$400 Big O (Re-Entry) Structure | Payouts Level 12: 2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 ante Players Remaining: 21 of 88
Donny Maloney
Two notables that are making a deep run tonight in the Big O tournament include James Calderaro and Donny Maloney. The tournament is currently at the final three tables with the final 11 cashing, and the tournament will play down to a champion later tonight.
Maloney made a deep run in Event 3 last night at the Omaha 8OB tournament, finishing in fourth place. His career tournament earnings stand above $1.6 million. The World Poker Tour Champions Club member claimed his title at the WPT Borgata Poker Open back in 2019.
Speaking of WPT Champions Club members, Calderaro won his at the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open here in Florida down at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood sister property to Tampa in 2014. Calderaro also holds a World Series of Poker gold bracelet that he won in 2017. Caldo’s career earnings are above $5.6 million.
$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry) $1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure Level 17: 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante Players Remaining: 34 of 331
Here are the chip counts for every player remaining from Flight D that has advanced to Day 2 on Sunday. Flight E fires up tomorrow at 10 am on Friday, with Flight F to follow at 5 pm.
$400 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry) $1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure Level 17: 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante Players Remaining: 34 of 331
Chris Durgin
Chris Durgin busted the money bubble when his J-2 topped the A-K of his short-stacked opponent on a final board that read A-Q- brick-2-J. Durgin stacked up 1,062,000 for the chip lead after the hand, and Flight D has come to a close. Stay tuned for official chip counts from the flight.
2023 Tampa Signature Poker Series Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, Florida Event 3 $400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry) Entries: 103 Prize Pool: $34,505 September 7, 2023
Nick Kost
Nick Kost made it two nights in a row that a local poker professional won the title at the 2023 SPS. Kost topped a field of 103 entries to take home the trophy in the $400 PLO O8 tournament against a talented field of mixed-game players. His toughest match was waiting at the end of the tournament when he faced AJ Kelsall heads-up for the tournament title. Kost faced more than a 2:1 chip disadvantage to start that final battle, but he persevered to seize the day and the SPS trophy along with $9,665 in prize money up top.
Here is what former World Series of Poker gold bracelet winner had to say shortly after his victory tonight: “It feels great man, it’s been a minute since I’ve won anything. I’ve done well this year, but I haven’t won a trophy or won a tournament in a long time.”
“AJ got me in the dealer’s choice at the World Series, so he clipped me there, so I got him back. He doesn’t make any mistakes, so you’re scratching and clawing for whatever you can. I got a couple of situations where I got baled out on half the pot, and then I scooped him and that was it,” said Kost about the heads-up final.
Kost knew that the final match was gong to be a battle after Kelsall made a metaphor that you wouldn’t give up and chop on the 16th hole if you were all tied in golf – and that’s the fun part. Here is what Kost had to say about the final stages of the tournament: “I knew with those four guys, especially the final three, that we were going to play for that trophy. Plus, [Kelsall] had side bets, so you have a little bit of a situation where it’s endgame. For me, when you get to the final table it’s endgame, you have to figure out the top three and win it. It’s been a minute, I’ve had a lot of seconds the last few years, so it’s nice to get a first.”
The winner’s interview finished with Kost talking about what he enjoys about his home-court advantage here at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. Here is what he had to say: “I mostly play mixed, so it’s nice. It’s good to see that they’re doing it at a lot of series. Obviously Hollywood is good too, I love it. I live in St. Pete so this is perfect for me, and it’s a good setup too. I like how the poker room is just separate. Easy in and out, the player pool is decent for PLO cash, and if they have these a few times a year it’s a plus for me. I travel a lot, but it’s nice to be 20 minutes from the tournament instead of at an Airbnb.”
1st: Nick Kost – $9,665 + SPS trophy 2nd: AJ Kelsall – $6,450 3rd: Terry Mackie – $4,380 4th: Donald Maloney – $3,080 5th: Peter Walsworth – $2,250 6th: Mike Collins – $1,710 7th: Mike Tadlock – $1,360 8th: Lewis Gallo – $1,120 9th: Samuel Silverman – $970 10th: Allen Kessler – $970 11th: James Hall – $850 12th: Jonathan Gold – $850 13th: Likang Berninger – $850
$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry) Structure | Payouts Level 24: 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante Remaining Players: 1/103
AJ Kelsall (left) and Nick Kost (right)
AJ Kelsall got all in with in the hole from the button, and Nick Kost had him covered holding .
The final board read , and Kelsall was eliminated in second place, good for $6,450 in prize money. That made Kost the champion of the tournament thanks to a straight, and he took home the SPS trophy along with the top prize money worth $9,665.
Stay tuned for a winner’s interview and photo with the champion.
$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry) Structure | Payouts Level 23: 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante Remaining Players: 2/103
Terry Mackey
Terry Mackey exited Event 3 in third place, good for $4,380. That sets up a final match between AJ Kelsall (1,805,000) and Nick Kost (770,000) to see who will take home the SPS Trophy and top prize money.
$400 Pot Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry) Structure | Payouts Level 19: 10,000/20,000 with a 20,000 ante Remaining Players: 4/103
Peter Walsworth
Peter Walsworth was all in with in the hole from the big blind, and AJ Kelsall had him covered holding on the small blind.
The final board was dealt , and Walsworth was eliminated in fifth place, good for $2,250 in prize money. Kelsall stacked up 805,00 after collecting the pot.
AJ Kelsall – 805,000 (40 bb) Peter Walsworth – Eliminated in Fifth Place ($2,250)
in the hole from the button, and Nick Kost had him covered holding 
.
, and Kelsall was eliminated in second place, good for $6,450 in prize money. That made Kost the champion of the tournament thanks to a straight, and he took home the SPS trophy along with the top prize money worth $9,665.
from the button, and Nick Kost had him covered holding 
.
, and Kelsall doubled up to survive with 1.36 million. Kost held 1,215,000 after the dust settled.
on the small blind.