Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Summer Poker Open

Event 4: $560 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em
$50,000 Guaranteed
June 2-3, 2014

Entries: 70
Total Prize Pool: $50,000

RECAP
Julio Novo held a massive chip lead when the final three players in the $560 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em event decided to wrap it up with a chop.  Novo takes home the signature Hard Rock guitar and earned his $3,500 seat in the $1 Million Guaranteed Championship event (June 12-18, 2014).

The Cuban-born Novo retired from his job teaching high school Spanish and Math a couple of years ago.  Since then he “plays four or five tournaments every week,” he says.  This is his first reported win and “this is the biggest,” he added.

This event carried a $50,000 Guarantee on the prize pool and drew 70 entrants.  The final 18 players earned a share.

Day 1 began in the Rockin’ Poolside Tournament Area at 1pm Monday.  When they reached the final table after 2am, the final ten players bagged their chips for the night.  Play resumed on Day 2 at 1pm Tuesday and was wrapped up by 5pm, thanks to the three-way chop.

Filipp Khavin (St. Petersburg, FL) took the win in Event 2 which ended in a 7-way chop and this was his second final table in two days.  He started Day 2 as the chip leader and was shooting for a second guitar.  He settles for 3rd, since he already has his seat in the Championship.  Second place goes to Enzo Romano, who was second in chips coming into Day 2.

His win almost never happened.  Novo busted out early on Day 1 and was all the way to his car when he talked himself into re-entering.  “It’s terrific.  The most important thing is not the money.  I was able to beat the best players in the area.  Most of them  played this tournament and I was able to beat them.  Now I’m more confident about my game.”

Novo plans to be here every day during the Summer Poker Open, “I don’t remember what’s next, but whatever [tournament] it is, I’ll come to pay it.”

FINAL RESULTS

TOURNAMENT DETAILS