2016 Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, FL
Event 13
$1,650 Championship
Entries: 489
Prize Pool: $733,500
December 15-18, 2016

David Bradshaw won the Winter Poker Open Championship during the early morning hours of Monday pocketing $154,750. The $1,650 buy-in event ran at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa and drew a huge field of 489 entries. In addition to the lion’s share of the $733,500 prize pool, Bradshaw earned the property’s token guitar trophy and a $5,250 seat in next August’s Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship.

“Everything just worked out,” Bradshaw said. “Perfect timing. I ended the year right. I guess I’m going to have to learn how to play the guitar now.”

Bradshaw remained poised often playing 100 or more big blinds deep during the late stages of play. He began the final table with an advantage of nearly 2-to-1 over second place and eventual runner-up Matthew Leecy. From there, the action moved fast with Susan MacPherson, Joey Alegria and John O’Neal busting in the first level of nine-handed play. Chris Boyle was next to go in sixth leaving the remaining five players with an average stack of almost 60 big blinds. It wasn’t until Moe Affaneh picked up aces against Josh Lowing’s ace-king that the next elimination came. The duo got it in preflop only to see a Q-J-10-Q-J runout. Broadway left Affaneh’s aces busted and he was eliminated fifth. Next to go was Shawn Barnett who picked up jacks against Bradshaw’s aces. Barnett got no help and busted fourth.

The final three played for a bit, but soon agreed to the aforementioned deal. Leecy pocketed an even $120,000 while Josh Lowing earned $86,857.

Bradshaw is 41 years old. He was born in Miami but now resides in Atlanta where he is a store owner. This marks his second major tournament win and puts him over $200,000 in career earnings.

The 2016 WPO Championship’s monster field generated a total prize pool of more than $730,000. That number easily exceeded the $300,000 guarantee and marked an increase of about 35 entries year over year. The event’s three starting flights broke down as follows; Flight A: 142 entries, 30 advanced, Flight B: 112 entries, 26 advanced, Flight C: 235 entries, 54 advanced.

“I think it was a great tournament,” Bradshaw said. “I liked it being over in two days. I’ll definitely be here to play it again.”

The finale drew such headliners as 2004 WSOP Main Event champion Greg Raymer, 2010 November Niner John Dolan, reigning SHRP Player of the Year David Prociak and SHRP team member Sheddy Siddiqui. While none of these standouts were able to make Day 2, many others did including all three Seminole Hard Rock Tampa team members John Racener, Justin Zaki and Wally Maddah, defending champion John Templeton, SHRP team members Jessica Dawley and Mike Laake as well as Allen Kessler.

Among those to finish in the money were Russ Head (16th), Cheri Beatty (22nd), Kessler (23rd), James Calderaro (29th), Laake (31st), Ryan Van Sanford (39th) and Dawley (45th).

The conclusion of the Championship marked the end of the 2016 WPO. The next major series taking place at the property is the WPTDeepStacks-Tampa series slated for June of 2017.

WPO Championship final results:

1st: David Bradshaw – $154,750 + SHRPO Seat
2nd: Matthew Leecy – $120,000
3rd: Josh Lowing – $86,857
4th: Shawn Barnett – $53,179
5th: Moe Affaneh – $41,810
6th: Chris Boyle – $34,841
7th: John O’Neal – $27,873
8th: Joey Alegria – $21,272
9th: Susan MacPherson – $14,670
10th: Peter Walsworth – $9,536
11th: Jaeli Moron – $9,536
12th: Manny Minaya – $9,536
13th: Bradley Snider – $7,335
14th: Allauddin Khan – $7,335
15th: Mark Darner – $7,335
16th: Russ Head – $5,795
17th: John Gordon – $5,795
18th: Paul Balzano – $5,795
19th: Brett Bader – $4,548
20th: Kirsten Olieberg – $4,548
21st: Talesh Patel – $4,548
22nd: Cheri Beatty – $4,548
23rd: Allen Kessler – $4,548
24th: Kevin Chan – $4,548
25th: Ahmad Hamoush – $4,548
26th: Rosario Simone – $4,548
27th: Anthony Astarita – $4,548
28th: Ralph Dyer – $4,034
29th: James Calderaro – $4,034
30th: Antuan Bunkley – $4,034
31st: Mike Laake – $4,034
32nd: Jonathan Toth – $4,034
33rd: Chris Binion – $4,034
34th: Lewis Gallo, Jr. – $4,034
35th: Mok Bsaiso – $4,034
36th: Alex Venovski – $4,034
37th: Paul Stanechewski – $3,668
38th: Mark Scacewater – $3,668
39th: Ryan Van Sanford – $3,668
40th: Michael Osborne – $3,668
41st: Stephen Speer – $3,668
42nd: Luis Torres – $3,668
43rd: Mark “Bud” Wiser – $3,668
44th: Brian Arbaugh – $3,668
45th: Jessica Dawley – $3,668

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 30: 50,000/100,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 489

The final three players agreed to a deal that saw chip leader David Bradshaw earn $154,750 along with the $5,250 seat and guitar. Matthew Leecy pocketed an even $120,000 while short stack Josh Lowing went home with $86,857.

A complete tournament report will be posted shortly. In the meantime, here’s a look at the final table results:

1st: David Bradshaw – $154,750 + SHRPO Seat
2nd: Matthew Leecy – $120,000
3rd: Josh Lowing – $86,857
4th: Shawn Barnett – $53,179
5th: Moe Affaneh – $41,810
6th: Chris Boyle – $34,841
7th: John O’Neal – $27,873
8th: Joey Alegria – $21,272
9th: Susan MacPherson – $14,670

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Heading to Level 30: 50,000/100,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 489

David Bradshaw – 7,690,000
Matthew Leecy – 5,145,000
Josh Lowing – 1,820,000

1st – $187,401 + SHRPO Seat
2nd – $108,191
3rd – $66,015

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 489

Josh Lowing raised the button to 310,000 and Matthew Leecy defended the big blind.

Flop: — Leecy checked. Lowing bet 310,000. It was back on Leecy and he raised. Lowing moved all in and Leecy quickly called.

Leecy: for top two
Lowing: for an overpair

Runout:

Leecy was the at-risk player and his all-in bet was broken down to 2,835,000.

Matthew Leecy – 6,430,000 (80 bb)
Josh Lowing – 1,195,000 (14 bb)

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 489

David Bradshaw raised the button to 180,000 and Shawn Barnett shoved about 1,300,000 from the small blind. Bradshaw quickly called and flipped over . It was a bit of a cooler as Barnett held and was drawing slim.

Runout:

Barnett never improved and was eliminated in fourth place. Bradshaw took a healthy chip lead three handed with about half the chips in play.

David Bradshaw – 7,350,000 (91 bb)
Shawn Barnett – Eliminated in 4th place ($53,179)

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 28: 30,000/60,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 489

Josh Lowing was in the cutoff and raised to 150,000. It was on Moe Affaneh in the small blind and he moved all in for roughly 1,100,000. Lowing called and Affaneh quickly flipped his holdings. Affaneh was at risk, but in great shape.

Affaneh:
Lowing:

Affaneh stood from the table as the monster hands went to a flop.

Flop: — Lowing flopped Broadway. Affaneh let out a yell. The turn fell the giving him outs to a boat, but the river wasn’t one of them. After taking out some frustrations, Affaneh returned to the table and calmly said, “Nice hand. Good game.”

He finished in fifth place for $41,810.

Josh Lowing – 3,200,000 (53 bb)
Moe Affaneh – Eliminated in 5th place ($41,810)

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 489

With blinds of 25,000 and 50,000, the average stack currently sits at 2,934,000 — nearly 60 big blinds. The pots have been small as players are able to pick their spots as they see fit.

Remaining payouts:

1st – $187,401 + SHRPO Seat
2nd – $108,191
3rd – $66,015
4th – $53,179
5th – $41,810

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 489

On the first hand of Level 27, Shawn Barnett raised the button and it folded to Chris Boyle in the big blind. He moved all in for about 900,000. Barnett called and turned over . He was racing against the of Boyle.

The flop hit both players, falling . Boyle paired up but Barnett spiked a set. The turn was the and the river the . Boyle was eliminated in sixth place earning $34,841.

Chris Boyle – Eliminated in 6th place ($34,841)

$1,650 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Level 26: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 489

John O’Neal made it 100,000 from the small blind. Shawn Barnett called from the big blind.

The duo saw a flop of . O’Neal checked. Barnett bet 140,000. O’Neal verified the value of the bet before he moved all-in for about 740,000. Barnett snapped.

Barnett: for bottom set
O’Neal: for top pair

The turn was the and O’Neal stood from the table. The river fell the and he was officially out in seventh place.

Shawn Barnett – 1,460,000 (36 bb)
John O’Neal – Eliminated in 7th place ($27,871)