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2023 Signature Poker Series

2023 Signature Poker Series in Review

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The first-ever Tampa Signature Poker Series featured 25 trophy events over two weeks in the Event Center. The series drew players from around the country for some top shelf poker and a schedule that featured its fair share of non-Hold’em games.

Here’s a look at the numbers –

Events: 25
Guarantees: $2,640,000
Entries: 7,921
Prize Pool: $3,727,912

The series drew 7,921 for the fourth biggest turnout among any of our festivals and not far behind the 7,998 entries we drew for the huge WSOP Circuit series in 2020. We offered $2,640,000 in guaranteed prize pool and paid out $3,727,912.

A fantastic series by the numbers by any measure.

But it was more than those raw numbers; the players made it special including some big wins for big players. Willie Wiggins came storming out of the gates the first weekend with an outright win in the $1,000,000 guarantee opener for $163,290.

WSOP bracelet winner David Prociak won his second major Tampa title to go along with a WSOPC Tampa ring. Fellow WSOP champ AJ Kelsall won his second Tampa title in the $1,100 Six-Handed NLH event and had a big results from start to finish. Kelsall cashed seven times in the series including the win, two runners-up, and a third place finish.

The series was headlined by the SPS Championship which featured another $1,000,000 guarantee. It drew 778 entries and Mike Phillips defeated a tough final table to win the Championship title outright for $207,280.

Mike Phillips

Steve Trizis and Julio Delgado also won their second Tampa title and Joe Serock closed out the series with a nice day. He won a tough heads-up battle against Paul Snead to take the $3,500 Signature NLH title and finished second in the $600 Eight-Game Mix later in the day.

It’s always a great time in the Event Center when we can throw some huge tournaments. We would not be able to do it without our players; thank you for the tremendous turnout.

We hope to see you for the next big series with the 2023 Pinktober Poker Open only a few weeks away. Check the schedule below and pick some games.

2023 Pinktober Poker Open schedule

Full list of results and updates:

SPS Championship: Mike Phillips – $207,280
Event 1 ($400 NLH): Willie Wiggins – $163,290
Event 2 ($400 PLO): Doug Marro – $11,565
Event 3 ($400 PLO8): Nick Kost – $9,665
Event 4 ($400 Big O): William Clay – $8,000
Event 5 ($250 NLH): Ron Landy – $4,895
Event 6 ($400 NLH): Richard Saunders – $12,070
Event 7 ($1,100 NLH): Carl Coppola – $22,420
Event 8 ($400 Mixed PLO): David Prociak – $7,525
Event 9 ($200 NLH): James Tomblin – $28,850
Event 10 ($600 NLH): Shane Melert – $13,180
Event 11 ($1,100 Six-Handed): AJ Kelsall – $28,420
Event 12 ($2,200 NLH): Frank Brannan – $32,710
Event 13 ($400 O8): John Binns – $9,885
Event 15 ($400 T.O.E.): Charlie Wells – $6,460
Event 16 ($400 H.E.R.O.S.): Filippos Stavrakis – $6,245
Event 17 ($250 NLH): Julio Delgado – $6,955
Event 18 ($600 NLH): Tung Nguyen – $23,710
Event 19 ($1,100 NLH): Elliot Smith – $19,500
Event 20 ($400 Seniors): Steve Trizis – $16,930
Event 21 ($3,500 Signature): Joe Serock – $45,630
Event 22 ($250 NLH): Kevin Malick – $6,565
Event 23 ($200 NLH): Sam Mejad – $10,640
Event 24 ($600 8-Game): Tommy Hwang – $10,535
Event 25 ($180 NLH): Joel Deutsch – $1,910

2023 Signature Poker Series

Event 25: Last Triple Stack

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$180 Triple Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$10,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1:  100/200 with a 200 ante

The last trophy event of the series is something for our regulars. Starting at 6 pm, we have a $180 Triple Stack with a $10,000 guaranteed prize pool and a lot of fun.

Players sit down to 30K stacks and all levels last 20 minutes for this final event. Late registration and unlimited re-entries are available until 8:15 pm and we will have our trophy winner later this evening.

  • $10,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 30,000 in chips
  • Levels last 20 minutes
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 7 (8:15pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays to completion
  • Event 25 Structure Sheet
2023 Signature Poker Series

Event 24: Prize Pool and Payouts with $10,535 to Mix Champ

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2023 Tampa Signature Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 24
$600 Eight-Game Mix (Re-Entry)
Entries: 67
Prize Pool: $34,505
September 19, 2023

Registration closed for the $600 Eight-Game Mix tournament with 67 entries creating a prize pool worth $34,505. The last 12 players will make it into the money with $740 for a min-cash and $10,535 for the Event 24 champ.

1st: $10,535 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $6,810
3rd: $4,530
4th: $3,110
5th: $2,190
6th: $1,590
7th-8th: $1,200
9th-10th: $930
11th-12th: $740

2023 Signature Poker Series

Joe Serock Wins Signature NLH Title Outright for $45,630

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2023 Tampa Signature Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 21
$3,500 Signature NLH (Re-Entry)
Entries: 38
Prize Pool: $121,600
September 19, 2023

Joe Serock, SPS Event 21 champ

The $3,500 Signature event was a big buy-in tournament for locals and those still around for the Championship. It drew 38 entries, and WSOP bracelet winner Joe Serock defeated former Tampa Poker Classic Champion Paul Snead heads-up for the title and $45,630.

The turnout for this inaugural event created a prize pool worth $121,600 and the last five players were set to make some money. Francis Anderson picked up a fifth-place payout before the tournament paused overnight.

Snead was the chip leader coming back for the rest of the final table action and Duff Charette exited soon after the restart. AJ Kelsall, another WSOP winner, went out in third to set up a nearly tied heads-up match between Serock and Snead.

But as Snead commented, “he can’t miss.”

Serock hit his cards, Snead slipped lower, and couldn’t come from behind on the last hand of the tournament. Snead picked up $30,420 for his runner-up finish while Serock took home the top prize along with the SPS trophy.

1st: Joe Serock – $45,630 + SPS Trophy
2nd: Paul Snead – $30,420
3rd: AJ Kelsall – $20,280
4th: Duff Charette – $14,380
5th: Francis Anderson – $10,890

2023 Signature Poker Series

Event 23: Prize Pool and Payouts with $10,640 Up Top

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2023 Tampa Signature Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 23
$200 One-Day $50K NLH (Re-Entry)
Entries: 293
Prize Pool: $50,000
September 19, 2023

Registration closed for the $200 One-Day $50K with 293 entries and a $50,000 prize pool. The last 37 spots will be paid with $380 for a min-cash and $10,640 to the champ.

1st: $10,640 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $7,080
3rd: $5,160
4th: $3,810
5th: $2,850
6th: $2,160
7th: $1,660
8th: 41,300
9th-10th: $1,030
11th-12th: $840
13th-14th: $700
15th-16th: $590
17th-20th: $510
21st-24th: $450
25th-32nd: $410
33rd-37th: $380

2023 Signature Poker Series

Event 21: Joe Serock ($45,630) Defeats Paul Snead ($30,420) for the Title

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$3,500 Signature NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 14:  5,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante

Paul Snead

“This is supernatural,” former Paul Snead said of Joe Serock, his heads-up opponent for the $3,500 Signature NLH title. “He hits everything.”

Snead began heads-up action in a virtual tie with Serock, but that quickly changed.

The final hand saw Serock bet 55,000 after a 5d3d3c flop and Snead raised to 235,000 from his button. Serock called and then checked the 5s turn. Snead moved all in for 720,000 and Serock took his time to make a decision.

After a few minutes, Serock called and the hands were tabled.

Serock: TcTh
Snead: Qd9d

Serock was ahead the bigger two pair and Snead had 11 outs to double, a queen or any diamond that wasn’t a ten. The Kc river was a blank for our former TPC champ and Snead was sent out in the second spot. Serock earned the title, the trophy, and the $45,630 top prize.

1st: Joe Serock – $45,630 + SPS Trophy
2nd: Paul Snead – $30,420

Joe Serock
2023 Signature Poker Series

Event 21: Heads-Up Underway

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$3,500 Signature NLH (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 14:  5,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 38

Paul Snead (left) and Joe Serock (right)

Heads-up is underway in the $3,500 Signature NLH tournament with 2022 Tampa Poker Classic Champion Paul Snead in a virtual dead heat with WSOP bracelet winner Joe Serock.

Seat 1: Paul Sneak – 1,850,000 (123 bb)
Seat 2: Joe Serock – 1,950,000 (130 bb)

1st: $45,630 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $30,420

3rd: AJ Kelsall – $20,280
4th: Duff Charette – $14,380
5th: Francis Anderson – $10,890

2023 Signature Poker Series

Event 24: Last Mix

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$600 Eight-Game Mix (Re-Entry)
Structure
Level 1:  300/600 Limits

We can’t let the series end without one last mix game and we have one for the fans starting at noon in the Event Center. $600 buy-in Eight-Game Mix that will rotate games between No Limit Hold’em, Limit Omaha 8, Razz, Stud, Stud 8, No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, and 2-7 Triple Draw.

Players sit down to 30K deep stacks and all levels last 30 minutes. Late registration is available until the start of Level 9 at 4:30 pm and players may re-enter as often as needed during that time. They will enjoy a 30-minute dinner break at 6:30 pm and return to find our last mix game champ of the series.

  • Players begin with 30,000 in chips
  • Levels last 30 minutes
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9 (4:30pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays to completion
  • Event 24 Structure Sheet
2023 Signature Poker Series

Event 23: One-Day $50K

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$200 One-Day $50K NLH (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1:  100/200 with a 200 ante

The last day on the SPS schedule has three new trophies events, and the last chance to take one home. Starting things off at 11 am, Event 23 is a $200 buy-in tournament with a $50,000 guaranteed prize pool that should make for a great field.

Players start with 25K stacks and all levels last 25 minutes. Late registration and unlimited re-entries are available until the start of Level 9 at 2:50 pm. They continue into the afternoon and early evening and won’t stop until we had out one of the last trophies.

  • $50,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 25,000 in chips
  • Levels last 25 minutes
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9 (2:50pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays to completion
  • Event 23 Structure Sheet
2023 Signature Poker Series

SPS Day 14 Schedule

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Primary Event Schedule

11AM: Event 21 – $3,500 Signature NLH (Re-Entry)

11AM: Event 23 – $200 One-Day $50K NLH (Re-Entry)

  • $50,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 25,000 in chips
  • Levels last 25 minutes
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9 (2:50pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays to completion
  • Event 23 Structure Sheet

12PM: Event 24 – $600 Eight-Game Mix (Re-Entry)

  • Players begin with 30,000 in chips
  • Levels last 30 minutes
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9 (4:30pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays to completion
  • Event 24 Structure Sheet

6PM: Event 25 – $180 Triple Stack NLH (Re-Entry)

  • $10,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 30,000 in chips
  • Levels last 20 minutes
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 7 (8:15pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays to completion
  • Event 25 Structure Sheet

2023 Tampa Signature Poker Series Schedule
Reminder: All tournaments will be held in the Event Center