2020 Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 2
$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 811
Prize Pool: $267,630
December 3-6, 2020

The first weekend of the 2020 Winter Poker Open went about as well as anyone could have expected. Event 2 packed the Poker Room and the $400 buy-in drew an incredible 811 entries. Out of all those players, it was New Jersey transfer Kenneth Goldfarb booking his first win in the Sunshine State, earning more than $31,000 and the guitar trophy.

The multi-flight tournament had a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool and those 811 entries combined to easily surpass it while putting $267,630 up for grabs. A fantastic turnout and a great start to the series.

The field has some of our favorite local regulars and a few out of town friends looking for some Florida poker action. Justin Zaki, Josias Santos, Blake Whittington, Wally Maddah, Bryce McVay, and last year’s runner-up AJ Kelsall are a few of those who made it to the Poker Room to take part.

There were 81 players returning for Day 2 on Sunday with the field already in the money and the action was fast-paced for the first few hours of the tournament. Players dropped out, hit the cage for their payout, and jumped into other action while enjoying some football on the many TVs around the room.

The final table was formed with the last seven players and each took a turn at the top of the leaderboard. Whittington, a six-time WSOP Circuit champ, went out in seventh place to set up a long six-handed battle.

As chips were being pushed back and forth, the blinds continued to climb. The six remaining players eventually decided to make a deal to divide up the remaining prize pool based on chip counts Kenneth Goldfarb held a big chip lead at the time and took the lion’s share of the money followed by Shawn Sorgi, Anthony Askey, Cheri Beatty, Harmeet Chawla, and Yan Jiang.

Goldfarb earned $31,267 for his first win in the state of Florida. The former New Jersey resident booked wins in Atlantic City and now has a Tampa title to go with them.

“This was a long grind,” Goldfarb said when asked about his plans for the series. “I have a birthday coming up and these are long days but it was fun.”

“I’ll probably skip the tournaments this week then come back for the Main.”

Congratulations to Kenneth on the huge win and so many thanks to our poker friends for making the first weekend of the series a huge success.

Final table results:

1st: Kenneth Goldfarb – $31,267 + Guitar Trophy *
2nd: Shawn Sorgi – $28,531 *
3rd: Anthony Askey – $23,893 *
4th: Cheri Beatty – $22,159 *
5th: Harmeet Chawla – $20,234 *
6th: Yan Jiang – $19,456 *
7th: Blake Whittington – $8,289
* – denotes results of six-way deal

• Event 2 results (PDF)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante

The final table never played another hand after the break. All six remaining players took a look at the chip counts and ICM numbers and quickly came to an agreement to divide up the remaining prize pool.

As the chip leader, Kenneth Goldfarb was crowned the Event 2 Champion and earned his first Tampa Guitar Trophy along with more than $31,000.

The payouts and counts are below:

Kenneth Goldfarb – 4,725,000
Shawn Sorgi – 3,750,000
Anthony Askey – 2,450,000
Cheri Beatty – 2,050,000
Harmeet Chawla – 1,675,000
Yan Jiang – 1,500,000

1st: Kenneth Goldfarb – $31,267 + Guitar Trophy
2nd: Shawn Sorgi – $28,531
3rd: Anthony Askey – $23,893
4th: Cheri Beatty – $22,159
5th: Harmeet Chawla – $20,234
6th: Yan Jiang – $19,456

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 811

Seat 1: Yan Jiang – 1,500,000 (8 bb)
Seat 2: Kenneth Goldfarb – 4,725,000 (24 bb)
Seat 3: Anthony Askey – 2,450,000 (12 bb)
Seat 4: Harmeet Chawla – 1,675,000 (8 bb)
Seat 6: Shawn Sorgi – 3,750,000 (19 bb)
Seat 7: Cheri Beatty – 2,050,000 (10 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $49,574
2nd: $34,757
3rd: $22,403
4th: $16,307
5th: $12,498
6th: $10,001

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  100,000/150,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 811

Harmeet Chawla opened to 350,000 from under the gun and Shawn Sorgi shipped for 1,875,000 next to act. It folded back around to Chawla and he called.

Sorgi:
Chawla:

It was a race and Sorgi took the lead on the flop. The turn and river completed the board for Sorgi’s double and Chawla’s rollercoaster continued.

Shawn Sorgi – 4,150,000 (28 bb)
Harmeet Chawla – 1,800,000 (12 bb)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  100,000/150,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 811

Action folded to Anthony Askey from the small blind and he dropped in a big stack to cover Harmeet Chawla in the big. He checked his cards and quickly called.

Chawla:
Askey:

Chawla was ahead for the double but Askey paired his seven on the flop. The turned changed nothing but Chawla spiked another river to survive.

Harmeet Chawla – 3,150,000 (21 bb)
Anthony Askey – 2,300,000 (16 bb)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 811

Cheri Beatty open-shoved for 825,000 from the hijack and Kenneth Goldfarb called on the button. The blinds folded and the hand were flipped up.

Beatty:
Goldfarb:

Beatty was dominating preflop, improved to a set on the turn, made a boat on the turn, and had her double after the river.

“No more!” Goldfarb joked with Beatty.

Cheri Beatty – 1,975,000 (16 bb)
Kenneth Goldfarb – 3,300,000 (26 bb)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 811

Blake Whittington opep-shoved for 1,300,000 from under the gun and it folded to Harmeet Chawla. He slow-peeled his hand and called at risk for 900,000.

Chawla:
Whittington:

Whittington was ahead for the knockout until the board ran out . Chawla caught his saving queen on the river, Whittington was knocked down to a few big blinds and knockout out by Kenneth Goldfarb on the next hand.

Harmeet Chawla – 1,875,000 (15 bb)
Blake Whittington – Eliminated in 7th place ($8,289)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 811

Chips come and chips go. On the next hand after Harmeet Chawla doubled up, he saw Shawn Sorgi open/shove for 1,325,000 from early position. Chawla took his time and called in the small blind.

Sorgi:
Chawla:

Sorgi was ahead for the double and his tens held on the board for his double.

Shawn Sorgi – 2,850,000 (29 bb)
Harmeet Chawla – 775,000 (8 bb)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 811

Yan Jiang opened to 225,000 and Harmeet Chawla moved all in for 1,000,000 on the nose from the big blind. Jiang quickly called to put him at risk.

Chawla:
Jiang:

Chawla needed to catch to stay in the game but missed the flop. The turn was no help either but he celebrated the saving river for his double.

Harmeet Chawla – 2,100,000 (21 bb)
Yan Jiang – 2,100,000 (21 bb)

$400 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 811

The players are in their seats and settled in for the final table battle. Below is the lineup and we will update with counts once they get settled.

Seat 1: Yan Jiang
Seat 2: Kenneth Goldfarb
Seat 3: Anthony Askey
Seat 4: Harmeet Chawla
Seat 5: Blake Whittington
Seat 6: Shawn Sorgi
Seat 7: Cheri Beatty

1st: $49,574
2nd: $34,757
3rd: $22,403
4th: $16,307
5th: $12,498
6th: $10,001
7th: $8,289