2021 Pinktober Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 1
$500 Mega Stack
$100,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  504
Prize Pool:  $216,720
October 14-17, 2021

The opening event of the 2021 Pinktober Poker Open drew 504 entries for the $500 Mega Stack; a great start to the series. After a big final table come back, Antwan Prince took the title along with $28,218 in a four-way deal.

The tournament easily surpassed its $100,000 guarantee prize pool and the turnout more than doubled it up to $216,720. Each of the three starting flights played till 10% of the field remained so all 52 players returning for Day 2 were in the money.

That meant a quick day for a lot of players with cash locked up and Event 1 quickly played down to the final table. David Albertson, Jerry Silva, and Steve Blackmon all took turns with the chip lead while Prince was among the short stacks as players dropped out.

Then he battled Silva in two huge pots to take the lead and the eventual title when the last four players decided to call it a day. They divided up the remaining prize pool evenly and Prince earned the title courtesy of his chip lead.

Congrats Antwan and thanks to our players for a fun start to the series.

Results:

1st: Antwan Prince – $28,218 *
2nd: Lee Tran – $28,218 *
3rd: Curtis Stroman – $28,217 *
4th: Steve Blackmon – $28,217 *
5th: Julian Roldan – $11,160
6th: Jerry Silva – $8,370
7th: Tim Dallman – $6,390
8th: David Albertson – $4,970
9th: “MT” Tawfik – $3,930
10th: Nadeem Hirani – $3,930
11th: Soe Lee – $3,170
12th: John Haas – $3,170
13th: Brandon Ellis – $2,610
14th: Boris Cox – $2,610
15th: Cary Rosenthal – $2,190
16th: Nicole Diaz – $2,190
17th: Witold Wasik – $1,870
18th: Andre Adams – $1,870
19th: John Ryan – $1,870
20th: Arman Navazi – $1,870
21st: Rodney Rodrigue – $1,640
22nd: Daniel Dedomenico – $1,640
23rd: Zachary Eichbaum – $1,640
24th: Carlos Evangelista – $1,640
25th: Julio Delgado – $1,460
26th: Ryan Luker – $1,460
27th: Brian Harris – $1,460
28th: Spiro Kochovos – $1,460
29th: Paul Strandquist – $1,330
30th: Anthony Reynolds – $1,330
31st: Emmanuel Santos – $1,330
32nd: Kevin Blewitt – $1,330
33rd: Yan Tin Jiang – $1,240
34th: Jonathan Defaria – $1,240
35th: Herbert Woodbery – $1,240
36th: Earl Vanlandingham – $1,240
37th: Nashaat Antonious – $1,240
38th: Ryan Hogan – $1,240
39th: Pat Hoben – $1,240
40th: Michial Drake – $1,240
41st: Michael Wommach – $1,180
42nd: Jack Ranallo – $1,180
43rd: Joe McCray – $1,180
44th: Marcus Huewitt – $1,180
45th: Eric Hernandez – $1,180
46th: Wesley Scarbrough – $1,180
47th: Alan Thomas – $1,180
48th: Patrick Murphy – $1,180
49th: Albert Cazares – $1,150
50th: Francis Ryan – $1,150
51st: Jason Culpepper – $1,150
52nd: Mohamad Alhalwani – $1,150
* – Results of a four-way deal

$500 Mega Stack (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 32:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante

The blinds went up for the four-handed final table, they looked at their stacks, and decided to call it a night. The prize pool was divided up evenly between them with Antwan Prince taking the title courtesy of his chip lead.

Antwan Prince – 7,025,000
Lee Tran – 5,150,000
Curtis Stroman – 4,600,000
Steve Blackmon – 3,380,000

1st: Antwan Prince – $28,218
2nd: Lee Tran – $28,218
3rd: Curtis Stroman – $28,217
4th: Steve Blackmon – $28,217

$500 Mega Stack (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 504

After Julian Roldan was eliminated, there was a brief discussion about a possible deal to divide up the remaining prize pool but they did not last long. Cards are back in the air with Antwan Prince leading.

Seat 1: Curtis Stroman – 3,850,000 (19 bb)
Seat 2: Lee Tran – 5,800,000 (29 bb)
Seat 4: Steve Blackmon – 3,300,000 (17 bb)
Seat 8: Antwan Prince – 7,175,000 (36 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $47,480
2nd: $29,350
3rd: $20,900
4th: $15,140

$500 Mega Stack (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 504

Lee Tran opened to 500,000 from the button, Julian Roldan moved all in for about 1,200,000 for the big blind and Tran snapped.

Tran:
Roldan:

Tran’s quick call came with rockets and Roldan was in rough shape. The board ran out and Roldan was sent out in fifth place for $11,160.

Lee Tran – 5,800,000 (29 bb)
Julian Roldan – Eliminated in 5th Place ($11,160)

$500 Mega Stack (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  100,000/150,000 with a 150,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 504

Antwan Prince and Jerry Silva battled in two pots that had a big impact on the game.

First up, Silva limped from the button, Julian Roldan completed his small blind, and Prince checked the big. The flop came , Roldan and Prince checked and Silva bet 450,000. Only Prince came along and the turn was . Prince checked, Silva bet 575,000 and Prince check-raised all in for 1,700,000.

Silva thought for a second and called.

Prince:
Silva:

Prince flopped trip kings and he had the big hand locked up before the river.

On the next hand, Silva shipped in for his remaining 2,175,000 and Prince called from the small blind.

Prince:
Silva:

Prince caught another monster and Silva’s deuces fell short after the board to exit in sixth place.

Antwan Prince – 7,225,000 (48 bb)
Jerry Silva – Eliminated in 6th Place ($8,370)

$500 Mega Stack (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 504

Jerry Silva opened the action to 375,000 from the button, Antwan Prince moved all in for 775,000 from the big blind, and Silva called.

Prince:
Silva:

Prince was ahead for the double, needed to fade Silva’s live cards, then paired his king on the flop. The turn and river finished the board and Prince had a needed double.

Antwan Prince – 1,750,000 (14 bb)
Jerry Silva – 2,500,000 (20 bb)

$500 Mega Stack (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 504

Curtis Stroman was looking at an exit from the final table but caught some fire. After a short stack triple up, he found another spot to get his chips in the middle. Julian Roldan opened to 250,000 and Stroman moved all in for 1,025,000 from the cutoff. Lee Tran called on the button and Steve Blackmon called from the small blind.

Roldan thought for several minutes, long enough for the clock to be called. Before the timer hit 30 seconds, Roldan folded.

Tran and Blackmon checked down the entire board and the cards were tabled.

Storman:
Blackmon:
Tran:

Stroman was ahead preflop, flopped a set, and turned a full house for another huge pot to get him back in contention.

Curtis Stroman – 3,650,000 (29 bb)

$500 Mega Stack (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 504

Curtis Stroman opened to 300,000 from the hijack and Lee Tran came along from the cutoff to a flop. Storman checked, Tran bet 450,000, and Stroman moved all that got a quick call from Tran.

Tran:
Stroman:

Tran flopped a set of tens against Stroman’s kings and held after the turn and river. Tran was the all in player for 2,500,000 for a double up and Stroman was left with two big blinds.

Lee Tran – 5,925,000 (47 bb)
Curtis Stroman – 250,000 (2 bb)

$500 Mega Stack (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 504

The six remaining players were sent on a 15-minute break and tournament staff pulled the 5K chips out of play. Steve Blackmon leads with Julian Roldan and Antwan Prince needed to get a boost.

Seat 1: Curtis Stroman – 3,100,000 (25 bb)
Seat 2: Lee Tran – 2,975,000 (24 bb)
Seat 4: Steve Blackmon – 5,650,000 (45 bb)
Seat 7: Jerry Silva – 4,625,000 (37 bb)
Seat 8: Julian Roldan – 2,075,000 (17 bb)
Seat 9: Antwan Prince – 1,475,000 (12 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $47,480
2nd: $29,350
3rd: $20,900
4th: $15,140
5th: $11,160
6th: $8,370

$500 Mega Stack (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 28:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 504