22-Year-Old Griffin Paul Wins WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown for $1,000,000
The penultimate stop on Season XIII of the World Poker Tour (WPT) came to an end on Wednesday night. The $3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown attracted 1,476 entrants over the course of three starting flights, but after five days of action, it was 22-year-old poker pro Griffin Paul who emerged victorious to capture the $1 million first-place prize, a Hublot Oceanographic 4000 watch, gold Monster headphones, and a $15,400 seat into the season-ending WPT World Championship.
Prior to the win, Paul had just $74,616 in winnings, which included $25,756 for finishing 441st in the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event, and $24,030 for placing 32nd in the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Stars back in March.
"It's like a dream, I'm speechless," Paul told SHRPO officials after the win. "It was a really tough table. I fought some amazing players and here I am."
He went on to add, "I stayed here last night for the first time. It's an amazing property. Really nice. Beautiful. The staff here is great."
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Griffin Paul | $1,000,000 |
| 2 | Joe Ebanks | $615,000 |
| 3 | Andrew Crooks | $383,000 |
| 4 | Shawn Nguyen | $323,500 |
| 5 | Brian Green | $269,000 |
| 6 | Ryan Rivers | $217,500 |
Notable Finishes: Dan Heimiller (8th - $123,000), David Peters (10th - $58,500), Mohsin Charania (15th - $39,000), Vince Van Patten (27th - $22,100), Jared Jaffee (50th - $13,750), Marvin Rettenmaier (79th - $9,300)
According to live updates from the event, it took awhile for the ranks to thin. Canada's Ruan Rivers, who previously finished third in the 2014 PokerStars Canada Cup for $151,430, was the first to go on Hand #57 when his K♣8♣ failed to overcome the A♣8♦ of Joe Ebanks. After another baker's dozen of hands, Brian Green, a prior WPT Jacksonville bestbet Open finalist, bowed out in fifth place when he three-bet shoved with the A♠10♣ and Paul, the original raiser, called with the J♠J♦. The fishhooks held and that was all she wrote for Green, who took down a career-high $269,000 for his performance.
Seven hands later, Shawn Nguyen, a cash-game player playing his first big buy-in tournament, exited in fourth place after losing a flip with the A♦10♠ to the 9♠9♣ of Ebanks. The final three players were fairly deep, but that didn't stop Ebanks and Andre Crooks from playing a big pot six hands later.
On Hand #83, with the blinds at 100,000/200,000/25,000, Ebanks opened for 550,000 from the small blind and Crooks, who had finished fourth in the series' $350 NLHE Black-Chip Bounty event two weeks earlier, three-bet to 1.1 million from the big blind. Ebanks four-bet to 2.35 million, Crooks five-bet to 4.8 millions, and Ebanks six-bet shoved. Crooks snap-called for 9.975 million total and was in prime position to double big.
Crooks: K♠K♣
Ebanks: 9♥9♦
Unfortunately for Crooks, the flop came down A♠J♥9♣ to give Ebanks a set. Neither the 4♦ turn nor 10♥ river helped Crooks, and he was out in third place for $383,000.
Ebanks began heads-up play with the chip lead, but Paul took it over when he doubled on the pair's ninth hand. On the 34th hand of heads-up play, which happened in Level 35 (200,000/400,000/50,000), Paul limped and then called when Ebanks raised to 1.5 million. The K♦J♣4♥ flop saw Ebanks bet 1 million and then call off for 8.475 million total after Paul shipped.
Ebanks: A♦J♥
Paul: K♣9♦
Ebanks had flopped middle pair, but it was no good as Paul held top pair. The 4♦ turn was of no consequence, and neither was the 6♠ river. Ebanks, who won $1,158,481 and a gold bracelet in the 2011 World Series of Poker $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max, took home $615,000 for his runner-up finish, while Paul etched his name on the WPT Champions' Cup.
Season XIII of the WPT will conclude this weekend with the $15,000 WPT Championship at the Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City. PokerNews will have a recap of that event upon completion of play.
*Lead photo courtesy of SHRPO.
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