$1,650 Winter Poker Open Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 2: 75/150

Professional players aren’t known for their love of the morning hours. But we did find our first big name in the game very early.

Kane Kalas made the trek across the state from his home in Coral Gables for a chance at another big payout. A deep result here could push him over $1 million in a career that includes titles at Parx Big Stax IX and LAPC last spring. Kalas’ biggest result came in 2014 when he finished second to Darren Elias in WPT Borgata Main Event.

$1,650 Winter Poker Open Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 1: 50/100

There is a nice group of players in the poker room before the clock hits the PM hours with 60 entrants rubbing the sleep from their eyes.

We caught AJ Kelsall taking his seat at the start of play and looking to match last year’s feat. He outlasted 296 other entrants to capture the 2014 Winter Poker Open Championship at a final table that included John Holley, David Levi, Steven Karp, Michael Laake, and Al Krux.

Kelsall is finishing out a great 2015 that includes his first WSOP Circuit ring a few weeks ago plus five WSOP cashes this summer in a wide variety of games. He hit the WSOP payout desk in Omaha/8, No Limit Hold’em, H.O.R.S.E., 10-Game Mix, and Dealer’s Choice events.

$1,650 Winter Poker Open Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 1: 50/100

The 2015 Winter Poker Open Championship is upon us as the first flight in the $1,650 buy-in $300,000 Guarantee event is ready to go in the poker room.

The highlight tournament on the schedule will draw players from around the country to combine with our local regulars to create an exciting event to cap of the series.

We expect to see some of top players join us this weekend including Seminole Hard Rock Poker ambassadors Sheddy Siddiqui, Michael Laake, Justin Zaki, and Wally Maddah.

The Championship structure is deep and slow, giving players 30,000 stacks and 45-minute levels on Day 1. They’ll take a break every two levels and late registration will close after the 45-minute dinner break following Level 8. If someone loses their stack, they have unlimited re-entries during that time.

Play is scheduled to stop at the end of Level 14 and everyone remaining will bag up for Day 2 on Sunday. They are starting to take their seats for the first flight and we will be underway shortly.

11AM: Event 13 Day 1A – $1,650 Championship (Re-Entry)

• $300,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
• Players begin with 30,000 in tournament chips and 45-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• Day 1 will end after Level 14 or Tournament Director discretion
• Championship Structure Sheet

3PM: Event 23 – $190 Qualifier into $1,650 Championship (1-in-10)

• 5 seats guaranteed into the $1,650 Championship
• Players begin with 10,000 in tournament chips and 25-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 23 Structure Sheet

7PM: Event 24 – $190 Qualifier into $1,650 Championship (1-in-10)

• 5 seats guaranteed into the $1,650 Championship
• Players begin with 10,000 in tournament chips and 25-minute levels
• Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
• This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
• Event 24 Structure Sheet

Winter poker Open Championship Preview

The Winter Poker Open at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino continues tomorrow with its $1,650 Championship. The series finale boasts a healthy guarantee of $300,000 and sees its participants sit down to stacks of 30,000. All levels on Day 1 last 45 minutes with late registration/re-entry available until the start of Level 9 and play wrapping following Level 14.

TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE SHEET

Last year’s headliner saw a field of 297 entries generate a prize pool of $445,000. The late stages of play were a virtual who’s-who of Florida pros as John Holley finished runner up, Michael Laake 3rd, Steve Karp 8th and Timothy Miles 11th. When the dust settled, it was Tampa’s own Andrew Kelsall who earned the tournament’s top spot and its $124,731 first prize.

Preliminary events during this year’s WPO have enjoyed attendance increases across the board and the same is expected from the Championship event. Registration for the series finale is open in the poker room now.

2015 Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa
Event #11
$180 Seniors Classic Rockers 50+
Total Entries: 210
Prize Pool: $28,800
December 15, 2015

Tampa, FL (December 16, 2015) — The $180 Seniors Classic Rockers 50+ tournament began Tuesday morning at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa. The 11th of 14 primary events on the Winter Poker Open schedule, the tournament was fitted with a $20,000 guarantee that was all but obliterated. A total field of 210 entries marked a year-over-over attendance increase of more than 30 percent and generated a prize pool of $28,800. It was a long, 15-hour battle, and when all was settled it was Ohioan Robert “Bo” Bloom who claimed the tournament’s top prize of $8,066 and a $1,650 WPO Championship seat.

“It feels great — a great tournament,” Bloom said. “It was a good bunch of guys.”

Only the top 27 players finished in the money and it was Bloom who did the deed when 29 remained. The fateful hand saw Bloom holding against one opponent’s and another’s . With one player at risk, Bloom was competing for a side pot that saw both players’ money go in on an board. Bloom was behind the trip jacks of one opponent, but the river improved him to a fullhouse, busting both players and sending the remaining 27 into the money in the process. Bloom wavered slightly in the hours following, but eventually closed the book on his first tournament victory.

Bloom outlasted a tough field late that included none other than Al Krux. Krux, a 72-year-old retiree from Wesley Chapel, NC, owns three $10,000 WSOP Main Event final table appearances, most notably a 6th-place finish in the 2004 finale won my Greg Raymer. Additionally, he claimed a gold bracelet during the 1996 WSOP in a $1,500 pot limit hold’em tournament. With more than $1.4 million in tournament earnings, Krux was by far the most accomplished player at the final table. Needless to say, his 4th-place elimination was music to Bloom’s ears.

In the end, the tournament belonged to Bloom. He defeated Tampa regular Forrest Jahn III following a brief heads up battle that saw Jahn bust second for $4,752.

Bloom is 54 years old and resides in Uhrichsville, OH. He says he spends a good amount of time in Tampa and comes here for the weather. The victory marks his third career tournament cash and first victory.

Event 11 final results:

1st: Bo Bloom – $8,066 + $1,650 seat
2nd: Forrest Jahn III – $4,752
3rd: Stephen Fife – $2,736
4th: Al Krux – $2,218
5th: Debra Dorcy – $1,728
6th: Frank Franze – $1,440
7th: “Tampa Bay” Ray DelCueto – $1,152
8th: Bill Isbell – $864
9th: Ken Ledford – $576
10th: Elmo Mariathasan  – $374
11th: Woodrow Pass – $374
12th: Frank Simone – $374
13th: Peter Coleman – $317
14th: Richard Terrill – $317
15th: Marcia Mechler – $317
16th: Clint Riemer – $288
17th: Edith Norman – $288
18th: Robert Kinstle – $288
19th: Anthony Pellegrini – $259
20th: Robert Rohr – $259
21st: Harlon Kinney – $259
22nd: Lawrence Dowling – $259
23rd: Seth Bobet – $259
24th: Jeff Buffenbarger – $259
25th: Gregory Osborne – $259
26th: Richard Stevens – $259
27th: Michael Dolle – $259

2015 Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa
Event #12
$150 Deep Stack Turbo No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Total Entries: 86
Prize Pool: $10,320
December 15, 2015

The $150 buy-in Turbo Event 12 was billed as a fast-structured tournament for players looking for some action before the Winter Poker Open Championship on Thursday. It beat the $10,000 guarantee and John Pishos was the latest champion after less than seven hours of play.

They were down to the final table ten after five hours of action, 90 minutes after registration closed, but only nine would make the money. Melody Murphy was short stacked through much of the late play and went out on the money bubble in 10th place.

It looked like Jay Giles was going to go out next when he lost a big pot to leave him with just 4,000. He managed a quadruple-up and watched as Chris Kobil and Nicholas Koulouvaris went out ahead of him.

Giles night came to an end along with Victor Hernandez when both were eliminated in the last hand before the final break. The remaining five players went an extended time without a big hand but it was Seminole Hard Rock Tampa ambassador Wally Maddah dropping out in 5th place.

James Mori and Griffin Arnold were eliminated soon after and Pishos took care of David Pierce in a half dozen hands to earn the title. He earned the $2,948 first place prize along with the $1,650 Winter Poker Open Championship seat.

Pishos is a transplant from Greece and the former cosmetologist now resides in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. This win pushes him over $18,000 in career earnings which includes a WSOP Circuit win, final table appearance in a Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Deep Stack series event, and deep finish last May during the Spring Poker Series.

It was a fast, entertaining tournament that gave players a chance at some nice money in a short amount of time.

Event 12 Results:

1st: John Pishos – $2,948 + $1,650 WPO Championship Seat
2nd: David Pierce – $1,725
3rd: Griffin Arnold – $1,127
4th: James Mori – $824
5th: Wally Maddah – $616
6th: Victor Hernandez – $477
7th: Jay Giles – $381
8th: Nicholas Koulouvaris – $312
9th: Chris Kobil – $260

$150 Deep Stack Turbo No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 23: 25,000/50,000/5,000 Ante

The heads up match ended quickly when David Pierce moved all-in after the flop. John Pishos thought for half a beat before calling with middle pair which was ahead of Pierce’s bottom pair .

The tournament was complete when Pierce couldn’t catch the turn and Pishos made an overkill two pair on the river to win the title.

Full results and details coming soon.