2023 Tampa Signature Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 22
$250 Triple Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$20,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 107
Prize Pool: $21,935
September 18, 2023

Registration closed for the $250 Triple Stack with 107 entries, creating a prize pool worth $21,935. The last 14 will make the money with $520 for a min-cash and $6,565 waiting for the winner.

1st: $6,565 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $4,060
3rd: $2,430
4th: $1,590
5th: $1,230
6th: $1,010
7th: $860
8th: $750
9th: $660
10th-12th: $580
13th-14th: $520

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 18, 2023

Registration closed for the $3,500 Signature NLH tournament with 38 entries, creating a very nice prize pool worth $121,600. The last five spots will be paid with $10,980 to fifth and $45,630 to the Event 21 champ.

1st: $45,630 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $30,420
3rd: $20,280
4th: $14,380
5th: $10,890

$250 Triple Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$20,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1:  100/200 with a 200 ante

The Triple Stack tournaments are always a fun, popular tournament and we had a few on the schedule for the series. Another one runs at 6 pm with a $250 buy-in and $20,000 guaranteed prize pool.

Players start with 30K triple stacks and all levels last 20 minutes for the one-day trophy event. Late registration is available until the start of Level 7 at 8:15 pm and players may re-enter as often as needed during that time.

• $20,000 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 22 Structure Sheet

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 28:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 778

Heitor Saraiva opened to 250,000 from the hijack and Jeremy Joseph three-bet to 750,000 from the cutoff. Seth Fischer folded his button and Craig Varnell cold four-bet his entire stack of 4,075,000 from the small blind.

Saraiva thought for a few minutes and moved all in over the top for 5,650,000. Joseph popped up his chair and asked to count down Saraiva’s stack. He thought for a minute himself and called having both players covered in the massive pot.

Joseph:
Saraiva:
Varnell:

Saraiva was ahead to nearly triple up but Joseph was live for the double knockout. The board ran out and the jacks held to send Varnell out in sixth while Saraiva stacked up the lead.

Heitor Saraiva – 15,625,000 (125 bb)
Jeremy Joseph – 5,600,000 (45 bb)
Craig Varnell – Eliminated in 6th Place ($43,580)

2023 Tampa Signature Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 20
$400 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
$50,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 206
Prize Pool: $69,010
September 18, 2023

Registration closed for the $400 Seniors 50+ event with 206 entries turning the $50,000 guarantee into a prize pool worth $69,010. The last 26 players will make the money with $520 for a min-cash and $16,930 for a top senior this evening.

1st: $16,930 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $11,780
3rd: $7,070
4th: $4,300
5th: $3,320
6th: $2,750
7th: $2,350
8th: $2,020
9th: $1,700
10th-12th: $1,480
13th-15th: $1,260
16th-18th: $1,040
19th-21st: $830
22nd-24th: $640
25th-26th: $520

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 28:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 778

Karl Manouchakian returned from break, made it through the big blind, and open-shipped for about 1,100,000 from the small blind on the next hand. Jeremy Joseph called from the big blind to put Manouchakian at risk.

Manouchakian:
Joseph:

Manouchakian ran into a dominating hand with Joseph holding the bigger king. The board ran out and Manouchakian was eliminated from the Championship in seventh place.

Manouchakian was already the all-time SHR Tampa leader for tournament cashes and this is another big one to his credit.

Jeremy Joseph – 3,975,000 (32 bb)
Karl Manouchakian – Eliminated in 6th Place ($33,530)

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 28:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 778

Players were sent on another 15-minute break with Craig Varnell leading and Karl Manouchakian and Raymond Mancini needing to get moving.

Seat 1: Heitor Saraiva – 5,250,000 (42 bb)
Seat 2: Karl Manouchakian – 1,475,000 (12 bb)
Seat 4: Jeremy Joseph – 3,725,000 (30 bb)
Seat 5: Seth Fischer – 5,600,000 (45 bb)
Seat 6: Craig Varnell – 8,250,000 (66 bb)
Seat 7: Raymond Mancini – 1,450,000 (12 bb)
Seat 8: Michael Phillips – 4,325,000 (35 bb)

1st: $207,280 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $138,150
3rd: $101,930
4th: $75,990
5th: $57,250
6th: $43,580
7th: $33,530

8th: Eric Edwards – $26,070
9th: Shane Melert – $20,490
10th: Rodney Turvin – $20,490
11th: Marcus Carter – $16,270
12th: James Calderaro – $16,270
13th: Brett Bader – $13,140
14th: Steven Bennett – $13,140

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 778

Heitor Saraiva opened to 250,000 from the cutoff and Seth Fischer ripped it in again, this time for 2,350,000 from the big blind. Saraiva thought for a minute and called.

Saraiva:
Fischer:

It was a race and Saraiva held on to the lead after the flop.

“Don’t do it on the river,” Saraiva asked.

The turn changed nothing but Saraiva’s wishes were not answered because Fischer paired his king on the river to double again.

Seth Fischer – 4,850,000 (49 bb)
Heitor Saraiva – 4,050,000 (41 bb)

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26:  50,000/75,000 with a 75,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 778

The final table was sent on a break after Level 25 and here’s a look at their counts. Michael Phillips continues to lead, while Eric Edmonds has some work ahead to get back into fighting shape.

Seat 1: Heitor Saraiva – 5,750,000 (77 bb)
Seat 2: Karl Manouchakian – 3,600,000 (48 bb)
Seat 3: Eric Edwards – 525,000 (7 bb)
Seat 4: Jeremy Joseph – 4,150,000 (55 bb)
Seat 5: Seth Fischer – 2,075,000 (28 bb)
Seat 6: Craig Varnell – 4,100,000 (55 bb)
Seat 7: Raymond Mancini – 2,400,000 (32 bb)
Seat 8: Michael Phillips – 7,400,000 (99 bb)
Seat 9: Shane Melert – 1,100,000 (15 bb)

1st: $207,280 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $138,150
3rd: $101,930
4th: $75,990
5th: $57,250
6th: $43,580
7th: $33,530
8th: $26,070
9th: $20,490

10th: Rodney Turvin – $20,490
11th: Marcus Carter – $16,270
12th: James Calderaro – $16,270
13th: Brett Bader – $13,140
14th: Steven Bennett – $13,140

$1,700 SPS Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 778

Heitor Saraiva opened to 120,000 from early position and Karl Manouchakian three-bet to 350,000 next to act. It folded back around to Saraiva, he called, and the flop came .

Saraiva bet 300,000 and Manouchakian called. The turn was , Saravia looked at Manouchakian’s stack and announced all in. Manouchakian went into the tank and would be at risk if he called. He took several minutes to think it through, called for his last 1,140,000 and the cards were tabled.

Manouchakian:
Saraiva:

Manouchakian was ahead with top-top and needed to dodge Saraiva’s eight outs with the open-ended straight draw. The river was safe for Manouchakian and he doubled big at the final table.

Heitor Saraiva – 5,975,000 (100 bb)
Karl Manouchakian – 3,730,000 (62 bb)