2021 Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Sets Florida Record; Laufer & Hui Win Big
Table Of Contents
The Seminole Hard Rock 2021 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open began back on November 17 and is slated to run through December 1. Right now, the $3,500 World Poker Tour (WPT) RRPO Championship is taking place and will crown a winner later this week. That tournament attracted a record 1,566 entries, which more than doubled the $2 million guarantee by creating a $5,011,200 prize pool.
The record-setting field distanced itself considerably from past incarnations:
| Year | Turnout |
|---|---|
| 2021 RRPO | 1,566 entries |
| 2019 RRPO | 988 entries |
| 2018 RRPO | 898 entries |
| 2015 RRPO | 766 entries |
| 2016 RRPO | 760 entries |
The WPT Championship is just one of 31 primary events on the 2021 RRPO schedule. There have already been several notable side event winners including Michael Laufer and Loni Hui (more on their victories below).
Others to claim trophies are Dean Salisbury (Event #5: $600 Double Black Chip Bounty for $8,000), Robert Brandl (Event #8: $400 Deep Stack NLH for $23,178), Nancy Birnbaum (Event #13: $400 Black Chip Bounty PLO for $7,460), and Brandon Wilson (Event #20: $600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo for $11,415).
Michael Laufer Wins Record-Setting Opening Event
The 2021 RRPO kicked off in a big way as Event #1: $400 Deep Stack NLH set both a Seminole Hard Rock and state of Florida record with 6,196 entries over eight starting flights. That is the largest field size in both state and venue history surpassing the prior record of 5,018 entries from the 2016 RRPO.
The massive turnout more than doubled the $1 million guarantee by generating a $2,044,680 prize pool that was paid out to the top 622 finishers.
The tournament ended in a six-way deal that saw chip leader Michael Laufer claim the title along with $160,734 in prize money. Originally from New Jersey, Laufer now resides in Florida and owns a recruiting company.
“It’s the best place I know,” Laufer told Seminole reporters after the tournament. “I don’t even have to go to Vegas. Hard Rock poker, great weather, great people.”
All six players involved in the deal secured six-figure paydays.
2021 RRPO Event #1 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1s | Michael Laufer | $160,734* |
| 2 | Aleks Petrovic | $155,302* |
| 3 | Amed de la Torre | $147,218* |
| 4 | Isai Coello | $139,973* |
| 5 | Mali Cagatay | $138,561* |
| 6 | Aaron Valencia | $131,729* |
| 7 | Steven Miller | $47,027 |
| 8 | Courtney Rowe | $33,737 |
| 9 | Victor Carrera | $22,491 |
*Denotes results of six-way deal.
Loni Hui Wins Event #10: $600 Deep Stack NLH
From November 22-24, the 2021 RRPO Event #10: $600 Deep Stack NLH played out. The tournament drew 972 entries over four starting flights and offered up a $505,400 prize pool, more than double the $250K guarantee.
Among those to cash the tournament were Ricardo Eyzaguirre (3rd - $39,500), James Patterson (9th - $8,675), Raminder Singh (10th - $8,675), Sheddy Siddiqui (21st - $3,675), Michael Amato (31st - $2,260), and Alexander Green (43rd - $1,950).
It was a familiar name coming out on top as Loni Hui, formerly Loni Harwood, claimed the title and $85,355 top prize.
“I lost a really big flip going into the final table, which was a little discouraging,” said Hui. “But the final table went my way, and I won the all-ins that I needed to.”
In regards to beating Neil Zonenashvili heads-up, she added: “I just tried to play really small pots and grind him out until he got impatient to make a hand and go all in. I knew it was going to take a very long time. But it went well for me.”
2021 RRPO Event #10 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loni Hui | $85,355 |
| 2 | Neil Zonenashvili | $60,210 |
| 3 | Ricardo Eyzaguirre | $39,500 |
| 4 | Abhishek Panda | $29,140 |
| 5 | Rogrigo Sardi | $22,085 |
| 6 | Orlando Maldonado | $17,595 |
| 7 | Stewart Yancik | $14,600 |
| 8 | Dimitry Agrachov | $11,605 |
| 9 | James Patterson | $8,675 |
Learn more about Poker Pro Ricardo Eyzaguirre here
2021 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Winners Thus Far
Through the first 20 events of the 2021 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open, a combined 11,926 entrants have competed and $8,544,050 in prize money awarded (including the Championship Event, which has yet to crown a winner).
| *Date | Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize* | |||
| November 17-21 | Event #1: $400 Deep Stack NLH | 6,196 | $2,044,680 | Michael Laufer | $160,734 | |||
| 17-Nov | Event #2: $400 Limit Omaha 8 | 116 | $53,625 | Jay Kerbel | $11,315 | |||
| 17-Nov | Event #3: $200 Double Green Chip Bounty | 158 | $17,380 | Gabriel Ramos | $3,000 | |||
| 18-Nov | Event #4: $400 H.O.R.S.E. | 115 | $38,525 | Sal Pipitone | $9,068 | |||
| 18-Nov | Event #5: $600 Double Black Chip Bounty | 158 | $82,950 | Dean Salisbury | $8,000 | |||
| 19-Nov | Event #6: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha 8 | 125 | $41,875 | John Binns | $9,000 | |||
| 20-Nov | Event #7: $400 Omaha 8/Stud 8 | 93 | $31,155 | Barak Zaken | $9,590 | |||
| 21-Nov | Event #8: $400 Deep Stack NLH | 510 | $204,000 | Robert Brandl | $23,178 | |||
| November 21-22 | Event #9: $1,100 Deep Stack NLH | 189 | $183,330 | Jesse Lott | $46,020 | |||
| November 22-24 | Event #10: $600 Deep Stack NLH | 972 | $505,440 | Loni Hui | $85,355 | |||
| 22-Nov | Event #11: $400 Six-Max PLO | 144 | $48,240 | Long Nguyen | $12,040 | |||
| November 22-24 | Event #12: $150 Big Stack NLH | 372 | $44,640 | Scott Murawa | $8,165 | |||
| 23-Nov | Event #13: $400 Black Chip Bounty PLO | 107 | $25,145 | Nancy Birnbaum | $7,460 | |||
| 23-Nov | Event #14: $400 Six-Max NLH | 100 | $33,500 | Philip Whitaker | $6,095 | |||
| 24-Nov | Event #15: $200 Double Green Chip Bounty | 249 | $27,390 | Andrey Kolchkov | $3,104 | |||
| 25-Nov | Event #16: $150 Holiday Triple Stack NLH | 259 | $31,080 | Rosario Simone | $3,221 | |||
| November 26-December 1 | Event #17: $3,500 WPT RRPO Championship | 1,566 | $5,011,200 | TBD | $778,490 | |||
| 26-Nov | Event #18: $150 Big Stack NLH | 289 | $34,680 | Dwayne Nyholt | $5,622 | |||
| 27-Nov | Event #19: $600 Mixed Pot-Limit Omaha | 85 | $44,625 | Joseph Patalano | $11,443 | |||
| 27-Nov | Event #20: $600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo | 123 | $40,590 | Brandon Wilson | $11,415 |
Images courtesy of Seminole Hard Rock
