Tommy Vedes Wins 2012 World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Showdown

Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager

Apr 24, 2012 3 min read Last updated Dec 11, 2017

The World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Showdown concluded on Monday as the final six players of a 290-player field battled for the $779,520 first-place prize. Joe Serock began the final table with a monster chip lead, more than 2-1 over the next closest competitor, but in the end, Tommy Vedes emerged victorious.

Here's a look at the Final Table headed into Day 6:

Seat	Player	Chips
1	Craig Bergeron	1,235,000
2	Tommy Vedes	590,000
3	Sharon Levin	1,216,000
4	Kyle Bowker	1,070,000
5	John Dolan	1,454,000
6	Joe Serock	3,137,000

According to the WPT Live Update Team, the first significant action occurred on hand 29 when Kyle Bowker raised to 65,000 under the gun only to have Vedes move all in from the small blind for 595,000. Bowker made the call with 10♣10♦ and it was off to the races against the Vedes' A♦K♣. The K♠J♠8♠ flop was kind to the at-risk player as it gave him the lead with a pair of kings, while the 9♥ turn and 4♥ river kept him there. With that, Bowker was left with just 90,000.

He managed to triple up two hands later, and then doubled that to 440,000 through John Dolan on the very next hand. Unfortunately, his comeback was cut short on hand 46 when he moved all in from the cutoff for 255,000 with Q♣J♠ and Serock called from the small blind holding A♦J♣. The board ran out 7♦6♣3♠9♣5♠ and Bowker was eliminated in sixth place for $122,496.

Four hands later, Vedes opened from the cutoff to 90,000 and was met with an all-in three-bet to 615,000 by Sharon Levin on the button. Both blinds got out of the way, and after about a minute of deliberation, Vedes made the call.

Showdown

Levin	A♥3♣
Vedes	6♦6♥

Levin was in bad shape, and even more so when the flop fell 6♠K♦J♦. The 2♥ left him drawing dead, and after the 9♠ was put out on the river for good measure, he exited in fifth place for $158,688.

On hand 74, which happened in Level 27 with blinds at 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante. Craig Bergeron moved all in under the gun for 990,000 only to have Vedes move all in over the top for 1.3 million on the button, enough to push out the blinds.

Showdown

Bergeron	6♥6♠
Vedes	Q♥Q♠

Bergeron was in major trouble and in need of some help, but the board provided none as it ran out K♠8♥7♠8♠9♣. Bergeron finished in fourth place and collected $212,976 for his efforts.

It was at that point Dolan won a race with A♦J♠ against Serock’s 6♦6♥ to double into the chip lead and leave the latter on the short stack. Then, on hand 106, Dolan opened from the small blind for 1.115 million and Serock defended from the big, leaving just 310,000 behind. When the flop came down 8♠3♣3♦, Dolan moved all in and Serock snapped with Q♦Q♥. Dolan revealed K♦8♣ for a smaller two pair, but much to his fortune, and Serock’s dismay, the K♠ spiked on the turn to give him the lead. The 9♦ river was of no consequence and Serock’s run came to an end in third place for $306,240.

That left Vedes and Dolan to do battle heads up, with the latter holding 6.3 million to the former’s 2.535 million. Not to be deterred, Vedes doubled on Hand #125 and used the momentum to go on and capture the chip lead; in fact, at the start of Level 31, which featured 60,000/120,000 blinds, he held 5.485 million to Dolan’s 3.21 million.

On hand 145, Dolan opened for 250,000 only to have Vedes reraise to 620,000. Dolan thought for a couple of minutes before moving all in and Vedes snap-called.

Showdown

Dolan	K♦6♦
Vedes	A♦10♦

Vedes had made a great call, but the K♥J♣6♥ flop did not reward him as it gave Dolan the lead. Luckily for Vedes, the Q♠ spiked on the turn to give him a straight. Dolan needed either a six or a king on the river to stay alive, but it was not in the cards as the 4♣ blanked.

Dolan finished as runner up for $459,360, while Vedes became the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown champion and captured the $779,520 first-place prize and a spot in the $25,000 WPT Championship at the end of the season.