Tag Archives: Event 1

2026 Pinktober Poker Open

Roberto Melo Wins PPO Event 1 in Heads Up Deal for $11,000!

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2026 Pinktober Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 1
$300 One-Day $50K No-Limit Hold’em
$50,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  204
Prize Pool:  $50,000
October 6, 2026

Roberto Melo, 2026 PPO Event 1 champion
PlaceFirst NameLast NameCityStatePrize Amount
1RobertoMeloLakelandFL$11,000 *
2RenatoMoraesLas VegasNV$9,360 *
3JohnWolfe IiiRiverviewFL$5,420
4GreggLeeKissimmeeFL$3,870
5JamesMorrisseyLand O LakesFL$2,840
6Seyed ArmanRanjbar NavaziClearwaterFL$2,130
7AnthonyLavalleEnglewoodFL$1,640
8CharlesPearcePalmettoFL$1,290
9RobertKosydarWimaumaFL$1,050
10ForrestRaleighLakelandFL$870
11LawrenceLegendRiverviewFL$870
12CliveGavinSeminoleFL$870
13SeanTurowPalm HarborFL$750
14ChristopherCollinsOrlandoFL$750
15JasonBlockTampaFL$750
16JulioLopez GalvezTampaFL$660
17LamontTownsendBradentonFL$660
18DustinJonesClermontFL$660
19DrewDodgeSpring HillFL$600
20SeanDunnSarasotaFL$600
21MarcChinTampaFL$600
22JohnClarkRiverviewFL$560
23HaroldEvansNewburghIN$560
24AlfredoLeiva BasultoTampaFL$560
25RobertFioreSeminoleFL$540
26BradleyRobertsonNew Port RicheyFL$540
2026 Pinktober Poker Open

Event 1: Roberto Melo Leads Late

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$300 One-Day $50K No-Limit Hold’em
$50,000 Guaranteed  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 13:  2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining:  44 of 204

Roberto Melo

Event 1 players enjoyed another 15-minute break in the action and returned with 44 players remaining with only 26 of them making the money. They will play four more levels before getting a 30-minute dinner break.

Roberto Melo is the big chip leader heading toward the money bubble, holding 525,000, and no one else is close.

We will post complete results and the winner’s photo in the morning. See you tomorrow for the first big multi-day trophy event.

2026 Pinktober Poker Open

Event 1: Prize Pool and Payouts with $12,600 Up Top

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2026 Pinktober Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 1
$300 One-Day $50K No-Limit Hold’em
$50,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  204
Prize Pool:  $50,000
October 6, 2026

Registration closed for the $300 Pinktober Poker Open One-Day $50K tournament with 205 entries, falling a handful of entries short of the guarantee and we will pay out the full guaranteed $50,000. The last 26 spots will be paid with $540 for a min-cash and $12,600 plus the PPO trophy up top for the winner.

1st: $12,600 + PPO Trophy
2nd: $7,760
3rd: $5,420
4th: $3,870
5th: $2,840
6th: $2,130
7th: $1,640
8th: $1,290
9th: $1,050
10th-12th: $870
13th-15th: $750
16th-18th: $660
19th-21st: $600
22nd-24th: $560
25th-26th: $540

2026 Pinktober Poker Open

Event 1: Last Level to Register

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$300 One-Day $50K No-Limit Hold’em
$50,000 Guaranteed  |  Structure
Level 8:  600/1,200 with a 1,200 ante
Entries:  188

We are into Level 8 in the tournament and time is running out if you want to join us. We have 188 in the game and still a bit away from surpassing the $50,000 guarantee.

They will play out this level, take a 15 minute break, and registration will close at 3:30 pm when they return to action.

2026 Pinktober Poker Open

Event 1: Friends in the Field

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$300 One-Day $50K No-Limit Hold’em
$50,000 Guaranteed  |  Structure
Level 6:  400/800 with a 800 ante
Entries:  170

Tony March

The clock is ticking down toward the end of registration with a little over an hour to go and we still have some work to do to reach the $50,000 guarantee.

We found many familiar faces in the crowd, including Tony March, Karl Manouchakian, Cheri Ivan, Dan Wilson, Charles Kahrs, Drew Dodge, Robert Fregosi, Roberto Melo, Mark Wiser, Herbert Woodbery, Peter Hsu, and Huicun Qiao.

Karl Manouchakian
Cheri Ivan
Dan Wilson
Charles Kahrs
2026 Pinktober Poker Open

Event 1: Cards in the Air!

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$300 One-Day $50K No-Limit Hold’em
$50,000 Guaranteed  |  Structure
Level 1:  100/200 with a 200 ante
Entries:  35

Action is underway in the 2026 Pinktober Poker Open with cards in the air for Event 1. The $300 No-Limit Hold’em tournament has 35 players at the start and late registration is available until the start of Level 9 at 3:30 pm.

The tournament has a $50,000 guaranteed prize pool and we hope to smash it before too long.

2026 Pinktober Poker Open

Event 1: Kicking off the Pinktober Poker Open

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$300 One-Day $50K No-Limit Hold’em
$50,000 Guaranteed  |  Structure
Level 1:  100/200 with a 200 ante

Finally time to kick off the 2026 Pinktober Poker Open with Event 1 starting at 11 am. The tournament is a $300 One-Day $50K No-Limit Hold’em game and the $50,000 guarantee is a great way to get things going.

Players start with 30K in their stacks and all levels last 30 minutes. Late registration and unlimited re-entries are available until the start of Level 9 at 3:30 pm.

  • $50,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 30,000 in chips
  • Levels last 30 minutes
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9 (3:30pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays to completion
  • Event 5 Structure Sheet
2026 Pinktober Poker Open

PPO Day 1 Schedule

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Primary Event Schedule

11AM: Event 1 – $300 One-Day $50K NLH (Re-Entry)

  • $50,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 30,000 in chips
  • Levels last 30 minutes
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9 (3:30pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays to completion
  • Event 5 Structure Sheet

6PM: Event 2 – $150+$50 Quad Stack Bounty NLH (Re-Entry)

  • Players begin with 40,000 in chips
  • Levels 1-8 last 15 minutes; Levels 9+ last 20 minutes
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9 (8:15pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays to completion
  • Event 4 Structure Sheet

2026 Pinktober Poker Open Schedule and Results

2026 Signature Poker Series

Huicun Qiao wins 2026 SPS Event 1 Outright for $82,090

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2026 Tampa Signature Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 1
$500 No-Limit Hold’em
$250,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 1,181
Prize Pool: $496,020
July 15 – 19, 2026

Huicun Qiao, 2026 SPS Event 1 Champion

The opening event on the 2026 Signature Poker Series schedule was a $500 No-Limit Hold’em tournament that attracted 1,181 entries over seven starting flights. After a long, tough battle, Huicun Qiao took the top spot outright for $82,090.

Our players turned the $250,000 guarantee into a prize pool worth $496,020 and 151 players made Day 2 in the money. Andreas Prinsen took advantage of the best-stack-forward format; he min-cashed his smaller bag and rode his bigger bag to a 17th-place finish.

The tournament created a deep, talented final table that took more than five ours to decide the title. Qiao started behind in the heads-up against John Dolan but quickly doubled up and flopped a set of eights against Dolan’s flopped paired ace to win the title.

Congrats to Huicen on the win and thanks to everyone for starting off the series on a great turnout.

PlaceFirst NameLast NameCityStatePrize AmountLeaderboard Points
1HuicunQiaoSaint CloudFL$82,090273.88
2JohnDolanLithiaFL$50,860259.93
3DrewDodgeSpring HillFL$38,300245.99
4CharlesCamposYuleeFL$29,110232.04
5ScottMalcolmSt Pete BeachFL$22,340218.10
6ShawnBarnettOldsmarFL$17,310204.16
7FrankWeigelOdessaFL$13,540190.21
8JacobNaumannLargoFL$10,700176.27
9JoaoAlvesOrlandoFL$8,540162.33
10ParminderClementeWesley ChapelFL$6,880148.38
11JamieSmithLargoFL$6,880134.44
12IgorTretyakovLutzFL$6,880120.49
13MarcioPeixotoWinter GardenFL$5,600106.55
14AftabPatniOrlandoFL$5,60092.61
15JosephIrreraClermontFL$5,60078.66
16JohnPointerTampaFL$4,61064.72
17AndreasPrinsenCrystal RiverFL$4,61050.77
18GrantMissonisClearwaterFL$4,61036.83
19BrandonWongTampaFL$3,83022.89
20AdamLevyWesley ChapelFL$3,83022.89
21JohnDobsonHudsonFL$3,83022.89
22DustinGeseliusBrandonFL$3,21022.89
23JesseMercadoSaint PetersburgFL$3,21022.89
24EderMurataSalvador$3,21022.89
25KristineGlassmanNew PaltzNY$2,73022.89
26DamianDvorakOcalaFL$2,73022.89
27MicahWrightOoltewahTN$2,73022.89
28LeoConnellAu Sable ForksNY$2,34022.89
29DustinBradleyTampaFL$2,34022.89
30WoodrowPassSeffnerFL$2,34022.89
31ShawnCunixTampaFL$2,03022.89
32RossMillerLas VegasNV$2,03022.89
33ReneOrtegaMiamiFL$2,03022.89
34RoyYoungOcalaFL$1,78022.89
35JasonO'LoughlinSarasotaFL$1,78022.89
36DanielDiColaTampaFL$1,78022.89
37JamesMcKinnonSaint PetersburgFL$1,57022.89
38AlanHamzaOcalaFL$1,57022.89
39RandyRajiClearwater BeachFL$1,57022.89
40MichaelSandersCutler BayFL$1,57022.89
41EarlVanlandinghamOdessaFL$1,5708.94
42BenPaul ChelladuraiYonkersNY$1,5708.94
43JordanJoeckelDavenportFL$1,5708.94
44MannyMinayaTampaFL$1,5708.94
45JamesPerriHuntersvilleNC$1,5708.94
46AndrewWhitakerTampaFL$1,4108.94
47GabrielFullerBrandonFL$1,4108.94
48DeborahGreenwayAlapahaGA$1,4108.94
49JohnKennedyBoynton BeachFL$1,4108.94
50DanielSchmidtPlant CityFL$1,4108.94
51NathanTannerBrandonFL$1,4108.94
52BillLewisVeniceFL$1,4108.94
53CurtisKingTampaFL$1,4108.94
54JordanLowerySarasotaFL$1,4108.94
55BrianDiLengeTarpon SpringsFL$1,2808.94
56SandroViannaWinter GardenFL$1,2808.94
57JeremyHeraufSarasotaFL$1,2808.94
58RobertThomasTampaFL$1,2808.94
59MichaelDalberthLake MaryFL$1,2808.94
60JeromeLeonardoSt PetersburgFL$1,2808.94
61YuchengZhaoTampaFL$1,2808.94
62GregoryWolnomiejskiPlant CityFL$1,2808.94
63AlexanderSachsPembroke PinesFL$1,2808.94
64ShaneDellusWimaumaFL$1,1708.94
65ErikWoodTampaFL$1,1708.94
66RonaldRomanelliGainesvilleFL$1,1708.94
67JackBittkerSt PetersburgNY$1,1708.94
68RamonMartinezMelbourneFL$1,1708.94
69MichaelTuttleOrlandoFL$1,1708.94
70ChrisPerryHudsonFL$1,1708.94
71JayceLittleHigh PointNC$1,1708.94
72RaunaqSinghOrlandoFL$1,1708.94
73JoshuaNicholsonWinter HavenFL$1,0908.94
74GeorgeHolmanTampaFL$1,0908.94
75JustinBogeajisBoynton BeachFL$1,0908.94
76JohnWolfeRiverviewFL$1,0908.94
77KevinBlewittTampaFL$1,0908.94
78HaroldSchmoeckerWaxhawNC$1,0908.94
79RohanSinghOrlandoFL$1,0908.94
80ChristopherMooreOrlandoFL$1,0908.94
81DavidWeynHowey In The HillsFL$1,0908.94
82JacksonSmithTampaFL$1,0208.94
83AnibalPabonHomesteadFL$1,0208.94
84MilanCyprichTavaresFL$1,0208.94
85RobertHerndonOrlandoFL$1,0208.94
86IdanBen DavidOcalaFL$1,0208.94
87JackSeymourFayettevilleNC$1,0208.94
88DonaldJacksonDebaryFL$1,0208.94
89StevenBagbyOdessaFL$1,0208.94
90JohnLisiPalm HarborFL$1,0208.94
91KarlManouchakianTampaFL$9708.94
92MichaelBronzo JrDavenportFL$9708.94
93KhanhTruongTampaFL$9708.94
94CharlesPearcePalmettoFL$9708.94
95MarkGlazewskiHernandoFL$9708.94
96KeithBorehamApollo BeachFL$9708.94
97RichardLeybermanSun City CenterFL$9708.94
98TeddyTavares CorreaTampaFL$9708.94
99MatthewKerleyBradentonFL$9708.94
100BrettStreicherOdessaFL$9308.94
101BrianRayWesley ChapelFL$9308.94
102FelipeKouryRio De JanieroCA$9308.94
103SandipGuhaMelbourneFL$9308.94
104JonathanBartholomewDelray BeachFL$9308.94
105MichealKellyHapevilleGA$9308.94
106AdamYellinSanta Rosa BeachFL$9308.94
107RyanWyantSarasotaFL$9308.94
108DonnieKidmanTampaMI$9308.94
109PabloMongeApopkaFL$9308.94
110DavidMoonSt AugustineFL$9308.94
111EliasKiwanWesley ChapelFL$9308.94
112VincentSpadavecchiaPalm CityFL$9308.94
113SeanTurowPalm HarborFL$9308.94
114EvanPantanoKey WestFL$9308.94
115CheriIvanTampaFL$9308.94
116CorneliusWalkerOrmond BeachFL$9308.94
117SanjibAcharyaWesley ChapelFL$9308.94
118MatthewBucklesPlant CityFL$9308.94
119BradSailorLombardIL$9308.94
120JustinBoldJacksonvilleFL$9308.94
121AnthonyWashingtonJacksonvilleFL$9308.94
122RobertCornetteRiverviewFL$9308.94
123RolandWillisValricoFL$9308.94
124JasonBlockTampaFL$9308.94
125WilliamBurdickBradentonFL$9308.94
126MarcSaddikTampaFL$9308.94
127StevenSinclairTampaFL$9008.94
128WilliamHeinzDunedinFL$9008.94
129BrendaLane-WorleyRiverviewFL$9008.94
130SpencerSweisfordTampaFL$9008.94
131RyanHoganWinter GardenFL$9008.94
132RobertWuestnerRiverviewFL$9008.94
133MarkSoltysikParmaOH$9008.94
134LarryRamTampaDC$9008.94
135R. NikitaPatalinghugGainesvilleFL$9008.94
136SeanRicciardiNanuetNY$9008.94
137TinaBobangoOrange ParkFL$9008.94
138JesseUrbinaTavaresFL$9008.94
139DouglasMarroTampaFL$9008.94
140AndrewMartinezTampaFL$9008.94
141MatthewSkinnerCharlotteNC$9008.94
142MichaelDarlingBrooksvilleFL$9008.94
143OnderEkinciTampaFL$9008.94
144DaltonDowdyWinter HavenFL$9008.94
145AdamGoldgellLakelandFL$9008.94
146JohnPizanoLake MaryFL$9008.94
147ConnerReynoldsTampaFL$9008.94
148RobertFregosiDunedinFL$9008.94
149ChrisKobilSaint PetersburgFL$9008.94
150CharlesBlankenshipElloreeSC$9008.94
151AndreasPrinsenCrystal RiverFL$9008.94
2026 Signature Poker Series

Event 1: Huicun Qiao ($82,090) Defeats John Dolan ($5,860) for the Title

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$500 No-Limit Hold’em
Prize Pool:  $496,020  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 36:  400,000/800,000 with a 800,000 ante

Huicun Qiao

After a back and forth battle, Huicun Qiao defeated John Dolan for the SPS Event 1 title. Dolan was all in with As6c against Qiao’s 8d8s when an ace and an eight hit the flop, the set of eights were good enough for the win.

Dolan earned $50,860 as the runner-up and Qiao took home $82,090 plus the SPS trophy.

Full recap to come in the morning.

1st: Huicun Qiao – $82,090 + SPS Trophy
2nd: John Dolan – $50,860

3rd: Drew Dodge – $38,300
4th: Charles Campos – $29,110
5th: Scott Malcolm – $22,340
6th: Shawn Barnett – $17,310
7th: Frank Weigel – $13,540
8th: Jacob Naumann – $10,700
9th: Joao Alves – $8,540

John Dolan