Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Summer Poker Open
Event 1: $250 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em
June 10, 2014
Entries: 102
Total Buy-In: $21,420
RECAP
The Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Summer Poker Open continued with another trophy event and this big stack tournament (20k starting stacks) saw three players chop up the last of the prize money.
Tim White (Tampa, FL), Jeff Wilkens (Jacksonville, FL) and Donald Lyerly (Wesley Chapel, FL) each took home ~$4,000, with White earning the title.
“It’s a nice start,” said White who recently returned to the game. In addition to the money he earned the custom guitar and a $3,500 Championship event seat.
“It’s nice to get the seat, so that worked out well.”
The key hand in White’s final table run came five-handed when he flopped a set against chip leader Marc Davis, who rivered a set and shipped a double-up in a 440k chip pot.
“Set over set, I win that hand and have half the chips in play,” said a disappointed Davis who wound up 4th.
“It put me in a good position,” said White, who recently moved back to Florida from Minnesota, “I pretty much coasted from there.”
After Davis’ elimination the final three agreed to the deal.
“It’s a grind, like all tournaments are,” said Wilkens, “but it was fun.”
“It’s always nice to get a score,” added Lyerly, who recorded a third place finish in an event held here in the December 2013 Winter Poker Open.
The day began with 102 entries that put up a total buy-in of $21,420. Once the final 18 hit the money, there were eight eliminations in thirty minutes to set the final table which offered a lot of play because of the big stack structure.
White said he’s happy to get the win, especially because he wasn’t at the top of his game.
“I was three hours late, forgot my glasses and had a pounding headache at the final table.”
FINAL RESULTS
1. TIM WHITE (GIBSONTON, FL): $3,999
2. JEFF WILLIAMS (ORANGE PARK, FL): $3,999
3. DONALD LYERLY (WESLEY CHAPEL, FL): $3,998
4. MARC DAVIS (ORLANDO, FL): $1,714
5. KIRAN AINALA (TAMPA, FL): $1,285
6. KEVIN CURREY (ORLANDO, FL): $1,071
7. MARVIN KARLINS (RIVERVIEW, FL): $857
8. JOAQUIN BLANCO (INVERNESS, FL): $643
9. MICHAEL MASELLA (DAYTONA BEACH, FL): $482
10. SHEILA OLSEN (JACKSONVILLE, NC): $428
11. BENTON THOMPSON (LAKELAND, FL): $428
12. JAMES DUNN (PALM HARBOR, FL): $428
13. KEVIN JONES (OVIEDO, FL): $375
14. AUBREY CUSTALOW (TAMPA, FL): $375
15. RUSSELL RUCKS (FORT MYERS, FL): $375
16. BRADLEY HELDENBRAND (SEFFNER, FL): $321
17. JOSEPH BROWN (PINELLAS PARK, FL): $321
18. ROBERT DIAZ II (TIERRA VERDE, FL): $321