2023 Pinktober Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 7
$200 Bankroll Builder NLH (Re-Entry)
$20,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 170
Prize Pool: $27,200
October 29, 2023

Daniel Zappulla began his Sunday looking to take home a Guitar trophy, fell short of that goal,  but turned his day around by picking up a different Pinktober Poker Open title.

He made Day 2 of the PPO Championship and cashed in 30th of 298 for $2,330. Zappulla went to the cage, entered the $200 Bankroll Builder, and walked away with the win along with another $4,940.

Not a bad day.

Zappulla cashed in four of the seven PPO events he was eligible to play (we don’t think he qualifies to play the Seniors Event), including three of the biggest fields of the series.

Congrats Daniel!

Results:

* – denotes results of a three-way deal

$250 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)
$10,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1: 100/200 with a 200 ante

The last day of the 2023 Pinktober Poker Open is here, with the last new tournament on the schedule. And it’s a fun one. The $250 Seniors 50+ Event gets underway at 11 am with a $10,000 guarantee and good time expected.

Players start with 30K in their stacks and all levels last 30 minutes for the one-day tournament. Late registration and unlimited re-entries are available until the start of Level 9 at 3:30 pm. They will enjoy a 30-minute dinner at 7:45 pm and return to find our Seniors Champ.

• $10,000 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 8 Structure Sheet

Primary Event Schedule

11AM: Event 8 – $250 Seniors 50+ NLH (Re-Entry)

• $10,000 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 8 Structure Sheet

12PM: Final Table – $1,100 PPO Championship (Re-Entry)

• Championship Final Table Counts and Seats
• Championship Payouts

$1,100 PPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 298

The final table is set and the nine remaining players will return tomorrow at noon to play for the PPO Championship title. WSOP bracelet winner Brett Apter leads the return with former Tampa champ Frank Weigel not far behind.

They will finish out the last 15 minutes of Level 22 and blind will increase to 60 minutes per levels. They will stay that way until the Championship is heads up when it changes to 30 minutes.

Everyone is guaranteed at least $5,800 with the PPO Champion set to earn $60,190 plus the Guitar trophy.

Seat 1: Doug Marro – 415,000 (14 bb)
Seat 2: Anthony Bertuccio – 775,000 (26 bb)
Seat 3: Shane Melert – 1,295,000 (43 bb)
Seat 4: Harry Binda Jr – 1,205,000 (40 bb)
Seat 5: Brett Apter – 1,645,000 (55 bb)
Seat 6: Aaron Thivyanathan – 655,000 (22 bb)
Seat 7: Frank Weigel – 1,600,000 (53 bb)
Seat 8: Vincent Cafone – 630,000 (21 bb)
Seat 9: Bo Gray – 730,000 (24 bb)

By chip counts:

Brett Apter – 1,645,000 (55 bb)
Frank Weigel – 1,600,000 (53 bb)
Shane Melert – 1,295,000 (43 bb)
Harry Binda Jr – 1,205,000 (40 bb)
Anthony Bertuccio – 775,000 (26 bb)
Bo Gray – 730,000 (24 bb)
Aaron Thivyanathan – 655,000 (22 bb)
Vincent Cafone – 630,000 (21 bb)
Doug Marro – 415,000 (14 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $60,190 + PPO Trophy
2nd: $40,070
3rd: $29,190
4th: $21,550
5th: $16,130
6th: $12,240
7th: $9,410
8th: $7,340
9th: $5,800

$1,100 PPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  9 of 298

Action folded to Curtis King in the small blind and he moved all in for 115,000.

“I don’t think I even look,” Anthony Belluccio said in the big blind. He called, King showed , and Bertuccio peeled for two live cards.

The flop was safe for King but Bertuccio paired his ten on the turn. The board finished with the river, King was eliminated in tenth place, and the final table was set.

Anthony Bertuccio – 775,000 (26 bb)
Curtis King – Eliminated in 10th Place ($5,800)

$1,100 PPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  10 of 298

Karl Manouchakian tried to make a come back, found a small double, gave up a small double, and then put his chips in the middle against Shane Melert.

Melert:
Manouchakian:

Manouchakian ran into a dominant hand and could find a save as it ran to exit short of the final table.

$1,100 PPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Remaining:  11 of 298

The 11 remaining players were sent on another break and return with Brett Apter and Frank Weigel in a virtual tie for the lead. Everyone is guaranteed at least $4,740 and they are two knockouts from the final table.

Table 21
Seat 1: — Empty —
Seat 2: Shane Melert – 625,000 (21 bb)
Seat 3: Frank Weigel – 1,625,000 (54 bb)
Seat 4: — Empty —
Seat 5: — Empty —
Seat 6: Vinny Censabella – 1,090,000 (36 bb)
Seat 7: Karl Manouchakian – 390,000 (13 bb)
Seat 8: Doug Marro – 360,000 (12 bb)

Table 22
Seat 1: Harry Binda Jr – 910,000 (30 bb)
Seat 2: — Empty –
Seat 3: Bo Gray – 385,000 (13 bb)
Seat 4: Curtis King – 515,000 (17 bb)
Seat 5: Anthony Bertuccio – 645,000 (22 bb)
Seat 6: Brett Apter – 1,640,000 (55 bb)
Seat 7: Aaron Thivyanathan – 745,000 (25 bb)
Seat 8: — Empty —

Remaining payouts:

1st: $60,190 + PPO Trophy
2nd: $40,070
3rd: $29,190
4th: $21,550
5th: $16,130
6th: $12,240
7th: $9,410
8th: $7,340
9th-10th: $5,800
11th: $4,740

$1,100 PPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining:  11 of 298

Frank Weigel opened to 60,000 and Karl Manouchakian three-bet to 215,000 from the small blind. Weigel shoved for 705,000 and Manouchakian called to build a huge pot.

Manouchakian:
Weigel:

Weigel was in bad shape to stay in the game but paired his ace on the flop to take the lead. The turn and river finished the board for Weigel’s double.

Frank Weigel – 1,460,000 (58 bb)
Karl Manouchakian – 180,000 (7 bb)

$1,100 PPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  15,000/25,000 with a 25,000 ante
Players Remaining:  11 of 298

Evan Pantano open-shipped for 265,000 from the cutoff, it folded to Doug Marro in the big blind, and he called at risk for 235,000.

Marro:
Pantano:

Pantano was dominated by the pocket fives, picked up a gutshot/heart draw sweat on the flop but blanked the turn and river to send Marro a double. Pantano was left with only 30K and was eliminated on the next hand.

Doug Marro – 510,000 (20 bb)

12th: Evan Pantano – $4,740
13th: Vinny Censabella – $3,940
14th: David Atrubin – $3,940
15th: Maha Ahmad – $3,350

$1,100 PPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  10,000/20,000 with a 20,000 ante
Players Remaining:  15 of 298

Frank Weigel opened to 50,000 in middle position and Scott Riddell shipped fast for 410,000 next to act. The rest of the table folded, Weigel thought for a minute and called with a similar stack.

Weigel:
Riddell:

Weigel was concerned about a bigger pair but was in good shape with his queens. The board ran out for the queens to hold, Weigel’s stack was counted down to 400,000 and he pulled a full double.

Riddell was left with only 10K and eliminated two hands later.

Frank Weigel – 850,000 (43 bb)
Scott Riddell – Eliminated in 16th Place ($3,350)