Shawn Mohamed Heard It’s Easier to Win Tournaments in Tampa, and Then Wins His First Tournament in Tampa

2021 WPT Tampa
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 1
$500 Double Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
Entries:  4,852
Prize Pool:  $2,086,360
June 9-13, 2021

Event 1 Champion Shawn Mohamed
Event 1 Champion Shawn Mohamed

“I’ve always heard that it was easier to win tournaments in Tampa,” said Event 1 champion Shawn Mohamed. With a laugh, he added, “It turns out it’s true!”

The opening event of the 2021 WPT Tampa series more than doubled the $1 million guarantee with a massive field of 4,852 entries from seven starting flights. There were 339 players who survived to Day 2, but Mohamed was the big stack when the final four players agreed to an ICM deal, giving him the title, the trophy, and $198,287.

The money is very meaningful to Mohamed, particularly after a tough year during the pandemic. Mohamed’s previous career high was a $28,600 runner-up finish last December down at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, and this victory was worth nearly seven times as much. Mohamed plans to use his winnings from this event to pay off his mortgage and buy his daughter a car.

Ironically, once he reached the final table, Mohamed was no longer concerned about the prize money.

“Even if I went out in ninth place,” said Mohamed, “I would have been perfectly happy.”

But the bigger pay jumps seemed to have an impact on his opponents.

“Everybody tightened up,” said Mohamed about the final table. “I was satisfied with the bottom payout, so I was able to play my game like any other final table. I noticed a lot of the aggressive players really tightened up once the pay jumps started coming. So it worked out to my advantage.”

Mohamed is from south Florida, and he usually plays at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood. But he was equally impressed by his first visit to Seminole Hard Rock Tampa.

“Everything that the Hard Rock does here, and down in Hollywood is just on point,” said Mohamed. “They always run the most professional tournaments in Florida. You never have to worry about the structure or anything like that. Every dealer is on point. Every manager is on point. I really appreciate how much attention they put into doing things the right way.”

“I’ll be back,” said Mohamed. “Everyone should come to Tampa.”


Final Results:

PlaceFirst NameLast NameCityStatePrize
1Anwar ShawnMohamedPembroke PinesFL$198,287*
2DavidSmithZionsvilleIN$173,553*
3AlejandroGonzalez OlaecheaNorth MiamiFL$170,544*
4JameelHarrisSouth HollandIL$139,121*
5Hassanel HakimSarasotaFL$76,080
6LuizDuarte FerreiraMarilia$60,380
7PhillipHernzDavieFL$48,015
8ValeriyaVasilievaHolidayFL$33,870
9JamesMaitaTampaFL$24,680
10AshleySpringGainesvilleGA$22,435
11LuniquePetioteKingslandGA$22,435
12JohnCoxwellLawrencevilleGA$22,435
13Ching-AnUengOcalaFL$17,590
14ViniciusMonteiroUberlanda$17,590
15NicholasScholzIndian Rocks BeachFL$17,590
16AdamQuimbyBurlingtonNC$14,950
17EvanRomanMonsonMA$14,950
18GregoryJoslynMilfordPA$14,950
19JohnDolanLithiaFL$13,080
20JustinDonatoPensacolaFL$13,080
21DanielKasperMinneolaFL$13,080
22JamesCalderaroEnglewoodFL$11,395
23JacobNaumannLargoFL$11,395
24MartinCarneroDavieFL$11,395
25DanStavilaPleasantonCA$9,710
26KwihyonPaek$9,710
27BrandonMillerPalm BayFL$9,710
28JoseGutierrezCountry LakesFL$8,085
29FrankWeigelOdessaFL$8,085
30TraciMyhrumIndian Harbour BeachFL$8,085
31MahmoudBidarianOrlandoFL$8,085
32JimBozzutoOrlandoFL$8,085
33MichaelJagrooOrlandoFL$8,085
34HerreraGonzalezSevita$8,085
35SimeonKnafoBellevilleNJ$8,085
36ChadBrownFayettevilleNC$8,085
37RonnieDay JrFairbornOH$6,455
38ChadHamiltonWhitsettNC$6,455
39NealDavidMiltonGA$6,455
40MichaelBronzo JrDavenportFL$6,455
41JessicaRichardsTomballTX$6,455
42AndrewApostolWesley ChapelFL$6,455
43AustinSullivanWesley ChapelFL$6,455
44BrettApterNashvilleTN$6,455
45ScottGronroosJacksonvilleFL$6,455
46TuanPhamEsteroFL$5,015
47ValderamaRiveraTampaFL$5,015
48EnzoGiacubboEverettMA$5,015
49KaranvirSinghSicklervilleNJ$5,015
50VladislavMitrofanovSaratov$5,015
51JamesHollandFayettevilleNC$5,015
52AlanPhillipsPalm CoastFL$5,015
53JosephGayloFort PierceFL$5,015
54SterlingSavillTampaFL$5,015
55LuYuWesley ChapelFL$3,425
56TylerKolnessHendrumMN$3,425
57CollinsDelpercioDavieFL$3,425
58DavidLauferBrooklynNY$3,425
59AngelCabreraTrinityFL$3,425
60JavierZarco SanchezLondon$3,425
61MarkKornfeldLakewood RanchFL$3,425
62TomFleischerWesley ChapelFL$3,425
63JeremyPaetschFernandinaFL$3,425
64ArielKotzen-ReichHuntington WoodsMI$2,415
65JoshuaPhillipsSunriseFL$2,415
66ShahabMazaheriWinter SpgsFL$2,415
67CharlesKahrsPalm HarborFL$2,415
68MatthewO'DonnellTampaFL$2,415
69RomanBudzakSouth ElginIL$2,415
70BrianBarros VazquezStone ParkIL$2,415
71WillieSmithOrange CityFL$2,415
72AlbertPrendergastChicagoIL$2,415
73JulioAbreuCape CoralFL$2,360
74AntoSliskoFort MyersFL$2,360
75GeorgeAlbertoCliftonNJ$2,360
76RobertoMaldonado RodriguezMiramarFL$2,360
77AugustSmrekLaurelMD$2,360
78MichaelCassonClintonMA$2,360
79BrandonBestGrand RapidsMI$2,360
80JohnGordonSeminoleFL$2,360
81BrianRayTampaFL$2,360
82GeoffreyHunterJersey CityNJ$2,340
83FedericoHerreraBuena$2,340
84WilliamFarnanJupiterFL$2,340
85ConnorBerkowitzCamdenNJ$2,340
86GregoryOskoian JrTampaFL$2,340
87BrianKinserWesley ChapelFL$2,340
88ManuelGomez RiveraHumacaoPR$2,340
89SeanHardyFort WorthTX$2,340
90JaceKalinowskiHudsonNH$2,340
91PasqualeHudsonDade CityFL$2,320
92MihalyLukacsFort LauderdaleFL$2,320
93DanielCharkounov Prokhorov$2,320
94RossCorlessOrlandoFL$2,320
95HermesAndinoMiamiFL$2,320
96JamesRubinskiFort MyersFL$2,320
97RobertWagnerCitrus SpgsFL$2,320
98MichaelBrierBradentonFL$2,320
99JosephSteurLargoFL$2,320
100HarmeetChawlaTampaFL$2,300
101JustinHoweySeminoleFL$2,300
102DimitryAgrachovDelray BeachFL$2,300
103IzadiHamidMariettaGA$2,300
104GilLevyOldsmarFL$2,300
105AntonioGrahamTampaFL$2,300
106MarieHarrellTampaFL$2,300
107ZacharyJohnsTampaFL$2,300
108NicoleDiazOrlandoFL$2,300
109RasheedDunlapPalmettoFL$2,225
110SameerKotadiaDecaturGA$2,225
111SeanMiller JrRochesterNH$2,225
112JustinColtharpPiersonFL$2,225
113BrianClarkeSomervilleMA$2,225
114ChristopherOoleyTampaFL$2,225
115John EHrisoulisWinter HavenFL$2,225
116YuriyKozinskiyMiami BeachFL$2,225
117EricHirbourBostonMA$2,225
118RichardRossiEssexCT$2,060
119WalidMaddahTampaFL$2,060
120CheriBeattyPalm HarborFL$2,060
121JacquesWilliamsCocoaFL$2,060
122MitchellMenesTampaFL$2,060
123KarlManouchakianTampaFL$2,060
124DavidBennettPalm HarborFL$2,060
125MichaelHalprinGulfportFL$2,060
126DonaldSchuettBig LakeMN$2,060
127ToddMillroyJamestownNC$2,040
128EdwardFranklinEsteroFL$2,040
129BrandonLombardoIndianapolisIN$2,040
130FaridJattinMiamiFL$2,040
131AdamJamesSpring HillFL$2,040
132AndrewJohnsonTampaFL$2,040
133TrungPhamTempleTX$2,040
134DonaldJacksonOrlandoFL$2,040
135NicholasMartzFarmingtn HlsMI$2,040
136KevinMcdanielLawrencevilleGA$2,000
137AaronPinsonBaltimoreMD$2,000
138CalebPideritWestonFL$2,000
139AlbertStevensSt AugustineFL$2,000
140MichaelRichardsCropseyvilleNY$2,000
141GlenHortinWesley ChapelFL$2,000
142GuadElazibeGreenvilleNC$2,000
143KeithWoernleRahwayNJ$2,000
144PaulRathbunE LongmeadowMA$2,000
145MingShenMargateFL$1,965
146VincentNicastroPalm HarborFL$1,965
147FredDennison JrNorth HavenCT$1,965
148FredericoDabusDoralFL$1,965
149CharlesMitchell IiiOrlandoFL$1,965
150JoshuaPoeDublinOH$1,965
151AlbertKruxWesley ChapelFL$1,965
152MichialDrakeLouisvilleKY$1,965
153KimberlyStarbirdEustisFL$1,965
154JustinZakiTampaFL$1,945
155JoaoFigueiredoCuitiba$1,945
156BeomBaeStatesboroGA$1,945
157DavidShawSpringTX$1,945
158AlexanderChiangAllentownPA$1,945
159MichaelScomaClermontFL$1,945
160ChristianRobertsEverettMA$1,945
161RichardMiedzinskiLusbyMD$1,945
162IossifGressisLa PlataMD$1,945
163JamesKerrOrlandoFL$1,870
164RodneyJohnsRaleighNC$1,870
165PierreSabaPlattsburghNY$1,870
166CharlesHonkonenDoverNH$1,870
167DavidNadeauLargoFL$1,870
168JohnTeelClevelandOH$1,870
169HarleyTreroBurlingtonNC$1,870
170JefferyEugeneConverseIN$1,870
171AnthonyMarchTampaFL$1,870
172ChristopherHowardJacksonvilleFL$1,795
173BrianHallWestervilleOH$1,795
174TonyFarisMelbourneFL$1,795
175FabianFosterDavenportFL$1,795
176JohnO'NealJacksonvilleFL$1,795
177TroyBercotBradentonFL$1,795
178PaulDisciulloTampaFL$1,795
179GilbertoSanchezBartowFL$1,795
180ChristopherArcidiaconoPort CharlotteFL$1,795
181SeanThomsonWorcesterMA$1,760
182MayankShahTampaFL$1,760
183MarshaWolakMargateFL$1,760
184MichaelMonacoClearwaterFL$1,760
185FarzadRajiClearwater BeachFL$1,760
186ShawnSorgiOrlandoFL$1,760
187SheikMohamedOviedoFL$1,760
188CodyDaffronPrairievilleLA$1,760
189MarcoTownsendDetroitMI$1,760
190AlbertEskenaziBiscayne ParkFL$1,720
191MassimoDirienzoAtlantaGA$1,720
192AnatolyZharnitskyNorth YorkON$1,720
193JoseMaymoCarolinaPR$1,720
194MiguelGarciaLargoFL$1,720
195JamesGavinDeltonaFL$1,720
196CharlesWrightSpring HillFL$1,720
197JonathanOunjianDeerfield BeachFL$1,720
198MichaelLatufSarasotaFL$1,720
199JacobMetzgerPerrysburgOH$1,645
200RafaelRodriguez ArangoKendallFL$1,645
201RodneyTurvinCairoGA$1,645
202LarryKuschSumtervilleFL$1,645
203ToniaWilliamsTampaFL$1,645
204RandySimDania BeachFL$1,645
205KevinBroadwayJonesboroAR$1,645
206MaheshwarManthaniJacksonvilleFL$1,645
207TylerNeuguthWeeki WacheeFL$1,645
208RashaudCookLakelandFL$1,610
209ChristopherConoverLutzFL$1,610
210WilliamMariashOrlandoFL$1,610
211JohnMcconnellMontverdeFL$1,610
212MatthewBloomingdaleLehigh AcresFL$1,610
213SaedAmirehKennerLA$1,610
214GlynGriffisWindermereFL$1,610
215GencGovoriHoustonTX$1,610
216MargareteStanechewskiFraminghamMA$1,610
217CuongNguyenClearwaterFL$1,590
218PraveenChallagundlaDunedinFL$1,590
219GregoryGrattonIslipNY$1,590
220NathanLeeOrlandoFL$1,590
221DavidBrownBabson ParkFL$1,590
222TonyMilesLake MaryFL$1,590
223JohnGorsuchOkeechobeeFL$1,590
224RaymondRuszkowskiCutler BayFL$1,590
225DienLeBellevueWA$1,590
226JessicaDawleyThe VillagesFL$1,535
227AlexandruIvanOldsmarFL$1,535
228MinaTawfikTampaFL$1,535
229JuanOvallesMiamiFL$1,535
230BrettDulyeaMiddlevilleMI$1,535
231JuanLopez JrLansingMI$1,535
232RonaldFaustiniClearwaterFL$1,535
233FrankHarringtonAllenstownNH$1,535
234LeonelMunguiaOcoeeFL$1,535
235DeondrickHaughbrookSt PetersburgFL$1,495
236DiegoUezCaxias Do Sol$1,495
237YvonneMcquillanFort MyersFL$1,495
238StevenBellasOrlandoFL$1,495
239ChristopherHydenSt PetersburgFL$1,495
240JamesSolomonCamp LejeuneNC$1,495
241RamandeepMakhijaChicagoIL$1,495
242JosephSalvaggiOrlandoFL$1,495
243JohnCouchLake MaryFL$1,495
244ChristopherRouleauSarasotaFL$1,480
245WalterRossiValricoFL$1,480
246AlexanderKartveliStaten IslandNY$1,480
247GregoryMastersHuntingtonWV$1,480
248ZacharyFischer-East NorthportNY$1,480
249CharlieRileyTampaFL$1,480
250DarinThompsonTampaFL$1,480
251ScottLipnerMiamiFL$1,480
252HazemMuhieddinWakefieldMA$1,480
253HyongLeeJacksonvilleFL$1,420
254RiccardoAndreoliMilano$1,420
255JohnHaldie IiiTrinityFL$1,420
256HaroldAngleSun City CenterFL$1,420
257HaoyuChenCoral SpringsFL$1,420
258DavidHowardTreasure IslandFL$1,420
259StephenSandovalTampaFL$1,420
260BrandonCraswellBogartGA$1,420
261JohnMullarkyFort ThomasKY$1,420
262JasonRogersMemphisTN$1,385
263ChristopherPerryHudsonFL$1,385
264LawrenceMcdonaldJacksonvilleFL$1,385
265CurtisKingThe VillagesFL$1,385
266JamesMckeonLattingtownNY$1,385
267BradleySclaterOrlandoFL$1,385
268JerryArgentoNew Port RicheyFL$1,385
269MicheleMezzogoriCape CoralFL$1,385
270HarryBindaTampaFL$1,385
271JakobParksClearwaterFL$1,365
272BryanCuzinoNew Port RicheyFL$1,365
273BryanRocheGlen BurnieMD$1,365
274MargaritaRamirezserranoVacavilleCA$1,365
275John WRedden JrOrlandoFL$1,365
276BlairMillerSarasotaFL$1,365
277Jose AlejandroSaide Azar$1,365
278MauryDaleRoseburgOR$1,365
279MichaelMoskowitzBrooklynNY$1,365
280BrandonEllisClearwaterFL$1,310
281EthanBlaunerNew YorkNY$1,310
282BrendanDalySan AntonioTX$1,310
283DavidRoyBrooksvilleFL$1,310
284VannaNuon$1,310
285BlancyMitchellSt PetersburgFL$1,310
286SteveBlackmonArcadiaFL$1,310
287EfiAmoyalJerusalem$1,310
288KevinBaysonToledoOH$1,310
289AlexMichielsGreen BayWI$1,270
290MatthewMayoLake CharlesLA$1,270
291GloriaShenefieldLa FontaineIN$1,270
292ArielRosello QuintanaHialeahFL$1,270
293ThomasMaiale JrFort MyersFL$1,270
294RyanHoganWinter GardenFL$1,270
295JulioDelgado ReyesOrlandoFL$1,270
296FanilkumarPatelBristolTN$1,270
297JosephBoulaisCocoaFL$1,270
298JacobFerroCrystal RiverFL$1,200
299MichaelWhiddenTampaFL$1,200
300DavidKaucherClearwaterFL$1,200
301ForrestClardyCandlerNC$1,200
302MehranMoeinzadehGilroyCA$1,200
303RobertoBonilla RiveraBrisas De CanovanasPR$1,200
304GeraldStognerKokomoMS$1,200
305MarkDonlyMerritt IslandFL$1,200
306ZacharyVuongHoustonTX$1,200
307YosefBrandweinMonseyNY$1,125
308MarkDubeFt LauderdaleFL$1,125
309JeffreyRollandFort LauderdaleFL$1,125
310RonaldThorneRockfordMI$1,125
311RaulRoaHaines CityFL$1,125
312ChristopherTrybaEvergreenCO$1,125
313DavidClarkFort MyersFL$1,125
314TanupatPunjarojanakulWestburyNY$1,125
315NicholasSena-HopkinsIslamoradaFL$1,125
316SahMandeepColumbusOH$1,085
317ElieWilliams JrMount WashingtonKY$1,085
318AlanTaylorHomosassaFL$1,085
319ErikFieldsTampaFL$1,085
320EthanCampTampaFL$1,085
321MatthewLeecyTrinityFL$1,085
322KylePetersonBrooksvilleFL$1,085
323JohnZaleskieKissimmeeFL$1,085
324JesseFujarczykMiamiFL$1,085
325FrederickGoldbergPlantationFL$1,050
326WasimAssafOrlandoFL$1,050
327FilippKhavinSaint PetersburgFL$1,050
328DereckThomsenCordellOK$1,050
329MikhaileRichardsClevelandOH$1,050
330AnujTiwaryChicagoMA$1,050
331BennetParkeOrlandoFL$1,050
332LouisGeorgeDuluthGA$1,050
333JosephStempekOrlandoFL$1,050
334KevinJacksonSunriseFL$1,030
335ThomasCoutureGreeneME$1,030
336BryceMcvayJupiterFL$1,030
337JefforyStephensHolidayFL$1,030
338RonnieDowdy IiDouglasvilleGA$1,030
339RafaelYaraliyevBrooklynNY$1,030
340JamesCalderaroEnglewoodFL$1,030
*denotes 4-Way Deal