2023 Tampa Poker Classic Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, Florida Event 12 $2,200 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry) $75,000 Guaranteed Entries: 46 Prize Pool: $92,000 September 13, 2023
Frank Brannan
Frank Brannan topped the field at a talented final table that included runner-up Paul Snead, AJ Kelsall (who was multi-tabling two final tables along with Event 13), and Joe Serock to take home the tournament title in Event 12 at the SPS tournament series. Brannan was awarded the top prize worth $32,710 along with the SPS guitar pick trophy. He now holds more than $460,000 in career tournament earnings.
Here is what Brannan had to say after the win, “It feels good, I haven’t won a tournament since a deuce-to-seven triple draw. I haven’t won a hold’em tournament since like 2020 or something.”
He continued, “I’ll play anyone, I don’t really care. I just tried to play as optimally as possible short-handed. I’m pretty well studied sub-15 big blind poker, it’s not that difficult. Everyone was pretty even, so there weren’t really many strong ICM spots because we were all equal in chips.”
When he was asked about the heads-up final, here were Brannan’s thoughts “Nothing crazy, and I think heads-up I was just more prepared. He had more chips, but he was doing weird things, he kept four x-ing . I had the more solid strategy, I’ve played a lot of heads-up, I used to play heads-up sit-and-go’s.”
Eight-handed play uncannily lasted for more than three hours, and Brannan took a bad beat during the slow period of play. He offered some interesting thoughts on keeping his composure during that stretch of play.
“I was actually so tilted because I lost a chip lead pot there with jacks versus A-9 there. We were eight-handed for like three hours. I went from being the chip leader to almost the soft bubble, I honestly normally don’t get titled, but I hadn’t eaten yet today because I fasted. I was a little hangry plus tilted. I try not to get emotional. I mean I will get mad, but I don’t let it affect the way I play my hands. It will never change how I play. I’m going to play exactly the way I’m going to play. I’m a big tilter, but if I’m tilted I will just go home, I’ve always good been with that,” said Brannan.
Final Results:
1st: Frank Brannan – $32,710 + SPS Trophy 2nd: Paul Snead – $21,810 3rd: AJ Kelsall – $14,540 4th: Mostafa Aboalmajed – $10,090 5th: Elliot Smith – $7,310 6th: Tim Mina – $5,540
$200 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry) $100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts Level 25: 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante Players Remaining: 1 of 973
Frank Brannan had gained the upper hand in the heads-up final when all the chips went into the middle and he held against the of Paul Snead on a final board reading . Snead was eliminated in second place, good for $21,810, and Brannan was awarded $32,710 for the win along with the SPS guitar pick trophy.
Stay tuned for a winner’s photo and interview later tonight.
$200 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry) $100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts Level 25: 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante Players Remaining: 2 of 973
The final match has been set between Paul Snead (925,000) and Frank Brannan (455,000). Here is a look at the results that took things down to heads-up play while action was flying at the two other final tables as well.
3rd: AJ Kelsall – $14,540 4th: Mostafa Aboalmajed – $10,090 5th: Elliot Smith – $7,310 6th: Tim Mina – $5,540
$2,200 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry) $75,000 Guaranteed | Structure Level 6: 400/800 with a 800 ante Entries: 12 of 46
AJ Kelsall
The field is on dinner break in Event 12, and two notables making a deep run in the tournament include AJ Kelsall and Joe Serock. Kelsall won Event 11 last night for a payday of $28,420 and the SPS guitar pick trophy. You can read the winner’s interview from last night right here. The local pro increased his career earnings to well over $2.8 million with the victory.
Serock holds more than $4.3 million in career earnings, and original resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico now lives in San Diego. Serock has three tournament victories to his credit, and he is a former World Poker Tour Player of the Year. He has 15, six-figure scores, with the largest weighing in at $804,191 for a fifth-place finish at the World Series of Poker Online Main Event in 2021.
2023 Tampa Poker Classic Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, Florida Event 12 $2,200 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry) $75,000 Guaranteed Entries: 46 Prize Pool: $92,000 September 13, 2023
Registration closed for the $2,200 Deep Stack tournament with 46 entries. The $75,000 guarantee was surpassed, creating a prize pool worth $92,000. The last six players will make the money with $5,540 for a min-cash and $32,710 to the Event 12 champ.
$2,200 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry) $75,000 Guaranteed | Structure Level 6: 400/800 with a 800 ante Entries: 38
Matthew Leecy
The $2,200 Deep Stack has an excellent turnout this afternoon, and the $75,000 guarantee was reached with plenty of time to increase the prize pool.
We caught two former Tampa Main Event/Championship winners in the field, warming up for tomorrow’s big game. Matthew Leecy won the 2019 Tampa Poker Classic headliner and Paul Snead took the same title in 2022. Leecy has an additional big Tampa win; he also captured the Pinktober Poker Open Championship in 2022.
$2,200 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry) $75,000 Guaranteed | Structure Level 1: 100/200 with a 200 ante
We have one day left before the SPS Championship and one last warmup for the big game. Event 12 is a $2,200 Deep Stack with a $75,000 guaranteed prize pool and one-day structure.
Players sit down to 30K deep stacks and all levels last 30 minutes. Late registration and unlimited re-entries are available until 4:30 pm. The 30-minute dinner break is scheduled at 6:30 pm and we’ll find out champion later this evening.
$75,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
Players begin with 30,000 in chips
Levels last 30 minutes
Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9 (4:30pm)
This is a one-day tournament and plays to completion
against the 
of Paul Snead on a final board reading 
. Snead was eliminated in second place, good for $21,810, and Brannan was awarded $32,710 for the win along with the SPS guitar pick trophy.
in the hole UTG+1, and Paul Snead had him covered holding 
from the big blind.
