
6th:  $2,165

7th:  Ilya Levitin $1,795
8th:  Joshua Thatcher $1,515
9th:  Lavonne Schaafsm $1,395
10th:  Ariel Mantel $1,300
11th:  Stephen Reid $1,300

$600 T.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 17:  10,000/20,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  11 of 84

Table 1
Seat 1:
Seat 2:  Tom Koral  –  363,000  (18 BB)
Seat 3:  John Capitano  –  288,000  (14 BB)
Seat 4:  Michael Dreese  –  127,000  (6 BB)
Seat 5:  David Tarbet  –  164,000  (8 BB)
Seat 6:  Joshua Thatcher  –  129,000  (6 BB)

Table 2
Seat 1:  David May  –  177,000  (9 BB)
Seat 2:  Ariel Mantel  –  123,000  (6 BB)
Seat 3:  Stephen Reid  –  22,000  (1 BB)
Seat 4:  Alan Katsnelson  –  352,000  (18 BB)
Seat 5:  Lavonne Schaafsma  –  200,000  (10 BB)
Seat 6:  Ilya Levitin  –  155,000  (8 BB)

1st:  $13,860 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  $8,435
3rd:  $5,245
4th:  $3,550
5th:  $2,700
6th:  $2,165
7th:  $1,795
8th:  $1,515
9th:  $1,395
10th-11th:  $1,300

$600 T.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Structure  |  Payouts
Level 13:  4,000/8,000 Limits
Players Remaining:  24 of 84

The players have returned from dinner to begin Level 13, with limits of 4,000-8,000.

A scan of the field during the dinner break turned up two players with at least 155K in chips:

1.  Hal Klein  –  167,500  (21 BB)
2.  Tom Koral  –  165,500  (21 BB)

And here are the payouts they’re playing for:

1st:  $13,860 + LHPO Trophy
2nd:  $8,435
3rd:  $5,245
4th:  $3,550
5th:  $2,700
6th:  $2,165
7th:  $1,795
8th:  $1,515
9th:  $1,395
10th-11th:  $1,300

With 24 players remaining, the average chip stack is around 88,000 (11 Big Bets).

2025 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 18
$600 T.O.R.S.E. (Re-Entry)
Entries:  84
Prize Pool:  $43,260
January 13, 2025

Registration closed for the $600 T.O.R.S.E. event with 84 entries creating a prize pool worth $43,260. The last 11 players will make the money with $1,300 for a min-cash and $13,860 for the champ plus the LHPO trophy.

1st: $13,860 + LHPO Trophy
2nd: $8,435
3rd: $5,245
4th: $3,550
5th: $2,700
6th: $2,165
7th: $1,795
8th: $1,515
9th: $1,395
10th-11th: $1,300