Winter Open

Event 5: 1st Place – Akiki

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$175 + $25 + $20 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)

Maroun Akiki Maroun Akiki (Orlando, FL)
$8,000

Maroun Akiki has more than 1/4 of the chips in play nine-handed when the remaining players offered a deal he can’t pass up.  Akiki takes $8,000 to win the Seniors Event, while the others chop the balance for $3,438 each, minus $1 for Ty Guztwiller.

“I just started playing tournaments this year,” says Akiki who was primarily a cash game player.  And what a year it’s been.

This is Akiki’s fourth recorded 2013 cash, and all four have been final tables.  He now has two wins and a second place, with his two biggest scores coming from Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood for career earnings of more than $54,000.

Akiki turned 50-years-old earlier this year and is the magic number to enter the Seniors event, something he looked forward to.

“In open events players are more aggressive, especially the younger ones,” says Akiki who is a self-employed marketer. “Not that I mind it,  because I’m aggressive.”

After jumping to an early chip lead before the dinner break, Akiki put a strangle hold on the field with a big hand while holding K♦ J♦. He describes the action as three to a flop for 50k with three tables left.

On a board of J-6-4, one of his opponents leads out for 50k and Akiki moves all in, prompting two folds. “That was the biggest by far,” says Akiki of the 200k chips he picked up on the hand. And it was clear sailing from there.

In addition to the win, Akiki earns a $1,650 voucher into the WPT Hard Rock Tampa Winter Poker Open Championship (Dec 13-15).  “It’s a free roll, I’m looking forward to it.”

Final Table Results

Reflects Adjusted Payout*

Place-Name-Payout

1 Maroun Akiki (Orlando, FL) $8,000*
2 Dan Keefer (Hampstead, NC) $3,438*
3 Seth Bobet (Orlando, FL) $3,438*
4 Bahram Akbari (Orlando, FL) $3,438*
5 Michael Lavington (Bradenton, FL) $3,438*
6 Pete Carroll (Betholden, NY) $3,438*
7 Stan German (Orlando) $3,438*
8 Morino Thomas (Clermont, FL) $3,438*
9 Ty Guztwiller (Los Angeles, CA) $3,437*
10 Herbert Woodbery (Winter Garden, FL) $960

Winter Open

Event 5: 2nd-9th Places

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$175 + $25 + $20 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)

Maroun Akiki & GroupAkiki at the Center of the Deal

With a huge chip lead with 9 players left, Maroun Akiki (Orlando, FL) struck a deal that gave him first place and $8,000, while the remaining players earned $3,438, minus $1 for Ty Guztwiller.

Here’s a look at the other eight players that split the balance of the prize pool:

Dan Keefer Dan Keefer (Hampstead, NC)
$3,438

Seth Bobet
Seth Bobet (Orlando, FL)
$3,438

Bahram Akbari
Bahram Akbari (Orlando, FL)
$3,438

Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll (Betholden, NY)
$3,438

Stan German
Stan German (Orlando)
$3,438

Morino Thomas
Morino Thomas (Clermont, FL)
$3,438

Camera Shy:

Michael Lavington (Bradenton, FL)
$3,438

Ty Guztwiller (Los Angeles, CA)
$3,437

Winter Open

Event 5: Final Table

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$175 + $25 + $20 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Blinds 5k/10k/1k ante

Seat-Name-Chip Count

1 Pete Carroll (Betholden, NY) 194k
2 Herbert Woodbery (Winter Garden, FL) 120k
3 Morino Thomas (Clermont, FL) 187k
4 Stan German (Orlando) 191k
5 Dan Keefer (Hampstead, NC) 259k
6 Seth Bobet (Orlando, FL) 90k
7 Ty Guztwiller (Los Angeles, CA) 244k
8 Maroun Akiki (Orlando, FL) 300k
9 Bahram Akbari (Orlando, FL) 740k
10 Michael Lavington (Unavailable) 190k

Winter Open

Event 5: 10th Place – Woodbery

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$175 + $25 + $20 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Blinds 5k/10k/1k ante

Herbert Woodbery
Herbert Woodbery (Winter Garden, FL)
$960

On one of the first hands at the final table and the last hand of the level, Herbert Woodbery and Ty Guztwiller see a lop of 8-7-3.  Gutzwiller bets 50k, Woodbery calls all in for 39k.

Woodbery: JQ (Jack high)
Gutzwiller: AT (Ace high)

There’s no help on the turn or river for Woodbery who busts in 10th place for $960.

Winter Open

Event 5: 11th Place – Maddah

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$175 + $25 + $20 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
Blinds 5k/10k/1k ante

Wally MaddahWally Maddah (Tampa, FL)
$919

Wally Maddah calls the preflop raise of chip leader Maroun Akiki and the board comes down Q-9-8.  Maddah moves all in for 125k and Akiki snap calls.

Maddah: KQ (top pair)
Akiki: JT (straight)

There are no running full house cards for Maddah who goes out in 11th place to the flopped straight.

“I should’ve pushed preflop,” says Maddah who wonders if an all in would’ve gotten Akiki to fold. “I knew he was raising light.”

Maddah earns $919 and sends the remaining 10 players to a final table redraw.