2021 WPT Tampa
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 1
$500 Double Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
Entries:  4,852
Prize Pool:  $2,086,360
June 9-13, 2021

“I’ve always heard that it was easier to win tournaments in Tampa,” said Event 1 champion Shawn Mohamed. With a laugh, he added, “It turns out it’s true!”

The opening event of the 2021 WPT Tampa series more than doubled the $1 million guarantee with a massive field of 4,852 entries from seven starting flights. There were 339 players who survived to Day 2, but Mohamed was the big stack when the final four players agreed to an ICM deal, giving him the title, the trophy, and $198,287.

The money is very meaningful to Mohamed, particularly after a tough year during the pandemic. Mohamed’s previous career high was a $28,600 runner-up finish last December down at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, and this victory was worth nearly seven times as much. Mohamed plans to use his winnings from this event to pay off his mortgage and buy his daughter a car.

Ironically, once he reached the final table, Mohamed was no longer concerned about the prize money.

“Even if I went out in ninth place,” said Mohamed, “I would have been perfectly happy.”

But the bigger pay jumps seemed to have an impact on his opponents.

“Everybody tightened up,” said Mohamed about the final table. “I was satisfied with the bottom payout, so I was able to play my game like any other final table. I noticed a lot of the aggressive players really tightened up once the pay jumps started coming. So it worked out to my advantage.”

Mohamed is from south Florida, and he usually plays at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood. But he was equally impressed by his first visit to Seminole Hard Rock Tampa.

“Everything that the Hard Rock does here, and down in Hollywood is just on point,” said Mohamed. “They always run the most professional tournaments in Florida. You never have to worry about the structure or anything like that. Every dealer is on point. Every manager is on point. I really appreciate how much attention they put into doing things the right way.”

“I’ll be back,” said Mohamed. “Everyone should come to Tampa.”

Final Results:

$500 Double Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 39:  500,000/1,000,000 with a 1,000,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 4,852

After the elimination of Hasan Hakim in fifth place, the final four players agreed to an ICM chop based on the following chip counts:

1.  Shawn Mohamed  –  40,600,000  (41 bb)
2.  David Smith  –  23,700,000  (24 bb)
3.  Alejandro Gonzalez  –  22,200,000  (22 bb)
4.  Jameel Harris  –  10,500,000  (11 bb)

As chipleader, Shawn Mohamed would also receive the title and the trophy. Here are the revised payouts they agreed to:

1st:  Shawn Mohamed  –  $198,287 + Trophy
2nd:  David Smith  –  $173,553
3rd:  Alejandro Gonzalez  –  $170,544
4th:  Jameel Harris  –  $139,121

Congratulations to Shawn Mohamed, the champion of WPT Tampa Event 1!

$500 Double Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 39:  500,000/1,000,000 with a 1,000,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 4,852

Hasan Hakim limped from the cutoff for 1,000,000, Shawn Mohamed moved all in from the small blind for about 25 million, and Hakim snap-called all in for about 15 million with .

Mohamed turned over , and Hakim needed to improve to stay alive.

The flop came , and Hakim celebrated his flopped pair of aces with a clap of the hands and a loud yell. The turn card was the , and Hakim was still well out in front.

But the river card was — the .

Mohamed rivered a set of sevens to win the pot and eliminate Hakim in fifth place.

Shawn Mohamed  –  40,600,000  (41 bb)
Hasan Hakim  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($76,080)

With four players remaining, the average chip stack is about 24.3 million (24 big blinds). The next player to bust will earn $102,110.

$500 Double Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 38:  400,000/800,000 with an 800,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 4,852

In the first hand after the blinds increased to 400,000-800,000, Luiz Duarte moved all in from the small blind for 10.8 million, and Shawn Mohamed called all in from the big blind for 10.5 million with .

Duarte turned over , and Mohamed needed his hand to hold to stay alive.

The board came , and Mohamed won the pot with his queen to double up in chips, knocking Duarte all the way down to just 300K — less than the small blind.

Shawn Mohamed  –  21,800,000  (27 bb)
Luiz Duarte  –  300,000  (<1 sb)The next hand, Duarte called all in from the button for 300,000, Mohamed called the big blind of 800,000, and Alejandro Gonzalez checked his option in the big blind.Mohamed and Gonzalez checked all the way down on a board of , and then all three players showed their cards.Shawn Mohamed:    (two pair, sevens and fives)
Alejandro Gonzalez:    (nine high)
Luiz Duarte:    (queen high)

Mohamed won the pot with his two pair to eliminate Duarte in sixth place.

Shawn Mohamed  –  23,800,000  (30 bb)
Alejandro Gonzalez  –  19,000,000  (24 bb)
Luiz Duarte  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($60,380)

With five players remaining, the average chip stack is about 19.4 million (24 big blinds). The next player to bust will earn $76,080.

$500 Double Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 37:  300,000/600,000 with a 600,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 4,852

Hasan Hakim raised from UTG+1 to 1.5 million, Jameel Harris moved all in from the hijack for 7.8 million, and Hakim tanked for a while before he called with . Harris turned over , and he needed it to hold to stay alive.

The board came , and the aces held up for Harris to win the pot and double up in chips.

Jameel Harris  –  17,100,000  (29 bb)
Hasan Hakim  –  19,200,000  (32 bb)

The next hand, Phil Hernz moved all in from the button for 4.6 million, and Alejandro Gonzalez called from the small blind with .

Hernz turned over , and he needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came , and Gonzalez flopped two pair to win the pot and eliminate Hernz in seventh place.

Alejandro Gonzalez  –  22,500,000  (38 bb)
Phil Hernz  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($48,015)

With six players remaining, the average chip stack is about 16.2 million (27 big blinds). The next player to bust will earn $60,380.

$500 Double Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 4,852

Valeriya Vasilieva was short-stacked and all in preflop from the hijack, against Hasan Hakim in the small blind, and Jameel Harris in the big blind.

Hakim and Harris checked all the way down on a board of . These were their cards in descending order of chip counts:

Hasan Hakim:    (king high)
Jameel Harris:    (ten high)
Valeriya Vasilieva:    (ace high)

Vasilieva won the pot with her ace to triple up in chips.

Valeriya Vasilieva  –  3,650,000  (7 bb)
Hasan Hakim  –  22,000,000  (44 bb)
Jameel Harris  –  9,000,000  (18 bb)

About five minutes later, David Smith was all in from the hijack for 7,550 with , and he needed it to hold to stay alive against the of Shawn Mohamed in the big blind.

The board came , and Smith won the pot with his king to double up in chips.

David Smith  –  15,850,000  (32 bb)
Shawn Mohamed  –  10,500,000  (21 bb)

About 15 minutes later, Valeriya Vasilieva was once again short-stacked and all in preflop against two other players. Vasilieva was under the gun, against Shawn Mohamed (small blind) and Phil Hernz (big blind).

Both players checked to the river on a board of , and Mohamed bet 1,500,000. Hernz folded, showing one card — the .

Vasilieva showed for two pair, aces and fives, but Mohamed turned over to win the pot with trip fives, eliminating Vasilieva in eighth place.

Shawn Mohamed  –  11,000,000  (22 bb)
Phil Hernz  –  7,850,000  (16 bb)
Valeriya Vasilieva  –  Eliminated in 8th Place  ($33,870)

With seven players remaining, the average chip stack is about 13,875,000 (28 big blinds). The next player to bust will earn $48,015.

$500 Double Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 36:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  8 of 4,852

The players return from break to begin Level 36, with increased blinds of 250,000-500,000 with a 500,000 ante. With eight players remaining, the average chip stack is about 12,125,000 (24 big blinds).

Here are the updated chip counts from the break:

Seat 1.  Shawn Mohamed  –  9,200,000  (18 bb)
Seat 2.  Phil Hernz  –  9,925,000  (20 bb)
Seat 3.  Valeriya Vasilieva  –  3,300,000  (7 bb)
Seat 4.  Alejandro Gonzalez  –  14,650,000  (29 bb)
Seat 5.  David Smith  –  10,050,000  (20 bb)
Seat 6.  Hasan Hakim  –  29,150,000  (58 bb)
Seat 7.  Jameel Harris  –  7,250,000  (15 bb)
Seat 8.  Luiz Duarte  –  13,425,000  (27 bb)

The next player to bust will earn $33,870.

$500 Double Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 35:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  8 of 4,852

Jameel Harris was all in from the big blind for 3,125,000 with , and he needed it to hold to stay alive against the of Hasan Hakim in the small blind.

The board came , and the pocket nines held up for Harris to win the pot and double up in chips.

Jameel Harris  –  7,350,000  (18 bb)
Hasan Hakim  –  12,000,000  (30 bb)

About 10 minutes later, David Smith was all in from middle position for 4,725,000 with , and he needed it to hold to stay alive against the of Phil Hernz in the big blind.

The board came , and Smith was ahead the entire way as he won with a rivered diamond flush to double up in chips.

David Smith  –  10,050,000  (25 bb)
Phil Hernz  –  10,200,000  (26 bb)

About five minutes later, there was a min-raise and three callers to see a flop of . All four players checked.

The turn card was the , and two of the players folded as Hasan Hakim bet 500,000 from UTG+1, James Maita raised to 2,000,000 from the button, and Hakim moved all in for 12,700,000.

Maita called all in for 12,650,000 with for a king-high flush, but Hakim turned over for an ace-high flush. Maita was drawing dead.

The meaningless river card was the , and Hakim won the huge pot to eliminate Maita by just two chips.

Hasan Hakim  –  28,750,000  (72 bb)
James Maita  –  Eliminated in 9th Place  ($24,680)

With eight players remaining, the average chip stack is about 12,125,000 (30 big blinds). The next player to bust will earn $33,870.

$500 Double Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 35:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 4,852

After the elimination of Ashley Spring in 10th place, the final nine players redrew for random seats at the final table. Here are their updated seating assignments and chip counts:

Seat 1.  Shawn Mohamed  –  9,200,000  (23 bb)
Seat 2.  James Maita  –  17,500,000  (44 bb)
Seat 3.  Phil Hernz  –  9,400,000  (24 bb)
Seat 4.  Valeriya Vasilieva  –  5,700,000  (14 bb)
Seat 5.  Alejandro Gonzalez  –  18,250,000  (46 bb)
Seat 6.  David Smith  –  4,725,000  (12 bb)
Seat 7.  Hasan Hakim  –  17,425,000  (44 bb)
Seat 8.  Jameel Harris  –  2,525,000  (6 bb)
Seat 9.  Luiz Duarte  –  12,225,000  (31 bb)

And here are the remaining payouts they’re playing for:

1st:  $246,870 + Trophy
2nd:  $193,385
3rd:  $139,140
4th:  $102,110
5th:  $76,080
6th:  $60,380
7th:  $48,015
8th:  $33,870
9th:  $24,680

And here are the most recent eliminations:

10th:  Ashley Spring  –  $22,435
11th:  Lunique Petiote  –  $22,435
12th:  John Coxwell  –  $22,435

13th:  Ching-An Ueng  –  $17,590
14th:  Vinicius Monteiro  –  $17,590
15th:  Nicholas Scholz  –  $17,590

16th:  Adam Quimby  –  $14,950
17th:  Evan Roman  –  $14,950

$500 Double Stack NLH (Single Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 33:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  17 of 4,852

The players return from break to begin Level 33, with increased blinds of 125,000-250,000 with a 250,000 ante. With 17 players remaining, the average chip stack is about 5.7 million (23 big blinds).

Here are the official seating positions and chip counts from the break:

TABLE 53
Seat 1.  Ashley Spring  –  1,550,000  (6 bb)
Seat 2.  Hasan Hakim  –  4,125,000  (17 bb)
Seat 3.  David Smith  –  5,700,000  (23 bb)
Seat 4.  Luiz Duarte  –  8,975,000  (36 bb)
Seat 5.  Evan Roman  –  1,225,000  (5 bb)
Seat 6.  Nick Scholz  –  3,000,000  (12 bb)
Seat 7.  John Coxwell  –  8,125,000  (33 bb)
Seat 8.  Vinny Monteiro  –  5,925,000  (24 bb)
Seat 9.  Phil Hernz  –  5,000,000  (20 bb)

TABLE 54
Seat 1.  Lunique Petiote  –  6,275,000  (25 bb)
Seat 2.  Adam Quimby  –  5,150,000  (21 bb)
Seat 3.  
Seat 4.  Jameel Harris  –  2,500,000  (10 bb)
Seat 5.  An Ueng  –  2,775,000  (11 bb)
Seat 6.  Valeriya Vasilieva  –  7,150,000  (29 bb)
Seat 7.  James Maita  –  9,850,000  (39 bb)
Seat 8.  Shawn Mohamed  –  8,575,000  (34 bb)
Seat 9.  Alejandro Gonzalez  –  10,900,000  (44 bb)

The remaining players are all guaranteed at least $14,950 each, and the next pay jump is $17,590 for 15th place. Here are the most recent eliminations:

18th:  Gregory Joslyn  –  $14,950
19th:  John Dolan  –  $13,080