The Seminole Hard Rock Tampa held a wildly successful poker series in March. Thanks to a solid turnout, the 15-event Tampa Poker Classic smashed the prize pool guarantees.
Here’s a closer look at this year’s tournament that took place at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa results.
Tampa Poker Classic in review
The first series kicked off on March 9 with a $300 no-limit hold’em event. Florida poker player Yaswin Gutha topped the 415-entry field and took down the $11,074 first prize.
The $50,000 guaranteed prize pool for the first event was part of over $2.4 million in guaranteed prize money for the series. Gutha earned the win as part of a six-way chop in the one-day event to earn the top prize.
On March 16, the one-day $1100 no-limit hold’em featured a final table filled with past champions. There were 177 entries in the tournament, meaning that the $50,000 guarantee more than tripled into a $171,690 prize pool. Britain’s Stuart Taylor emerged victorious with a win of $38,395.
$2,200 No Limit Hold ’em (Re-Entry) prize pool doubles guarantee
The twelfth event featured a guarantee of $100,000, but with 110 entrants, the prize pool more than doubled to $212,000.
Brett Apter faced off heads-up against experienced poker player Hunter Cichy. Although Apter started off the matchup with a significant disadvantage in chips (20 big blinds to Cichy’s 43), he slowly worked his way back into contention. On the last hand, Apter found himself in a coin flip when he put his suited AK against Cichy’s pocket fives but pulled out the win.
Apter received $67,330 and the trophy for his win, while Cichy walked away with $41,610.
Three-day grind in the main event
The Main Event drew 440 players to Florida to vie for a guaranteed $500,000 prize pool. The prize pool ballooned to $990,000 before play ended on Mar. 21, with New Yorker Paul Snead winning.
Snead outlasted a talented field to take home almost $200,000, dueling with three-time World Poker Tour champion Brian Altman at the final table.
By the time the third day of play began, Altman was short-stacked and went all-in against Snead. Altman went down to the eventual winner, and a grueling final four table went on for hours.
Snead hadn’t lost a significant pot at the final table, giving him a chip advantage against Bryce McVay during their heads-up play. On the final hand, the five Snead needed came on the flop to make his K-5 better than McVay’s K-9.
Another big event for Tampa poker rooms
Florida online poker is still a dream for most. So, the chance to play among the very best was an enormous draw for local Tampa poker players.
Once again, the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa attracted pros from across the world. Florida poker regulars were also well represented, with two winning events.
