2019 Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Poker Classic
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 8
$1,650 Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 332
Prize Pool: $498,000
February 28-March 4, 2019

The inaugural Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Poker Classic was a ten-tournament series that was headlined by the $300,000 Guarantee Main Event. The tournament drew players from around the country and Matt Leecy outlasted them all to walk away with more than $100,000.

“It’s humbling,” Leecy said of getting the win outright. “Poker is a game where we tend to think we’re doing everything perfect when it’s going and everything’s just against us when it’s going bad.”

“I struggle with pride like the next guy or gal … I feel blessed and thankful that it ran this way,” he countinued. “Obviously, I was on the good end of a lot of big hands all day.”

The Main Event featured three starting flights and they combined to put 332 entries into the big game. Those entrants pushed the prize pool up to $498,000 for a great turnout in the first running of this event.

Of those 332 entries, we had 58 return for Day 2 on Sunday 3with 4 of them set to earn some cash. The slow structure gave them plenty of room to maneuver and they took their time getting to the money.

The bubble burst late in the afternoon with SHR Tampa favorite Wally Maddah sliding into a min-cash with less than one small blind. The rest of the day progressed at a steady pace until they joined as one at the ten-handed final table.

Day 2 came to an end when Vitor Coelho was eliminated in tenth place and the nine remaining players returned on Monday to play for the title. Leecy began the final table with the chip lead but had some tough competition including Jeff Trudeau Jr, Justin Zaki, Filipp Khavin, Karl Manouchakian, and TPC Event 1 champ Andrew Boccia.

The stacks were deep and the blind levels were one-hour long, they settled in for a long day. Amelio Amato went out early in the day followed by Zaki. The final table continued to shrink as Leecy built his lead.

The heads-up match between Leecy and Boccia began with Leecy holding a 7-to-2 advantage and he never relinquished his lead. It came to an end when Leecy’s trip sixes won the last hand against Boccia’s top pair.

Boccia followed up his TPC Event 1 win with another $79,152 score for second place while Leecy earned $112,425 as the Tampa Poker Classic Main Event champion.

“I have a lot of respect for those guys [at][the][final][table “” not found /]
,” The 31 year old Tampa resident said. “There were some really good players that have great resumes at that table.”

Leecy is a professional poker player, but dedicates himself to his faith and is active in his church and ministry. He attended Trinity College of Florida where he played basketball and was part of a National Championship winning team. Leecy graduated in May and is actively looking at applying for seminary or graduate school.

Congratulations to Matt and thank you to all of our players who help make this first running of the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Poker Classic a success.

Final table results:

1st: Matt Leecy – $112,425
2nd: Andrew Boccia – $79,152
3rd: Ken O’Donnell – $50,906
4th: Filipp Khavin – $31,050
5th: Jeff Trudeau Jr – $23,979
6th: Chad Kitchen – $19,870
7th: Karl Manouchakian – $16,683
8th: Justin Zaki – $13,944
9th: Amelio Amato – $11,245

For complete Main Event results, click the link below:

Continue reading Main Event: Matt Leecy Wins Inaugural Tampa Poker Classic Main Event →

$1,650 Tampa Poker Classic Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 28: 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 332

It was a limped pot with Andrew Boccia on the button and Matthew Leecy first to act. The flop fell and Leecy lead for 100,000. Boccia raised, making it 300,000 to go. Leecy thought for some time, then jammed having Boccia well covered. Boccia called off about 1,500,000 and the hands were up.

Leecy: for trip-sixes
Boccia: for top pair

Runout:

Boccia improved on the turn, but it wasn’t enough. With that, the Event 1 champion fell one spot shy of a second Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Poker Classic victory. For his runner-up finish, he earned $79,152. Leecy, meanwhile, was awarded $112,425 and the trophy.

A full recap on the event will be posted shortly.

1st: Matthew Leecy – $112,425
2nd: Andrew Boccia – $79,152

$1,650 Tampa Poker Classic Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 28: 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 332

Andrew Boccia and Matt Leecy stretched out and the heads-up match is underway for the Tampa Poker Classic Main Event. Level 27 came to an end shortly after Ken O’Donnell was eliminated, here are the current counts.

Seat 4: Andrew Boccia – 2,080,000 (35 bb)
Seat 8: Matt Leecy – 7,880,000 (131 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $112,425
2nd: $79,152

$1,650 Tampa Poker Classic Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 332

Andrew Boccia folded his button and Matt Leecy raised to 175,000 from the small blind. Ken O’Donnell announced all-in from the big and Leecy asked for a count. After hearing 1,735,000 from the dealer, Leecy called.

O’Donnell:
Leecy:

O’Donnell was in a lot of trouble and it got worse when Leecy improved on the flop. The turn left O’Donnell drawing dead to the river and he was our third-place finisher.

Matt Leecy – 8,150,000 (163 bb)
Ken O’Donnell – Eliminated in 3rd place ($50,906)

$1,650 Tampa Poker Classic Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 332

It was a battle of the blinds with Andrew Boccia in the small and Matthew Leecy in the big.

The flop was . Boccia checked and Leecy bet 100,000. Boccia called.

The turn fell the . Boccia checked again. Leecy bet 245,000. Boccia called and it was river time.

Fifth street was the . Boccia checked a third time. Leecy bet 330,000. Boccia was getting short and opted to fold. Leecy took the pot leaving Boccia with 1,000,000 chips behind.

———————

A short time after their above hand, Boccia open jammed the small blind for 1,000,000 and Leecy called from the big. Boccia was at risk against the chip leader.

Leecy:
Boccia:

Runout:

Boccia spiked a pair to best Leecy and double up.

Andrew Boccia – 2,125,000 (42 bb)

$1,650 Tampa Poker Classic Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 332

Filipp Kavin open-shoved from the button for ~950,000 and Ken O’Donnell reshipped from the small blind to get a quick fold from Andrew Boccia in the big blind.

O’Donnell:
Khavin:

Khavin was in great shape but O’Donnell took the lead on the flop. Neither the turn nor river could save Khavin and he was sent out in fourth place.

Ken O’Donnell – 2,600,000 (52 bb)
Filipp Khavin – Eliminated in 4th place ($31,050)

$1,650 Tampa Poker Classic Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 332

Filipp Khavin was under the gun and folded putting it to Ken O’Donnell on the button. O’Donnel jammed and Andrew Boccia promptly got rid of his small blind. Matthew Leecy was in the big and asked for a rough count before announcing, “Call.”

The all-in bet was 940,000 and O’Donnell was racing for his tournament life.

Leecy:
O’Donnell:

Runout:

O’Donnell overtook Leecy in the runout and he doubled to stay alive.

Ken O’Donnell – 2,005,000 (40 bb)
Matthew Leecy – 5,405,000 (108 bb)

$1,650 Tampa Poker Classic Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 27: 25,000/50,000 with a 50,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 332

The blinds are up and Matt Leecy continues to extend his lead. He now has nearly 2/3rds of the available chips and the other three need to make some moves.

Seat 2: Ken O’Donnell – 825,000 (17 bb)
Seat 4: Andrew Boccia – 1,850,000 (37 bb)
Seat 8: Matt Leecy – 6,345,000 (127 bb)
Seat 9: Filipp Khavin – 940,000 (19 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $112,425
2nd: $79,152
3rd: $50,906
4th: $31,050

$1,650 Tampa Poker Classic Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26: 20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 332

Jeff Trudeau Jr opened to 80,000 from under the gun and Matt Leecy three-bet to 235,000. The rest of the table released and Trudeau moved all in for right around 1,000,000 even. After a minute, Leecy called to put him at risk.

Leecy:
Trudeau:

Trudeau was dominated and outkicked as the board ran to send him out in fifth place while Leecy holds nearly half of the chips in play.

Matt Leecy – 4,720,000 (118 bb)
Jeff Trudeau Jr – Eliminated in 5th place ($23,979)

$1,650 Tampa Poker Classic Main Event
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26: 20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 332

Ken O’Donnell raised the cutoff to 100,000. It moved to shortstack Jeff Trudeau in the small blind and he shoved for 460,000 total. O’Donnell called and Trudeau was at risk.

Trudeau:
O’Donnell:

Runout:

Trudeau held and the shortstack doubled.

Jeff Trudeau Jr. – 1,020,000 (25 bb)
Ken O’Donnell – 2,525,000 (63 bb)